LOCAL STANDOUTS
Xavier Worthy
Xavier Worthy had a breakout freshman campaign for the Texas Longhorns. The Central HS grad came down with 62 receptions, 981 yards and 12 touchdowns, all single-season freshman records at UT. Entering his sophomore season, Worthy is a preseason watch list candidate for the Biletnikoff Award, among other prestigious national awards.
Kendall Milton
Kendall Milton and the Georgia Bulldogs were the last ones standing in January as College Football Playoff champions over Alabama. Milton was the fourth-leading rusher last season with 264 yards (4.7 yards/avg) and a touchdown but with two of the three rushers ahead of Milton now gone, the Buchanan HS grad is poised for more carries and a larger role for the defending national champions.
Jalen Cropper
Milton's teammate on the 2018 Bears team is also posied for a breakout campaign. Jalen Cropper built upon his breakout 2020 season by posting even bigger numbers in 2021 leading Fresno State in all three receiving categories for the second straight year. 85 receptions, 899 yards & 11 touchdowns were all Top 6 in the Mountain West. The former Sanger Apache and Buchanan Bear made the Biletnikoff Award watch list, joining Worthy's company as one of the best wide receivers in the country entering his senior season.
FRESNO STATE
Mac Dalena, junior wide receiver (San Joaquin Memorial)
Emoryie Edwards, senior wide receiver (Tulare Union)
Jalen Cropper, senior wide receiver (Sanger/Buchanan)
Kosi Agina, junior defensive back (Sanger)
Josh Kelly, junior wide receiver (San Joaquin Memorial)
Alec Trujillo, junior quarterback (San Joaquin Memorial)
Caden Rodgers, freshman running back (Buchanan)
Ryan Warkentin, freshman running back (Reedley)
LJ Early, senior defensive back (Tulare Western)
Jevon Bigelow, senior running back (Central)
Jayden Davis, freshman defensive back (Bullard)
Tanner Blount, junior linebacker (Buchanan)
Tyler Mello, junior linebacker (Hanford)
Morice Norris, junior defensive back (Sanger)
Seth Scheidt, freshman linebacker
Jake Boust, RS junior tight end (Sanger, Fresno CC)
Jared Torres, junior tight end (El Diamante)
David Perales, senior defensive end (Merced)
AIR FORCE
Jacob Tafoya, sophomore defensive back (Clovis East)
BOISE STATE
DJ Schramm, RS senior middle linebacker (Clovis West)
CALIFORNIA
Jeremiah Hunter, junior wide receiver (Central)
Trey Paster, junior linebacker (Buhach Colony)
Ricky Correia, junior offensive lineman (Central)
COLORADO STATE
Tory Horton, junior wide receiver (Nevada,Washington Union)
Dirk Nelson, RS sophomore offensive line (Central Valley Christian)
EASTERN MICHIGAN
Steven Scheidt, junior linebacker (Buchanan, Fresno CC)
GEORGIA
Kendall Milton, junior running back (Buchanan)
HAWAII
McKenzie Barnes, junior defensive back (Edison)
IOWA
TJ Hall, freshman defensive back (San Joaquin Memorial)
KANSAS STATE
Adrian Martinez, senior quarterback (Clovis West)
NEW MEXICO
Xavier Hailey, RS freshman defensive back (Tulare Union)
Justin Holaday, sophomore quarterback (Lemoore, FCC)
OREGON
Steve Stephens IV, junior safety (Edison)
Keanu Williams, RS freshman defensive lineman (Clovis)
OREGON STATE
Carlos Mack, freshman defensive back (Oregon State)
SAN DIEGO STATE
Dez Malone, RS sophomore safety (Edison)
Darius Hyde, freshman wide receiver (Atwater)
SAN JOSE STATE
Noah Wright, RS senior defensive lineman (Lemoore, COS)
CJ Jones, RS freshman defensive back (Buchanan, Fresno State)
Sam Olsen, junior tight end (Redwood)
Marcel Sanders, sophomore defensive end (Clovis West)
STANFORD
Tobin Phillips, junior defensive lineman (San Joaquin Memorial)
Matthew Merritt, junior defensive end (Buchanan)
TCU
Blake Baldwin, RS freshman linebacker (Clovis East)
TEXAS
Xavier Worthy, sophomore WR (Central)
TULSA
LJ Wallace, senior safety (Buhach Colony)
UCLA
Kazmeir Allen, RS junior running back (Tulare Union)
UNLV
Trenton Holloway, senior defensive back (Clovis North, City College of SF)
USC
Andrew Vorhees, RS senior offensive lineman (Kingsburg)
UTAH
Nate Johnson, freshman quarterback (Clovis)
Jonathan Johnson, freshman running back (Clovis, NW Oklahoma State)
WASHINGTON
Jordan Perryman, senior defensive back (Hanford, UC Davis)
Jalen McMillan, sophomore wide receiver (San Joaquin Memorial)
Jake Parnagian, freshman wide receiver (Clovis North)
WASHINGTON STATE
Konnor Gomness, RS sophomore offensive lineman (San Joaquin Memorial)
WYOMING
Mathew Posas, RS sophomore cornerback (Madera South)
And yes, before you send in emails, we heard your complaints. After two years of putting together a list of just FBS players it's also worth mentioning all of the local talent playing at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. Here's the list of FCS players:
CAL POLY
Je'kob Jones, RS freshman linebacker (Central)
Bryce Weiner, RS freshman quarterback (Bullard)
Bryson Allen, RS junior wide receiver (Tulare Union, COS)
Dominick McCormack, RS freshman defensive back (Redwood)
Tyrece Fairly-Diyem, freshman tight end (Edison)
Tanner Hirschler, freshman offensive lineman (Central)
Bryant Thao, sophomore kicker (Clovis East)
DUQUESNE
Jay Vance, senior defensive lineman (Edison, Reedley JC)
EASTERN WASHINGTON
Sherwin King Jr, senior linebacker (Sunnyside, Fresno State)
Aaron Estrada, sophomore long snapper (Strathmore)
Isaiah Howard, RS freshman wide receiver (Clovis West)
IDAHO STATE
Jake Sanders, sophomore quarterback (Clovis)
MONTANA STATE
Sean Chambers, junior quarterback (Kerman, Wyoming)
MISSOURI STATE
Andrew Wiens, junior OL (Clovis North, Fresno CC)
NORTHERN ARIZONA
Sean Haymon, RS freshman defensive back (Central)
NORTHERN COLORADO
Jordan Horneak, RS freshman running back (SJM, Fresno State)
Zach Angelillo, RS senior fullback (SJM, Cal)
Karson Oliver, RS freshman offensive lineman (Central Valley Christian)
PORTLAND STATE
Dante Chachere, sophomore quarterback (Clovis West)
SACRAMENTO STATE
Prince Washington, senior cornerback (Bullard, Wyoming)
Marcus Fulcher, junior running back (Bullard)
Daizon Allen, freshman running back (Bullard)
Xavier Williams, RS freshman defensive lineman (Atwater)
Will Schalde, RS freshman tight end (Lemoore)
Ben Ahio, junior defensive lineman (Hoover, FCC)
Mason Brosseau, RS freshman defensive lineman (Hanford)
SAN DIEGO
Jerry Rangel, freshman defensive back (Buchanan)
Ezekiel Swayne, freshman defensive back (Buchanan)
UC DAVIS
Trent Tompkins, sophomore quarterback (Central)
Winston Williams, sophomore tight end (Immanuel)
Ulonzo Gilliam Jr, senior running back (Merced)
UTAH TECH
Tyrell Grayson, sophomore DB (Central)
Quali Conley, sophomore RB (Central)
Noah Gonzales, freshman DB (Central)
AJ Simpson-Battle, sophomore WR (Central)
WEBER STATE
Okiki Olorunfunmi, junior defensive end (Clovis North, Reedley JC)
Did we miss anyone? What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season? Let us know by sending an email to stephen.m.hicks@abc.com or a message on Twitter @StephenABC30.