Cal wide receiver Nyziah Hunter, who was the Golden Bears' top wide receiver this past season as a freshman, plans to enter the transfer portal, according to a report by Pete Nakos of On3.
Hunter was not expected to make a major impact in his first season at Cal, but due to injuries to other wide receivers, he had a chance to demonstrate his talent ear.ly in the season. He came off the bench in the Bears' first three games of 2024 and made 12 catches for 143 yards and four touchdowns in those three games.
Hunter became a starter in the fourth game against Florida State and continued to be productive. He finished with 40 receptions, which was second on the team and first among wide receivers. He led the team in both receiving yards (578) and touchdown catches (five). Only one other Cal player (Jonathan Brady) has as many as three touchdown catches.
Cal wide receiver Nyziah Hunter plans to enter the transfer portal, @HarloSports tells @On3sports.
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) December 10, 2024
The redshirt freshman posted 40 catches for 578 yards and 5 touchdowns this season. Former four-star recruit. https://t.co/wMrfFrdlE6 pic.twitter.com/pafHzhPgqg
In the Bears' final regular-season game against SMU, Hunter had five receptions for 85 yards. No other Cal receiver had more than two receptions or more than 37 receiving yards against the Mustangs.
Hunter's opportunity came partly because Cal's projected starting wide receivers Tobias Merriweather and Kyion Grayes both missed he first eight games because of preseason injuries. But even with those players sidelined, he was not a starter until the fourth game of the season.
Typically players who enter the transfer portal before a bowl game don't participate in that postseason game. Cal (6-6) faces UNLV (10-3) in the LA Bowl on Wednesday, December 18, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Hunter is from Salinas, California, and was rated a four-star prospect by 247 Sports and a three-star prospect by Rivals coming out of high school. He chose Cal over offers from Oregon State, Boise State, Washington, Colorado State and BYU.
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