First 2026 OV Weekend a Hit With Recruits
The Bears knocked it out of the park last weekend with their first big official visit weekend of the summer, with five new commits and counting joing prior commit Jonathan McKinley as Cal commits.
Here are some comments from the weekend:
Jonathan McKinley 6-2/225 Corona Centennial LB - The 3 star Cal commit had a strong junior season with League Def. Player of the Year honors after totaling 39 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 12 hurries. He chose Cal over Utah, SMU, ASU, Arizona and more.
“I would say my visit just solidified my commitment with Cal,” McKinley said. “What stood out to me is just the beauty of the area and the ability to further my education at Cal. Honestly I don’t think you can do much to prep fully for college, but I feel I’ve taken the necessary steps for my body and mind in order to be best suited for it. The plan currently is for me to come in and play ILB at the Mike position at Cal.”
Tommy Tofi 6-6/320 OT, Archbishop Riordan/SF HS - The 4 star younger brother of Cal OLB commit John Tofi Jr has long been a priority target for the Bears. He chose Cal over an impressive list of offers, including Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, Washington, Ole Miss and more.
“Some of the things that stuck out to me were the change in environment, coaching staff, and the expectations and plans they have for me,” Tofi said after his commitment. “My relationship has grown with Coach Anae and also Coach Vic. I have a better feel of what’s expected of me and my role on the team.
“My brother being here, the coaching staff, I’ll be close to home so my family can come to games, the education, and the brotherhood, everything. I already feel like I’m home with the current players and coaching staff.”
Taimane Purcell 6-3/230 TE, Kamehameha HS - The 3 star Oahu TE chose the Bears over Oregon, USC, UCLA, Tennessee, Stanford and more. Purcell had 20 catches for 225 yards and 4 TDs as junior and was a top target for the Bears at the TE position.
“I think it was the coaching and the location, because it's so convenient,” Purcell noted as factors in his commitment to Cal. “And then the coaching staff and how they communicate with the players, and how they all interact with each other. They came together and made me feel really important.
“Obviously, Aiden (Manutai) and Jaron (Sagapolutele), coming from Hawaii, they played a big role in my official visit and like making it very enjoyable.”
Nemyah Telona 6-2/285 DL, De La Salle HS - The 3 star local DL had 31 tackles and four sacks in 9 games for the Spartans in their State runner-up season in 2024. Telona chose the Bears over Auburn, Oregon, Arizona, ASU, Minnesota and more.
"The difference between this OV and my last visits was that I got a better understanding of how Cal works, the organization and the community is all about family and there’s a lot of support for their players both athletically and academically, it’s just a great atmosphere there,” Telona said. “What stood out to me was that they truly care for their players and it’s just one big family. The program itself is amazing I truly believe that Coach Browning can develop me into the best player I can be."
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Victor Santino 6-0/190 RB, Bishop Montgomery HS - The 4 star Torrance RB is one of the top running backs on the west coast. As a junior, Santino ran for 1,028 yards on 102 carries and 10 TDs. Santino chose the Bears over Miami, Oregon, Utah, Washington, TCU and more.
“I liked Cal fom the first time I came to a game there (Cal vs Miami),” Santino said. “Driving down sorority row and seeing the school spirit in full effect caught my attention, then to see the stadium packed and people from young to old with a lot of school spirit cheering was a good feeling and I definitely wanted to be a part of something like that. It felt like home. The scenery was different and it felt like I was around people that cared about me.
“The coaching staff was very welcoming and positive Coach Griffin is honest and understanding so that means a lot and Coach Harsin is a great guy and I like that he spoke to me in a cool, calm way. The whole coaching staff were fun to be around.
“I didn’t know that the campus was so open and big and had so many trees. I like that a lot. It’s a place I can see myself at for life after football.”
Elisha Faamatuainu 6-5/330 Murrieta OT. The high 3 star Rancho Murrieta OT had a strong group of early offers, including Oregon, USC, Auburn, Michigan State, Utah, SMU and more before choosing the Bears.
"Cal was the right fit for me because the first thing that they cared about was my family’s wellbeing. That and my ideals of why I play football align with Coach Wilcox's coaching philosophy," the Cal commit said.
Dakota Dickson 6-4/280 DL, Monte Vista HS - The 3 star Danville DL has been to Cal several times in the past few years and will make his OV this week. Dickson also played OL and gave up no sacks and only 4 QB pressures and on D, he had 55 tackles, 5 sacks, 14 QB pressures and 2 passes defended as a junior. Dickson also holds offers from Washington, Utah, Louisville, Ole Miss and more. Took OVs to Oklahoma State and ASU earlier this month and has two more scheduled in June with Boise State and Washington on 6/12 and 6/20.
“My OV was great,” Dickson said. “What stood out was the connection that the recruits had. We all had a great connection and loved the school. My relationship with Coach Browning has always been great. He’s been recruiting me for two years now so he knows me well and I feel very comfortable with him.”
Jeron Jones 6-0/165 CB, Mission Viejo HS - The 4 star OC corner has put up big stats in his three seasons as a starter with 11 INTs, including an equally impressive 5 pick-6’s. Jones holds offers from Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, Oregon, USC and more. He took an OV to ASU on 5/16 and has two more planned with Washington on June 6 and Arizona on 6/20.
“My OV was great,” Jones said. “Some things that stood out was building a great relationship with the current players. They told me a lot about the program and showed me around. Cal also made me and my family feel comfortable right from the jump and Coach TB and AB put a big emphasis on how I’m a top priority. The relationship with the other staff is great, too. They showed high energy throughout the whole OV, which stood out a lot to me.”
Ezaya Tokio 6-4/200 LB, Oceanside HS - The 3 star LB only played 4 games as a junior after his transfer but he made them count, totaling 28 tackles, 10.5 TFLs and 7.5 sacks in 2024. He also holds offers from Washington, UCLA, Arizona, ASU and Michigan State. He took visits to ASU in April and UCLA last week and has OVs set up to UW on 6/6 and MSU on 6/20.
“It was an amazing visit,” Tokio said. “Great hospitality. Coaches vibes with players and staff felt like a brotherhood. Education was a big priority in the visit. Staff was great. I really connected with Coach Vic, Coach Bruno and Coach Nick. Great guys to be around.”
The Bears will be hosting an additional 11 recruits this weekend in their second big official visit weekend of the summer.
Related:
Bears Prepare to Host First Group of Official Visitors
Bears Add Highly-Recruited Hawaii TE Taimane Purcell
Bears Pull in Top 4 Star OT Tommy Tofi
De La Salle DL Telona Stays Local With Cal
Bears Get Commitment From 4 Star SoCal RB Victor Santino
Bears Pick Up 2026 Murrieta OT Elisha Faamatuainu