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Metro Area high school football talent reaches far and wide
San Francisco public school football players rarely get on recruiting lists.
[...] Mission senior Niamey Harris is bucking the trend.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pounder is No. 77 among California senior recruits, according to 247Sports.
Harris is the reigning Academic Athletic Association and Chronicle San Francisco Player of the Year after accounting for more than 3,000 yards and 40 touchdowns while leading the Bears to a second straight San Francisco Section title last season.
Feraji Abram, an impressive 6-4, 215-pound transfer from Jefferson-Daly City, may also take snaps at quarterback for the Bears.
“There’s nothing Niamey can’t do on the football field, he can play everywhere,” Hill said.
Harris is no finished product.
[...] according to Hill, football coaches from Hawaii and Cal have made more than a couple of inquiries.
Harris isn’t the only Metro player proving that college coaches can find good players in remote places.
Stellar Prep, an alternative fifth-year school currently in its fourth Oakland location, boasts 6-4, 220-poound outside linebacker-defensive end Addison Gumbs, the state’s No. 18 recruit.
Gumbs committed to Oklahoma last week.
Gumbs was called a “man among boys,” by 247Sports recruiting expert Sam Wiltfong after recording 23 sacks and seven forced fumbles last season.
“Regardless of who he’s playing against, it’s easy to see why Gumbs was a sought-after prospect,” said Wiltfong.
Speed, excellent hands and length are what have scouts excited about Berean Christian-Walnut Creek receiver Isaiah Hodgins, the state’s No. 37 recruit.
The 6-4, 194-pound senior is the son of former Rams and San Jose state fullback James Hodgins.
Hodgins de-committed from Washington State last week and Oregon now appears to be his top choice.
Production city:
Two players on the The Chronicle’s top 20 to watch list — Moreau Catholic-Hayward running back Jullen Ison and Analy-Sebastopol quarterback Jack Newman — made MaxPrep’s top five national “unsung” list.
Despite numbers that are among the nation’s best, neither has secured a Division I college offer.
Ison rushed for 3,044 yards and 43 touchdowns last season for the 11-2 Mariners and added 16 catches for 388 yards and two more scores.
Newman led Analy to a 13-1 season by ranking first in the state in touchdown passes (53), second in completions (298) and fourth in yards (4,051).
The teams with the most players among The Chronicle’s top 40 to watch are De La Salle and Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland with four each, followed by Clayton Valley Charter-Concord with three. …
O’Dowd cornerback Je’quari Godfrey is the only local player on the list to commit to Cal. …
Clayton Valley senior Bryce Brand, an All-Metro lineman last year, lost 40 pounds and is now a linebacker. …
De La Salle’s 6-3½, 220-pound tight end and defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey is ranked the No. 43 sophomore in the country by 247Sports.
Mitch Stephens is a senior writer and national football editor for MaxPreps.
E-mail: mstephens@maxpreps.com Twitter: @MitchMashMax.
Top 20 Metro football players to watch
Player
School
Size
College*
RB Najee Harris
Antioch
Sr.
No. 1 player in country
Sr.
USC
Steadily improved
Stellar Prep
Sr.
Rapidly improved
Sr.
Probably headed to USC
WR Isaiah Hodgins
Sr.
15 offers, likely Oregon
Sr.
Played little due to injuries
Monte Vista
Sr.
USC
Another Zach Ertz?
RB Cyrus Habibi-Likio
Sr.
State
RB Jullen Ison
Moreau
Sr.
2015 East Bay POY
CB Je’quari Godfrey
Sr.
Rose quickly up charts
QB Jake Haener
Monte Vista
Sr.
Polished, accurate, smart
Sr.
QB Jack Newman
Sr.
Led state with 53 TDs
Dynamic two-way player
De La Salle
Sr.
DLS’ top returner
QB Aidan Willard
Sr.
Oregon State
Rare MCAL Pac-12 recruit
DT Heikoti Vaisima
Sr.
Controls line for Eagles
RB Kairee Robinson
De La Salle
Maurice Jones-Drew clone
RB Jerrell Alberty
Sr.
1,700 yards, 22 TDs in 2016
QB Leki Nunn
Sr.
Reigning WCAL POY
The next 20: LB Bryce Brand (Clayton Valley), Sr.; QB Jordan Brookshire (Cardinal Newman), Sr.; LB Jackson Burrill (Bellarmine), Sr.; TE-DL Isaiah Foskey (De La Salle), So.; DE Jordan Jackson (Bishop O’Dowd), Sr.; RB Austin Jones (Bishop O’Dowd), So.; DT Tuli Letuligasenoa (De La Salle), Jr.; DT Tyler Manoa (St. Francis), Jr.; WR Isaiah Mays (Berkeley), Jr.; ATH Jordan Mims (Menlo-Atherton), Sr.; TE Sebastian Oliver (Marin Catholic), Sr.; OL-DL Ronald Phelps (Lincoln), Sr.; RB Ronnie Rivers (Freedom), Sr.; OL/DL Nicholas Sagaiga (Balboa), Sr.; RB Jihad Stephens (Castlemont), Sr.; QB Tim Tague (Miramonte), Sr.; RB Montaz Thompson (Pittsburg), Sr.; LB Lasa Tofi (Riordan), Jr.; CB Bennett Williams (St. Francis), Sr.; QB Ben Wooldridge (Foothill), Jr.
* — Verbal commitment only; national letter of intent day is Feb. 1.
More...
San Francisco public school football players rarely get on recruiting lists.
[...] Mission senior Niamey Harris is bucking the trend.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pounder is No. 77 among California senior recruits, according to 247Sports.
Harris is the reigning Academic Athletic Association and Chronicle San Francisco Player of the Year after accounting for more than 3,000 yards and 40 touchdowns while leading the Bears to a second straight San Francisco Section title last season.
Feraji Abram, an impressive 6-4, 215-pound transfer from Jefferson-Daly City, may also take snaps at quarterback for the Bears.
“There’s nothing Niamey can’t do on the football field, he can play everywhere,” Hill said.
Harris is no finished product.
[...] according to Hill, football coaches from Hawaii and Cal have made more than a couple of inquiries.
Harris isn’t the only Metro player proving that college coaches can find good players in remote places.
Stellar Prep, an alternative fifth-year school currently in its fourth Oakland location, boasts 6-4, 220-poound outside linebacker-defensive end Addison Gumbs, the state’s No. 18 recruit.
Gumbs committed to Oklahoma last week.
Gumbs was called a “man among boys,” by 247Sports recruiting expert Sam Wiltfong after recording 23 sacks and seven forced fumbles last season.
“Regardless of who he’s playing against, it’s easy to see why Gumbs was a sought-after prospect,” said Wiltfong.
Speed, excellent hands and length are what have scouts excited about Berean Christian-Walnut Creek receiver Isaiah Hodgins, the state’s No. 37 recruit.
The 6-4, 194-pound senior is the son of former Rams and San Jose state fullback James Hodgins.
Hodgins de-committed from Washington State last week and Oregon now appears to be his top choice.
Production city:
Two players on the The Chronicle’s top 20 to watch list — Moreau Catholic-Hayward running back Jullen Ison and Analy-Sebastopol quarterback Jack Newman — made MaxPrep’s top five national “unsung” list.
Despite numbers that are among the nation’s best, neither has secured a Division I college offer.
Ison rushed for 3,044 yards and 43 touchdowns last season for the 11-2 Mariners and added 16 catches for 388 yards and two more scores.
Newman led Analy to a 13-1 season by ranking first in the state in touchdown passes (53), second in completions (298) and fourth in yards (4,051).
The teams with the most players among The Chronicle’s top 40 to watch are De La Salle and Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland with four each, followed by Clayton Valley Charter-Concord with three. …
O’Dowd cornerback Je’quari Godfrey is the only local player on the list to commit to Cal. …
Clayton Valley senior Bryce Brand, an All-Metro lineman last year, lost 40 pounds and is now a linebacker. …
De La Salle’s 6-3½, 220-pound tight end and defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey is ranked the No. 43 sophomore in the country by 247Sports.
Mitch Stephens is a senior writer and national football editor for MaxPreps.
E-mail: mstephens@maxpreps.com Twitter: @MitchMashMax.
Top 20 Metro football players to watch
Player
School
Size
College*
RB Najee Harris
Antioch
Sr.
No. 1 player in country
Sr.
USC
Steadily improved
Stellar Prep
Sr.
Rapidly improved
Sr.
Probably headed to USC
WR Isaiah Hodgins
Sr.
15 offers, likely Oregon
Sr.
Played little due to injuries
Monte Vista
Sr.
USC
Another Zach Ertz?
RB Cyrus Habibi-Likio
Sr.
State
RB Jullen Ison
Moreau
Sr.
2015 East Bay POY
CB Je’quari Godfrey
Sr.
Rose quickly up charts
QB Jake Haener
Monte Vista
Sr.
Polished, accurate, smart
Sr.
QB Jack Newman
Sr.
Led state with 53 TDs
Dynamic two-way player
De La Salle
Sr.
DLS’ top returner
QB Aidan Willard
Sr.
Oregon State
Rare MCAL Pac-12 recruit
DT Heikoti Vaisima
Sr.
Controls line for Eagles
RB Kairee Robinson
De La Salle
Maurice Jones-Drew clone
RB Jerrell Alberty
Sr.
1,700 yards, 22 TDs in 2016
QB Leki Nunn
Sr.
Reigning WCAL POY
The next 20: LB Bryce Brand (Clayton Valley), Sr.; QB Jordan Brookshire (Cardinal Newman), Sr.; LB Jackson Burrill (Bellarmine), Sr.; TE-DL Isaiah Foskey (De La Salle), So.; DE Jordan Jackson (Bishop O’Dowd), Sr.; RB Austin Jones (Bishop O’Dowd), So.; DT Tuli Letuligasenoa (De La Salle), Jr.; DT Tyler Manoa (St. Francis), Jr.; WR Isaiah Mays (Berkeley), Jr.; ATH Jordan Mims (Menlo-Atherton), Sr.; TE Sebastian Oliver (Marin Catholic), Sr.; OL-DL Ronald Phelps (Lincoln), Sr.; RB Ronnie Rivers (Freedom), Sr.; OL/DL Nicholas Sagaiga (Balboa), Sr.; RB Jihad Stephens (Castlemont), Sr.; QB Tim Tague (Miramonte), Sr.; RB Montaz Thompson (Pittsburg), Sr.; LB Lasa Tofi (Riordan), Jr.; CB Bennett Williams (St. Francis), Sr.; QB Ben Wooldridge (Foothill), Jr.
* — Verbal commitment only; national letter of intent day is Feb. 1.
More...