Cal’s Hansen picked by Jets
Tom FitzGerald is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tfitzgerald@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @tomg fitzgerald
Like his quarterback pal Davis Webb, Cal wide receiver Chad Hansen is headed to the Big Apple.
Hansen was picked by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the NFL draft Saturday with the 141st overall pick, a day after Webb went to the Giants in the third round.
Another Cal player, running back Khalfani Muhammad, was chosen by the Tennessee Titans in the seventh round.
After Solomon Thomas and Christian McCaffrey were chosen in the first eight picks, Stanford had no other players drafted. It was the first time since 2001 that only two Cardinal players were picked.
Hansen came out of obscurity to become one of the most productive wide receivers in the country with the Golden Bears. Last season, in his only year as a Cal starter, the 6-foot-2, 202pound junior was named firstteam All-Pac-12 after catching 92 passes for 1,249 yards, leading the conference in both categories, and 11 touchdowns. He missed two games with an ankle injury.
He opted for the draft with a year of eligibility remaining.
Hansen had just one scholarship offer, from FCS school Idaho State, coming out of Moorpark High School in Ventura County. He had 45 catches for 501 yards and three TDs as a freshman at Idaho State.
He then transferred to Cal as a walk-on. He had to sit out the 2014 season and had 19 catches for 249 yards and one touchdown in 2015.
The Jets took another wide receiver, Alabama’s ArDarius Stewart, in Round 3. Stewart and Hansen are expected to compete with 2016 rookies Jalin Marshall and Charone Peake along with Devin Smith, a second-round pick in 2015, for roster spots.
The Jets’ top three receivers are Eric Decker, Quincy Enunwa and Robby Anderson. Decker, 30, is coming off hip and shoulder surgery.
NFLDraftScout.com’s Spencer Hall gave the Jets an A-plus for the Hansen pick, saying: “Very good value this late in the fourth round, Hansen is a very mechanically sound receiver who can stretch the defense and has few holes in his game. Great pick by the Jets, just don’t know who will throw to him.”
Muhammad was not invited to the NFL’s combine, but he ran an impressive 4.34-second 40-yard dash at Cal’s pro day.
As a senior, the 5-9, 175pounder rushed 152 times for 827 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. He added 584 yards as a kick returner and 132 in receptions.
Among undrafted players who agreed to free-agent contracts are Stanford wide receiver Michael Rector (Lions) and Cal offensive lineman Steven Moore (Titans). Others who could join them include safety Dallas Lloyd and kicker Conrad Ukropina from Stanford and safety Damariay Drew, defensive end DeVante Wilson and long snapper Bradley Northnagel from Cal. Eagles take Qualls: Washington defensive tackle Elijah Qualls of Petaluma was taken by Philadelphia late in the sixth round. His selection prompted still another rendition of “Fly, Eagles, Fly,” the Eagles’ fight song, by fans watching the draft at an outdoor theater on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Qualls, who was a running back at Casa Grande High, made first-team All-Pac-12 last season despite missing three games with ankle injuries.