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Audio Interview -- Player Spotlight (11.20.09) -- LISTEN

02.28.10 - (INDIANAPOLIS, IN) – Former Cal football player TB Jahvid Best posted the best time among running backs in both the 40-yard dash (4.35) and 3 Cone Drill (6.75) on Sunday at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine. His 40-yard dash time was also the third-fastest time among all players timed on Sunday behind wide receiver Jacoby Ford (4.28) of Clemson and special teams player Trindon Holliday of Louisiana State. Best is one of six former Cal football players will be participating at the event that began Feb. 24 and runs through March 2 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Best, DL Tyson Alualu, WR Nyan Boateng, OL Mike Tepper, CB Syd’Quan Thompson and WR Verran Tucker are among hundreds of invited prospective NFL players. At the combine, the participants are put through a series of drills, tests and interviews with more than 600 NFL personnel from all 32 teams including head coaches, general managers and scouts.
Workouts consist of position drills as well as measurable drills to include the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, three cone drill and shuttle run. Visit nfl.com/combine for complete and live coverage of the event. The NFL Scouting Combine is one of the key tools used by NFL teams in preparation for the NFL Draft, which will take place over three days for the first time in the event’s history this year Apr. 22-24 from Radio City Music Hall in New York City. - Cal Media Relations

01.02.10 - California star tailback Jahvid Best announced Saturday that he will skip his senior year and enter the NFL draft after a disappointing final college season cut short by injury. "It wasn't an easy decision. It took a lot of thought and we got a lot of advice from everybody," Best said on a conference call. "This is an opportunity that I can't pass up." Best missed the final four games of the season after a frightening fall knocked him out and sent him to the hospital with a concussion and sore back. Best said the injury played only a small role in his decision and actually made it more likely that he would have stayed so he could have ended his career on a high note.

12.17.09 - Best, a junior, is considering leaving school early to enter the 2010 NFL draft. He has submitted his paperwork to be evaluated by the NFL draft advisory committee, which provides early-entry candidates an idea of their draft prospects. "Right now, I sent that in just to get information," Best said. "After the bowl game, I'll sit down with my family and coaches and make a decision. As of now I'm completely on top of the fence." – Contra Costa Times

12.03.09 - A year ago, it was a given that Best would leave Cal after his junior year. He had already shown his speed and explosiveness, mainly as a runner but also as a receiver. That’s no longer true. Given his injury history, he has had various injuries before this season, but none as horrifying as the one he suffered in a game against Oregon State on Nov. 7, when he leaped to score a touchdown and was flipped over to land on his head and shoulder in the end zone. He was unconscious for several minutes and, when he was later diagnosed with a concussion, as bad as that is, it was a relief. It was the second concussion for Best, and he also suffered back injuries, which have lingered. He will not play in Saturday’s season finale in Seattle against Washington and may also miss whatever bowl game the Bears play. – San Francisco Examiner

12.01.09 - Best suffered a concussion and a back/neck injury on Nov. 7 against Oregon State, and has missed the last two games because of the injuries. The junior has officially been ruled out of the regular-season finale against Washington. "He seems to be doing very well but we have not discussed at all a return," Tedford said earlier today. "He won't play this week." Best has 867 rushing yards and 16 total touchdowns in 2009.

11.18.09 - There is no timetable for the return of California junior RB Jahvid Best who suffered a severe concussion when he landed on his head in a game two weeks ago. Best definitely won’t play Saturday when the Bears play arch-rival Stanford, while the team is reportedly taking a wait-and-see attitude as to whether Best will be available for Cal’s bowl game. The school, though, has indicated that Best’s concussion symptoms have cleared up for the most part, but that he is still suffering from a sore back.

11.08.09 - Cal junior tailback Jahvid Best, who was injured during Saturday’s game vs. Oregon State, was released from Highland General Hospital in Oakland on Sunday. Best’s injury happened in the second quarter when he leaped high into the air on a seven-yard touchdown run and landed hard in the end zone. After the play, he was attended to by medical personnel on the field before being transported to Highland’s emergency room. Best remained at the hospital overnight Saturday for observation and tests. CT scans and x-rays came back normal. “We are relieved and thankful that Jahvid has been released from the hospital, and that the CT scans and x-rays have come back normal,” said Cal head coach Jeff Tedford. “I’m very thankful that it turned out as well as it did, because it was a very dangerous situation, a very dangerous fall. He really landed awkwardly from very high in the air.” Best will not play in Cal’s next game against Arizona at Memorial Stadium this Saturday, Nov. 14 (4 p.m.). His status for future games will continue to be evaluated.

2009 Preseason: Jahvid Best looks to add to the impressive list of California running backs to be selected in the NFL Draft. The 5’10” 200 Best is known for his incredible speed, and ability to make a game changing play out of the slightest of holes. After leading the NCAA with 215.5 all-purpose yards per game as a sophomore, Best began to create a buzz. Despite rushing for 1,580 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 8.1 yards per carry, he didn’t appear on any All-American list. The junior running back has had some durability problems however, and missed this spring after having two surgeries in January.