Vance Spafford reveals Top 5 and schools he'll be visiting in October

Vance Spafford is a 4-star rated wideout and is one of the most coveted 2026 prospects in the country.
Mission Viejo's Vance Spafford has narrowed down his college choices to Georgia, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Arizona and Washington.
Mission Viejo's Vance Spafford has narrowed down his college choices to Georgia, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Arizona and Washington. / Heston Quan

Mission Viejo wideout Vance Spafford tweeted a graphic on September 11 highlighting all the college offers he has. At the top of the graphic, it reads: "Where's Home?"

The bevy of college logos stamped on this graphic create what one might call a 'busy' look. Spafford's photo is surrounded by 28 college emblems for the 28 offers he's mulled over the past two and a half years of high school football.

It’s getting more serious now, because he’s narrowed that big number down to five.

"Georgia, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Arizona and Washington," Spafford told SBLive Friday night after hauling in four touchdown passes in the first half of the Diablos' rout of Chaparral.

Sure, it leaves more room for creativity on his next 'Top 5' graphic. But more importantly, it allows him to focus on his recruitment with more intention. Why those five?

"Love who loves you," Spafford said. "I love all those coaches. They're all great schools. I'm testing the waters to see who likes me the most, and those are the guys that respond. I feel the best with them."

Spafford said he plans to attend a couple of college games this fall, too. He'll be at Georgia vs. Mississippi State on October 12 and Arizona vs. Colorado on October 19.

It likely means major programs like Oregon, Miami, Notre Dame, Florida, Auburn and Arizona State have fallen out of the sweepstakes for Spafford. Interestingly, USC and UCLA did not offer Spafford.

According to 247Sports, Spafford is a 4-star prospect and the No. 15-ranked wide receiver in the country in the 2026 class.

The standout junior has already caught 12 touchdown passes this season after a 22-touchdown sophomore campaign that ended in a CIF Southern Section Division 2 title and CIF State Division 1-AA title.

Spafford is an early candidate for SBLive's 2024 Offensive Player of the Year.


Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football 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 |Modified
Tarek Fattal, SBLive Sports
TAREK FATTAL, SBLIVE SPORTS

Tarek Fattal has been covering high school sports since 2015 in Southern California and primarily in Los Angeles, covering notable athletes such as Bronny James, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Alyssa Thompson. He was with the LA Daily News for eight years, which included being the beat reporter for the UCLA men's basketball team. Tarek can be seen on TV regularly on CBS/KCAL as a sports analyst with Jim Hill.