Four-star LB Elyjah Staples commits to Cal, breaks down his decision

Los Angeles (Calif.) Marquez athlete Elyjah Staples has committed to Cal and broke down why he chose the Bears.

>Cal had a huge visit weekend and we expect several names to pop as commitments over the next few days. Staples was the one of the headliners of the weekend and he pulled the trigger earlier tonight.

>“I really wasn’t expecting to commit this soon,” Staples said. “I really expected to make it to my visit to BYU but Cal is just too great an opportunity for me.

>“I actually committed during dinner. It just felt right. I love everything about Cal and it’s the best all around fit for me.”

>Staples narrowed his choices to two a week ago- Cal and BYU. BYU was actually the team to beat a month ago.

>“Cal really pushed hard and then on this visit, it felt like home,” Staples said. “Tosh Lupoi is the man, I can’t wait to play for him.

>“I love the direction the program is going in right now and you can tell Cal is building something special. The campus is great, I loved the city of Berkeley and it’s a great academic fit as well so it really had everything I was looking for.”

>Staples said he loved the defense and scheme fit as well.

>“Cal has a great defensive staff,” Staples said. “Tosh is a defensive minded head coach and and their whole defensive staff has a lot of great coaches with NFL experience.

>“I love the fit for me. They see me as outside linebacker who can play in space and rush the passer. I see a lot of opportunity there and like I said, I’m just really excited to be a Bear.”

>Staples is a four-star prospect and the No. 353 player nationally in the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services.

>He’s one of the more versatile athletes in the region with a strong multi-sport background. As a sophomore, he earned League Player of the Year honors in football and basketball, plays on the volleyball team and runs on the track team as well.