Another high school football season has wrapped up in California, with endless talent being showcased as teams from all areas of the state competed for a state title. In particular, the San Francisco Bay Area once again proved that its sector of elite athletes is of high caliber, with schools all around the Bay Area having players put themselves firmly on the map.
While the 2024 campaign is still only a month removed from concluding, many programs have already begun to look ahead to 2025 hoping that they too can enjoy seasons that go into December and be one of the teams left standing when state championships roll around. With the plethora of strong players on high schools all around, with East, North, South Bay and San Francisco/Oakland city schools producing college athletes, we take a way-too-early look at some intriguing players a part of the recruiting class of 2026.
Since becoming Archbishop Riordan's full-time starter as a sophomore in 2023, Mitchell has elevated a program that had been going through a bit of a rough patch into a well-respected West Coast Athletic League team. In 11 games played in the '23 season, Mitchell Jr. threw for 2,927 yards with 31 touchdown passes and six interceptions while guiding the Crusaders to a 7-4 record a year after they went 3-7. As a junior in 2024, Mitchell Jr. continued to impress, throwing for 2,759 yards with 35 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions on less pass attempts (295 as opposed to 338) from the previous year. Committed to Vanderbilt, Mitchell Jr. will look to put together a big junior year befor beginning his career in the SEC.
The question here may be, why include two players from the same school on this list? Well, that is because Tofi is a massive complementary piece to Mitchell Jr.'s success. A two-way player for the Crusaders, Tofi excels on the interior offensive line for the team, not only giving Mitchell Jr. clean pockets and buying him a lot of time to throw, but Tofi's six-foot-six, 320 pound frame creates havoc on the defensive line as well. Rated as a four-star recruit on 247Sports, Tofi currently has around 27 offers, with schools such as Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, BYU, California, Duke, Florida, Iowa State, Miami, Nebraska, Ohio State, Ole Miss, among many others having formally extended him an offer.
Talk about a guy who can do it all. Jefferson, who is listed as a wide receiver on offense and a defensive back on defense for De La Salle, is unfortunately limited by a run-heavy offensive scheme. But do not let that distract you from just how much of a star Jefferson is. Taking on a larger role as a sophomore in 2023 and getting more two-way reps, Jefferson saw a lot of action at running back, carrying the ball 42 times for 422 yards and two scores while recording two interceptions and 31 tackles on defense. Building off of that in 2024, Jefferson carried the ball 30 times for 344 yards while finding the end zone four times on the ground while catching a touchdown pass as well. With a chance to be even more of a focal point on the offense in 2025, Jefferson will look to fight for that opportunity and breakout even further as a senior. He has offers from Arizona, Oregon State, Sacramento State, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV and Washington State.
If you want a player with a high motor, look no further than Kelly. The six-foot-five, 235 do-it-all star has established himself as a marquee player for Campolindo, with him becoming a trusted star in head coach Kevin Macy's system. As a sophomore on varsity in 2023, Kelly caught six passes for 101 yards and a pair of touchdowns while making 54 tackles (5.5 for loss), 5.5 sacks and forcing two fumbles on defense. As a junior this past year, Kelly really broke out, making 14 catches for 171 yards and a touchdown on offense, but recording 62 tackles (15 for loss) and nine sacks on the defensive line. A three-star recruit with an offer from San Diego State, Kelly will look to increase interest during his senior season.
After starting his varsity career as a backup to Dominic Ingrassia, Rolovich took over the duties last year and proved just how good he can be. In 11 games played in 2024, Rolovich completed 132 out of his 231 pass attempts for 1,790 yards with 21 touchdowns to only seven interceptions, and added another 501 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. That marked a breakout season for him, as the year before, he only attempted 28 passes (completing 20 of them) and had six touchdown passes and five rushing touchdowns. A three-star recruit on 247 with offers from New Mexico Highlands, San Jose State and Texas State, Rolovich's senior year could end up being a big one.
A lifelong sports fan, Dylan has channeled his passion for sports into the world of reporting, always looking to provide the best possible coverage. A graduate of the University of Arizona, Dylan has since gone on to report on all sports, having gained experience covering primarily football, baseball, basketball, softball and soccer.
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