De La Salle linebacker Michael Barton commits to Cal

Class of 2012 member Michael Barton, from De La Salle high school in Concord, California, has committed to the California Golden Bears. The 6-1, 200 pound linebacker will join a linebacker corps that already features a ton of young talent.

Barton record 72 tackles and 3 sacks a year ago, while forcing 2 fumbles and recovering 1. He started and played a huge role on a team that went 14-0 and had one of the best defenses in the country. De La Salle has produced some fine athletes, including the man who recruited Barton, Tosh Lupoi, so the track record is on Barton’s side.

Michael is listed as the #16 outside linebacker in the nation by Scout.com, and as a 4 star recruit. Most services have Barton as a 4 star recruit, making him a terrific pick-up for the Bears at this stage in the process. Most recruiting services have not evaluated the linebacker yet, so it’s tough to pick up a consensus on the junior.

Barton already has experience as a special teamer, which should help him get on the field quickly as a Bear. He looks to be a solid, hard nosed tackler that won’t let running backs slip away from his grasp. Question marks for him are his pass coverage, as well as his ability to adjust to the college level where he won’t be able to get by on pure athletic ability.

This is a very good commitment for Tedford and the staff, as they pick up a very good linebacker who is also a local product. Keeping talent in the Bay is a very important goal, and this commitment is a big step in the right direction. Hopefully Barton will be a solid four year contributor. Welcome to Cal!