California (CIF) State high school football championships: 25 underclassmen recruits to watch
The final weekend of the 2023 high school football season in California is here. 15 CIF State championship games will be played on Friday and Saturday across three different sites in Southern California.
Here's a look at the top 25 underclassmen recruits from California that will be in action during state championship weekend.
OPEN DIVISION— Mater Dei vs. Serra (San Mateo)
Nasir Wyatt, 2025 LB, Mater Dei
Wyatt has been a weapon off the edge for Mater Dei, totaling 25 sacks and five forced fumbles over the past two seasons. Alabama, Georgia and Michigan are among his more than 20 offers.
Daryus Dixson, 2025 DB, Mater Dei
Dixson has 107 tackles and six interceptions across three varsity seasons. Ohio State and Nebraska are the most recent schools to extend Dixson an offer.
Jordan Davison, 2025 RB, Mater Dei
Davison has led Mater Dei in rushing each of the past two seasons, scoring 30 times on the ground over his three varsity seasons. He's received 50 scholarship offers.
Chuck McDonald, 2025 DB, Mater Dei
In his second full varsity season, McDonald has 33 tackles and a pick-six for the Monarchs. Alabama, USC and Oregon are among his 24 offers.
Marcus Harris, 2025 WR, Mater Dei
Harris has 41 receptions for 527 yards this season and has 17 touchdown receptions over the past two seasons. Oklahoma, Florida and Michigan State are his most recent offers.
Abduall Sanders Jr., 2025 LB, Mater Dei
Sanders has 70 tackles and seven sacks over the past two seasons. He also has an interception and a forced fumble this year. Washington, Miami and UCLA are his three most recent offers.
Tomuhini Topui, 2026 DL, Mater Dei
Topui has been a force up front for the Monarchs, leading to offers from the likes of Oregon, Michigan, Auburn and many more.
CJ Lavender, 2026 DB, Mater Dei
Lavender has 36 tackles, seven pass break ups and an interception over his first two seasons. He's earned more than 20 offers from schools coast to coast.
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, 2026 WR, Mater Dei
Dixon-Wyatt is third on the Monarchs with 30 receptions and 491 yards and has reeled in six touchdowns. Georgia and Texas are among the 16 offers he's received.
Mark Bowman, 2027 TE, Mater Dei
Bowman has caught nine passes for 109 yards and three touchdowns during his first season on campus. Early offers have come in from Texas, Ole Miss and Colorado State.
Lemani Fehoko, 2027 OL-DL, Serra
Fehoko has quickly established himself as one of the top freshmen in California. Offers have arrived from Tennessee, San Diego State and San Jose State.
D1-AA— Mission Viejo vs. De La Salle
Dijon Lee, 2025 DB-WR, Mission Viejo
Lee is the top-ranked 2025 recruit in California according to the 247Sports composite rankings. He's made 85 tackles and grabbed four interceptions over the past two seasons.
Phillip Bell, 2025 WR-DB, Mission Viejo
Bell has contributed on both sides of the ball in his first season after transferring in from Sacramento-Christian Brothers. A recipient of more than 35 scholarship offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia and Michigan, Bell has 500 receiving yards and five touchdowns this year.
Jaden Williams, 2025 DL, Mission Viejo
Williams has had a breakout junior season with 131 tackles and 17.5 sacks. San Diego State and Sacramento State are his first two offers.
Dominic Kelley, 2025 RB, De La Salle
Kelley has rushed for 876 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging more than five yards per carry. Nevada and San Jose State have offered scholarships.
Matthew Johnson, 2025 DL, De La Salle
Johnson has 30 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles on the season. Michigan and Notre Dame are among his 13 offers.
Derrick Blanche Jr., 2025 RB, De La Salle
Blanche Jr. had seven rushing touchdowns last season and has nearly doubled his total this season, sitting on 939 rushing yards entering this weekend's game. Maryland was the most recent school to offer.
Robert Santiago, 2025 DB-WR, De La Salle
Santiago has two touchdown receptions this season and five interceptions over the past two seasons. Offers from Oklahoma, Arizona and Oregon State arrived during the summer.
Jaden Jefferson, 2026 RB-DB, De La Salle
Jefferson contributes on offense, defense and special teams. He's averaging more than 10 yards per carry this season and has snagged two interceptions. Arizona and Oregon State are his most recent offers.
Toa Faavae, 2025 QB, De La Salle
Faavae has tossed 12 touchdown passes over the past two seasons in De La Salle's run-heavy offense. He has 27 rushing touchdowns in two seasons, averaging more than seven yards per carry.
Vance Spafford, 2026 WR, Mission Viejo
Spafford had 11 touchdown receptions as a freshman and has nearly doubled his output across the board with 77 receptions for 1,510 yards and 21 touchdowns heading into the state title game. His first scholarship offer from San Diego State arrived earlier this week.
D1-A— St. Bonaventure vs. Folsom
Drew Cofield, 2025 DB-WR, St. Bonaventure
Cofield has three touchdown receptions this season and nine interceptions over the past two years. His five offers have come from Arizona, BYU, Colorado State, Washington and San Jose State.
Nela Tupou, 2025 TE-LB, Folsom
A two-way player for the Bulldogs, Tupou has three touchdown receptions on the season, averaging 15 yards per catch. Utah and Washington State are among the six offers he's received.
Ryder Lyons, 2026 QB, Folsom
Lyons has had a huge season in his first year as a starter. He's passed for 3,433 yards and 37 touchdowns. He's also rushed for 829 yards and 22 touchdowns. USC is his most recent offer after head coach Lincoln Riley watched Lyons in person during last week's victory.
Jameson Powell, 2026 WR, Folsom
Powell has been the top target for Lyons this season. He has 83 receptions for 1,201 yards and 13 touchdowns heading into this week's game. Oregon is the most recent of his six scholarship offers.
(Feature photo by Dennis Lee)
-- Bodie De Silva | bodie@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveca
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