Friday Night Lights – A Look into the Future of Cal Football Part XI
Telling the whole damn world what is going on with the future of California across the nation in high school football.
It is Big Game week in Berkeley for our Golden Bears, and our recruits/future players are in the midst of their last postseason runs of their high school careers.
24/7 Sports recently updated the class of 2026 ratings, and if you have followed along with Cal’s recruitment process or this series, there are some much-deserved and earned increases in the rankings for our future Golden Bears. Cal currently has the No. 1 player in the state of Oklahoma committed to their program, as well as players who continue to dominate in their regions as standout performers.
With the looming decision of JKS’ future feeling more and more like he is going to stay in Berkeley (via @ciennapilotin on X) (realistically, what the hell else is he going to say?), this week’s FNL does include the departure of one of the most promising QB-commits in the nation, but more importantly, it showcases the postseason performances of those still committed and ready to bleed blue and gold.
Daniel McMorris – OT – 4/5-Star (94 OVR) – Norman North (Norman, OK) – Daniel McMorris and the Norman North Timberwolves’ season has come to an end following a 17-42 loss to the Mustang Broncos. The offensive line, anchored by McMorris, was able to help generate 142 rushing yards with no touchdowns, as well as help create 269 passing yards for 2 TDs, while the Norman Sophomore QB gave up 3 INTs.
McMorris finishes the season as a 4-Star and a 94 overall prospect on 24/7 Sports. He is the highest-ranked commit for the California Golden Bears’ 2026 recruiting class, as well as the No. 1 overall high school player in the state of Oklahoma (and the No. 11 overall OT in the country).
Taimane Purcell – TE- 4/5-Star (90 OVR) - Kamehameha (Honolulu, HI) – Bye Week! The first game for the Warriors and Cal-commit Taimaine Purcell is this weekend, meaning it will be featured in next week’s FNL after all stats and information are uploaded and accounted for.
Victor Santino - RB - 3/5-Star (89 OVR) - Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, CA) – DNP: Season Forfeited.
EJ Morgan - WR - 3/5-Star (↑89 OVR) - Central East (Fresno, CA) – EJ Morgan’s 24/7 Sports ranking saw a 3-point bump in the latest recruit ratings, as the Senior WR brought in 4 receptions for 89 yards and a TD in the Central East Bengal’s 53-31 win over the Buchanan Bears in the semifinals of the Division I-AA 2025 CIF Central Section Football Championship.
Rocky Cummings – LB – 3/5 Star (↑89 OVR) – Carlsbad (Carlsbad, CA) – Rocky Cummings was back in the starting lineup for the Carlsbad Lancers to open the 2025 CIF San Diego Section Open Division Football Championship, as the Lancers won a close matchup against the La Costa Canyon Mavericks (the only team Carlsbad has lost to this season) by a final score of 27-23. Cummings, who also saw a 3-point bump in his 24/7 Sports recruitment rating, brought in 2 receptions for 20 yards and a TD on offense, while picking up 2 solo tackles on defense as a LB.
Nemyah Telona - DL – 3/5-Star (88 OVR) - De La Salle (Concord, CA) – Telona and the Spartans opened the 2025 North Coast Section Football Championship Quarterfinals with a 42-0 blowout over the San Ramon Valley Wolves, with Nemyah Telona picking up 4 total tackles (2 solo and 2 assisted) as well as 2.0 yards TFL, while also picking up 1.5 sacks on the day!
Cam Brooks - EDGE - 3/5-Star (88 OVR) - Thomas County Central (Thomasville, GA) – We’ve seen it all season, the Yellow Jackets add another win to their undefeated season and playoff run as the No. 15 team in the state of Georgia defeated the Woodstock Wolverines by a final score of 73-14 in the opening round of the 2025 Georgia High School Football Playoffs. Cam Brooks played both sides of the ball for the Yellow Jackets, scoring a touchdown on his lone 5-yard rush, as well as bringing in 1.5 sacks for a loss of 36 yards, and collecting 2 tackles on the evening.
Kamo’i Huihui-White - IOL - 3/5-Star (88 OVR) - Saint Louis (Honolulu, HI) – Season concluded.
Nainoa Lopes - QB - 3/5-Star (88 OVR) - Saint Louis (Honolulu, HI) – Season concluded.
Kai Meza – WR – 3/5-Star (↑88 OVR) – Corner Canyon (Draper, UT) – Kai Meza also saw a boost in his recruitment ranking on 24/7 Sports, as the Senior WR entered last weekend as an 86 overall, and now sits at an 88! Meza and the Corner Canyon Chargers defeated the Mountain Ridge Sentinels by a final score of 59-20 to advance to the 2025 UHSAA – Football state championship, with Meza bringing in 8 receptions for 140 yards and 2 TDs in this semifinal matchup.
Tyree Sams - WR - 3/5-Star (87 OVR) - Clovis North (Clovis, CA) – Season concluded.
Ernest Nunley – S/WR - 3/5-Star (87 OVR) - Western (Anaheim, CA) – Season concluded.
Jonathan McKinley II - LB - 3/5-Star (87 OVR) – Centennial (Corona, CA) – Centennial began their playoff run with a 41-6 victory over the Servite Friars, where Cal-commit Jonathan McKinley II had a productive day on defense, picking up 4 total tackles (3 solo and 1 assisted), 1 TFL, and 1 sack in the DI 2025 CIF Southern Section Football Championship quarterfinals. Centennial ranks No. 1 in the state of California in the most recent MaxPreps rankings.
Esaiah Wong - OT - 3/5-Star (87 OVR) - Kailua (Kailua, HI) – Esaiah Wong and the Kailua Surfriders cruised to victory over the Aiea Na Alii, as the offensive line helped generate 112 rushing yards for 3 TDs, as well as provided enough passing protection to create 235 passing yards and 2 passing TDs on the evening, as the Surfriders won by a final score of 35-7 in the opening round of the DI HHSAA Football State Championship.
Jaxon Pyatt - LB - 3/5-Star (87 OVR) - Arvada West (Arvada, CO) – After earning a bye in the first round of the CHSAA Football Championship tournament, Jaxon Pyatt and the Arvada West Wildcats returned to action with a 31-15 victory over the Grandview Wolves, with Pyatt picking up 3 carries for 2 TDs in just 5 rushing yards, as well as 3 total tackles (2 solo and 1 assisted), 2 TFL, 1 sack, and 1 fumble recovery on defense. Pyatt is a difference maker.
Elisha Faamatuainu - IOL - 3/5-Star (87 OVR) - Murrieta Valley (Murrieta, CA) – Murrieta Valley defeated the Rancho Cucamonga Cougars by a final score of 26-6 in the quarterfinals of the DII 2025 CIF Southern Section Football Championship, with Elisha Faamatuainu and the OL providing practically no pass protection, as their Sophomore QB threw just 2 pass attempts the entire game, while the rushing game was able to generate 236 yards and 3 TDs.
Brady Palmer - QB - 3/5-Star (86 OVR) - Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, CA) – Brady Palmer announced on November 20th that he has reopened his commitment, effectively decommitting from the Golden Bears while exploring the other 17 DI offers he has received – which include Auburn, Utah, TCU, SDSU, and Ohio State, where former OC Chip Kelly recruited him before dashing to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Looking at this from two positive angles, Nainoa Lopes has received national attention for his commitment to Cal and growth over the last two seasons in the Hawaiian high school football realm (on3), AND perhaps the QB room is looking too full in the future for recruits. An all-Hawaiian QB room with JKS and Lopes at the 1&2 would be quite fun in Berkeley.
Artem Korchagin - IOL - 3/5-Star (86 OVR) - Thomas County Central (Thomasville, GA) – In the Yellow Jackets’ 73-14 win over the Woodstock Wolverines in the Class 5A 2025 Georgia High School Football Playoffs, Artem Korchagin and the Yellow Jackets’ offensive line were able to help create the pass protection needed for 327 passing yards between 3 different QBS for 6 TDs, as well as generate 193 rushing yards for 3 TDs.
Frank Fanua - IOL - 3/5-Star (86 OVR) - Mount Miguel (Spring Valley, CA) – Frank Fanua and the Mount Miguel Matadors’ O-Line helped provide the passing protection needed for their Junior QB to throw for 101 passing yards and 2 TDs, as well as helped generate 152 rushing yards for 1 TD en route to a 26-20 victory over the Oceanside Pirates in the DI 2025 CIF San Diego Section Football Championship second round.
Deon Jackson - CB - 3/5-Star (85 OVR) - Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, CA) – Season concluded.
Kingston “Lucky” Schirmer - DL - 3/5-Star (85 OVR) - Centennial (Corona, CA) – As Centennial began their playoff run with a 41-6 victory over the Servite Friars, the Nation’s No. 4 team and state of California’s No. 1 team saw DL and Cal-commit Kingston “Lucky” Schirmer collect 3 total tackles (2 solo and 1 assisted) in the opening round (quarterfinals) of the DI 2025 CIF Southern Section Football Championship.