LONG BEACH — Not one but two five-star recruits at the same school.
The Class of 2027 has long been heralded as one of the most talented groups of high school football players to come out of the Long Beach area in several years.
In rankings done by 247Sports ahead of the upcoming season, which begins in late August, there are 20 seniors from the Press-Telegram area on the list of California’s top 245 players in California’s Class of 2027. The headlining players are from storied programs like Long Beach Poly and St. John Bosco.
Long Beach Poly will begin the season led by five-star senior cornerback Donte Wright, a four-year starter, as California’s No. 1 overall recruit.
Fellow Poly senior cornerback JuJu Johnson, the No. 3 overall recruit, is also a five-star recruit. Wright, who is committed to Miami, and Johnson, who is committed to UCLA, are the area’s only five-star prospects, according to 247Sports. Both are proven return specialists and should receive playing time at receiver as well.
St. John Bosco, which lost to Orange Lutheran in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs last season, is No. 1 in the area with 10 top senior recruits, led by safeties Isala Willy-Ava (Washington commit) and Dillon Davis (Vanderbilt commit).
Poly, which finished second in the Moore League last season for the second straight year, is No. 2 locally with four recruits.
St. Pius X-St. Matthias, Compton Centennial, Downey, Los Alamitos, Millikan and Compton High each have one top senior recruit.
Here is a look at where the local seniors are ranked in California by 247Sports:
Rank, Name, High School, Position, Height, Weight, College commitment or number of offers
1. Donte Wright, Long Beach Poly, CB, 6-1, 170, Miami commit (23 offers)
3. JuJu Johnson, Long Beach Poly, ATH, 5-11, 170, UCLA commit (22 offers)
Long Beach Poly’s Juju Johnson (2) gets past Jordan’s Kymani Hill (3) and heads for the end zone during the Moore League football season opener between Long Beach Poly and Long Beach Jordan at Veterans Stadium, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
35. Isala Wily-Ava, St. John Bosco, S, 6-2, 195, Washington commit (29 offers)
48. Dillon Davis, St. John Bosco, S, 6-1, 185, Vanderbilt commit (17 offers)
64. Ethan Coach, St. John Bosco, LB, 6-3, 205, Washington commit (14 offers)
65. Josiah Poyer, St. John Bosco, LB, 6-2, 205, USC commit (15 offers)
66. Justin Coach, St. John Bosco, LB, 6-2, 205, Washington commit (9 offers)
86. Kekoa Peko, St. John Bosco, DL, 6-2, 280, Boise State commit (13 offers)
88. Jayden Coley, Long Beach Poly, WR, 5-11, 175, 10 offers
100. Johnny McNeil, St. Pius X-St. Matthias, CB, 6-0, 160, Oregon State commit (20 offers)
114. Magic Haynes, Compton Centennial, DL, 6-5, 270, Arizona State commit (6 offers)
118. Damani Porras, Downey, WR, 5-9, 155, New Mexico commit (12 offers)
120. Maliq Allen, St. John Bosco, RB, 5-8, 180, 8 offers
123. Kaden Tillis, Los Alamitos, WR, 5-11, 190, San Diego State commit (15 offers)
166. Dorian Franklin, St. John Bosco, DB, 5-10, 170, Harvard University commit (20 offers)
178. Jay Williams, Millikan, WR, 6-5, 190, Kansas commit (9 offers)
186. Sevelino Taliauli, Long Beach Poly, DE/LB, 6-1, 230, Colorado State commit (8 offers)
200. Edward Rivera, Compton, ATH, 5-11, 185, Sacramento State commit (2 offers)
214. Richard Orosco, St. John Bosco, DL, 6-4, 240, Washington State commit (10 offers)
222. Jashaun Shaffer, St. John Bosco, CB, 5-11, 175, Northern Arizona commit (6 offers)
Mater Dei wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, left, catches a pass in the end zone in front of St. John Bosco defensive back Jashaun Shaffer but lands out of bounds for an incomplete pass in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship football game in Long Beach on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)