Top Freshmen (2030) to Watch in CIF Southern Section Football

There's something about a freshman or a rookie that creates buzz. Longtime basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale called them 'Diaper Dandies'.

The youngsters that can make in impact right away, make a play, or better yet, help a team win. At the high school level, even if a freshman is considered 'old', it's still impressive when a teenager can impact a varsity football game with no previous varsity experience.

Even more impressive is when there are true high school freshmen impacting games on Friday nights at 14 or 15 years old.

Here is a list of top 9th graders to watch this fall in the CIF Southern Section, some of which could end up being big-time college prospects. In fact, some of them already are.

NOTE: High School On SI sent football questionnaires to coaches in the CIF Southern Section in preparation for the 2026 season. The following information is curated from the answers given to the questionnaire.

TOP FRESHMEN TO WATCH

Kiyan Callis with UCLA assistant coach. — Kiyan Callis is already surrounded with buzz as an impact freshman for Santa Margarita in 2026. | Kiyan Callis/X

KJ Herndon, Santa Margarita, DE

Herndon is already 6-foot-5, 235 pounds with offers to USC, UCLA, Oregon and Miami. Herndon could end up getting the 'No. 1 recruit' moniker later in his prep career.

Brooks Herman, Huntington Beach, QB

Herman is listed at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds already with offers to UConn, Cal and UCLA. He'll be the Oilers next great arm after senior Brady Edmunds leaves for Ohio State.

Keondre Smith, Bellflower, WR/DB

Smith is an all-around athlete with size and speed at 6-foot, 185 pounds, according to coach Keith Miller. A natural playmaker when the ball is in the air.

Daylen Williams, St. John Bosco, OL/DL

Williams could be a two-way player for the Braves. His size and length make him an elite tackle prospect. Coach Jason Negro says he's going to be "a freak".

Nolen Washington, Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks, RB

Coach Evan Yabu says Washington has great instincts, a high football IQ and great athleticism for his age. He'll definitely play varsity snaps right away.

Kiyan Callis, Santa Margarita, WR

Callis is a speed deamon that will make an immediate impact for coach Carson Palmer's offense. Callis is already courting college programs like USC, UCLA and Miami before he's played a varsity snap.

Jeremiah Bryant, St. John Bosco, DB

A cornerback that's really shined in fall camp, according to coach Jason Negro. Bryant's football IQ is off the charts and he's highly competitive.

Seandyn Prysock, Westlake, OL

Will start as a freshman for coach Rick Clausen at 6-foot-2, 255 pounds. Clausen says Prysock has a nasty, physical attitude and is only going to get bigger and bigger. Younger brother of former Alemany standout Ephesians Prysock (now with the 49ers).

Iosiyah Aevanu, St. Bernard, OL

Aevanu is listed at 6-foot-4, 255 pounds and still growing. Coach Dean Herrington says Aevanu ran a 5.2 40-yard dash, which is impressive for a freshman at that size. Great feet. Great future.

Ja'aron Tharpe, Victor Valley, ATH

Florida State, Miami, Oregon and USC already want this young man. On3/Rivals' Adam Gorney reported that "Tharpe was absolutely unstoppable, caught everything and took countless reps to keep beating receivers in one-on-one situations," at a showcase over the summer.

OTHER FRESHMEN TO WATCH

Noah Bond, Chaparral, S/WR; Jordan Terry, Crean Lutheran, CB; Kalin Jones, Cathedral, ATH; Kalani Mahuka, Bishop Amat, OL; Theo Pahlu, Alta Loma, OL/DL; Bryson Lewis, Orange Lutheran, OL; Amir Malone, Oak Hills, DB; Aydan Steen, Santa Margarita, LB; Ayden Woods, Chaminade, WR; Ryan Clark, Bellflower, WR/DB; Ethan Hill, Palos Verdes, QB; Logan Ploog, Orange Lutheran, TE; Rishav Biswas, Apple Valley, QB; Josiah Whipp, Aquinas, QB; Teagan People, Vista Murrieta, WR; Dominic Campos, Charter Oak, LB/RB; Hassir Houston, Gardena Serra, QB; Jaylen Ward, Rancho Cucamonga, DL; Anthony Harter, Palos Verdes, LB/DE; Justin Suliafu, Norco, DE; Drew Rollinson, Oaks Christian, DB; Devon Allen, Crespi, RB/DB; Jordan Dozier, Chaparral, DB

2025 CIF-SS RECAP

PALMER LEADS SANTA MARGARITA TO GLORY

When looking back at the 2025 high school football season in the CIF Southern Section, the lede is undoubtedly Santa Margarita — for a multitude of reasons.

Former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer came back to his old stomping grounds and won all the big prizes in year one.

Santa Margarita shared the Trinity League title with St. John Bosco and Mater Dei before going on to win the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship and CIF State Open Division titles. The Eagles thumped Corona Centennial at the Rose Bowl 42-7 thanks to 10 catches for 292 yards and four touchdowns (two rushing) from Player of the Year Trent Mosley (who is now at USC).

Palmer would guide Santa Margarita to a rout of De La Salle two weeks later, 47-13, at Saddleback College in December to lift the CIF State crown and finish the season 11-3.

When Palmer lifted the CIF-SS Division 1 plaque at the championship podium in the Rose Bowl, it was the first time a program not named St. John Bosco or Mater Dei lifted the Southern Section's top division trophy since Corona Centennial did it in 2015.

THE ‘MONEY MAN’

One of the biggest stories in recent prep sports history broke last fall when the emergence of Brett Steigh, also known as the ‘Money Man’, who made an appearance on FATTAL FACTOR, a weekly live sports show via Youtube with hosts Tarek Fattal and Aram Tolegian.

Steigh admitted to years of CIF violations at programs like Narbonne (his alma mater), St. Bernard, and most recently, Bishop Montgomery. The biggest confession came when he admitted to paying families up to $50,000 (plus expenses) to get their sons to play high school football at a program of his choice.

The fallout from the story resulted in Bishop Montgomery cancelling its varsity football season. The head football coach Ed Hodgkiss was fired and the President of the school Pat Lee was forced to resign. More than 20 players were deemed ineligible and hit with Bylaw 202 for falsifying documents, which means the student-athletes can’t participate in varsity athletics for up to 24 months.

The school ended up hiring Oscar McBride this past spring in efforts to start over. McBride is a former college and NFL standout who built Murrieta Mesa High into a CIF championship-level program. Murrieta Mesa was 0-9 before McBride was hired and led the program to a Division 6 title in 2024.

2025 CIF-SS CHAMPIONS

Click HERE for a quick recap of all the CIF Southern Section football champions from 2025 from Divisions 1 through 14.

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