Top 100 wide receivers in Southern California high school football in 2019
Southern California high school football routinely produces a deep list of star wide receivers that go on to play college ball at high levels, and this season was no different.
There were more than 100 wide receivers who played at a level that got them at minimum Division II consideration. In fact there was so much receiver talent that there are Division I commits who had over 1,000 yards receiving who didn't even crack our top 100.
Scorebook Live’s Top 100 wide receivers rankings are mostly based on the numbers these players put up in 2019, but we also factored in injuries or other factors out of the players' control. Some top receivers had to share their opportunities with multiple other stars, or were in other situations that hampered their ability to be impactful. Those circumstances include injuries and playing on teams that struggled with passing or rarely passed. Our rankings also heavily factored in strength of competition, so while statistics are the primary basis, they are not the only one.
Many players were also standouts as returners on special teams or on defense. Those contributions may be noted in the story, but they did not factor in to their receiver ranking. Slot receivers were eligible here if they didn't run the ball enough to qualify on our running backs list, but tight ends were not included.
Without further ado, here are Scorebook Live’s Top 100 wide receivers in the Southern, L.A. City, and San Diego Sections in 2019.
100. Elijah Vaielua – Cypress – SR.
Cypress took their undefeated bid all the way into the Southern Section Division 7 finals, and Vaielua was a huge part of their success. He had 1,109 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns on a huge 22.6 yards per catch. Vaielua is also a star undersized frontcourt player on the basketball team.
99. Brandon Wyre – West Ranch – SR.
Wyre led West Ranch with 1,041 receiving yards, and also caught 10 touchdowns. Perhaps his best game was a 143-yard, two-TD effort in a 52-13 beatdown of a very strong league rival in Golden Valley.
98. Keionte Scott – Helix – SR.
Scott is the first of many players in our top 100 who didn't put up big numbers but still deserves a spot. He led the rush-heavy Highlanders with 563 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns going against some of the best defenses in SoCal night after night.
97. Kyrie Wilson – Pacifica Oxnard – SR.
The Cal Poly-commit had 755 yards receiving and nine touchdowns for the state champion Tritons.
96. Alex Guzman – Chula Vista – SR.
Guzman was Chula Vista's leading receiver with 1,109 yards, nine touchdowns and 67 receptions.
95. Ethan Leonard – Hemet – SR.
With 97 receptions, Leonard was second in the entire Southern Section in catches. He also totaled 1,044 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns.
94. Jonas Kelley – Colony – SR.
In only eight games, Kelley led the Titans with 831 receiving yards, five receiving touchdowns, and 44 receptions. To average over 100 receiving yards per game with the schedule Colony has, especially on a team lacking other major offensive threats, is extremely impressive.
93. Marko Aki – Hilltop – SR.
With over 121 receiving yards per game, Aki was in rare air for California receivers. He only played in eight games and still caught for 969 yards, ten touchdowns, and 60 receptions.
92. Preston Rex – San Clemente – SR.
As good as San Clemente was before forfeiting their wins, all their playmakers' stats were down as a result of their slow pace, defensive style, and difficult schedule. Rex led all Tritons receivers with 445 yards, seven touchdowns, and 43 receptions, and was also a big contributor as a defensive back. He chose BYU as an ATH prospect out of at least five schools.
91. James Odom – Workman – SR.
With 1,328 receiving yards last season, Odom caught for more than of Workman's total. He also led the team with 76 receptions and nine touchdowns catches.
90. Simeon Marton – Capistrano Valley Christian – SR.
With 1,195 yards and 18 touchdowns receiving on 59 receptions, Marton caught for about 60% of the Eagles' receiving game. He averaged over 20 yards per catch despite dealing with constant double-coverage downfield.
89. L.J. Holmes – La Salle – SR.
In ten games last season, Holmes caught for 1,162 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 62 receptions, all of which were team-highs. He's blazing quick and also evasive, and is always a threat to weave his way through an entire horde of defenders.
88. Joey Rouly – Canyon (Anaheim) – SR.
In only ten games, Rouly caught for 1,142 yards and 13 touchdowns on nearly 19 yards per catch. He was also the Comanches' top defensive back, although that doesn't affect his ranking.
87. David Fisher – Yucaipa – SR.
Amidst Yucaipa's struggles with turnover and young talent at the skill positions and a very challenging schedule, Fisher was outstanding as a senior. He caught for well over half of the Thunderbirds' receiving production with 1,028 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 65 receptions. He was also an excellent kick returner with nearly 500 KR yards, but that doesn't affect his ranking year.
86. Travis Arena – Northwood – JR.
In only 11 games as a junior, Arena was fifth in the Southern Section with 92 receptions and top 25 in both receiving yardage (1,169) and touchdown catches (14).
85. Jaden Navarrette – Norco – SR.
Navarette was second last year on the Cougars with 565 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns (tied). Those numbers are a little deflated because he only played nine games and was part of a crowded receiving corps, and was also played a little bit more on defense than some expected as a LB/SS hybrid. He's a 3-star ATH prospect and signed with Oregon over at least a dozen other offers.
84. Anthony Williams – Paramount – SR.
The leading receiver on a fearsome Paramount squad, Williams caught for 1,142 yards and 15 touchdowns. Williams makes up for his 5-9, 144-pound frame with outstanding athleticism and is listed as a 3-star prospect by 247.
83. Justin Schafer – Tesoro – SR.
In 2019, Schafer was responsible for nearly half of Tesoro's receiving production in the Titans' healthy offense. The Colorado-commit caught for 1,091 yards and 14 touchdowns on 80 receptions for the Division 3 quarterfinalists.
82. Bryson Reeves – St. Francis – JR.
A 3-star ATH prospect with a few D-1 offers already, Reeves was the Golden Knights' leading receiver last season by a margin. He had 995 receiving yards, ten receiving touchdowns, and 58 receptions in addition to being an outstanding punt returner. A few carries on the year put him over the 1,000-yard mark of total offense.
81. Trond Grizzell – San Marino – JR.
On a San Marino team that struggled passing the ball last season, Grizzle was the one constant in the aerial game. He racked up nearly 60% of the teams receiving yardage with 1,012 receiving yards in 11 games.
80. Christopher Quijada – Franklin – JR.
The top receiver in the L.A. City Section's most prolific passing offense, Quijada led Franklin with 1,131 receiving yards, 15 receiving touchdowns, and 20.6 yards per catch.
79. Ian Duarte – Chaminade – FR.
As it stands right now, Duarte is the best wide receiver in SoCal in the C/O 2023. To step in as a freshman as the top receiver on a Mission League team and Division 2 finalist is uncommon. He caught for 790 yards and ten touchdowns in only nine games for the Eagles on a massive 23.2 yards per catch.
78. Damien Moun – Servite – SR.
Playing along multiple stud receivers against Trinity League competition, Moun is a great example of guy on this list whose numbers don't show his true ability. He caught for 421 yards and three touchdown for the Friars, but the eye-test showed clearly that he was one of the better wide receivers in the Southern Section.
77. Mario Martinez – Reseda – SR.
One of a few major deep threats in Reseda's receiver corps, Martinez caught for 767 yards and six touchdowns. He led the team in receptions and also ran for 339 yards and four more touchdowns. Martinez also spent a lot of time at strong safety.
76. Michael Bruner – Woodrow Wilson – JR.
The top target in Wilson's outstanding passing game, Bruner caught for 1,078 yards and 18 touchdowns on a ridiculous 28.4 yards per catch in just ten games. If the Bruins can replace some of Ryan Pettway's production at QB, their passing game will continue to be a force to behold with Bruner, Nicholas Timko, Tyrie Robinson, Clint Stephens, and Wesley Easter–all five of their top receivers–returning as upperclassmen in 2020.
75. Deshon Thompson – Northview – JR.
Thompson is a D-1 prospect at both DB and WR and recently got an offer from Utah State. He caught for 1,242 yards and 11 touchdowns on nearly 20 yards per catch last season and routinely showed up in the Vikings' biggest games.
Thompson will be back as a junior next season on a Northview squad that could really turn some heads if they can replace some key losses, especially QB James Jimenez. If they do, Thompson's status as a premier two-way player could continue to rise.
74. Elijah Queen – Narbonne – SR.
You will read a number of times on this list that Narbonne had five D-1 receivers last year. So, none of them put up major production even though they are all elite talents, which makes placing them in the rankings extremely difficult. Queen, a 3-star recruit, caught for 426 yards and five touchdowns last season in nine games in Narbonne's overcrowded receiver corps. He recently committed to New Mexico.
73. Aaron Fontes – Oxnard – SR.
A Montana-commit, Fontes made the most of his modest opportunities on a great Oxnard squad last year. The Yellowjackets only threw the ball about a third of the time, but he still caught for 651 yards and ten touchdowns on a massive 25 yards per catch–all team-highs.
72. Cade Marshman – Glendora – SR.
The Palomares League co-Player of the Year had nearly half of Glendora's receiving offense with 1,136 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was also one of the top returners in SoCal with KR 549 yards and 272 PR yards and an outstanding defensive back, although those factors don't affect his ranking.
71. Calen Bullock – John Muir – JR.
A high-3-star prospect with close to 20 offers, Bullock led the Mustangs with 914 receiving yards and 40 receptions. He also caught for eight touchdowns. Muir played at a slow pace and had a lot of strong targets at receiver. As a result, his numbers aren't what they could've been, but expect Bullock to blast his 2019 production with a much heavier load to carry next season.
70. DJ Justice – Alemany – JR.
The second-leading receiver in Alemany's outstanding passing game, Justice caught for 707 yards and eight touchdowns. The 3-star prospect currently has at least seven D-1 offers.
69-68. Tie: Andre McKinney Jr. – Rancho Verde – JR. &
Jonah Carnell – Rancho Verde – JR.
The top two receivers in Rancho Verde's outstanding passing attack, McKinney and Carnell had essentially equal lines in 2019. McKinney caught for 758 yards and nine touchdowns on 16.8 yards per catch, and Carnell caught for 818 yards and eight touchdowns on 14.8 yards per catch.
Carnell is a 3-star prospect with multiple D-1 offers and McKinney is a solid college prospect as well. Both will return next year with star QB AJ Duffy and probably dominate even more in 2020.
67. Alexander Jones – Oak Park – JR.
Jones caught for 1,242 yards and 15 touchdowns last season on a massive 23 yards per catch. He will enter his senior year as arguably the best wide-out in Ventura County.
66. Arlis Boardingham – Birmingham – SO.
As just a sophomore, Boardingham was one of the best wide receivers in the City Section and a star on Open Division champion Birmingham. He led the Patriots with 910 receiving yards, 12 receiving touchdowns, and 54 receptions. Boardingham was given First Team All-City honors and recently received his first D-1 offer from Nevada.
He's already 6-4, 210, and presumably still growing. To have that size as an underclassman without losing coordination or mobility is rare, and he is easily one of the highest-upside WR prospects in SoCal. It also gives him the ability to play both wide receiver and tight end full-time.
65. Tyson Lundring – Newbury Park – SR.
Lundring was one of Ventura County's best receivers last season with 1,164 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns in only nine games. He's been rewarded with college offers this past fall and winter.
64. Ezavier Staples – Millikan – JR.
In just nine games, Staples caught for 1,087 yards and 11 touchdowns. He recorded at least 89 receiving yards in every single game except against Long Beach Poly. Even when the Rams were overmatched by elite competition, Staples still produced. He already is in the double-digits in college offers and this ranking may prove to have been way too low if Millikan can bounce back next season.
63. Carson Kuhl – Westlake – SR.
Kuhl was the receiving end of the best QB/receiver combo in Ventura County last season. He finished with 1,170 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns in 11 games, and is committed to Yale for Lacrosse.
62. Mario Minor – Monrovia – SR.
A full-time standout defensive back by trade, Minor was also a dominant wide receiver last season. His 1,259 receiving yards was top 25 in the state, and he also led the Wildcats with 14 receiving touchdowns and 63 receptions.
61. Dranel Rhodes – Reseda – SR.
Rhodes only played in ten of state champion Reseda's 15 games, but still racked up 968 receiving yards and ten receiving touchdowns on a massive 27.7 yards per catch. He also had over 200 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
60. Brandon Vasquez – La Habra – JR.
A true slot receiver, Vasquez caught for 1,104 yards and 12 touchdowns for La Habra. His 75 receptions was the biggest mark on the team. With WR1 Kris Koontz graduating and 5-star QB Jake Garcia transferring in to replace Penn-commit Ryan Zanelli, Vasquez has a major chance to make even more noise.
59. Daniel Rosenberg – La Jolla Country Day – JR.
LJCD might have been the only country with multiple players with over 1,500 receiving yards. One of them was Rosenberg, who finished with 1,542 receiving yards and 17 receiving touchdowns.
58. Branden Alvarez – Corona Centennial – JR.
Another future D-1 receiver without massive numbers, Alvarez only played in ten of Cen10's 12 games but was still the second-leading receiver on the squad. Moreover, he was a key part of one of the better teams in the country with one of the harder schedules in the country. He finished with 520 yards, five touchdowns, and 35 receptions for the Division 1 semifinalist.
Next year with 5-star WR/SB Gary Bryant gone, Alvarez will be the top target and will be a solid bet to jump way up this list. He's a 3-star prospect with multiple D-1 offers for a reason.
57. Ashton Thomas – Hart – SR.
In 12 games, Thomas caught for 1,119 yards and 13 touchdowns on 84 receptions–all team highs.
56. Eren East – Narbonne – SR.
In Narbonne's ridiculously crowded receiving corps last season, East led the Gauchos with 610 receiving yards and 48 receptions in only nine games. As is the case for all Narbonne receivers on this list, one could only wonder the numbers they'd put up if they weren't surrounded by other future D-1 options.
55. Ronald Gilliam – Gardena Serra – SR.
Serra's second-leading receiver on the season, the 3-star recruit recently committed to UNLV.
54. Jode McDuffie – St. John Bosco – JR.
As a junior, McDuffie played alongside three 4-star recruits who caught for over 1,000 yards each, and still managed to reel in 595 yards and nine touchdowns for the national champ. The 3-star recruit has multiple Pac-12 recruits and could break out at a national level depending on how well the Braves can fill the voids of a few key seniors next season.
53. Makai Cope – Culver City – JR.
A key member of Culver City's stacked receiver corps, Cope caught for 802 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior. The 3-star prospect was just offered by USC, which made at least his fourth Power-5 offer.
With two D-1 Culver City receivers graduating in 2020, Cope will be the number one target in Culver City's supercharged offense and will be returning alongside star QB Zevi Eckhaus. To call him a candidate for another statistical breakout or would be an understatement. Don't be surprised if Cope is among SoCal's very top leaders in receiving yards per game next year.
52. Jalyne McFall – Village Christian – SR.
Originally a City Section stud at Grover Cleveland, McFall played for the Crusaders last season. He's been ranked as a 3-star prospect and has been offered at the D-1 level.
51. Jordan Williams – Etiwanda – SO.
As just a sophomore, Williams was top 20 in the Southern Section with 1,215 receiving yards. He led the Inland Empire in receiving yards for all non-seniors in 2019 and already has a few D-1 offers.
50. Larry Turner-Gooden – St. Bernard's – SO.
Turner-Gooden transferred from Calabasas this semester to St. Bernard's. He was First Team All-Marmonte League as an offensive utility player and ranked as a 4-star and 5-star prospect by scouts. He already holds over a dozen D-1 offers and could also potentially play DB at the next level.
Last season he played behind two other 4-star/5-star players who were seniors in Johnny Wilson and Jermaine Burton. With WR1 targeting, he will likely jump to near the top of the list as a junior.
49. Nicholas Albert – La Jolla Country Day – SR.
One of a few Torreys with eye-popping statistics, Albert caught for 1,588 yards and 22 touchdowns in addition to significant minutes at running back, linebacker, and special teams. Albert rushed for 530 yards and seven touchdowns and also recorded 414 KR yards more on offense in addition to receiving, and made 69 tackles, three TFLs, three sacks, four forced fumbles, blocked three field goals, and defensed three passes.
He will only be credited for his work on offense on this list, but that's quite an all-around stat line.
48. Tanner Duve – Culver City – SR.
The second-leading receiver in Culver City's stacked passing game, Duve caught for 976 yards and 12 touchdowns on 55 receptions. He committed to Penn on Monday.
47. Brandon Guzman – Charter Oak – SR.
The 3-star prospect received six college offers before deciding on Colorado State.
46. Bradley Schlom – Corona del Mar – SR.
The state champion and Sunset League Offensive Co-MVP was tied for tenth in California with 91 receptions and tied for 20th with 17 receiving touchdowns. He finished with 1,151 receiving yards. A 3-star recruit, Schlom is one of SoCal's best senior receivers not yet committed to play at the college level.
45. Clay Petry – Bishop's – JR.
Already a 3-star recruit, Petry will enter 2020 as one of the top breakout candidates in the San Diego Section. He already has D-1 offers and caught for over 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, but with WR1 Clarence Freeman off to Davidson and Petry returning with star QB Tyler Buchner, Petry's receiving numbers might just go off the charts next season.
44. Dominic Arango-Serna – Canoga Park – SO.
As just a sophomore, Arango-Serna was the top receiver on Canoga Park's L.A. City Section Division II championship team and the top receiver in the whole City Section. He added to his freshman totals and finished with 1,341 receiving yards, 61 receptions, and 15 receiving touchdowns. His 22 yards per catch was a lofty figure for someone who spent a lot of time in the slot.
Also, while it's not a factor in these rankings, he also made a major leap as a star defensive back.
43. Tyron Smith – Apple Valley – JR.
Despite coming into every game at the very top of opposing scouting reports, Smith still led CIFSS Division 6 in regular season receiving yardage. He finished the year with 1,037 and 17 receiving touchdowns on a big 19.6 yards per reception, and is drawing interest from numerous D-1 schools, particularly Pac-12 and Mountain West universities.
42. Caleb Peterson – Aliso Niguel – SR.
Aliso Niguel racked up nearly 3,188 receiving yards last season as a team. With 1,493 in 12 games, good for fourth in the Southern Section, Peterson was responsible for nearly half of them. He also was eighth in the section in both receptions and receiving yards per game, with 89 and 124.4, respectively.
41. Chad Johnson Jr. – Cathedral – SR.
Cathedral didn't have a strong running game last season, and at times, defenses were able to load up on their passing game. Johnson still finished with 761 receiving yards, and the 4-star recruit chose Arizona State over at least 23 other schools for the next level.
40. Camarion Thornton – Cathedral – SO.
Thornton missed half of Cathedral's season, but still finished with 587 receiving yards on a monster 28 yards per catch. That includes putting up 212 yards on Bishop Amat. With a full season of work he'd be much higher on this list. Thornton already has a few D-1 offers and will likely break out as one of the best receivers in L.A. next season.
39. Bryce Farrell – Oaks Christian – SR.
The past two seasons, Farrell has dealt with injuries that have wiped out his ability to produce, but when healthy he's the same player that caught for nearly 1,200 yards as a sophomore. All things considered, this ranking might actually be quite a bit low for him. The high 3-star recruit had at least 15 offers and is committed to Stanford.
38. Kris Koontz – La Habra – SR.
Koontz was already a very good and underrated deep threat coming into 2019. But the 3-star prospect really took a major step this past season for La Habra into becoming one of the top wide receivers in SoCal.
He finished with 1,464 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns on over 20 yards per catch for one of the most devastating passing games on the West Coast. For his efforts he was rewarded with his first college offer from Eastern New Mexico.
37. Will Kenner – St. Margaret’s – SR.
Kenner was one of the Southern Section's leaders in receiving yards per game last season and is committed to Cornell.
36. Clarence Freeman IV – Bishop's – SR.
One of the most productive wide receivers in California and Tyler Buchner's top target, Freeman racked up 1,792 receiving yards, 19 touchdowns, and 99 receptions in 13 games. He isn't the biggest WR at 5-11, nor is he the fastest, but he is one of the most skilled receivers out there without any doubt. The 3-star prospect is committed to Davidson.
35. Kevin Green Jr. – Alemany – SO.
As just a sophomore, Green was the leading receiver on one of the better offenses in SoCal. To have led the Warriors in receiving yards for both of his underclassmen years, especially given the competition they go up against every week, is incredibly impressive. He finished the year with 1,076 receiving yards and routinely came up clutch in big games against big names. He already has five college offers including Oregon.
34. DJ Harvey – Sierra Canyon – JR.
In Sierra Canyon's run to the 1-AA state title game, Harvey amassed 1,465 receiving yards. That was good for 12th in the state. The 3-star recruit is even better at cornerback, where he was widely regarded as one of the best juniors in the country.
33. Orion Peters – Inglewood – JR.
Peters had one of the most underrated seasons as a Southern Section receiver last season. He led the Sentinels with 1,478 receiving yards–fifth in the Southern Section–and 50 receptions, good for an unearthly 29.6 yards per catch. He was also second on the team with 18 receiving touchdowns. He's been offered already at the D-1 level but if his recruitment hasn't been expedited since the season's end, it likely will speed up come fall.
32. Keyshawn Smith – Lincoln (San Diego) – SR.
The 3-star prospect and Washington State-commit was near the top of every defense's scouting report more so than ever as a senior, but he still caught for 808 yards and ran for 188 with 11 total touchdowns.
31. Chase Nenad – Mission Viejo – SR.
A 3-star recruit with several D-1 offers, Nenad had 649 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns for Mission Viejo as a senior. The Southern Section D1 semifinalist Diablos didn't rack up a lot of passing/receiving yardage despite having one of the better aerial attacks in California. As a result, they have multiple elite receivers high on this list who are much more impactful than their numbers would show.
30. Montana Lemonious-Craig – Inglewood – SR.
One of the best ATH prospects in SoCal with one of the best names too, Lemonious-Craig led Inglewood with 23 receiving touchdowns last season. He finished with 1,289 receiving yards despite dealing with double teams all year, and chose Colorado out of 14 offers.
While it doesn't boost him in these rankings, he also happened to be a standout defensive back, which he may play at the next level.
29. Benjo O’Brien – Lincoln (San Diego) – SR.
One of the San Diego Section's biggest breakout stars of 2019, O'Brien caught for over 1,000 yards on a Lincoln squad that struggled passing the ball. Primarily a slotback, he also ran for 161 yards and a touchdown, and was named the San Diego Special Teams Player of the Year too, even though that's not factored into our rankings. As a result of his monster year on a great Lincoln team, he's been reeling in D1 offers this winter.
28. Cole Wright – Carlsbad – SR.
Wright caught for over 100 yards and at least one touch down in every one of the Lancers' last five games, which was their hardest stretch of the year. His increased play in the clutch was a major reason they nearly completed their underdog quest to win the San Diego Section Open Division. On the year he finished with 1,176 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
27. Mavin Anderson – Mission Viejo – JR.
His numbers last season didn't pop out, but Anderson was a key cog on one of the better offenses in the country. He finished with 533 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on a Diablos offense that ran more than it passed and was extremely egalitarian in its targeting, especially given that the starters were often pulled halfway through games. It was very clear that defenses were very keyed in on him from opening night through the D-1 semis and his mere presence was often impactful.
Anderson is a 4-star prospect with over ten offers who just committed to Cal. He's also a big-game player. He has all the tools needed to take another step next season with a strong likelihood of making a bigger statistical dent.
26. Nate Bennett – Grace Brethren – SR.
Bennett is one of the toughest players on this list to evaluate because he was the only deep threat on a team with one of the best offensive lines and most prolific run-games in California. How defenses played Grace and handled Bennett was quite different from almost any other team you'll see at the higher levels, with some teams blanketing him constantly and others zeroing in too much up front and leaving him open.
He finished with 1,180 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns, and a couple wild highlight catches. Bennett was also extremely clutch, having some of his biggest moments at the biggest times, like in wins against Oaks Christian, Aquinas, and Lawndale. He has five D-1 offers, and whoever gets him will not only get an outstanding wide receiver but one of the best safeties in SoCal as well.
25-24. Tie: Cristian Dixon – Mater Dei – JR. & C.J. Williams – Mater Dei – SO.
With most of Bryce Young's targets going to Kody Epps and Kyron Ware-Hudson plus multiple other talented receiving threats on the roster, nobody got a full chance to see what Dixon and Williams could do last season.
Even still, they both made the most of their opportunities and pretty much statistically equal years. Williams had 684 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 12 games on 50 receptions. Dixon caught for 611 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games on 17.5 yards per reception. Next season, both will likely see a lot more targets and will be strong candidates to break out in a big way like Kody Epps did last year.
Additionally, they are both 4-star prospects and combine for at least 30 D-1 offers already. Dixon has 18, with Arizona State, Notre Dame, and USC rumored to be his top choices right now. Williams has a dozen including Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Cal, and Arizona State.
23. Kyle Williams – Santa Monica – SR.
After converting into a full-time wide receiver from quarterback, Williams had a dominant senior year in a number of ways. He totaled roughly 2,100 all-purpose yards as a wide receiver and special teams returner, and also was a force at DB. He has a handful of D-1 offers and whoever lands him has a potential impact player at WR, DB, KR, QB, and who knows what else.
22. Taliq Brown – Murrieta Valley – SR.
One of the best under-the-radar WRs in the Southern Section, Brown had 1,391 receiving yards and 14 receiving touchdowns in just 11 games. The 3-star recruit also had 187 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, bringing him to 1,578 yards of total offense and 17 touchdowns.
21. Jahiem Allen-Pompey – Mt. Miguel – SR.
At every skill position in 2019, there were one or two San Diego players putting up unfathomable numbers in a fairly low division. Allen-Pompey was that player this year at wide receiver.
For a single-season, he was third in the country and tops in California history in receiving yards with 2,076. He led the entire country in receiving yards per game with 188.5. His 110 receptions were the fifth most in the country and a San Diego Section record. On top of that, he had 23 touchdowns. All in just 11 games. Especially for a 5-7, 129-pound wide-out, it's mind-boggling and historic.
However, his team lost in the first round of the San Diego Section Division IV playoffs. So his incredible production was against nearly the weakest competition on this list, which just makes it all harder to assess. Allen-Pompey currently doesn't have any college offers, which is unbelievable, but could certainly take the junior college route as other smaller stud receivers have successfully done to rise over the years.
20. Chris Miller – Culver City – SR.
Miller was easily the top receiving target in one of the most prolific passing games in the country. He caught for 1,521 yards and 24 touchdowns while sharing targets with numerous other D-1 receivers. Miller will take his next step at Sacramento State.
19-18. Tie: Silas Bolden – Rancho Cucamonga – SR. & Jayden Dixon-Veal – Rancho Cucamonga – SR.
A 3-star recruit with four D-1 offers, Dixon-Veal was one of the more prolific wide receivers in the Southern Section. He led the Cougars with 1,352 receiving yards and 91 receptions last season, good for 13 receiving touchdowns.
17. Marquis Ashley – Norco – SR.
One of many major threats in a dominant Norco offense, Ashley never had one game with double-digit receptions last season, the main reason being that the Cougars rarely had to leave their starters in for three whole quarters. And he still finished with 1,333 receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns in 11 games–good for a massive 27.8 yards per catch.
Ashley has offers from UNLV and Hawaii. He was one of the better receivers in California last season at just 5-8 and is listed as an ATH prospect going forward, so it'll be interest to see how he's used at the next level.
16. Caine Savage – Western – SR.
The Southern Section leader in receptions per game, Savage was one of the most prolific receivers in the state on a per-game basis. In 11 games, he was in elite territory with over 133 receiving yards per game, and had 14 receiving touchdowns. He also ran on occasion to mix it up, and totaled 338 rushing yards on the year. Savage chose Utah out of at least a dozen offers.
15. Joshua Jackson Jr. – Narbonne – SR.
Now at USC, Jackson was a high 3-star recruit and arguably the best member of Narbonne's devastating four-headed receiving corps. Jackson is extremely athletic, times his jumps very well, and has great hands to reel in highlight catches even when smothered.
Jackson only had 587 yards last season but that was only in seven games. Racking up 83.9 receiving yards per game sharing the ball with so much other talent at receiver in Narbonne is very impressive.
14. Joey Hobert – San Juan Hills – SR.
Hobert had nearly half of Division 4 champion San Juan Hills' receiving yardage on the year with 1,216 despite being challenged with at least double coverage on every snap. He also caught for 18 of the Stallions' 33 receiving touchdowns. The 3-star prospect will next be a Washington State Cougar.
13. Traeshon Holden – Narbonne – SR.
Holden only got to play seven games last season, and had to share the load significantly in arguably the deepest receiving corps in the country. As a result, he finished with only 512 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. But the 4-star recruit is now at Alabama, which he chose over at least 23 other schools, and was unquestionably one of the best receivers out there during high school.
12. Logan Loya – St. John Bosco – SR.
One of three St. John Bosco receivers with over 1,000 receiving yards, the 4-star UCLA-commit led the Braves with 72 receptions and was often the most sure-handed Brave in tight situations. He also happens to be an outstanding kicker.
11. Jermaine Burton – Calabasas – SR.
A very high 4-star recruit, Burton signed with Georgia, one of at least 20 schools to offer the Calabasas star. He has some of the steadiest hands out there along with good body strength, and as a result he has a knack for making tough diving catches in traffic.
10. Zedakiah Centers – Servite – SR.
I think that Centers was the most underrated wide receiver in the Southern Section in 2019, if not all of SoCal. In 11 games, he finished with 955 receiving yards and 14 receiving touchdowns on an enormous 26.5 yards per catch – all those marks led the Friars.
9. Kyron Ware-Hudson – Mater Dei – JR.
Despite being just one of numerous outstanding receiving targets in arguably the most prolific passing game in the country, Ware-Hudson still caught 59 receptions in 12 games for 853 yards and 13 touchdowns. He's ranked as a 4-star ATH and is committed to Oregon.
8. Tetairoa McMillan – Servite – SO.
It didn't take long in his first year as a varsity for T-Mac to become arguably the central focus of the best defenses in the country every week. McMillan led Servite with 65 receptions, and had 851 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in just ten games.
For his efforts, 247 ranked him as the top wide receiver in the country in the C/O 2022, and he was recently named First Team All CIFSS Division 1. He's a 6-4, 185-pound athletic freak with amazing hands who already has double-digit offers for football while also playing volleyball at the national level, and projecting as a possible D-1 prospect in basketball.
7. Beaux Collins – St. John Bosco – JR.
A near-5-star prospect with over 30 college offers, Collins racked up over 1,000 receiving yards going against the best teams in the country every night. In a crowded receiving corps, he made the most of his receptions with nearly 25 yards per catch and 14 touchdowns. Next year he will enter his senior season as a preseason All-American candidate.
6. LV Bunkley-Shelton – Gardena Serra – SR.
The 4-star recruit caught for 630 yards in 10 games as a senior, but throw the stats out. Serra's entire offense was ravaged by injuries and everyone's numbers were way down as a result. Bunkley, who caught for over 1,000 yards as a junior, missed a game, played numerous at less than 100%, and was severely hampered by injuries to both of Serra's QBs and offensive line. The Cavaliers were marred by injury issues on offense during nearly Bunkley's entire high school career, but down the road number six might actually prove to be too low here.
At 6-0, 185, Bunkley can shine as both a slot receiver and true wide-out, and chose Arizona State over at least 21 other schools. His best attributes are his strong route-running ability and some of the best hands in the business that enable him to routinely haul in highlight grabs through tight coverage. Scouts see him as a clear potential NFL player. For what it's worth, he's also a very good defensive back when need be.
5. Johnny Wilson – Calabasas – SR.
It's not often that you pull up to a top-flight high school football game and the most physically intimidating player on either side is a wide receiver. But for years now, Wilson has been instilling that terror into opposing secondaries. He was already a high 4-star recruit as a 6-4, 190-pound junior, but he came into his senior year close to 6-6 and reportedly finished it at 6-7, 225, and about as jacked as they come for high school receivers.
After a somewhat injury-plagued junior year, Wilson was the top receiver in Calabasas' prolific passing game as a senior, and chose Arizona State over at least 36 other schools. The Marmonte League Wide Receiver of the Year plays with a fire and might still be growing. Bunkley and Wilson will give Arizona State fans a lot to cheer about in the coming years.
4. Kris Hutson – St. John Bosco – SR.
The top receiver on national champion St. John Bosco, Hutson finished the year with 1,290 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. His best attribute was his ability to evade tackles and use his crazy open-field speed to turn routine catches into major gains. The 4-star recruit signed with Oregon, and could potentially be an impact player as a returner and cornerback as well if they didn't already have a horde of versatile ATHs.
3. Gary Bryant – Corona Centennial – SR.
A very high 4-star recruit, Bryant is considered by many as the top slot receiver in the country in the C/O 2020. The USC-commit did most of his work in the slot, but was an enormous threat downfield as well.
The Big VIII League MVP caught for 1,134 yards and ten touchdowns in 12 games on 19.6 yards per catch, which is an outstanding average for someone who mostly got his touches in the slot. Bryant also had 138 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. His ability to weave through hordes of defenders is second to nobody on the West Coast.
Still, his numbers don't do justice to how impactful he was for a few reasons. The main one is how much defensive attention he attracted by his mere presence, which was a key driver in Cen10's incredible rushing production on the year. Also, while it doesn't affect his ranking here, Bryant is an incredible returning threat on special teams and that's a major part of his near-5-star status as a prospect.
2. Kody Epps – Mater Dei – SR.
Unbelievably, Epps entered 2019 with under 400 combined receiving yards on his career. He was still a high three-star prospect who had just been buried behind more elite receiver talent at Mater Dei, but there's an argument to be made that he was the biggest breakout star in the country in 2019. In 13 games, he caught for 93 receptions, 1,735 yards, and 28 touchdowns. He led the Southern Section in receiving yards per game for all players that played eight games or more.
Even still, some people overlooked the BYU-commit even several games into the season despite continually torching the best secondaries in the country. He certainly benefitted from arguably the best quarterback and O-line in high school football. But Epps was as steady-handed as they come and consistently burned future D-1 stars in double-coverage way downfield. He also had an underrated knack for extending plays after the catch with great footwork and quickness.
1. John Humphreys – Corona del Mar – SR.
The 4-star Stanford-commit had over 100 receptions for nearly 1,800 receiving yards in 2018. Humphreys won Sunset League MVP in 2018 but managed to top himself in 2019 with 111 receptions, over 2,000 receiving yards, and 32 touchdowns. Plus, of course, another league MVP award, shared with his QB, Ethan Garbers.
Humphreys is 6-5 without shoes and has a strong frame, but runs like a gazelle and has great hands. With his height, route-running awareness, and timing when going up for a catch in traffic, almost nobody can match up with him.
He finished fifth in the country in receiving yardage, fourth in receptions, and second in receiving touchdowns. He was second in California in receiving yardage and number one in the latter two statistics. Humphreys has every tool a wide receiver could need and will begin his college career as one of the most unmissable receiver prospects for the NFL down the road.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Kobe Stewart – Narbonne – SR.
Stewart only played in five games last season, and he was only one of five D-1 Narbonne receivers when he did, so he totaled just 140 receiving yards. However, he's a 3-star prospect with roughly 20 offers and is widely considered one of the top wide receivers in California.
Alonzo Fontenette – Oaks Christian – JR.
Like Stewart, Fontenette is an elite (4-star) talent who only played five games due to transfer rules, and trying to rank him based on 2019 alone would be impractical. He only caught for 180 yards but that's the product of a unique situation, between missing more than half the season and then stepping into an injury-plagued Oaks campaign. Talent-wise he's near the very top of the pack, and in a full year next season he'll have numbers to show for it.
Brandon Kim – La Jolla Country Day – SR.
Joel Wold – Cornerstone Christian – SR.
Nicholas Timko – Woodrow Wilson – JR.
Kyle Fields – Trinity Classical Academy – SR.
AJ Horning – Trinity Classical Academy – SO.
Blake Davis – Diamond Bar – JR.
Chase Wells – Diamond Bar – JR.
Vance Jefferson – Poway – JR.
DJ Owens – Poway – SR.
Dayjiohn Wheeler – Roosevelt – JR.
Ian Grogan – Santa Margarita – SO.
Tyler Wetmore – Santa Margarita – JR.
Tim Christopher – Helix – SR.
Ja'hari Hill – Helix – SR.
Jaseem Reed – Westlake – JR.
Cooper Wallace – Westlake – SO.
Cassius Savage – Western – SR.
Donovan Williams – Sierra Canyon – JR.
Kamari Ross – Beaumont – SR.
Reshawn Burleson – Murrieta Mesa – SR.
Ty Belton – Citrus Valley – JR.
Mitchell Torres – Valencia (Valencia) – SR.
Ty Shamblin – Oaks Christian – SR.
Jake Naso – Trabuco Hills – SR.
Kade Jones – South (Torrance) – JR.
Devin Hudak – Notre Dame (Riverside) – JR.
Andrew Andrade – Orange – SR.
Asontt Williams – Cathedral – JR.
Larenzo McMillan – Cajon – SR.
Jake George – La Serna – SO.
Blake Banks – North (Torrance) – JR.
Tony Tedesco – Los Osos – SR.
Devin Gandy – Silverado – SR.
Davyon Benton – Eisenhower – SR.
Wilson Cal – Sunny Hills – SR.
Ben Burnham – Burbank – SR.
Brandon Pena – Burbank – JR.
Cade Bargar – South (Torrance) – SR.
Blake Anderson – Fountain Valley – SR.
Dalyen Wilson – Monrovia – SR.
Cole Koffler – Edison – SR.
Vito Russell – Alhambra – SR.
Roshawn Lacy – Esperanza – SR.
Chris Jauregui – Franklin – SR.
Vincent Escobar – Franklin – SR.
DJ Harris – Orange Glen – SR.
James Johnson – Granite Hills – SR.
Kai Jessie – Patrick Henry – JR.
Joey Ramos – Imperial – SR.
Brody Schicker – Grossmont – SR.
Damion Thompson – Northview – SR.
Anthony Gilpin Jr. – Olympian – SR.
Nicholas Kohl – West Ranch – JR.
Raul Villalobos – Laguna Beach – SR.
Demajea Mitchell – San Gorgonio – SR.
Malik Hunt – Simi Valley – JR.
Brandon Alcaraz – Ocean View – SR.
Kade Zimmerman – Irvine – JR.
Josh Brown – San Marcos – SR.
Cole Yoshida – Tesoro – JR.
Jamaal Fisher – Pacifica (Garden Grove) – JR.
Samuel Scaife IV – St. Augustine – SR.
Devin Amphone – Montclair – SR.
Aaron Smith – Corona Centennial – SR.
Dimitrus Simpson – Corona Centennial – SR.
Jeremy Narborne – Corona Centennial – JR.
Thomas Southey – Mira Costa – JR.
