Release the Kragen

After a memorable weekend in Berkeley on his official visit, Diablo Valley College defensive end Kyle Kragen decided to flip his commitment from Illinois to Cal.

No defensive staff? No problem. The California football team finished up this official visit weekend going a perfect 3-for-3, capping off commitments from offensive tackle Erik Bunte and College of San Mateo defensive end Sione Sina with a commitment from Diablo Valley College defensive end Kyle Kragen, who flipped his pledge to the Bears from Illinois.

Kragen has three years to play two, and as a high school qualifier, will be coming to Cal in time for spring football.

“I knew that if Cal was going to offer me, it wasn’t even a decision for me,” Kragen said. “I didn’t have to think about it at all. It was a no-brainer.”

Kragen -- out of Danville (Calif.) San Ramon Valley, the alma mater of Zach Kline, Patrick Worstell and John Sheperdson -- came out of high school as a 6-foot-1, 212-pound outside linebacker, but has developed into a massive, 6-foot-3, 245-pound hard-hitting, explosive defensive end.

“Kyle Kragen, we actually had at a combine the last year we did our Scout combine back in 2009, and he was at our combine in San Francisco,” said West Coast recruiting analyst Brandon Huffman. “Another East Bay kid that we really liked, and I know that, physically, he’s really developed since he got to the JC. You see that a lot, with guys that go to the JCs: They develop much more physically, and then they really put it all together in two years. They were full qualifiers academically, but physically, they just haven’t gotten there, and he has. He’s an athletic kid ... a guy who’s developed from a linebacker to more of a hands-down defensive end.”

This season, Kragen recorded 65 tackles, 14.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss.

Stay tuned for more in-depth from Kragen coming soon, on Cal Sports Digest!