National Signing Day: 10 Sacramento-area prep football stars sign with Division I colleges
On Dec. 20, 17 Sacramento-area high school football stars signed letters of intent to play Division I college football.
That was the early signing period.
On Wednesday, the second and final signing period nationally, 10 more players signed deals with D-I programs across the country, making for quite a haul for a region that for decades has sent scores of athletes to the four-year ranks.
This week’s commitments include Del Oro quarterback star and Sacramento Bee Large School Player of the Year Caden Pinnick signing with UC Davis, the area’s most bruising runner committing to a Bay Area school, two shadow-casting linemen heading to the Midwest, two defensive linemen remaining in California and two multi-purpose scholars signing with Ivy League programs.
Pinnick signed with UCD, in part, because he likes the vision of new coach Tim Plough and because he will also play baseball. Pinnick at the moment is a basketball star for the Golden Eagles of Loomis.
Lamar Radcliffe, the region’s top power back for Sacramento High, signed with San Jose State after rushing for more than 3,000 career yards as a Dragon. He overcame a knee injury his junior season. Radcliffe is a load at 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds.
Dragons teammate Kendahl Hearne signed with Cornell of the Ivy League, where the 6-3 receiver will pursue touchdowns and his dream of writing a movie script or screen play. He is a key member of Sacramento’s basketball team that seeks a section championship repeat.
Inderkum and Jesuit each had two athletes sign. Christian Harris, a receiver, defensive back and special teams ace for his coaching father Reggie Harris, is off to Dartmouth of the Ivy League and Inderkum teammate Baron Taylor is headed to Southern Utah.
Taylor made 16 interceptions his final two varsity seasons. He and Harris keyed Inderkum’s record-setting football season.
At Jesuit, speedy receiver/defensive back Caleb Dixon signed with Air Force, and 6-5, 260-pound lineman Caleb Hall signed with Wyoming, continuing a family legacy of lineman excellence. Hall’s father, Justin Hall, played in the trenches at Notre Dame from 1988-92 and was a longtime and beloved Jesuit teacher and coach.
Out of the Elk Grove Unified School District, Holden Grieger of Cosumnes Oaks signed with Western Illinois, home of the Leathernecks. At 6-7 and 305 pounds, Grieger is still developing, and his prep coaches raved about his potential.
Two defensive lineman stalwarts from the Sierra Foothill League made commitments to remain in state. Markus Hoffmann of Oak Ridge, a powerhouse defensive tackle, is headed to Fresno State. Rocklin defensive lineman Spencer Patton, an anchor for a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship team, is headed to Sacramento State.
Wednesday’s D-I signing haul:
Caleb Dixon
Jesuit | WR/DB | 6-foot-2, 180 pounds
School: Air Force
Holden Grieger
Cosumnes Oaks | OL | 6-7, 305
School: Western Illinois
Caleb Hall
Jesuit | OL | 6-5, 260
School: Wyoming
Christian Harris
Inderkum | Athlete | 6-0, 165
School: Dartmouth
Kendahl Hearne
Sacramento | WR | 6-3, 180
School: Cornell
Markus Hoffmann
Oak Ridge | DL | 6-2, 260
School: Fresno State
Spencer Patton
Rocklin | DL | 6-1, 265
School: Sacramento State
Caden Pinnick
Del Oro | QB | 6-0, 190
School: UC Davis
Lamar Radcliffe
Sacramento | RB | 6-2, 230
School: San Jose State
Baron Taylor
Inderkum | Athlete | 6-0, 170
School: Southern Utah