Drayden's Cal Career Game Highs
Tackles: 8 (twice, last vs. Washington State, 2021)
Tackles For Loss: 2.0 (vs. Washington State, 2019)
Tackle For Loss Yards: 6 (vs. Washington State, 2019)
Interceptions: 1 (three times, last at Oregon State, 2020)
Interception Return Yards: 54 (at Oregon State, 2018)
Long Interception Return: 54TD (at Oregon State, 2018)
Interception Return TDs: 1 (at Oregon State, 2018)
Quarterback Hurries: 3 (vs. Weber State, 2017)
Pass Breakups: 2 (twice, last vs. Nevada, 2021)
Passes Defended: 2 (twice, last vs. Nevada, 2021)
All-Purpose Yards: 54 (at Oregon State, 2018)
Points: 6 (at Oregon State, 2018)
After Cal
• Accepted an invitation to participate in the College Gridiron Showcase from Jan. 8-12, 2022
Cal Career (2016-21)
• Cal's all-time record holder for games played with 55 including at least one in each of his six seasons from 2016-21
• One of two players who completed their careers at Cal in 2021 along with fellow Texas native Cameron Goode who were members of the Golden Bears' football program for six seasons from 2016-21
• Started on 22 occasions including a career-high all 12 contests as a 2021 senior
• Classified as a senior for each of his final three campaigns but did not use eligibility in 2019 (redshirted) or 2020 (COVID-19) despite playing four games in each
• Contributed 126 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss (-15 yards), three interceptions that he returned for a total of 71 yards including a career-long 54 yards return for a pick six at Oregon State as a 2018 junior, 20 passes defended, 17 pass breakups and three quarterback hurries
• Recorded career highs of 48 tackles and five pass breakups, as well as a career-high-tying five passes defended as a 2021 senior
• Equaled a career high with five passes defended and a single interception as a 2020 senior
• Had a career-high 4.0 tackles for loss (career-high -10 yards) in his 2019 senior campaign
• Played in a career-high all 13 games as a 2018 junior and had a career-high-tying one interception that he returned a career-high and career-long 54 yards for his lone career touchdown
• Had a career-high-tying single interception against USC and all three of his career quarterback hurries against Weber State during his 2017 sophomore campaign
Senior (2021)
• Shared Cal's Ken Cotton Award as the team's most courageous player along with fellow sixth-year senior and Texas native teammate Cameron Goode
• Earned a spot on the Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll
• Contributed a career-high 48 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss (-4 yards), five pass breakups and five passes defended
• One of six Cal players and four on the defensive side of the ball to start all 12 contests
• Nevada - 3 tackles, 1.0 TFL (-1 yard)
• at TCU - 2 tackles
• Sacramento State - 6 tackles
• at Washington - 1 tackle, 1 pass breakup
• Washington State - 8 tackles ... career-high-tying tackles
• at Oregon - 6 tackles, 1 pass breakup
• Colorado - 2 tackles
• Oregon State - 2 tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss (-2 yards)
• at Arizona - 7 tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss (-1 yard)
• at Stanford - 4 tackles, 1.0 pass breakup ... Broke Syd'Quan Thompson's previous school record of 52 games played from 2006-09
• at UCLA - 3 tackles
• USC - 5 tackles
• Preseason All-Pac-12 Third-Team (Athlon, Phil Steele) and Honorable Mention (Pac-12 Media)
Senior (2020)
• Started all four games in a season shortened by COVID-19 and contributed 14 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss (-1 yard) and a career-high-tying one interception that he returned four yards, as well as four pass breakups and a career-high-tying five passes defended
• Had a career-high-tying eight tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss (-1 yard) and one pass breakup against Stanford
• Recorded two tackles and one pass breakup at UCLA, at Oregon State and vs. Oregon, adding one interception that he returned four yards against the Beavers
Senior (2019)
• Played in four games with two starts and contributed nine tackles (all solo) along with a career-high 4.0 tackles for loss (career-high -10 yards)
• Granted a redshirt season
• Recorded six tackles and a career-high 2.0 tackles for loss (-6 yards) in a starting role in his final appearance of the season against Washington State to earn Cal's Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors before behind held out of action for the final four games to preserve his redshirt season
• Had two tackles and 1.0 tackle for loss (-1 yard) against Arizona State in his first start of the season
• Recorded one tackle and 1.0 tackle for loss (-3 yards) at Washington
• Played off the bench in the season-opener against UC Davis but did not record any statistics other than participation
• Recorded one tackle in the spring game
Junior (2018)
• Played in a career-high all 13 games with two starts and registered 18 tackles, a career-high-tying one interception that he returned a career-long and career-high 54 yards for his first career pick six at Oregon State, three pass breakups and four passes defended
• Had four tackles at BYU and in his first start of the season vs. Washington, adding one pass breakup against the Cougars
• Recorded three tackles in his second and final start of the campaign at Washington State
• Registered two tackles against North Carolina, Idaho State and Oregon, while adding one pass breakup against both the Cougars and Ducks
• Also had one tackle at Oregon State in addition to his 54-yard interception return for a touchdown that was the longest interception return of the season by a Cal player
• Had one pass breakup vs. Colorado
• Played off the bench in games at Arizona, vs. UCLA, vs. Stanford and in the Cheez-It Bowl vs. TCU but had no statistics other than participation
• Did not play in the spring game due to illness but did participate in much of spring practice
Sophomore (2017)
• Played in all 12 games off the bench and contributed nine tackles as well as a career-high-tying one interception that he returned for 13 yards against USC, two pass breakups, three passes defended and a career-high three quarterback hurries with all of the hurries against Weber State to also notch a single-game career best
• Recorded three tackles at Oregon
• Had two tackles and one pass breakup along with his interception vs. USC
• Registered a single stop vs. Ole Miss, at Washington, vs.Washington State and vs. Arizona, adding one pass breakup against the Rebels
• Played but did not have any statistics other than participation at North Carolina and in each of the final four games of the campaign at Colorado, vs. Oregon State, at Stanford and at UCLA
• Named a Jonathan and Judy Hoff Scholar-Athlete of the Week
• Did not play in the spring game due to injury
Freshman (2016)
• Played in 10 games with two starts, contributing 28 tackles, three pass breakups and three passes defended
• Recorded six tackles in his first career start vs. Utah
• Had five tackles both at Oregon State and in the season finale vs. UCLA, adding a career-high-tying two pass breakups against the Bruins
• Had four stops vs. Oregon
• Recorded two tackles vs. Texas, at Arizona State and vs. Stanford
• Had one stop at USC and Washington State, while adding one pass breakup against the Cougars
• Took 44 special teams snaps
Bishop Dunne HS (Class Of 2016)
• A four-year varsity starter who compiled prep totals of 200 tackles, 12 interceptions, 45 passes deflected and four fumble recoveries
• Final two prep teams during 2014 junior and 2015 senior seasons compiled a 22-2 overall record and 11-1 TAPPS Division I District mark to win a pair of 5-A District playoff titles while also capturing a state championship during his junior campaign and adding a return to the state finals as a senior
• A first-team All-TAPPS Division I District selection of the league’s coaches and the Dallas Morning News as a senior when his stats were highlighted by three interceptions and 16 pass deflections for a squad that was 12-1 overall and won the TAPPS Division I District title with a 7-0 mark
• Had a 96-yard touchdown return on an opponents' failed field goal attempt in the state semifinals against St. Pius X as a senior
• Recorded a career-high six interceptions and 14 pass deflections as a junior for a squad that won the 5-A state title and finished 12-1 overall. while also capturing the TAPPS Division I District title with a 6-1 mark and finishing the season as the No. 15 ranked team in Texas according to MaxPreps
• Posted single-game career highs of 12 tackles, two interceptions and six pass deflections
• Wore No. 5
• Named his school’s 2015 Homecoming King
• Participated in track and field during his final prep season in 2015-16
Recruiting Rankings and Notes (Class Of 2016)
Stars: 247Sports (3), 247Sports Composite (3), ESPN (3), Rivals (3), Scout (3), Tom Lemming (3)
National Overall Player Ratings: 247Sports Composite (1093), 247Sports (1509)
National Cornerback Ratings: Rivals (60), ESPN (76), 247Sports Composite (99), Scout (109), 247Sports (136)
Regional Overall Player Ratings: ESPN (195)
Midland Cornerback Ratings: Scout (21)
Texas Overall Player Ratings: 247Sports Composite (133), ESPN (152), 247Sports (187)
Texas Cornerback Ratings: Scout (20)
Ratings/Scout Grades: 247Sports Composite (0.8397), 247Sports (82), ESPN (74), Rivals (5.6)
• A member of the top 100 recruits in the Dallas Metro Area in the 2016 recruiting class according to the Dallas Morning News
Other
• Born April 10, 1998
• Son of Edwin and Eureka Drayden
• Graduated from Cal in December of 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in American studies before earning graduate certificates in entrepreneurship in May of 2021 and business administration in December of 2021
Last Updated
March 1, 2022
