Bee’s Best: We pick the top 100 Sacramento-area prep football players to watch this fall
The prep football season kicks off in less than two weeks, and we are ready to hear the thump of shoulder pads, barking coaches and student drumlines banging out beats. To get you ready for the Aug. 20 kickoffs, we thought it would be fun to come up with a list of the top 100 football players in our area, The Bee Best 100.
Picking the top 100 is as subjective as it is challenging.
Imagine hitting a blocking sled without benefit of shoulder pads or forearms, or offering the most regal guard or tackle a kid’s meal at the buffet and wishing him well.
We do know this: There are nearly 200 high schools in the Sac-Joaquin Section, the second-largest of the 10 sections in the state. The highest-profile and most-accomplished programs hail from the Sacramento region. So there is talent here, there and everywhere.
We could have gone with all seniors on this list, but the biggest recruits are not yet seniors, including Folsom High School juniors Walker Lyons, a tight end, and receiver Rico Flores, so we flushed out the list to a Bee’s Best 100. Varsity starting experience was vital for this selection, as we understand every parent of a freshman on last spring’s junior varsity team expects some measure of stardom. Personal observation, coaching input and dialogue with recruiters also helped us put the list together.
So we dig in, by position, in alphabetical order:
Quarterbacks
Best one: Anthony Garcia, Capital Christian, Sr.: He is the section’s No. 1 quarterback recruit, tall and lanky at 6-foot-3 with a cannon arm and great grades.
Most unsung: Tyler Tremain, Folsom, Sr.: Despite all of his skills, instincts and perfect grades, he has not become a hot recruit at 6-foot. He’ll land because talent always does.
Look out for: Ryan Lewis, Del Oro, Sr.: A blur on the run, a crafty passer, a superb student, this Ryan Express makes the Golden Eagles hum.
Others to watch: Frank Arcuri, Monterey Trail, Sr.; Terrence Ballard, Del Campo, Sr.; Trevor Eck, Sutter; Jake Elorduy, Christian Brothers, Sr.; Devin Hall, Pleasant Grove, Sr.; Garrett Krupp, Woodcreek, Sr.; Kenny Lueth, Rocklin, Sr.; Matt Moore, Winters, Sr.; Ryan Vaughan, Vacaville, Sr.
Running backs
Best one: Zeke Burnett, Elk Grove, Sr.: A 3-star prospect with power and burst, he adds instant run offense for the run-heavy Thundering Herd.
Most unsung: Ethan Archuleta, Elk Grove, Sr.: A 4.0 student who sleeps with a helmet next to his bed, the guy lives to compete.
Look out for: Kai Santos, Jesuit, Sr.: Great burst and grades, he always seems to be in the open field, at warp speed, hair in jetstream flow.
Others: Jack Carner, Pioneer, Jr.; Lavell Davis, Placer, Sr.; Darian Leon-Guerrero, Vacaville, Sr.; Anthony Parker, Whitney, Sr.
Receivers
Best one: Rico Flores, Folsom, Jr.: He runs great routes, has good hands, good speed, good leaps and an eye for the end zone.
Most unsung: Scott Nixon, Sheldon, Jr.: A 4.2 GPA senior, he’s the son of a coach, the kid brother of a quarterback and as versatile as they come.
Look out for: Nathan Kent, Rocklin, Sr.: He’s a jet down the sideline, a terrific downfield blocker and a highly regarded teammate.
Others: Justin Arnaz, Folsom, Sr.; Jacob Edmonds, Vacaville, Sr; Kyrell Goss-Pruitt, Grant, Jr; Kasson Kimbrough, Pleasant Grove, Sr.; Mason Norberg, Folsom, Jr.; Aiden Parry, Del Oro, Sr.; Cincere Thomas, Franklin, Jr.
Tight ends
Best one: Walker Lyons, Folsom, Jr.: The national recruit looks the part and plays the part, all while packing great grades.
Most unsung: Cody Smith, Liberty Ranch, Jr.: A terrific student and a relentless worker who plays multiple sports.
Look out for: Fata Puloka, Monterey Trail, Jr.: He stands as another bruising, skilled, swift Mustang for a program big on all of that.
Others: Freedom Brown, Del Oro, Sr.; Peyton Smith, Rocklin, Sr.
Linemen
Best one: Bobby Piland, Rocklin, Sr.: A wrecking ball senior on both sides of the ball his entire career and an honors student who hurls tractor tires around for kicks.
Most unsung: Simi Pale, Elk Grove, Jr.: He showed glimpses as a freshman starter, played one game as a sophomore and now is a national recruit for his size, skill and grades.
Look out for: Jaxon King, Union Mine, Sr.: He’s as gregarious and likable as he can be dominant at 6-foot-8 in the trenches.
Others: Julian Amituanai, Sheldon, Sr.; Jakob Bell, El Dorado, Sr.; Jimmy Brear, Del Oro, Sr.; Brad Baur, Rocklin, Sr.; Zaire Collier-Simonton, Granite Bay, Jr.; Nick Donlan, Union Mine, Sr.; Noah Dunham, Yuba City, Jr.; Christian Clingeman, Folsom, Sr.; CJ McMillan, Capital Christian, Sr.; Jacob Edmonds, Vacaville, Sr.; Zander Esty, Placer, Jr.; Braden Freeland, Folsom, Sr.; Noah Garcia, Whitney, Sr.; Jack Hemmert, Jesuit, Sr.; Wesley Houck, Whitney. Sr.; Akio Martinson, Del Oro, Jr.; Hunter Masterson, Folsom, Sr.; Sione Noa, Grant, Sr.; Isaiah Rheaume, Folsom. Sr.; Tawon Sago, Sacramento, Jr.; Nate Sweitzer, Pleasant Grove, Sr.; Isoa Takeifanga, Grant, Sr.; Talae Tuimaunei, Granite Bay, Jr.
Linebackers
Best one: Justin Eklund, Folsom, Sr.: The 3-star senior recruit makes plays all over the field and has committed to fast-rising San Jose State.
Most unsung: Garrett McCray, East Nicolaus, Sr.: Doesn’t matter the size of the school one attends, and EN is small, it’s the size of the effort. And McCray towers at 6-4, 225.
Look out for: Nick Afato, Yuba City, Jr.: He has perfect grades, is hard to block and is a demon in the weight room.
Others: Zach Annis, Granite Bay, Sr.; Luke Armstrong, Oak Ridge, Sr.; Noah Gula, Pleasant Grove, Jr.; Jake Hall, Oak Ridge, Jr.; Derek Houston, Rocklin, Jr.; Dubee Lopa, Grant, Jr.; Giovanni Pifferini, El Dorado, Sr.; Mitchell Sarmento, Woodcreek, Sr.; James Stabbert, Granite Bay, Sr.; Josh Tremain, Folsom, Sr.; Tanaki Tonga, Monterey Trail, Sr.; Maui Uhatafe, Inderkum, Sr.; Jedi Vculek, Nevada Union, Sr.; Pita Vi, Elk Grove, Sr.; Evan Ward, El Dorado, Sr.; Brandon Wong, Whitney, Sr.; Vincent Wright, Inderkum, Sr.
Defensive backs
Best one: Cameron Sampson, Capital Christian, Sr.: The 3-star recruit has scholarship offers from across the country.
Most unsung: Phoenix Rose, Whitney, So.: He started and excelled as a freshman and now aims to back it up.
Look out for: Garrett McGriff, Jesuit, Sr.: The speedster with good grades also runs the ball and can play on returns.
Others: Gio Bellecci, Elk Grove, Sr.; Greco Carillo, Folsom, Jr.; Steven Duran, Cosumnes Oaks, Sr.; Jackson Hagopian, Jesuit, Sr.; Avante Lee, Christian Brothers, Sr.; Kevin MacIntosh, Granite Bay, Sr.; Austin McMillan, Folsom, Sr.; Elias Mullican, Rocklin, Sr. ; Dorsey Sanders, Yuba City, Jr.; Teeg Sloan, Rocklin, Sr.
All-Purpose
Best one: D.J. Crowther, Christian Brothers, Sr.: He is breathtaking fast on returns, as a runner and on long bombs, and backs it with top grades.
Most unsung: Reese Catchings, Oak Ridge, Sr.: He can do it all and expects to do it all on both sides of the ball for the powerhouse Trojans.
Look out for: Gabe Baker, Nevada Union, Sr.: The senior is brutish at QB and LB for the Miners at a hard-charging 6-3 and 245 pounds.
Others: Ronnie Brutus, Monterey Trail, Sr.; Lamont Burrell, Sacramento, Sr.; Corie Radcliffe, Sacramento, So.; Lamar Radcliffe, Sacramento, So.; Alex Riffie, Woodcreek, Sr.; Anthony Wiley, Vacaville, Sr.; Cooper Young, Woodcreek, Sr.
* Jet Wiley, an All-Metro receiver for Christian Brothers in the spring, moved to Alabama.
* Carlsos Wilson, an All-Metro defensive back for Inderkum in the spring, is out with a knee injury.
Who’d we miss? Email jdavidson@sacbee.com with insights and updates.
This story was originally published August 8, 2021 at 5:00 AM.