Cal flips 2024 punter Bobby Engstler, former Florida commit. He was committed to UF as a walk-on but will join the Bears on scholarship. The Under-Armour All American is set to join the team this year as the Bears continue to add talent on special teams. @CalRivals https://t.co/C3XtrKtlBy

— Maria Kholodova (@mariakholl) January 16, 2024

There's our first five star!

And he's not Australian? Seems to be a rarity nowadays.

Cal is Punter U.

Go Bears.

5* punter AND 5* kicker according to Kohl's. He ranks as the No. 3 punter and No. 11 kicker in the 2024 class.

Our first ever 5 star is a punter?

"First ever"?

NWBear90 said:

---

There's our first five star!

And he's not Australian? Seems to be a rarity nowadays.

---

To be fair specialists are rated separately by national camps and the regular services tend to just give them stock grades. Here's an excerpt from his page for Kohl's Kicking Camps:

"Engstler is the most consistent punter in the 2024 class. He won the punt competition at the National Scholarship Camp in July of 2023 and the Underclassman Challenge in January of 2023. He also showed command of his body on field goals at both events. He scored 34/36 points on field goals in July. In December, he scored 14/15 points on field goals, 101.8 points on kickoffs, and 103.2 points on punts. Engstler also competed at the 2022 Kohl's Kicking National Scholarship Camp in July of 2022. He scored 29 points on field goals, 103.55 points on kickoffs, and 108.7 points in punting. His hands have developed nicely in punting and he continued to be dominant as a punter. Earlier in the year, he graded out at the five-star level by scoring an impressive 118 points at the Southern Showcase Camp. In January he scored 18 points on field goals and showed excellent ability to call on his "A" ball during the field goal charting and competitions. His punting is excellent, and he is one of top overall combo prospects in the country for the 2024 class. The 2021 Kohl's National Scholarship Camp proved to be another opportunity for Engstler to put his talents on display. He was able to tie for the second-highest score on the field goal charting, scoring 28 points. Engstler has shown consistently that he has the talent to be one of the top combo specialists in the class!"

They rated him as a 5* specialist, the #3 overall punter and #11 overall kicker. They have him with offers from Army and FAU, and Memphis (and obviously us now) and walk-on offers to Ole Miss, Florida, and Florida State. He is listed at 6-0 200lbs with a 3.72 gpa

NWBear90 said:

---

There's our first five star!

And he's not Australian? Seems to be a rarity nowadays.

---

5 star according to Kohls?

Kohl is the name of a guy who founded a national kicking camp circuit. Those are the only groups that evaluate kickers and punters. 24/7 doesn't give out ratings for HS specialists, ESPN and rivals just give them standard stock ratings

This sounds like a nice get. I think we now have two kickers on scholarship. That seems to be a rarity.

NWBear90 said:

---

There's our first five star!

And he's not Australian? Seems to be a rarity nowadays.

---

As an aside, I was reading elsewhere today that with the rise of Aussie style punters, there are significantly fewer punt returns than in the past. Supposedly Georgia did not have a single punt returned for the entire 2023 season.

I am thrilled to see us get a top punter, especially one that can also kick. Good insurance given that our incoming kicker from North Carolina is coming off an injury plagued season.

24/7 also lists Lorenzo Alexander but that's pre-2002

MoragaBear said:

---

Basketball Bear said:

---

This sounds like a nice get. I think we now have two kickers on scholarship. That seems to be a rarity.

---

He's a punter who can do both so kind of unique in that regard, like a half a scholarship for both punter and kicker.

And as noted, the 5 star rating is a Kohl's kicking rating. Kohl's is the gold standard for special teams but you'll rarely if ever see a scouting service give 4 or 5 stars to punters or kickers.

Desean Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, Keenan Allen, Demetris Robertson and Chris Martin (a bust who was gone quickly) are Cal's 5 star signees since standardized rating services began in 2002.

---

wasn't Marshawn a 4 star? I thought he was over shadowed by Lendale white who was a 5 star. Of course had he gone to USC, he would have been bumped to 5 star

Cal8488 said:

---

MoragaBear said:

---

Basketball Bear said:

---

This sounds like a nice get. I think we now have two kickers on scholarship. That seems to be a rarity.

---

He's a punter who can do both so kind of unique in that regard, like a half a scholarship for both punter and kicker.

And as noted, the 5 star rating is a Kohl's kicking rating. Kohl's is the gold standard for special teams but you'll rarely if ever see a scouting service give 4 or 5 stars to punters or kickers.

Desean Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, Keenan Allen, Demetris Robertson and Chris Martin (a bust who was gone quickly) are Cal's 5 star signees since standardized rating services began in 2002.

---

wasn't Marshawn a 4 star? I thought he was over shadowed by Lendale white who was a 5 star. Of course had he gone to USC, he would have been bumped to 5 star

---

It depended on the rating service. Back then 5 stars were rare. Marshawn was generally the #2 RB in his class behind Adrian Peterson. Reggie Bush is tge RB from that class who went to USC and played behind Lendale White, as Marshawn played behind JJ Arrington.

If Kohl's can run kicking camps now, what does Steve's B.B.Q. rate the youngster?

Huge get! Especially considering how often we are punting. Finally our coaches is taking special teams seriously. It is such an important facet and i am sick and tired of losing 10 to 20 yards every time we switch fields even if we get a stop. Imagine this all too common scenario. The opponent start the game and we hold them to a three and out, we go three and out ourselves, somehow, by the opponent's 2nd possession they are starting at their 40.

I am ok with a schoolie on a proven punter/kicker. Those guys play multiple times a game. A proven performer in those areas is far better than a project special teams player who might never seen the field.

I remember how much of a joy Bryan Anger was to watch when he played for us. He is now quietly having the best professional career of any cal bears sans Rodgers and some of the greats. He is a consistent all pro who has made millions in the league. We could use another Anger

Punters are people too!

But do we have a Special Teams Coach yet?

MoragaBear said:

---

Bearly Clad said:

---

24/7 also lists Lorenzo Alexander but that's pre-2002

---

They went back before 2002 just a year or so ago and gave ratings to select players but they didn't exist before then. There were services like Prepstar, SuperPrep etc but it wasn't as standardized as it became when Scout and Rivals started doing ratings in 2002.

Lynch was a 5 star on Scout, which is now 247 and 4 stars on Rivals.

---

Wasn't Joe Ayoob a 5 star on Scout as well?

tydog said:

---

MoragaBear said:

---

Bearly Clad said:

---

24/7 also lists Lorenzo Alexander but that's pre-2002

---

They went back before 2002 just a year or so ago and gave ratings to select players but they didn't exist before then. There were services like Prepstar, SuperPrep etc but it wasn't as standardized as it became when Scout and Rivals started doing ratings in 2002.

Lynch was a 5 star on Scout, which is now 247 and 4 stars on Rivals.

---

Wasn't Joe Ayoob a 5 star on Scout as well?

---

How about the late Viliami "Tiny" Moala?

If JW ever lands a 5 star. I think we'll all go crazy

oskiswifeshusband said:

---

If JW ever lands a 5 star. I think we'll all go crazy

---

You mean if our collective ever lands a 5 star?

MoragaBear said:

---

tydog said:

---

MoragaBear said:

---

Bearly Clad said:

---

24/7 also lists Lorenzo Alexander but that's pre-2002

---

They went back before 2002 just a year or so ago and gave ratings to select players but they didn't exist before then. There were services like Prepstar, SuperPrep etc but it wasn't as standardized as it became when Scout and Rivals started doing ratings in 2002.

Lynch was a 5 star on Scout, which is now 247 and 4 stars on Rivals.

---

Wasn't Joe Ayoob a 5 star on Scout as well?

---

Doesn't look like it: https://247sports.com/Player/joseph-ayoob-43350/junior-college-72127/

Same with Moala: https://247sports.com/player/viliami-moala-1529/

Both 4 stars on both scout/247 and rivals

---

I actually also recall Ayoob as a 5* on Scout. I know it's 247 now...but based off one of the comments in this reddit thread, Im not the only one that recalls this. But shrugs, it was awhile ago and he probably was borderline and not comparable to a Keenan Allen

https://www.reddit.com/r/CFB/comments/8tjjvw/has_there_ever_been_a_5_juco_recruit/

Edit. This article also states ayoob (along with bishop and Hawkins) were 5 stars
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2005/02/03/cal-lands-wr-jackson/

MoragaBear said:

---

tydog said:

---

MoragaBear said:

---

Bearly Clad said:

---

24/7 also lists Lorenzo Alexander but that's pre-2002

---

They went back before 2002 just a year or so ago and gave ratings to select players but they didn't exist before then. There were services like Prepstar, SuperPrep etc but it wasn't as standardized as it became when Scout and Rivals started doing ratings in 2002.

Lynch was a 5 star on Scout, which is now 247 and 4 stars on Rivals.

---

Wasn't Joe Ayoob a 5 star on Scout as well?

---

Doesn't look like it: https://247sports.com/Player/joseph-ayoob-43350/junior-college-72127/

Same with Moala: https://247sports.com/player/viliami-moala-1529/

Both 4 stars on both scout/247 and rivals

---

Moala may have been downgraded at some point but I also remember him as getting a 5 star from at least one service. https://www.si.com/college/cal/news/vei-moala-obituary this obituary also references that.

I seem to recall Bryce Treggs getting a 5 star from at least one service as well. https://goldengatesports.com/2016/02/05/cal-bears-nfl-draft-profile-wide-receiver-bryce-treggs/ seems to be Scout.

oskiswifeshusband said:

---

If JW ever lands a 5 star. I think we'll all go crazy

---

He just did!

Good point. Our special teams have been dismal

bear2034 said:

---

oskiswifeshusband said:

---

If JW ever lands a 5 star. I think we'll all go crazy

---

He just did!

---

Punter U baby!

Come on people, are we getting so old that we can't remember all the posts about how our players, once committed, always lost a star on the rating services. It was almost a joke.

calumnus said:

---

bear2034 said:

---

oskiswifeshusband said:

---

If JW ever lands a 5 star. I think we'll all go crazy

---

He just did!

---

Punter U baby!

---

If he can flip field position like Brian Anger and others have done, he's going to be a game changer.

Punting was probably the single thing we did consistently well to great with

Isn't our punter from last season returning?