Cal Football

Eastside Catholic OT Will Reed on Why Cal Was the Right Fit

By Jim McGill

July 17, 2020

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After his big commitment announcement on Wednesday, 6-5/260 Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, WA) OT Will Reed‍ and his head coach talked in depth about his commitment to Cal.

The Bears had the advantage of familiary with Reed from early on. Despite the restrictions on travel during the pandemic, Reed had the benefit of an early visit to Cal last November to take in the Bears’ 33-20 victory over Washington State last season, where he received an offer after the game.

“It was great,” said the 3 star OT of his trip to Berkeley. “I got a tour of the faciilities and campus and loved it all. They showed me lots of hospitality and took really good care of me.

“I think I definitely got a good feel for what it was like to be a student athlete at Cal because I had a lot of contact with people who were either committed to play there or already on the team. I heard a lot from them about why Cal was a great place to be. The thing I heard the most was about the Cal family and that was probably the biggest thing that sold me.”

Reed had a strong list of contenders for his services. What in addition made the Bears stand out?

“I think for me, it’s the number one public schools in the nation and one of the top business schools in the nation, which is important to me because I want to pursue a degree in business,” said Reed. “I also like the upward trend under Coach Wilcox, too. And Coach McClure has put out a bunch of NFL prospects, which is another goal for me. And I think overall, the communication that I got from Cal throughout the recruiting process, staying in touch and continuing to let me know how big a priority I was really stood out compared to other programs.”

Reed possesses the type of consistency and high motor they value in their players in the trenches. As a junior in 2019, he did not give up a sack the whole season for Eastside Catholic covering his QB’s blind side.

“When you get to know Will as well as I do, I also coach offensive line so I get to coach him on a daily basis,” said Eastside Catholic head coach Dominic Daste, a former UW offensive lineman. “Will is ultra-competitive. Regardless of what he’s doing, whether it’s competing in one-on-ones or walking up the stairs next to somebody, he’s very competive.

“He’s extremely bright, too. Obviously, he’s going to Cal and he got recruited by other scholarly institutions. He’s one of those few players you can sit down with and have detailed conversations about X’s and O’s about technical issues. And he does a great job in bringing other guys along in terms of leadership.”

One of the elements of Reed’s game that stands out on film is his nasty streak on the field and his ability to dominate his defensive opponents.

“That’s something he’s developed over time,” said Daste. “He learned a lot from his older brother about being mentally tough and nasty on the field and getting after people on the field with a high-effort style. I think Will has incorporated that into his game.”

Reed has been a two-year starter for the back-to-back state champs but many prep tackles move inside at the next level, though as a former OL himself, Daste feels he’s ideally suited to play OT at Cal.

“I think because of his his leverage points, he’ll be a tackle,” said Daste. “When you meet him in person, he’s long-levered. it’s just kind of how he’s built, which is great for a tackle. Not saying he can’t play inside, though. He’s still growing. Once you get him in a weight room, he could easily put on quite a bit more good weight at the next level.”

Last month, Reed narrowed his 25 offers to a Top 10, which included Cal, Michigan, Michigan State, Utah, Colorado, Virginia, Duke, Kansas and Ivy Leaguers Princeton and Yale before choosing Cal this week.