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6 days ago
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Top 20 linebackers in California high school football entering 2025
Top 20 linebackers in California high school football entering 2025 originally appeared on The Sporting News The Sporting News' preview for California's 2025 high school football season rolls on with a look at the state's top 20 linebackers. Following the top 20 are the names of 10 more LBs who were heavily considered for a top-20 ranking. With only 30 players mentioned, there are future Division 1 college players who are current high school standouts who didn't even make the cut – that's how deep the talent pool is. The primary criteria are production and team success relative to strength of schedule, awards for the 2024 season from other sources, and recruiting rankings/accolades. For two-way stars, contributions on offense may be noted but were not factored into the selections. 1. Dash Fifita, Santa Margarita – Sr. One of the toughest pound-for-pound defensive players in California and probably the whole nation. Fifita, a 3-star Arizona commit, won DPOY last year in the nation's toughest league as a 5-foot-10, 185-pound junior linebacker with 100 tackles, 11 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, and an interception against arguably the most difficult schedule in high school football. 2. Shaun Scott, Mater Dei – Sr. The 4-star USC commit was second on the national champion with 13.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and two interceptions as a junior. Scott might project better as an EDGE than a pure OLB going forward and could just easily make the defensive line list instead of linebackers. His other 22 offers included Ohio State, Michigan, Miami, Penn State, Texas, and Tennessee. 3. Jonathan McKinley Jr., Corona Centennial – Sr. The most productive defensive player for one of high school football's top programs, McKinley was the Big West League (Upper) Defensive Player of the Year with 10.5 sacks, 21 QB-hurries, 57 tackles, and a pick. Fluid between OLB and rush end, he's a 3-star Cal commit with 10 other offers including Boise State, SMU, Arizona State, Arizona, and UNLV. 4. Isaiah Phelps, Pacifica (Oxnard) – Jr. JOE LUMAYA/VENTURA COUNTY STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn As just a sophomore, Phelps racked up 174 tackles (eight for loss), five sacks, and two interceptions to help lead Pacifica to a CIF-SS D4 title and the 2-AA state finals. He also managed to play a major role at running back with 767 yards and seven touchdowns rushing to go with four catches for 33 yards and a TD. Phelps is a 4-star recruit with 23 offers that include Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas, and USC, and enters his junior year with 268 tackles, 16 TFLs, and four picks. 5. Tristan Phillips, Ventura – Sr. JOE LUMAYA/VENTURA COUNTY STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn California's top-ranked senior linebacker per 247Sports. The 4-star Oregon commit enters his senior year with career totals of 182 tackles, 20 TFLs, and five sacks after recording career-highs in most categories as a junior. Greg Biggins of 247Sports wrote, " Long, athletic 6-foot-3, 215 pound frame and shows the ability to play inside or outside 'backer at the next level. Might be best suited as a will 'backer because of his athleticism, ability to play in space and strong cover skills." 6. Taylor Johnson, Cajon – Sr. Photo courtesy of Taylor Johnson One of the state's top breakout stars as a junior, Johnson erupted for 174 tackles (82 solo), nine TFLs, and four sacks for a Southern Section D3 playoff team that averaged fewer than 18 points a game allowed. He can also cover at quite a high level for a linebacker that predominantly plays inside. Johnson's recruiting took off shortly after the 2024 season, as he's now a 3-star prospect who chose USC out of a dozen offers. 7. Taven Epps, Tustin – Jr. While Epps' No. 7 ranking is based more on potential and recruiting accolades than 2024 production, we are confident that he will live up to and perhaps exceed it. The 4-star Texas commit was a Cal-Hi Sports Second Team All-State (Sophomores) selection with 38 tackles, nine tackles for loss, seven sacks, 11 QB-hurries, one interception, six pass break-ups, and a blocked punt for a CIF-SS D3 playoff team. At upwards of 6-4, 220 with standout athleticism, Epps has played both linebacker positions and safety, and might eventually land at weak-side defensive end. He has at least 33 more offers including Georgia, Ohio State, Penn State, and Notre Dame. 8. Ronen Zamorano, Sierra Canyon – Sr. The reigning Mission League co-DPOY and the top unranked linebacker in California. At 6-2, 225 Zamorano looks and produces the part of a bone-crushing Mike, leading a nationally-ranked program with 113 tackles (four for loss) and 71 solo tackles as a junior. Zamorano has been offered by Colorado State, San Diego State, and San Jose State. 9. Leki Holani, Santa Margarita – Sr. Holani broke out for 72 tackles, 19 TFLs, six sacks, six QB-hurries, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and four pass break-ups as a junior. And the 3-star Sacramento State commit did it all against one of the toughest schedules in high school football. He makes up the top returning linebacker tandem in California with Dash Fifita. 10. Ezaya Tokio, Oceanside – Sr. As a junior, Tokio totaled 28 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles – all in just four games. The previous season at St. Augustine, he registered 98 tackles (4.5 for loss). With a full senior season in his second year at Oceanside, Tokio could easily emerge as a statewide DPOY candidate. He's a 4-star Washington commit who has considerable upside at 6-4, 220 with speed and motor. 11. Balen Betancourt, Newbury Park – Sr. JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK One of the most underrated linebackers in all of high school football. Betancourt helped lead the Panthers to a CIF-SS Division 2 title last year with 122 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, nine sacks, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles. It was the second season in a row that he eclipsed 120 tackles and 17 TFLs. 12. Josh Williams, Palos Verdes – Jr. An athletic edge rusher who could be listed at OLB or DE and the reigning Southern Section D5 DPOY. Williams racked up 76 tackles, 21.5 TFLs, 11.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles to lift Palos Verdes to a section title and 2-A state title. He's a 3-star recruit with offers from Akron, Marshall, and Georgia State. 13. Oscar Aguilar, Downey (Downey) – Sr. Patrick Breen/The Arizona Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn The 3-star Arizona state pledge enters his senior year with career totals of 258 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and two blocked kicks. His junior season was his best yet, as he registered 102 tackles, 14 TFLs, four sacks, and five forced fumbles to help Downey go 9-2 with a CIF-SS D2 playoff berth. Aguilar is at his best against the Vikings' top opponents and is reportedly still growing after checking in at 6-3, 215 a year ago. 14. Chase Cahoon, Saint Francis (Mountain View) – Sr. Despite missing a bit of time both seasons, Cahoon was quite productive as a sophomore and junior against one of Northern California's toughest schedules. In 17 combined games, he totaled 172 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 16 QB-hurries. Cahoon is a 3-star Stanford commit whose other offers include Boise State, UNLV, Washington, and Arizona State. 15. Kenneth Goodwin III, Bishop Montgomery – Sr. Goodwin's ranking here is watered down by the fact that he missed his junior season at Narbonne after transferring from Desert Pines (NV). But he's definitely not a 4-star SMU commit with two-dozen offers by accident. While he's already a star in the recruiting world thanks to impressive camp performances and athleticism, look for Goodwin to break out as one of one California's top defensive players on the field this fall. 16. Isaiah Leilua, Servite – Jr. Leilua exploded out of the gate as a freshman in 2023 to help lead Servite to the CIF-SS D2 title game, and as a sophomore he was already the focal point of opponents' game plans, earning First Team honors in the Trinity League and on Cal-Hi Sports' All-State Sophomores teams. He enters his junior year with totals of 158 tackles, 10 TFLs, five sacks, five passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. Leilua is a high 3-star recruit with Arizona State, USC, and Washington considered the favorites among 16 schools to offer him. 17. John McClellan, Rancho Cotate – Sr. The top-ranked senior linebacker prospect in Northern California per 247Sports, McClellan wreaked havoc with 157 tackles and five sacks in 10 games as a junior. The 3-star recruit committed to Colorado State shortly after visiting in June and also has offers from NAU, UNLV, Sacramento State, and Nevada. 18. Ryder Smith, Great Oak – Sr. Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn One of California's top returning two-way stars and a recent Idaho State commit, Smith somehow went under the radar despite putting up ungodly numbers as a junior. He went off for 133 tackles (80 solo), 22 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, and 15 QB-hurries seeing action pretty much everywhere in the front seven, and he also emerged as a standout running back with 1,369 yards and 16 touchdowns on 8.2 yards per carry. 19. Aidan Dagher, Burbank – Jr. In just seven games as a sophomore, Dagher ran wild for 86 tackles, 15 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. In the seven games he played, Burbank went 6-1, losing only in the second round of the CIF-SS D9 playoffs to eventual champion Highland (Palmdale) following a 3-2 start. Dagher is a 3-star prospect with offers from SMU, Sacramento State, Campbell, Western Kentucky, and Arkansas Baptist. 20. Landon McClendon, St. Mary's (Stockton) – Sr. CLIFFORD OTO/THE STOCKTON RECORD / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn A versatile outside backer who thrives in space, McClendon is more impactful than his merely solid junior year numbers show. He totaled 48 tackles (35 solo), 13 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, an interception, and a blocked field goal for one of NorCal's top programs, and some of his best work was in coverage. McClendon also brought his A-game in most of the Rams' biggest games while also seeing his numbers deflated by sitting in the second half of a few total blowout victories. He's a 3-star prospect with offers from Portland State and Sacramento State. ALSO IN CONSIDERATION: Jeremiah Brown, San Jacinto – Sr. (Oregon State) DJ Clanton, Mater Dei – Jr. Aiden Gomez, Downey (Downey) – Sr. Maxwell Mapstone, Portola – Sr. Matthew Muasau, St. John Bosco – Sr. (UCLA) Josiah Poyer, St. John Bosco – Jr. Weston Reis, Palos Verdes – So. Ezekiel Su'a, Mater Dei – Jr. Fifita Tauteoli-Moore, Corona Centennial – Sr. (Princeton) Philip Wilson III, Pacifica (Oxnard) – Jr. RELATED: SN's preseason California All-State teams Top 20 QBs in California entering 2025 Buford (GA) unveils $62 million high school football stadium
Yahoo
04-08-2025
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JaySean Richardson is the latest Richmond native to commit to the Hoos
When played flag football as a kid, he never went for the ball carrier's flag. Instead, the future Virginia Class 4 Defensive Player of the Year would always opt for a tackle. That coupled with his abilities as a running back prompted his father to give him his nickname — 'Bull.' 'Everybody was like. 'It's like I seen Red when I was running,'' Richardson said. But next year, Richardson will be seeing navy and orange when he suits up for Virginia. The 3-star defensive tackle announced his commitment on Friday, choosing the Hoos over in-state rival Virginia Tech. Richardson, a standout from Varina High School, is yet another recruit of head coach Tony Elliott and his staff to come out of the Richmond area. He joins fellow Varina standout DaMari Carter in Virginia's Class 2026, and this season's roster already includes six players listed as natives of Richmond. Richardson said the amount of the prospects from the Richmond area coming to UVa shows just how much the Hoos trust that area to recruit in. After the first day of preseason camp on Wednesday, Elliott shared how his staff's focus on Richmond is a part of his larger strategy to attract the best players from all of the commonwealth. 'From day one, I've said, 'Inside out, I want to do it with the best players from the state of Virginia,'' he said, 'and it's just taken us a little bit of time to make inroads and to re-establish relationships, because high school recruiting is still about relationships.' That hard work paid off with Richardson, who said the coaching staff made it known on his visit that as an in-state prospect, he was their 'number one guy.' But before he arrives in Charlottesville, Richardson will play his final season at Varina, with the Blue Devils coming off a loss in last season's Class 4 State Championship game.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
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Texas A&M Football Wins In-State Recruitment Battle Against Texas For Linebacker DaQuives Beck in More Ways Than One
Texas A&M Football Wins In-State Recruitment Battle Against Texas For Linebacker DaQuives Beck in More Ways Than One originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Texas A&M football landed a blue chip in-state commit on Tuesday, July 1 and kept the Aggies recruitment roll ongoing past June. Head coach Mike Elko has seen success after success in the class of 2026 recruitment cycle, and his most recent commit keeps on adding to that Advertisement Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko reacting Lysaker/Imagn Images Twenty-four hours after announcing his commitment, four-star linebacker DaQuives Beck shut down his recruitment. He received 20 offers, and Texas A&M's biggest competitors were Texas, SMU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Arizona. Beck is from Carthage, Tex. and is the No. 196 overall recruit from his class. He's also the No. 11 overall linebacker and No. 25 athlete out of Texas. Gabe Brooks of 247Sports wrote in his scouting report of the rising senior that he's a "physical off-ball linebacker prospect" with impressive speed, power, and overall athleticism. In the NCAA, regardless of where he committed, Beck is expected to be a multi-year starter and has NFL potential long-term. Advertisement As a Carthage Bulldog, Beck earned Defensive MVP of the 2024-25 4A Division II State Championship game. He had 10 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and one sack in the contest against Waco La Vega. Beck helped lead his team to the high school program's 10th state championship. He first visited College Station back in January. Beck said to On3 that he and the coaching staff developed a very good relationship, specifically assistant coach Trooper Taylor and defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jay Bateman. Beck also has connections with the Aggies through a teammate who already committed to Texas A&M: KJ Edwards. Beck is the second linebacker commit for the Aggies after three-star Storm MIller's announcement back on April 2. Now that Beck shut down his recruitment, Elko can focus on the next primary targets, defensive lineman Lamar Brown and wide receiver Boobie Feaster. Brown appears to be going back-and-forth between Texas A&M and LSU. Feaster is currently projected to land with the USC Trojans. Advertisement Related: Aggies Favored To Land Coveted Edge Rusher From Class of 2026 Related: Elite Young Quarterback Heavily Considering Texas A&M for Far Future NCAA Career This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
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5-star Oregon Football target hints at change to commitment timeline after Eugene visit
The Oregon Ducks were said to be the top team for five-star offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho going into his official visit to Eugene over the weekend. After the visit, that remains the case. In fact, it seems Iheanacho liked his visit so much that he is considering a change to his commitment schedule, making it sooner than planned. The five-star recruit was initially scheduled to make his commitment announcement on Aug. 5. After leaving Eugene on Sunday, he told On3 he is considering announcing his decision in July. Advertisement While the Penn State Nittany Lions, LSU Tigers and Auburn Tigers are also in the mix for Iheanacho, all seem to be chasing the Ducks, who solidified their spot with the offensive tackle this weekend on the official visit. Iheanacho is the No. 8 player on the 247Sports composite for the 2026 class. It appears likely he is going to end up as a Duck, unless something drastically changes going forward. As for when that commitment is made, we will have to wait and see. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes and opinions. Advertisement This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: 5-star Oregon Football target makes announcement after Eugene visit
Yahoo
29-06-2025
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Rivals Five-Star: Breaking down the offensive linemen
Nick Lucero/ INDIANAPOLIS – The stars came out for the 2025 Rivals Five-Star event at the Indianapolis Colts' facility this week. Here we break down the top offensive linemen from the event. Advertisement MORE FROM INDY: Highlights and analysis | Teams that should be pleased | Positional MVPs | Gorney Awards | Biggest surprises | Flip watch | QB analysis | RB analysis | WR analysis | TE analysis RECRUITING INTEL: Mid-South | Florida | West | Southeast | Midwest RIVALS FIVE-STAR MEDIA DAY: All the news, notes and interviews | The All-Lobby Team | How solid are the commitments? | Roster RIVALS FIVE-STAR INTERVIEWS: Jaden O'Neal | Trae Taylor | Chase Calicut | Samu Moala | Jake Kreul | Felix Ojo | Peyton Houston | CJ Sadler | Richard Wesley | JaReylan McCoy | Carter Scruggs | Nolan Wilson | Carson Sneed | Derrek Cooper | Devin Carter | Jayden Wade | Joel Wyatt | Kaden Henderson | Nick Abrams There could not be a more perfect fit than Brown and Penn State. Brown has a chiseled frame that will easily carry more weight after he enters the Nittany Lions' strength program. But even more impressive than his frame is his motor. Advertisement Brown is always ready to go and eager to plant opposing defenders in the turf. He's also remarkably consistent at these national events. Penn State has a future star on the way. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH PENN STATE FANS AT The future Ohio State Buckeye doesn't do many camps but you wouldn't know it after his performance at the Rivals Five-Star. He came very close to taking home MVP honors after some great reps during one-on-ones. Greer is highly-rated at No. 43 in the country but is still underrated. He's got a great basketball background as well. The Ohio native has future multi-year starter written all over him. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT Osenda is a massive offensive tackle prospect out of Tennessee. Because he's so tall, he carries his weight very well and it doesn't look like he weighs 330 pounds. He came in with the biggest wingspan at the camp (7-foot) and had some dominant moments during the camp. His improvement has been steady and he's one to watch in the future. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TENNESSEE FANS AT The crown jewel of the Cal recruiting class gave the program a massive boost when he committed there. Standing at 6-foot-6, 335-pounds he's a monster offensive lineman that is hard to miss. But he's pretty agile for that size and rarely got beat during camp. Cal got an absolute steal here and their future quarterbacks and running backs will be thankful. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH CAL FANS AT
