The 2026 high school football season kicks off this week. The Union-Tribune’s John Maffei, Don Norcross and Steve Brand deliver their picks for the top 25 players in the San Diego Section … and 100 more who could make an impact.
San Diego High’s Kye Cooper runs through drills during practice at Balboa Stadium on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025 in San Diego, CA. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The Top 25
(In alphabetical order)
• Jae’veyion Allen, DB, Lincoln, Sr., Lockdown cornerback has an offer from San Diego State.
• Anthony Barquinero, QB, Oceanside, Jr., Threw for 2,048 yards and 21 TDs last season.
• Zac Benitez, QB, Granite Hills, Sr., Is on track to break every San Diego Section career passing record.
• Diego Botron, TE, La Costa Canyon, Sr., 6-4, 240. SDSU commit.
• Gavin Caha, QB, Steele Canyon, Sr., Threw for 2,426 yards and 25 TDs in 2025.
• Isaac Cook, WR, Cathedral Catholic, Sr., SDSU commit had 49 catches for 1,242 yards as a junior.
• Kye Cooper, DB-WR, San Diego, Sr., Son of former Chargers linebacker Stephen Cooper has committed to SDSU.
• Jeremy Davis, LB, Helix, Sr., Fresno State commit had 94 tackles last season.
• Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, RB-DB, Cathedral Catholic, Sr., San Diego Section Offensive Player of the Year is a USC commit.
• Jackson Fader, OL, Mission Hills, Sr., Has multiple college offers.
• Seth Fanua, LB, Lincoln, Sr., Outside linebacker had 114 tackles as a junior.
• Seth Haisch, OL, Granite Hills, Sr., A load at 6-foot-2 and 285 pounds.
• Dax Labrum, QB, Santa Fe Christian, Sr., Threw for 3,106 yards and 36 TDs as a junior. Is committed to Cornell.
• Dane Larson, WR-DB, Bishop’s, Sr., Speedster had 60 catches for 1,213 yards and 13 TDs.
• PjPaula Latu, OL-DL, Mater Dei Catholic, Jr., Two-way starter checks in at 6-4, 340.
• Asofa Lauifi, DL, Cathedral Catholic, Sr., Hawaii commit was a first-team All-CIF pick last year.
• Lincoln Mageo, OL, Oceanside, Sr., First-team All-CIF pick is committed to Michigan.
• Ezekiel McIntyre, WR-DB, San Marcos, Sr., Caught 34 passes to go with 74 tackles.
• Caleb McNickle, LB, Mt. Carmel, Sr., Had 137 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks.
• Courtney Miller-Thompson, WR, Granite Hills, Sr., Caught 60 passes for 921 yards at Lincoln.
• Paisios Polamalu, RB-DB, St. Augustine, Sr., Had 2,143 all-purpose yards, 108 tackles and six interceptions as a junior. First-team All-CIF pick and Stanford commit is the son of NFL Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu.
• Kaleb Runkle, QB, Christian, Sr., Threw for 2,870 yards and 28 TDs last season.
• Mitch Stehly, LB-RB, Sr., Valley Center, Sr., Had 101 tackles for state champions last year.
• Gaige Weddle, QB-DB, Rancho Bernardo, Jr., Son of NFL All-Pro Eric Weddle threw for 2,224 yards and ran for 790 and was first-team All-CIF on defense.
• Qasim Williams, RB, Mater Dei Catholic, Jr., Rushed for 1,156 yards and 15 TDs at Montgomery last season.
100 more to watch
• Nico Bardaro, DE-TE, La Jolla, Sr.
• Grady Barton, OL, La Costa Canyon, Sr.
• Tijs Beals, DL, Cathedral Catholic, DL, Sr.
• Noah Bedia, WR-DB, Ramona, Sr.
• Holden Bell, QB, Mar Vista, Jr.
• Brady Berg, RB-DB, Santa Fe Christian, Sr.
• Gavin Bibler, DL, Westview, Sr.
• David Branco, LB, Eastlake, Sr.
• Jared Brecht, WR, San Pasqual, Jr.
• Dareyen Bridges, WR, Lincoln, Sr.
• Harrison Brown, P-PK, Madison, Sr.
• Niko Cato, RB-LB, Mira Mesa, Sr.
• Jovani Ceja, DE, Eastlake, Sr.
• Kevin Clark, LB, Cathedral Catholic, Sr.
• Drew Coats, DL, Rancho Bernardo, Sr.
• Jeremiah Delgado, LB, Olympian, Sr.
• Corbin Dow, RB, Grossmont, Jr.
• Gavin Dysart, LB, Valhalla, Sr.
• Maddox Faiivae, OL, Mater Dei Catholic, Sr.
• Aiden Farrell, RB, Rancho Bernardo, Jr.
• DJ Ferguson, WR, University City, So.
• Levi Fesili, LB, Oceanside, Sr.
• Ma’Kahi Fields-Cook, RB, Canyon Hills, Jr.
• Kiti Fuga, OL, Helix, Sr.
• Davian Gainey, OL, San Pasqual, Sr.
• Madin Gardini, QB, Patrick Henry, Sr.
• Daine Gonzalez, RB-LB, Classical Academy, Sr.
• Kaipo Gutierrez, RB, Rancho Buena Vista, Sr.
• Cooper Hamric, WR-DB, Santa Fe Christian, Jr.
• Jayden Harris, QB, San Diego, Jr.
• Jaylen Hill, RB-LB, Kearny, Sr.
• Deshaun Hille, RB, University City, Sr.
• Delonte Hillery, OL, Poway, Sr.
• Tyler Holmes, QB, Grossmont, Sr.
• Deren Hueso, RB, Imperial, Jr.
• Furian Inferrera, QB, Mission Hills, Sr.
• Jayden Johnson, RB-LB, San Diego, Sr.
• Lajuan Johnson, RB, Hilltop, Sr.
• Marvin Jones III, RB-LB, La Jolla Country Day, Sr.
• Hudson Kallay, OL, Del Norte, Sr.
• Derek Kanuha, OL-DL, Mira Mesa, Sr.
• Trake Kelly, WR-DB, Ramona, Sr.
• Nereo Kraft, DB, Mission Bay, Sr.
• Grant Kuykendall, DB, Mission Hills, Sr.
• Sean Lander, WR, Mission Bay, Sr.
• Vincent Leatherman, RB, Army-Navy, Sr.
• Neke Letuli, RB, Oceanside, Jr.
• Braiden Linder, OL, El Capitan, Sr.
• Landon Lockwood, RB-LB, San Pasqual, Sr.
• Jeremiah Loper, QB, Valhalla, Sr.
• Hezekiah Manuel, QB, Hoover, Jr.
• Mario Mejia, OL, Vista, Sr.
• Blake Miller, QB, Torrey Pines, Sr.
• Ethan Miller, QB, Santana, Sr.
• Ryder Molchanoff, DE, Cathedral Catholic, Sr.
• Jackson Munford, QB, Westview, Sr.
• Graham Murdock, TE, Point Loma, Sr.
• Ethan Muttoni, DL, Mt. Carmel, Jr.
• Logan Nelson, OL-DL, Madison, Sr.
• Ryan O’Donovan, OL-DL, Bishop’s, Sr.
• Jack O’Sullivan, QB, Coronado, Jr.
• Reese Pagon, WR, Coronado, Jr.
• Cameron Pereira, QB, San Pasqual, Sr.
• Cayden Phillips, DB, Granite Hills, Sr.
• Van Piercy, QB, Rancho Buena Vista, Jr.
• Dom Principi, RB-LB, Torrey Pines, Sr.
• Hudson Quinn, WR, Fallbrook, Sr.
• Joshua Rivera, DL, Olympian, Sr.
• Jordan Roa, QB, San Marcos, Sr.
• Brayden Roberson, WR, Mission Hills, Sr.
• Elisha Robinson, RB, Mountain Empire, Jr.
• Luke Rode, DB, Steele Canyon, Sr.
• Prince Rodriguez, LB, Madison, So.
• Steve Rodriguez, DE, San Marcos, Sr.
• Madox Romans, RB, Del Norte, Sr.
• Kai Rosier, WR-DB, Christian, Sr.
• Chance Ross, QB, Mountain Empire, Sr.
• Juju Salmond, RB-DB, Mira Mesa, Sr.
• Ivan Scarville, LB, Morse, Sr.
• Jake Scates, LB, Escondido Charter, Sr.
• Ryan Shaw, QB, Ramona, Sr.
• Taylon Sheriff, WR-DB, Canyon Hills, Jr.
• Jamari Sherrell, DT, Lincoln, Sr.
• Madsen Smith, LB, Rancho Buena Vista, Sr.
• Adrian Sola, RB, Madison, Sr.
• Xavier St. John, WR-DB, Mission Hills, Sr.
• Jayden Stewart, WR, Hoover, Jr.
• Santonio Urena, QB, Imperial, Jr.
• Keenan Ward, RB-DE, La Jolla Country Day, Sr.
• Ryder Watson, QB, Point Loma, Sr.
• Matthew Weinpel, DB, St. Augustine, Sr.
• Keegan Wenker, OL, Scripps Ranch, Sr.
• Ty Westenberg, OL, San Marcos, Jr.
• Xadan Wilde, WR-DB, San Pasqual, Jr.
• Delontay Williams, WR, San Diego, Sr.
• Kaden Williams, QB, Del Norte, Sr.
• Xavier Wilson, LB, San Diego, Sr.
• Tucker Wojdowski, TE-DE, University City, Sr.
• Chase Woolley, WR, Santa Fe Christian, Sr.
• Gauge Wright, WR, Valley Center, Sr.