When it comes to football recruiting, it’s never too early to look ahead, right?
While the 2026 class will grab the recruiting spotlight for the next year, the stars of the 2027 class will continue to get their shine as well. Over the last two weeks, we looked at the top 2027 prospects in Texas and top 2027 prospects in Florida.
Now, it’s time to look at the best players in 2027 coming from the Golden State. Here’s a look at 10 must-know players from California to know in the 2027 class.
Brady Edmunds
School: Huntington Beach
Position: Quarterback
Summary: An Ohio State pledge, Edmunds showed why he’s regarded as one of the best sophomore quarterbacks in the country. Last season, he completed 62% of his passes for 3,222 yards and 36 touchdowns while also rushing for nine more touchdowns.
Honor Fa’alave-Johnson
School: Cathedral Catholic (San Diego)
Position: Athlete
Summary: Fa’alave-Johnson did a bit on both sides last year but was at his best on defense, recording 18 tackles and a pair of interceptions. He holds nearly 25 offers, including Arizona State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oregon, and USC.
Duvay Williams
School: Junipero Serra (Gardena)
Position: Cornerback
Summary: Williams is regarded by most recruiting outlets as a top-10 recruit in the 2027 class. He stands at 6-foot-2 and 160 pounds, and he already holds offers from nearly every major Power Four program. USC and UCLA are two programs to keep an eye on right now.
George Tola
School: Summit (Fontana)
Position: Defensive Line
Summary: A massive 6-foot-2, 300-pound prospect, Tola is regarded by nearly every outlet as one of the top defensive line prospects in the 2027 class.
After a breakout freshman campaign, his sophomore year saw Tola account for 27 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
Taven Epps
School: St. John Bosco (Bellflower)
Position: Linebacker
Summary: Standing at 6-foot-4, Epps already looks like a college football linebacker. He plays like one too.
The sophomore had a breakout season last year, recording 38 tackles, nine tackles for loss, seven sacks, and six pass breakups. Washington and Notre Dame are two programs that look heavily in the mix for Epps.
Demare Dezeurn
School: Bishop Alemany (Mission Hills)
Position: Wide Receiver
Summary: A speedy 5-foot-11 receiver, Dezeurn is a bit under the radar currently. Don’t expect that to last long.
Programs like Ole Miss, Nebraska, Syracuse and Washington have noticed his talents. Expect his list of offers to grow entering his junior year.
Jacob Whitehead
School: St. John Bosco (Bellflower)
Position: Cornerback
Summary: Whitehead is another big defensive back that college coaches have already noticed. He stands at 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds. His current list of offers includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Oregon, USC and many others.
JuJu Johnson
School: Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)
Position: Athlete
Summary: USC appears to be the front-runner to land one of the best sophomores out of Long Beach. He appears to be well on his way to a great high school career following a sophomore season that saw him account for 43 tackles, three pass breakups, and three forced fumbles.
Aaryn Washington
School: Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
Position: Cornerback
Summary: Washington appears to be the next great defensive back out of Mater Dei. As a sophomore, he had 20 tackles and three interceptions. He already holds many offers, including Georgia, Alabama, and Oregon.
Jailen Hill
School: St. John Bosco (Bellflower)
Position: Cornerback
Summary: Hill’s a big defensive back standing at 6-foot-3 but only weighs 160 pounds. He’ll put on more weight as the years go on, and his list of offers continues to grow. He holds nearly 25 offers, including Arizona State, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, Oregon, and USC.
