NFL
By: Brock Vierra
Recent years have not been kind to Justin Wilcox and Cal football. Three straight losing seasons have plagued the program and the 2023 outlook doesn’t necessarily spell change. However as we travel on the bumpy and unpredictable road called college football, shall we dare to explore the monster that Cal is ready to release on their opponents. Ladies and gentlemen, I present Jaydn Ott.
The 20-year-old running back from Chino, California is a 6’0, 200-pound combination of Alvin Kamara, Danny Woodhead, and Tavon Austin. He can do it all. Pure runner, receiving back, and blocker, he gets the job done. A versatile player, he can run out of the shotgun but truly makes defenses pay in the pistol. He doesn’t have get away speed but he can outrun defenders. What he really does well is understand angles and his ability to hit the crease at the right angle makes him special.
What I love about this kid is his cerebral abilities and assassin-like instincts. For such a young man, he is a patient, confident runner who allows his blockers to open the hole instead of trying to force something. He understands blocking schemes and uses his knowledge to anticipate and hit the hole before or as it develops. Once he reaches the second level, he makes quick, concise cuts with the hip explosiveness that NFL scouts dream of.
He has solid hands, great balance, and a nice low center of gravity. He’s a baller. He welcomes contact and initiates it most of the time. He makes DBs try to arm tackle and they fail. He scores at crucial points, he possesses a clutch ability that we’ve seen in multiple games. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry and was named a Freshman All-American. The best part about him is that he’s a downfield runner that is hard to bring down.
There is no such thing as a tackle off of first contact with this dude. His desire to try and get every yard possible on every play makes you want this guy on your team. He is underutilized on the screen as well so it is rare to see him in open space but when you do, it is a house call.
In 2022, Ott had 897 rushing yards off of 170 attempts. He also had 8 rushing touchdowns. He also had 46 receptions for 321 yards and three touchdowns. So over 1000 total yards and 12 touchdowns as a true freshman. Yeah, he’s special. The best part is that he had only one turnover. Ott in his first conference game rushed for 274 yards against Arizona, the third-highest mark for a single game in Cal history.
Keep in mind that call went 4-8 but they also had five one-possession losses. In those five games, Cal played USC, UCLA, Washington, Colorado, and Notre Dame so they might be on to something. Ott after an offseason of growth might be the force that gets them over the hump and bowl eligible again.
The only reason that Ott isn’t being talked about is because he goes to Cal. He is like Jahmyr Gibbs when he was at Georgia Tech and he’s gunning for the Pac-12 rushing title. Stock is up on Jaydn Ott so tell your friends about him, in one year it will make you look like the smartest guy in the room.
He is the real deal. The nice part for Cal is that they got Ott for at least two more years. Now we all have 24 months to soak up his tape. At this point, he’s Cal’s and Justin Wilcon’s saving grace.
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