Bryce Young, Brock Bowers, Reggie Bush: The California all-state team in the modern recruiting era

When it comes to putting out high-level talent in the modern recruiting era, the only state with more consensus All-Americans than California is Texas.

Dating to the 2002 recruiting cycle, California has produced dozens of major award winners, including three players who took home the Heisman Trophy.

The talent has translated to the NFL, too, with 41 players who graduated from California high schools over that span selected to multiple Pro Bowl teams.

That includes some of the sport’s biggest stars like Cal’s Aaron Rodgers (Chico Pleasant Valley, Class of 2002) and Marshawn Lynch (Oakland Technical, Class of 2004), Fresno State’s Davante Adams (Palo Alto, Class of 2011), USC’s Tyron Smith (Moreno Valley Rancho Verde, Class of 2008), Utah State’s Bobby Wagner (Ontario Colony, Class of 2008) and Stanford’s Richard Sherman (Compton Dominguez, Class of 2006).

It wasn’t easy, but we picked an all-state team composed of 26 players — 12 on offense (we added one all-purpose player), 11 on defense and three on special teams.

Here are our all-state teams for Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.

Since this was about delivering as recruits, we prioritized college accolades — All-Americans, champions, award winners — over professional success.

Offense

Bryce Young, QB, Alabama, five-star (No. 2 in 2020 in the 247Sports Composite): The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner led Alabama to a national championship appearance and completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 8,356 yards, 80 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions in his three-year career. The 5-foot-10, 205-pound standout from Santa Ana Mater Dei and 2023 No. 1 overall pick committed to USC the summer before his junior year of high school but eventually flipped to Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide after an official visit to Tuscaloosa in September 2019.

Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford, three-star (No. 385 in 2006): After setting a California state record for career rushing yards (9,662) at Norco High School, the 2009 unanimous All-American and Doak Walker Award winner finished second to Mark Ingram for the Heisman in the closest vote ever. He led all FBS rushers with 1,871 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2009 and finished his college career with 3,522 rushing yards and 44 TDs. The 6-foot, 235-pound fullback visited Utah, UCLA and Ole Miss before signing with Stanford.

Najee Harris, RB, Alabama, five-star (No. 2 in 2017): After running for 7,948 yards and 94 touchdowns during his high school career at Antioch High School in the Bay Area, Harris became a star his final two seasons in Tuscaloosa and finished his four-year career with 3,843 rushing yards and 46 touchdowns and 80 catches for 781 yards and 11 more scores. The 2020 unanimous All-American made two All-SEC teams and won the Doak Walker Award as well as two national titles. He committed to Alabama in April 2015 and signed after taking official visits to UCLA, Cal and Michigan.

Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State, three-star (No. 379 in 2011): The 2013 Biletnikoff Award winner and consensus All-American set Pac-12 single-season records with 128 catches and 1,730 yards as a junior and finished with 226 receptions for 3,272 yards and 24 touchdowns in his three-year career in Corvallis. The Stockton Lincoln grad and 2014 first-round pick committed to UCLA before flipping to Oregon State.

Marqise Lee, WR, USC, four-star (No. 47 in 2011): The 2012 Biletnikoff Award winner and unanimous All-American made two All-Pac 12 teams and finished his three-year college career with 248 catches for 3,655 yards and 29 touchdowns, including 118 receptions for 1,721 yards and 14 TDs as a sophomore. The 2014 second-round pick from Gardena Junipero Serra chose USC over Cal, Florida, Miami and Oregon on national signing day.

Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia, four-star (No. 105 in 2021): The only two-time Mackey Award winner in college football history made three All-SEC first teams, two All-America teams and won two national titles while catching 175 passes for 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns in his time in Athens. The Napa High School star committed to the Bulldogs in August 2020 after taking unofficial visits to Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame, Clemson and LSU as a high school junior.

Sam Baker, OL, USC, four-star (No. 70 in 2003): The Tustin High School graduate and 2003 U.S. Army All-American was a three-time first-team All-American before the Atlanta Falcons drafted him with a first-round pick in 2008. He chose USC over Oregon.

Ryan Clady, OL Boise State, two-star (No. 979 in 2004): Clady, from Eisenhower High School in Rialto, made two All-WAC teams and was a consensus All-American in 2007 before the Denver Broncos took him with a first-round pick in 2008. Clady was part of Boise State’s historic 43-42 overtime win over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, springing the key block on the infamous Statue of Liberty play.

Wyatt Davis, OL, Ohio State, five-star (No. 24 in 2017): The Bellflower St. John Bosco graduate was a two-time All-American during his time in Columbus. The grandson of NFL Hall of Famer Willie Davis committed to Ohio State in June before his senior year over offers from Alabama, USC, Notre Dame and Michigan.

Alex Mack, OL, California, two-star (No. 831 in 2004): Mack was a three-time All-Pac-10 selection and a two-time All-American, and he also won the Morris Trophy (best lineman in the league) twice and the 2008 Draddy Trophy (the academic Heisman). Mack, who was also a state champion wrestler at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara, chose Cal over Northwestern and Stanford.

Jonah Williams, OL, Alabama, five-star (No. 17 in 2016): The Folsom High School graduate made three All-SEC teams, two All-America teams and took home the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy in 2018. He committed to Alabama in April 2015 after taking unofficial visits to Auburn and Alabama.

Reggie Bush, AP, USC, five-star (No. 17 in 2003): The 2005 Heisman Trophy winner twice earned consensus All-America honors and won two national titles (AP in 2003, BCS in 2004) with the Trojans. Bush, who played at Helix High School in La Mesa, amassed 3,169 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns and 95 catches for 1,301 yards and 13 TDs in his three-year college career. Bush signed with USC over Washington.

Defense

Sedrick Ellis, DL, USC, four-star (No. 63 in 2003): The Chino High School graduate was a two-time first-team All-Pac-10 selection and, in 2007, was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and earned unanimous All-America honors. He produced 142 tackles, including 28 for loss and 17.5 sacks in his college career. He picked USC over LSU, Oklahoma and UCLA.

Laiatu Latu, DL, UCLA, four-star (No. 128 in 2019): Latu won the 2023 Lombardi and Ted Hendricks awards and was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. In 33 college games, he produced 100 tackles, including 24 sacks, and two interceptions. The Sacramento Jesuit High grad signed with Washington over USC and then transferred to UCLA in 2022 after a neck injury temporarily forced him into retirement in 2021.

Will Sutton, DL, Arizona State, three-star (No. 584 in 2009): The Corona Centennial graduate won two Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year awards, two Morris trophies and was selected as a consensus All-American in 2012 when he racked up 23.5 tackles for loss (including 13 sacks) and three forced fumbles. He signed with the Sun Devils after also taking official visits to Arizona and Fresno State.

Tuli Tuipulotu, DL, USC, three-star (No. 381 in 2020): The Lawndale High School graduate was a unanimous All-American and the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 when he led the nation with 13.5 sacks. In three years, he recorded 116 tackles, including 32 for loss and 21 sacks. He signed with USC after taking official visits to Nebraska and Cal.

Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA, three-star (No. 729 in 2010): The 2014 Butkus Award and Lott Trophy winner produced 481 tackles, including 10 sacks, and five interceptions in his four-year career before becoming a Pro Bowler with the Minnesota Vikings. The Fresno Hoover graduate took an official visit to Washington State before committing to UCLA in November 2009.

Rey Maualuga, LB, USC, five-star (No. 10 in 2005): The Eureka High School grad was a three-time all-conference pick who racked up 273 tackles, nine sacks and five interceptions in four seasons with the Trojans. In 2008, he was a unanimous All-American, won the Bednarik Award and was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. He visited Nebraska and Oregon before choosing USC.

Scooby Wright, LB, Arizona, two-star (No. 2,007 in 2013): The 2014 Bednarik, Nagurski, Lombardi and Lambert winner was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American as a sophomore when he racked up 164 tackles (31 for loss with 15 sacks) and five forced fumbles. Arizona was the only FBS program to offer the Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman graduate, who grew up dreaming of playing for Boise State.

Antoine Cason, DB, Arizona, three-star (No. 460 in 2004): The Los Alamitos graduate won the 2007 Thorpe Award and made two first-team All-Pac 10 squads before Arizona retired his No. 5 jersey. Cason finished his career with two punt returns for scores, 253 tackles and 15 interceptions (three returned for TDs). The 2008 first-round pick chose Arizona over offers from Oregon State and Washington.

Adoree’ Jackson, DB, USC, five-star (No. 7 in 2014): The Gardena Junipero Serra graduate won the Thorpe Award and was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2016. Jackson impressed in all three facets with the Trojans — he caught 39 passes for 628 yards and six scores, returned four kickoffs and four punts for scores and racked up 139 tackles and six interceptions on defense. The 2017 first-round pick took official visits to Florida State, LSU, Tennessee and Oklahoma before locking in with USC.

Clark Phillips III, DB, Utah, four-star (No. 51 in 2020): The La Habra High School graduate earned unanimous All-America honors in 2022 when he was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. In 31 games (all starts), he recorded 110 tackles, 30 pass deflections, two forced fumbles and nine interceptions, returning four for scores. Phillips flipped from Ohio State to Utah during the early signing period.

Eric Weddle, DB, Utah, two-star (No. 1050 in 2003): The Alta Loma High School graduate won two Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year awards and earned consensus All-America honors in 2006. Weddle recorded 278 career tackles and also scored six rushing touchdowns and even served as a holder on field goal attempts. He committed to Kyle Whittingham in June before his senior year and eventually earned a scholarship when Whittingham, Utah’s defensive coordinator at the time, convinced coach Urban Meyer to give him a spot.

Specialists

Kai Forbath, K, UCLA, three-star (Rivals No. 1 kicker in 2006): The Sherman Oaks Notre Dame graduate made three All-Pac-10 teams and two All-America squads, including in 2009 when he won the Lou Groza Award and was 28-of-31 on field goal attempts. Forbath finished his four-year college career with 85 field goals made on 101 attempts and 102 extra points made on 104 attempts. He picked UCLA over Cal, Notre Dame and Oregon and was the No. 1-rated kicker in his class, according to Rivals.

Matt Araiza, P, San Diego State, two-star (No. 2,609 in 2018): The Punt God was a unanimous All-America selection in 2021 when he won the Ray Guy Award and rewrote the NCAA record book by averaging 51.19 yards per punt. He also had offers from UMass and Montana coming out of Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego.

Dante Pettis, RS, Washington, three-star (No. 902 in 2014): The San Juan Capistrano JSerra Catholic graduate set an NCAA record with nine career punt returns for touchdowns and won the 2017 Jet Award as the best return man in college football. He also hauled in 163 passes for 2,256 yards and 24 touchdowns as a receiver with the Huskies. Pettis took his only other official visit to Boise State.

Notes

There have been some special quarterbacks to come out of California in the modern recruiting era, including Rodgers, C.J. Stroud, Jared Goff, Alex Smith and Derek Carr.

We chose Young over 2023 Heisman winner Jayden Daniels — the only two California quarterbacks to be named consensus All-Americans in the era — because Young led Alabama to a national title appearance. Yes, Daniels was by far a more dangerous dual threat (3,307 rushing yards, 34 TDs) and threw for more yards (12,749) and touchdowns (89) in his career than Young. He also played 19 more games than Young.

UCLA’s Anthony Barr (Los Angeles Loyola, Class of 2010) and Utah’s Devin Lloyd (Chula Vista Otay Ranch, Class of 2017) earned consideration for one of the three linebacker spots. Barr made two All-Pac 12 teams and won the 2013 Lott Trophy. Lloyd also made two All-Pac 12 teams and won the league’s 2021 Defensive Player of the Year award. We went with Kendricks over both because he won the Butkus Award in 2014 and is among the top 10 in career tackles in the modern college football era, according to College Football Reference.

Deciding on the last spot among four defensive backs was tough. Oregon’s Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (Chino Hills, Class of 2011), Fresno State’s Phillip Thomas (Bakersfield, Class of 2007), Michigan’s Leon Hall (Vista, Class of 2003) and Cal’s Dante Hughes (Los Angeles Crenshaw, Class of 2003) were all consensus All-Americans with strong resumes. We ultimately selected Phillips with the last spot because of the prominent role he played on Utah’s back-to-back conference championship teams.

We went with Pettis as the return man over Boise State cornerback Avery Williams, another JSerra Catholic grad who won the Jet Award in 2020 and had nine returns for scores (six punts, three kickoffs) over his four-year career. We chose Pettis because he played against Power 5 competition most weeks and was a little more well-rounded as a receiver.

(Photos of Bryce Young, Brock Bowers, Reggie Bush: Joe Cox, Steve Limentani, Joe Robbins / Getty Images)