Mountlake Terrace High School graduate Devante Downs made his college football debut for the University of California Saturday in its season opener against Northwestern Saturday at Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill.

Downs, who graduated in 2014, missed the entire 2013 season for the Hawks due to a torn ACL during the summer. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound freshman linebacker recorded one solo tackle and one assist. California defeated Northwest 31-24.

Downs was recruited to Cal as an athlete with the potential of playing both linebacker and running back but started his career as a linebacker when he arrived at Cal as a mid-year enrollee in January of 2014. Downs was limited to non-contact drills during his first spring with the Bears due to the injury that caused him to miss his entire 2013 senior season. Downs was on the Rivals Preseason All-American Watch List prior to his senior season after a junior campaign in which he racked up 1,271 yards and 24 touchdowns on offense while adding 63 tackles, 17.0 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks on defense to earn an AP Washington Class 3A All-State honorable mention selection.