Twitter: @chrisyaghi | @calfootball
Instagram: chrisyaghi | cal_football
Pronunciation
yah-GHEE (hard G)
Yaghi is in his first season at Cal as a true freshman in 2016 and listed as one of two players sharing the No. 3 spot at one defensive tackle position on the 2016 preseason depth chart. Yaghi chalked up the honors in his final two prep seasons at Foothill High School, earning an All-State selection from American Family Insurance and also being named the Crestview League Lineman of the Year as a 2015 senior after he was selected the Crestview League Defensive Player of the Year and earned third-team Junior All-State honors from Cal-Hi Sports during his 2014 junior campaign. He finished his prep career with two-season totals of 95 tackles, 25.0 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks and nine knockdowns. Yaghi is being recruited to Cal as a defensive lineman and was ranked as California’s No. 4 defensive tackle and the nation’s No. 48 player at the position in the 2016 recruiting class by Scout.
Foothill HS (Class of 2016)
• Played both nose guard and fullback as a prep, totaling 95 tackles, 25.0 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks and nine knockdowns on defense
• Earned a second-team All-State selection from American Family Insurance and was also the Crestview League Lineman of the Year as a senior when he totaled 36 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and four knockdowns on defense after he was named to the preseason Defensive Player of the Year Watch list of both the Orange County Register and Los Angeles Times, ranking as the No. 1 defensive lineman by the Orange County Register
• Also added five carries for 16 yards rushing while adding one reception for 21 yards as a senior for a team that finished 6-4 overall
• Ranked No. 9 on the Orange County Register’s Hot 150 heading into his senior campaign
• Selected the Crestview League Defensive Player of the Year and earned third-team Junior All-State honors from Cal-Hi Sports as a junior when he had 59 tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks and five knockdowns while also helping pave the way for a team that averaged 182.3 yards per game rushing, while also contributing 82 yards rushing and one touchdown on the ground on nine carries for a squad that finished 8-4 overall and reached the second round of the Southern Section Southwest Division playoffs including a single-game career-high 66 yards rushing on two carries against Tustin with his score coming against El Dorado
• Also had a couple of memorable moments as a junior with a 50-yard run against Tustin and a fumble recovery vs. Brea Olinda
• Wore No. 42
Recruiting Rankings and Notes (Class of 2016)
Stars: Tom Lemming (3+), 247Sports (3), 247Sports Composite (3), ESPN (3), Rivals (3), Scout (3)
National Overall Player Ratings: 247Sports Composite (1026), 247Sports (1390)
National Defensive Tackle Ratings: Scout (48), 247Sports Composite (64), ESPN (70), 247Sports (82)
Regional Overall Player Ratings: ESPN (154)
West Defensive Tackle Ratings: Scout (7)
California Overall Player Ratings: Rivals (82), ESPN (102), 247Sports Composite (95), 247Sports (140)
California Defensive Tackle Ratings: Scout (4)
Ratings/Scout Grades: 247Sports Composite (0.8422), 247Sports (83), ESPN (74), Rivals (5.6)
• Listed as the Orange County Register’s No. 16 recruit from Orange County in the 2016 recruiting class following his senior prep season
What They Are Saying
• Sonny Dykes
“Chris is going to develop into a really good player. He’s got length. He came to our camp in Southern California and really moved well. Love his personality. Love his passion for playing football. He’s an outstanding student as well, just really excited about him. I think his best football is in front of him. He’s going to be a big kid. He’s got a great frame. He’s going to play with a lot of toughness.”
• Fred Tate
“We signed a few tackles and [Chris] Yaghi is one of those guys that’s going to come in. He’s got some length and he’s going to be a heavy guy with a lot of strength. He’s also a pretty good athlete that’s going to help us on the interior line.”
• Chris Yaghi
“I decided to commit to Cal because of the opportunities it gives me outside of football. I aspire to be a civil engineer and I thought to myself Cal is clearly the best engineering school in the nation and is a Pac-12 football team. That sounds pretty good to me. I took my first trip to Berkeley last February for Junior Day. I fell in love with the facilities and the campus, and when I was leaving Berkeley I told myself this was my goal.”
• ESPN
“Possesses excellent height with a frame to support needed additional mass. Demonstrates very good playing strength and adequate initial quickness … Displays a physical nature and willingness to battle. Looks to give good effort to stay after the play and solid wrap-up tackler … Yaghi is a tough and active defender.”
Other
• Full name is Chris Yaghi
• Born December 8, 1997
• Parents are Shucri and Lili Yaghi
• Parents are from Lebanon and he still has family that lives in the country
Last Updated
July 29, 2016
