High School

Nation's No. 9 football prospect from San Diego is fastest 200-meter runner

Top football recruit Brandon Arrington just broke Noah Lyles’ 200m record with a performance that’s turning heads.

Roland Padilla

Five-star athlete Brandon Arrington poses with Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning
Five-star athlete Brandon Arrington poses with Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning / Courtesy of Brandon Arrington

The 2025 Arcadia Invitational was a site to behold, especially, for track and field enthusiasts alike. With 3,900 athletes representing 650 schools from across the nation, and even internationally, the event produced moments that will echo through the 2025 outdoor season. In total, the meet saw one national record, 11 meet records, two state records, and performances that now top 18 national leaderboards.

California athletes alone accounted for 30 state-leading marks. One of the biggest individual performances of the night came by way of Mount Miguel's Brandon Arrington, who not only won the 100 and 200-meter races, but shattered Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles’ meet record of 20.49 seconds in the 200 meters. Arrington ran it in 20.35, seizing national attention.

Brandon Arrington didn’t just steal the spotlight with his record-breaking run — he stole a few laughs, too. After crossing the line and realizing he had eclipsed Noah Lyles’ meet record, the Mount Miguel star took to social media with a playful apology to the Olympic gold medalist, writing: “My bad, Noah Lyles. I didn’t mean to do it to you.”

The moment added a dose of charm to an already electric performance, and quickly made the rounds online.

As previously mentioned, Arrington also took home the first place medal in the 100-meter race with a time of 10.32 edging out Servite's rising sophomore, Benjamin Harris who had a time of 10.33. These marks ranked no. 3 and 4, respectively, in meet history only behind Noah Lyles' best time of 10.17 and Ohio's record holder in the event, Troy Lane (Pickerington Central) who ran 10.28 seconds in 2023.

Arrington’s dominance on the track is hard to overstate. He’s not just fast for California — he’s fast by national standards. At the Mt. Carmel Invitational earlier this season, he ran 10.24 in the 100, the second-fastest wind-legal time in the country so far this year.

That combination of elite speed and athleticism is exactly what has made him such a coveted football recruit. Ranked as the No. 9 overall football prospect in the nation, Arrington is projected to play wide receiver or cornerback at the next level — two positions where raw speed can change the game.

Football scouts have long marveled at his burst and agility, but his recent track accomplishments give him a rare two-sport profile. It's not often you find an athlete who can torch defenders under the Friday night lights and leave national-level sprinters in the dust the following spring.

As Arrington’s recruiting heats up, so will the spotlight. With summer football camps on the horizon and state and national championship meets approaching in track, all eyes are now locked on the San Diego standout. He already has the section records in both events and will only look to push the boundaries from here

He’s chasing history on two fronts—track and football—and there’s a real chance he could end his senior year as both a state champion sprinter and a five-star signee.

For now, though, the records speak for themselves. And if you blink, you might miss his next one.

Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school sports news.

To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: 

Download iPhone App | Download Android App

Published
Roland Padilla
ROLAND PADILLA

Roland Padilla is a high school sports journalist, NIL specialist, and analytics strategist covering primarily West Coast track and field, basketball, and football for High School On SI. He began his career in 2015 reporting on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook’s Thunder era for ClutchPoints before moving into full NBA coverage. He later worked directly with the founder/CEO of Ballervisions, shortly leading programming and cross-platform social strategy during its viral 2016 rise covering the Ball brothers—a run that helped propel the brand toward its eventual ESPN acquisition and evolution into SportsCenter NEXT. A three-sport alumnus and current throwing coach at Damien High School, and a former NCAA track athlete at UC San Diego, Roland blends athlete-development knowledge with advanced analytics in his role as a Senior Analyst at DAZN and Team Whistle. He has supported content strategy for major global and U.S. sports properties including World Rugby, FIFA Club World Cup, the New York Mets, MLS, X Games, the Premier League, the NFL, and the Downs2Business podcast. With a strong background in NIL rules, athlete branding, and recruiting, Roland helps families, athletes, and readers navigate the rapidly changing high school sports landscape—bringing national-level storytelling and clarity to the next generation of athletes.

Home/California