Two 4-star recruits commit to Sac State football on July 4. What it all means
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- Sacramento State landed two four-star football recruits on July 4.
- Receiver Xavier McDonald became the highest-rated commit in Hornets history.
- Hornets’ 2026 class ranks No. 56 nationally, ahead of multiple FBS programs.
It was a cool day in the Sacramento region but a sizzling day on the college football recruiting front for Sacramento State on the Fourth of July holiday.
First-year coach Brennan Marion, a renowned recruiter of prep stars and through the transfer portal, secured verbal commitments from two blue-chip national-recruit stars as his staff continues to stack quite the recruiting haul that has drawn national headlines, including a February recruiting haul that was rated the best in the land of the FCS.
Four-star receiver Xavier McDonald of Morton, Mississippi, surprised recruiting experts who anticipated the 6-foot-2, 165-pound burner would commit to a big-name FBS program such as LSU or Ole Miss of the vaunted Southeastern Conference, or at North Carolina under six-time Super Bowl winning coach Bill Belichick.
Instead, McDonald chose Sacramento State and the vision of Marion, whose motto is “One great year can change your life.” Sacramento State rose to power in the FCS starting in 2019 and is attempting to transition up to the FBS.
McDonald is the highest-committed player in the 70-year history of the Hornets football program. He confirmed his verbal commitment Friday in social media posts and shares on X and Instagram.
Sacramento State has been rolling before Marion and the guys unleash their “Go-Go” offense this fall. The Hornets this offseason secured the No. 1 transfer portal class in the FCS and continued with what recruiting sites such as 247 deem the 56th-best recruiting haul for 2026 prep prospects, ranking ahead of decades-long familiar programs such as Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Washington State, Boise State, Fresno State, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Auburn and others.
To put that in deeper perspective, consider that the FBS has 134 college football programs and the FCS has 129.
The 247 site also has Sacramento State ranked second nationally for all college programs for verbal commitments for high school players who graduate in the spring of 2027, including from Grant High School of Sacramento receiver Koby Shabazz, a junior-to-be and already a two-time Sacramento Bee All-Metro player.
Also during the holiday weekend, Sacramento State received a verbal pledge from 2027 receiver/defensive back Chance McPike Jr., from Kentucky, making him the second four-star prospect to commit to the Hornets.
Verbal commitments do not become binding until letters of intent are signed in the middle of the player’s senior year in high school.
Verbal commitments are designed to take the pressure off the athlete and the schools pursuing the athlete, though other schools can and will generally continue to recruit a verbally committed player.
This story was originally published July 5, 2025 at 2:27 PM.