Cal Football: Cameron Goode Grows into Lead Role on the Golden Bears' Defense

Sixth-year outside linebacker has added perhaps 45 pounds since arriving on campus.

No one could have mapped out the road Cameron Goode has traveled since coming from Spring, Texas in the fall of 2016 to Berkeley. Least of all Goode himself.

“That’s crazy to think about — I didn’t think I’d be here this long. It’s flown by. Doesn’t feel like six years,” he said.

Goode, whose only in-state scholarship offer was from Texas State, was hardly the headliner in what turned out to be a big-time recruiting haul for Cal. 

In a class that also included Evan Weaver, Camryn Bynum, Jordan Kunaszyk, Josh Drayden, Tevin Paul and Traveon Beck on the defensive side, Goode was modestly rated by Rivals as a two-star prospect.

Maybe the issue was that he was a bit undersized as a 195-pound outside linebacker.

“I think I was around 200,” he said this week. “Some people disagree, but that’s what I’m going with.”

What matters is how far Goode has come.

After redshirting as a freshman, he returned pass interceptions for touchdowns in 2017 and ’18 before suffering season-ending injuries both years.

He was an honorable mention All-Pac-12 selection by the coaches in 2019 when he played all 12 games and collected 9.5 sacks.

Last season, the coaches made him a second-team all-conference pick.

Goode enters his final season with career totals of 127 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks in 26 starts.

And there’s this: Goode now weighs 240 pounds.

“I feel bigger and stronger than I’ve ever been. I still feel fast,” he said. “I’m real excited to go out there. I’m always looking to keep building — I feel like I haven’t reached my peak yet.”

Cal coach Justin Wilcox, who inherited Goode when he arrived before the 2017 campaign, wonders if Goode is under-appreciated.

“He’s done a hell of a job — I don’t know if we talk about it enough,” Wilcox said in the video above. “He’s made a lot of plays for us for a number of years. His work ethic has been noticeable. His attention to detail playing that position.

“He looks really, really good, physically. He’s stronger than he’s ever been and he’s just as fast as he’s always been. I think Cam is primed for a really, really good season.”

Defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon recalls special teams coordinator Charlie Ragle showing the team some videotape from several years back. “There was a Cam Goode shot . . . and just how much he’s developed and how much he’s matured has been great to see,” Sirmon noted.

It’s not just the physical growth that impresses Sirmon.

“His improvement is the way he’s approached the game. I see a greater consistency in his performance. He’s playing the run game better,” Sirmon said.

Goode opted to return for a sixth season — the NCAA gave players an extra year of eligibility after COVID-19 wreaked havoc on 2020 — because he knows he still has much to show to NFL scouts.

What position does he play? Is he strong enough to set an edge? Does he have the speed and skill to drop back into pass coverage?

“I always feel that I have something to prove.” said Goode, whose name does not appear in early 2022 NFL mock drafts. “All I know is whoever likes me, I’m ready to do whatever I can.”

Sirmon, who played six seasons in the NFL, says Goode has a chance in the right situation.

“The playmaking ability is there. Those types of players you have to find the appropriate home — everybody, not just Cam, just trying to find the right fit,” Sirmon said.

"I think as he continues to play the run better and is effective at the point of attack, that’ll lead to greater opportunities for him when the season’s over.”

*** Wilcox discusses Cal's outside linebackers corps in the video below:

Cover photo of Cameron Goode

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo