If any of its underclassmen declare for the 2014 NFL Draft, California will undoubtedly have the highest ratio of departures-to-wins in college football.
Five juniors -- linebacker Khairi Fortt, cornerback Kameron Jackson, safety Michael Lowe, running back Brendan Bigelow, and tight end Richard Rodgers -- have requested evaluations from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, head coach Sonny Dykes told reporters Wednesday, coming on the heels of an ugly 1-11 season in which the Golden Bears did not beat an FBS opponent.
Fortt, who started his career at Penn State, and Lowe (5-foot-11, 215 pounds) would seem the most likely to receive favorable feedback. Lowe had a team-high 67 tackles with four tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and one interception, while Fortt (6-2, 240) had 64 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss (one-half sack).
Jackson (5-9, 175) broke up six passes and intercepted one to go along with 42 tackles and two tackles for loss.
Bigelow (5-10, 180) was supposed to be a centerpiece of Dykes' Bear Raid spread offense, but finished with 421 rushing yards and two touchdowns, averaging a less-than-inspiring 4.0 yards per carry, and 34 receptions for 202 yards. That transcendent performance Bigelow delivered at Ohio State last season is looking more and more like an extreme outlier for an underperforming player with a well-documented history of knee injuries.
Third on the team with 39 receptions for 608 yards after playing mostly at inside receiver this season, Rodgers (6-4, 245) might have the biggest upside of the group, a great athlete and pass catcher who can still refine his skills as an in-line player.
Ideally, Dykes would get all five back, which along with another recruiting class and a host of key players returning from injury would give Cal a shot to be remotely competitive in the loaded Pac-12 North. The beleaguered defense allowed 45.9 points and 529 yards per game, finishing second-to-last in the FBS in both categories.
Dykes did report some possible good news on the latter front, as defensive end/outside linebacker Brennan Scarlett is nearing medical clearance. Scarlett is the team's top pass rusher but has been hindered by a series of infections in his hand over the last two seasons. If he can get healthy, Scarlett would be one of Cal's top players and a major difference-maker on that side of the ball.
Otherwise, Cal will again have more draft prospects than wins.
Follow Dan Greenspan on Twitter @DanGreenspan.
