Over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at some of the best high school football recruits from the country’s recruiting hotbeds.
The series started with the best 2026 recruits out of Texas and last week we looked at the best juniors coming out of Florida.
This time, we’ll head west and look at the Golden State. Here are the top 2026 recruits to keep an eye on from California.
Ryder Lyons
School: Folsom
Position: Quarterback
Commitment: Uncommitted
Summary: Lyons may be a 2026 grad, but he fits more into the 2027 class as he will take an LDS mission trip following his high school career.
He’s coming off a junior season where he threw for 3,011 yards and 46 touchdowns. As for possible NCAA landing spots, USC appears to be the favorite in his recruitment—his older brother currently plays for the Trojans, which only helps the process.
Brandon Arrington
School: Mount Miguel (Spring Valley)
Position: Athlete
Commitment: Uncommitted
Summary: Arrington is a true five-star talent, with several of the nation’s top programs clamoring after him. Currently, Texas A&M looks like the favorite program to land him.
That could change over the next few months, though. He has official visits lined up to Penn State (May 2), Texas A&M (June 5), Alabama (June 13), USC (June 17) and Oregon (June 20).
Mark Bowman
School: Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
Position: Tight End
Commitment: Uncommitted
Summary: At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, Bowman already looks like a college tight end getting ready for his NFL pro day. Playing at Mater Dei, there’s a good chance he’ll get to that level in the very near future.
No real favorite has emerged in his recruitment yet, but he has official visits lined up to Alabama (May 30), Texas (June 6), USC (June 17), and Oregon (June 20).
Chris Henry Jr.
School: Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
Position: Wide Receiver
Commitment: Ohio State
Summary: The son of the late Bengals receiver Chris Henry, Henry Jr. is regarded by many as one of the best receivers (if not the best) in the 2026 class. And like most top receivers in recent years, he’s headed to Columbus.
A season-ending injury earlier in the year cut his junior season short, but expect a healthy Henry Jr. to put some insane numbers during his senior campaign.
Kodi Greene
School: Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
Position: Offensive Tackle
Commitment: Oregon
Summary: Ducks head coach Dan Lanning went into California and added another elite talent, landing Greene last June. He’ll be a massive piece of their future going forward with his 6-foot-6 and 310-pound frame.
Davon Benjamin
School: Oaks Christian (Westlake Valley)
Position: Safety
Commitment: Uncommitted
Summary: Oregon is trending to land Benjamin, and that would be a massive boost for an already loaded secondary. As a junior, he accounted for 45 tackles, six interceptions, five tackles for loss, and four pass breakups.
He hasn’t set dates for official visits yet, but we should expect the Ducks and USC to be included on that list.
RJ Sermons
School: Rancho Cucamonga
Position: Cornerback
Commitment: USC
Summary: Sermons didn’t play a ton last season, but when he did, he was usually the best player on the field. The future Trojan recorded 34 tackles in six games.
Simote Katoanga
School: Santa Margarita Catholic (Rancho Santa Margarita)
Position: Defensive Lineman
Commitment: USC
Summary: Katoanga committed to the Trojans just a few weeks ago and appears to be a solid pledge for the future USC roster. He has an official visit lined up for June 6.
Richard Wesley
School: Sierra Canyon (Los Angeles)
Position: EDGE
Commitment: Uncommitted
Summary: At 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, Wesley is already a force to be reckoned with up front. His junior season saw him account for 44 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and two forced fumbles.
At the time of writing, it looks like USC and Oregon are the front-runners in his recruitment.
Brian Bonner
School: Valencia
Position: Running Back
Commitment: Uncommitted
Summary: Standing at 6-foot-1, Bonner is a big back with impressive numbers. His junior season saw him rush for 1,493 yards and 25 touchdowns on 197 carries. He averaged 135 yards per game.
Bonner recently lined up an official visit to Washington the weekend of April 25.
Israel Briggs
School: Redwood (Visalia)
Position: Tight End
Commitment: Arizona State
Summary: At 6-foot-6 and 200 pounds, Briggs already looks like a college tight end. The Sun Devils are getting a guy ready to be a receiving threat and elite blocker at the next level.
While he remains committed to Arizona State, don’t expect other programs to begin shying away. Miami is one of those teams that have stayed heavily involved in his recruitment.
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt
School: Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
Position: Wide Receiver
Commitment: Uncommitted
Summary: Mater Dei’s roster is loaded with talent on the offensive side of the ball, yet Dixon-Wyatt has still found a way to stand above the rest.
The junior led the team in receiving with 693 yards and five touchdowns on 50 receptions. Oregon looks to be a favorite here as well, but programs like Ohio State, USC, Alabama, and Texas all remain in the mix.
Brandon Lockhart
School: Loyola (Los Angeles)
Position: Cornerback
Commitment: USC
Summary: Lockhart decided to stay in his home state, committing to the Trojans. That could be a massive win for a USC defense that has struggled for years.
A shutdown corner, he recorded 42 tackles last season to go along with a team-high five interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
Vance Spafford
School: Mission Viejo
Position: Wide Receiver
Commitment: Georgia
Summary: The Bulldogs are getting a true threat in the slot with the 5-foot-11 Spafford.
Last season, he led his team in receiving, catching 57 passes for 1,017 yards and 14 touchdowns. He averaged just over 17 yards a catch.
Tommy Tofi
School: Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco)
Position: Interior Offensive Lineman
Commitment: Uncommitted
Summary: A massive 6-foot-7, 350-pound prospect, several top programs are after Tofi. Oregon appears to be the early favorite in his recruitment, and he’s set to head to Eugene for an official visit on June 6.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: Recruiting rankings: 2026 California high school football prospects
