santacruzbear said:
My pick is 1993. Cal had three of the top-10 players on the West Coast--Pat Barnes, Reagan Upshaw, Tariq Smith; two more in the top 20--Kevin Devine and a db from the East Bay who didn't contribute perhaps because of injury; and two more in the top 50--Tarik Glenn and Bobby Shaw. Todd Steussie wasn't bad either. He was ranked in the 50-100 range. The rankings I cite are from Allen Wallace who put out a recruiting publication until the internet came along.
Steussie's last year at Cal was 1993. His recruiting class was 1989 or 1990. 1993 was a great class though.
My pick would be one of 2003, 2005 or 2007. All Pac-10 honorees:
2003Daymeion Hughes: 1st Team (2005), 1st Team and DPOY (2006)
Brandon Mebane: HM (2004), 1st Team (2005), 1st Team (2006)
Aaron Rodgers: HM (2003), 1st Team (2004)
JJ Arrington: 1st Team (2004)
Matt Giordano: 1st Team (2004)
Ryan Riddle: 1st Team (2004)
Craig Stevens: HM (2005), 2nd Team (2006), HM (2007)
Joe Maningo: HM (2004)
Thomas Decoud: HM (2007)
Brian de la Puente: HM (2007)
2005Syd'Quan Thompson: 1st Team (2008), 1st Team (2009)
Zack Follett: HM (2006), 2nd Team (2007), 1st Team (2008)
DeSean Jackson: 1st Team (2006), 2nd Team (2007)
Tyson Alualu: 2nd Team (2008), 1st Team (2009)
Desmond Bishop: 2nd Team (2005), 1st Team (2006)
Nu'u Tafisi: 2nd Team (2005), 2nd Team (2006)
Lavelle Hawkins: HM (2006), 2nd Team (2007)
Anthony Felder: HM (2007), HM (2008)
Mickey Pimentel: HM (2006)
Will Ta'ufo'ou: HM (2008)
2007Bryan Anger: 2nd Team (2008), 1st Team (2009), 1st Team (2010), 1st Team (2011)
Mitchell Schwartz: HM (2009), 2nd Team (2010), 1st Team (2011)
Cam Jordan: HM (2008), HM (2009), 1st Team (2010)
Jahvid Best: 1st Team (2008), 2nd Team (2009)
Chris Conte: 1st Team (2010)
Shane Vereen: HM (2009), 2nd Team (2010)
Sean Cattouse: HM (2009), HM (2010), HM (2011)
DJ Holt: HM (2010), HM (2011)
Matt Summers-Gavin: HM (2011)
Justin Cheadle: HM (2011)
DJ Campbell: HM (2011)
The honors for the 2007 recruiting class are even more impressive since they had less team success to support their individual candidacies. The 2005 class players probably won more combined games started than any class since the Truman administration. The 2003 class was the backbone of the best Cal team since that time. It's a tough call. If it's team success then one of 2003 or 2005.