Cal Football: WR Ricky Walker III Leaves as Grad Transfer to Oregon State

A former high school quarterback, Walker played defensive and wideout for the Bears

Ricky Walker III, who once described his Cal football experience as a “long journey,” has made another turn in that road.

Walker will play his final college season at Oregon State as a graduate transfer, according to multiple media reports.

A walk-on during the Sonny Dykes’ coaching era, Walker had entered the transfer portal and will play for a Pac-12 rival, assuming there is a season next spring. Fall football has been canceled by the conference.

The websites BeavRecruiting and BeaversEdge first reported the news, and a Cal athletic department spokesperson confirmed Walker no longer is part of the Bears’ program.

Earlier this week, defensive end Luc Bequette said he is entering the transfer portal with the hope of finding a program (outside the Pac-12) that will be playing this fall.

Nothing came easily to Walker, who originally committed to Hawaii out of San Leandro High School.

“It’s been a long journey, but it’s been fun, tough . . . all that you can think about, really, on the way to where I am now,” the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder said in an interview last August. “This is my hometown, Oakland, California. Grew up here. So when I got the opportunity to be recruited by Cal, I came here. Bet on myself.”

He won the bet won he earned his Cal degree in the spring, and now his final football chapter will be played out in Corvallis, Oregon.

A quarterback and running back in high school, Walker began his Cal career as a defensive back. He was moved to wide receiver when coach Justin Wilcox and his staff arrived before the 2017 season and last August earned a scholarship and a starting assignment for the opener against UC Davis.

“It was an unbelievable feeling, something I’ll never forget,” Walker said lafter being put on scholarship. “Coach Wilcox gave me the news and it was like a rush of gratitude, excitement, a lot of love and support from my teammates.”

The Davis game turned out to be Walker’s only start as eight different wide receivers got starting assignments for the Bears last season.

Walker made his only two pass receptions (for 30 yards) all season against Oregon State on October 19. He leaves Cal with three career catches for 38 yards and no touchdowns, having appeared in 21 games over the past two seasons.

Walker wore three different jersey numbers during his time in Berkeley. He began with No. 36, then changed it to No. 38 after moving from safety to wideout before the 2017 season. He changed the number again, to No. 21, prior to last season.

A two-way standout player at San Leandro, Walker gray-shirted his first year out of high school, delaying his eligibility clock, then redshirted during the 2017 football season.

Besides football, Walker also has been involved in music, both as a producer and a rapper, known as Rick La Flair. He majored in film at Cal.

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

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