2026 California Football: Top Receivers to Watch

Perhaps the Golden's State deepest position with rich history at both wide receiver and tight end, here are the 10 best and 60 more right on their heels

Chaparral's Eli Woodard returns for his senior season as one of the top targets to watch California | Joe Duncan

We’ve mentioned in this space, some of California’s great quarterback products, including NFL greats Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Jim Plunkett. The lineage is much longer than that. 

Can’t have all those throwing greats without more legends catching the pigskin at the other end. 

Consider some of these greats in NFL history who ran routes on California high school gridirons: Lynn Swann (Serra), James Lofton (Washington), Tom Fears (Manuel Arts), Amani Toomer (De La Salle), Henry Ellard (Hoover) and the Long Beach Poly duo of Gene Washington and DeSean Jackson.  

Besides Jackson other top current NFL wide receivers from California: Brandin Cooks (Lincoln-Stockton), Davante Adams (Palo Alto), Robert Woods (Serra-Gardena), Marvin Jones (Etiwanda), Michael Thomas (Taft), JuJu Smith-Schuster (Long Beach Poly), Amon and Equanimeous St. Brown (Mater Dei) and Drake London (Moorpark). 

The state also boasts some of the game’s greatest tight ends, including perhaps the greatest in Tony Gonzalez (Huntington Beach), along with Brent Jones (Leland), Charles Young (Edison-Fresno) and Delanie Walker (Pomona). 

Other top NFL tight ends of today from the Golden State include all-timers Marcedes Lewis (Long Beach Poly) and Zach Ertz (Monte Vista), along with Austin Hooper (De La Salle) and Colby Parkingson (Oaks Christian).  

The current list of standout wide receivers is long and impressive as a whopping 33 of California’s top 200 overall 2027 recruits, according to Rivals, play the position. Among the same group, nine are tight ends. 

Clearly, this is a talented lot of playmakers. 

Based on recruitability and prep production, here are the state’s top 20 targets with many more other weapons. Check out 247Sports receiver recruiting rankings as well. 

See the other top California football players at these positions: Running backs | quarterbacks | offensive linemen

1. WR Eli Woodard, Chaparral-Temecula, Sr.

College: Miami

The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder had 51 catches for 1,070 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. He has 10 other offers, including from USC, UCLA, Cal, Michigan and Oregon. He’s the state’s No. 5 senior recruit overall. 

2. WR Quentin Hale, Corona Centennial, Sr.

Centennial High School WR Quentin Hales hold up his offensive MVP award at Nike's The Opening in Beaverton, Ore., a showcase for more than 100 of high school's top football talent. | 247 Sports

College: USC

At 6-3, 200, Hale is an explosive, rangy wideout who last season had 52 catches for nearly 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns. The transfer from Cathedral should no doubt be the top target of quarterback Jaden Jefferson, who also transferred from Cathedral. He’s ranked the No. 8 WR in the country by 247Sports.

3. TE Rahzario Edwards, Grant-Sacramento, Sr.

College: Cal

At 6-6, 220, Edwards is a specimen, with great hands and speed. With a whopping 26 college offers, Edwards picked the Bears over Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, USC and Oregon, among many others. 

4. WR Charles Davis, Westlake, Sr.

College: Cal

The state’s No. 11 recruit overall is a huge target at 6-6 and 210 pounds. He had 30 catches for 526 yards and 11 TDs last year and don’t be surprised if those numbers rise rapidly. 

5. WR Nico Bland, Orange Lutheran, Sr.

Orange Lutheran senior wide receiver Nico Bland. will play at Arizona State after his senior prep season. | Jack Beasley

College: Arizona State

The 6-1, 185-pounder not only put up big numbers on the gridiron last year with 57 catches for 832 yards and seven touchdowns, but he continued to excel on the track and as a sprinter. He has best times of 10.68 (100 meters) and 22.70 (200). 

6. WR Blake Wong, Norco, Sr.

College: BYU

The 6-1, 180-pounder is another sprinting standout in track and field. He had 84 catches last season for 1,469 yards and 20 touchdowns. 

7. WR Demare Dezeurn, Westlake, Sr.

College: Cal

The Bears are getting another four-star receiver as the 5-10, 180-pounder is built for speed, having run bests of 10.39 (100 meters) and 21.12 (200). He had 64 catches for 1,372 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2025. 

8. Hayden Koo, Tustin, Jr.

College: Undecided

Ranked the No. 9 junior overall by 247Sports, the speedy 6-1, 175-pounder already has 22 offers, including Ohio State, Oregon, BYU and Cal. He had 53 catches for 796 yards and seven TDs last season for California’s No. 21 preseason team.   

9. Emmanuel Pullins, Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks, Jr.

College: Undecided

The state’s No. 11 junior recruit for any position, the 6-foot, 185-pounder had 38 catches last season for 569 yards and two scores. He has 11 college offers, including Michigan, Nebraska and Cal.

10. Ty Johnson, Crean Lutheran-Irvine, Sr.

College: Arizona

The 6-2, 205-pounder has a remarkable 25 reported offers including Arkansas, Baylor, Arkansas, Georgia and Oregon. He has 122 career catches coming into 2026 for 2,039 yards and 29 touchdowns. 

10 MORE ROCKERS

WR Christian Butler, Sierra Canyon, Jr. 

WR Isaac Cook, Cathedral Catholic, Sr., San Diego State

TE Jace Cannon, Serra-San Mateo, Sr., USC

WR Tycen Johnson, Chaparral, Sr., Arizona State

WR Rob Larson, Folsom, Sr., UCLA

TE Max Markofski, Mission Viejo, Sr., Arizona

WR Grant Mosley, Santa Margarita, Jr.

WR Demaje Riley, Tulare Union, Sr., Fresno State

TE Jaylin Smalls, Rancho Cucamonga, Jr. 

WR DJ Tubbs, St. John Bosco, Jr. 

10 MORE MOVERS

WR Adrian Barnett, King’s Academy-Sunnyvale, Washington State

TE Diego Botron, La Costa Canyon, Sr., San Diego State

WR Clark Cokley, JSerra Catholic, Sr., Georgetown

WR Tomas Dixon, San Joaquin Memoria-Fresno, Sr., Washington State

TE Rene Garcia, St. Mary’s-Stockton, Sr., Fresno State

WR Travon Garrison, Damien, Sr., San Diego State

TE Luke Gazzaniga, Santa Margarita, Sr., Kansas

WR Braylen Ross, Crean Lutheran, Sr., Arizona

WR Jeremiah Salvant, Tustin, Sr., Colorado State

WR Koby Shabazz, Grant Union, Sr., Sacramento State

10 MORE SHAKERS

TE Kole Davis, Mission Viejo, Sr., Fresno State

WR Michael Farinas, Chaparral-Temecula, Sr., UCLA

WR Gianni Haynes, Cathedral-Los Angeles, Sr., Washington State

WR Relando Jefferson IV, Central East, Sr., Fresno State

TE Luke Karby, Mission Viejo, Sr., Duke

WR Kennie Leggett, Corona Centennial, Sr., Northern Arizona

WR Kamden Tillis, Los Alamitos, Sr., San Diego State

WR Kenneth Ward, Pittsburg, Jr.

WR Landon White, Rancho Cucamonga, Sr., Oregon State

WR AJ Williams, Clovis West, Sr., Fresno State

30 MORE GAME-BREAKERS

WR Chase Bonta, Chaparral, Sr., Cal Poly SLO

WR Noah Bozeman, Muir-Pasadena, Jr.

WR Jaelynn Brown, Vista del Lago-Moreno Valley, Jr.

WR Clark Cokley, JSerra Catholic, Sr., Georgetown

WR Jayden Coley, Long Beach Poly, Sr.

WR Demari Dean, De La Salle, Jr.

WR WR Colton Fitzgibbon, San Ramon Valley-Danville, Jr.

WR Luke Frith, San Juan Hills, Sr., Texas State

WR Chris Flores, Orange Lutheran, Sr.

TE Will Healy, San Rafael, Sr.

WR Chase Jenkins, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sr.

WR Jack Junker, Mission Viejo, Sr., San Jose State

WR Zion Key, Charter Oak-Walnut, Jr.

TE Sam McReynolds, Serra-San Mateo, Jr.

WR Austin Miller, Bellflower, So. 

TE Hudson Ploog, Orange Lutheran, Sr., UNLV

WR LJ Pierce, Chaparral, Jr.

WR Damani Porras, Downey, Sr., New Mexico

WR Finley Rivera, Acalanes, Sr.

WR Zion Secrease, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sr.

WR Antonio Spann, St. Bonaventure, Sr.

WR Prince Staten, McClymonds-Oakland), Sr.

WR Amarion Taylor, Tulare Western, Jr. 

WR Charlie Walsh, Serra, Sr.

WR Alonzo Ward, Edison-Stockton, Jr.

WR Kamil Pelovello, Servite, Jr. 

WR Jesse Wilhite, Granite Hills-El Cajon, Sr.

WR Delontay Williams, San Diego, Sr., UNLV 

WR Jay Williams, Millikan-Long Beach, Sr., Kansas

TE Owen Yurosek, Bakersfield Christian, Sr., Washington State