Nation's No. 1 safety reveals top 10 schools, names two early leaders in recruitment

Five-star safety Honor Fa'alave-Johnson announced his top 10 schools on Wednesday.

USC, Oregon, Notre Dame, Penn State, Miami, Texas, Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M are Fa'alave-Johnson's top schools.

The 6-foot, 180-pound safety is from Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego, California.

Fa'alave-Johnson is the No. 16 overall prospect and No. 1 safety in the 2027 recruiting class. He ranks as the No. 1 player in the state of California, according to the Rivals industry ranking.

Fa'alave-Johnson finished his junior season with 38 total tackles, four pass breakups, and two interceptions. He was also a standout at running back, adding 1,265 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns, averaging 9.9 yards per carry.

His 35 receptions for 564 receiving yards and seven touchdowns further show his playmaking ability. He helped lead Cathedral Catholic to the 1-AA state championship game, but fell to Folsom High School 42-28 on Dec. 12.

NEWS: Five-Star Safety Honor Fa’alave-Johnson is down to 10 Schools, he tells me for @rivals

The 6’1 190 S from San Diego, CA is ranked as the No. 1 Safety in the ‘27 Class (per Rivals Industry)

Where Should He Go? https://t.co/N6ctbucywt pic.twitter.com/MAripPdZx8
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 16, 2025

In an exclusive interview with Hayes Fawcett, Fa'alave-Johnson identified two early favorites in his recruitment.

"As of right now, USC and Alabama are setting the pace, but everyone is not too far off," Fa'alave-Johnson said.

The Trojans are also the projected favorites, according to the Rivals RPM.

Fa'alave-Johnson would be a massive in-state recruiting win for the Trojans, who failed to sign the top two in-state prospects in the 2026 class. Wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. signed with Ohio State, while edge rusher Richard Wesley signed with Texas.

Despite this, USC signed the No. 1 recruiting class nationally in the class of 2026. The class was headlined by five-star tight end Mark Bowman, who was another in-state win for the Trojans. USC signed five of the Top 15 prospects in the state of California, but are the projected favorites for five of the Top 10 prospects in the 2027 class.

As for Alabama, Kalen DeBoer has done an excellent job recruiting the state of California. In his first class at Alabama, the Crimson Tide signed three of the top five players from California. Five-star Dijon Lee has been a key contributor as a freshman, totaling 31 tackles, two interceptions, and four pass breakups.

Fa'alave-Johnson has not set a decision date, meaning this race is far from over. It appears to be a two team race for the talented safety, but keep an eye on Dan Lanning and Oregon, who have had plenty of success recruiting California over the past few seasons.