Cal Football: Jeremiah Hunter Anxious For His Long-Awaited Golden Bears' Debut

Now, as he awaits his first college game, Sept. 4 against Nevada, admits he’s anxious to see how he steps up to the next level.

“I still have doubt in my mind. You never know how good . . . you never know until you’re out on the field,” he said after an early fall camp practice where he exceled. “It helps out a little bit but I want to prove to myself that I’m able to do something in a game.”

Will he be nervous for that first one?

“Oh, for sure,” Hunter said. “I’m always nervous before a game. But once I get that one hit or one catch I should be good. I think it’s good for me.”

Asked about Musgrave’s evaluation, Hunter credits some of his natural skillset to God-given ability. He acknowledges the college game provides different challenges than high school did, but Hunter doesn’t seem too concerned.

“To me, the leap is a lot more people are rangier and bulkier, stronger,” he said. “So I added some weight so I could beat those jams at the line. And it’s a lot faster (here). There’s not really too much of a difference, but those two things is where I saw the difference.”

Hunter cites his catching ability and catching radius — the result of long arms on a 6-foot-2 frame — as his strengths. He also thinks he will catch some defenders off guard.

“I feel like my release at the line is really good, too,” he said. “I don’t think people think I’m as fast as I am. I think that helps me out a lot.”

While the coaching staff has high hopes for Hunter, he is just one piece in a deeper wide receiver room that will try to provide an assortment of targets for quarterback Chase Garbers.

Here is Hunter’s evaluation of the versatility of Bears wideout corps, with references to Trevon Clark, J. Michael Sturdivant, Trond Grizzell, Tommy Christakos, Justin Richard Baker, Nikko Remigio and Kekoa Crawford.

Hunter said he and the Bears’ other young receivers, including freshmen Sturdivant and Mavin Anderson, can learn a lot from the three seniors, Remigio, Crawford and Clark.

“Us young guys, we just look up to those three guys,” he said. “Try to soak in as much information as we can before they leave.”