Deshonne Redeaux (Oaks Christian), Journee Tonga (Leuzinger), Brandon Smith (Central East), and Brian Bonner (Valencia) headline California's top high school running backs.
Top 20 running backs in California high school football entering 2025 originally appeared on The Sporting News
While California high school football doesn't necessarily specialize in producing running backs, it's always remarkably deep at the position – 2025 included.
From 4-star NFL prospects to unranked all-state selections, California might have as many as 200 running backs who will play in college and spend their high school days putting up big numbers on standout teams.
Here's a look at who we think are the state's top 20 RBs, followed by another 22 who received serious consideration.
The primary criteria are individual production and team success relative to strength of schedule in prior seasons, individual awards from prior seasons, and recruiting accolades.
1. Brian Bonner, Valencia (Valencia) – Sr.
BREAKING: Four-Star RB Brian Bonner Jr. has Committed to Washington, he tells me for @rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 8, 2025
The 6’0 190 RB from Santa Clarita, CA chose the Huskies over UCLA, Penn State, & Nebraska
He’s ranked as the No. 4 RB in 2026 ☔️https://t.co/gTvp2CvfNOpic.twitter.com/SsT3EuQPAT
A 4-star Washington commit with some 29 offers, Bonner is one of California' most versatile offensive threats. He combines track speed with shiftiness and the receiving skills of a wideout or slotback. As a junior, Bonner ran for 1,493 yards and 25 touchdowns, had 40 catches for 498 yards and four TDs, and registered 443 yards and two scores returning kickoffs. With Valencia likely to take a step forward this year, especially on offense, Bonner has a chance to have an even bigger season as a senior.
2. Brandon Smith, Central East – Sr.
I’m home! Beardown 🐻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/xNHZdOJ0tQ
— Brandon Smith 3⭐️ATH (@brandonsmith026) June 29, 2025
One of the best running backs and safeties in the state at the same time, Smith put up huge numbers as a junior to lead Central to a CIF-CS Division 1 championship. The high 3-star Arizona commit ran for 1,871 yards and 25 touchdowns, caught 31 passes for 354 yards and two TDs, and recorded 71 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, two sacks, and two interceptions as a rover who makes defensive plays everywhere on the field. Smith's dozen other D-1 offers include Boise State, Fresno State, and UNLV.
3. Journee Tonga, Leuzinger – Sr.
Arguably California's top breakout star of 2024, Tonga erupted 2,267 yards and 29 touchdowns on 9.3 yards per carry plus 20 receptions for 349 yards and three TDs as a junior. That comes out to 238 yards of offense per game for a CIF-SS D2 playoff team, and Tonga averaged even more than that against Leuzinger's best foes. While still underrated in the recruiting world, Tonga is now a 3-star recruit with offers from San Jose State, Georgetown, Hawaii, and NAU.
4. Deshonne Redeaux, Oaks Christian – Sr.
JOE LUMAYA/VENTURA COUNTY STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn
While injuries have hampered him periodically throughout his high school career, Redeaux is California's top-ranked senior RB for a reason following a big junior year. The 4-star recruit ran for 1,263 yards and 17 touchdowns in 10 games as Oaks Christian made the Southern Section Division 2 semifinals. He also totaled 14 catches for 131 yards plus 229 yards and a TD returning kickoffs. Redeaux is a big-time track sprinter with substantial power and catching ability for a speed demon and committed to USC in April out of 34 schools to offer him. Look for him to make a run (no pun intended) for the top spot as a senior.
5. Wes Burford, Oakdale – Sr.
I am excited to announce I have committed to play football and extend my education at the Air Force Academy. Thank you to all my family, friends, and coaches for helping me get to this point. Go Falcons! @CoachStubbs@Coach_Thiessen@CoachTCalhoun@CoachTimHortonpic.twitter.com/R3tOPjmJ0W
— Wes Burford (@BurfordWes12) April 28, 2025
A 3-star ATH prospect and Air Force commit, Burford had a two-way season for the books to lead Oakdale to the Sac-Joaquin Section D3 finals. He ran for 2,678 yards and 32 touchdowns on 9.1 yards per carry, made six catches for 112 yards and three TDs, and totaled 92 yards, nine tackles for loss, one interception, three fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles. Throw in 1,819 rushing yards as a sophomore, and Burford has run for 4,497 yards over the last two seasons. To top it off, Burford is one of the state's top wrestlers and a high-caliber track athlete.
6. Jhadis Luckey, California (San Ramon) – Sr.
Locked in!🐶🐾 pic.twitter.com/EVNbZYJYiN
— 3⭐️𝑱𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒔 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒚 (@drak0mula) June 16, 2025
The reigning 49ers Cal-Hi Sports co-OPOY broke out as one of the state's top RBs in 2024 while putting in work on defense too. After a promising sophomore year at Manteca, Luckey ran for 2,053 yards and 31 touchdowns on 9.6 yards per carry, had 12 catches for 180 yards and two TDs, and made 80 tackles and two interceptions in his first year as a Grizzly. A 3-star prospect, Luckey is now up to 17 offers and is committed to Fresno State.
7. Sean Morris II, Loyola – Sr.
#AGTG@GregBiggins@adamgorney@RivalsFriedman@CoachAT23@CoachLujan@BlairAngulo@ChadSimmons_@NUFBRecruiting@LoyolaFB@drewcasani@ArmondSr@DavidBraunFB@latsondheimer@BrandonHuffman@alecsimpson5@DemetricDWarren@TomLoy247@WildcatReportpic.twitter.com/UJdi6eLQIx
— 3⭐️Sean Morris II (@springplayer2) May 22, 2025
One of California's top-rated halfbacks and a 3-star Northwestern commit, Morris is the full package with breakaway speed, receiving chops, and a bruising frame at 5-10, 205. He ran for 1,762 yards and 16 TDs and made 27 catches for 271 yards and two TDs against one of the state's tougher schedules as a junior. Morris has at least 15 more offers include SMU, Boise State, Arizona, Stanford, Washington, and Oregon State.
8. Victor Santino, Bishop Montgomery – Sr.
A 4-star Cal commit ranked third in California at his position, we're expecting even more production this fall from Santino after two big seasons as the RB1 at Inglewood, one of the state's stronger teams. Santino ran for 1,028 yards and 10 touchdowns on 10.1 yards per carry in eight games as a sophomore and 857 yards and eight TDs in nine games as a junior. He also has the receiving skills to break out in that department in 2025, so don't be surprised if you see him in competition for the top spot on the list by November. Santino has at least 17 other offers including Boise State, Arizona, Miami, Oregon, and TCU.
9. Jaxon Bell, Liberty (Brentwood) – Sr.
COMMITTED!! pic.twitter.com/GM7V5kEMbp
— Jaxon Bell (@JaxonBell_) July 11, 2025
The pinnacle of three-phase productivity over the last two years, Bell has combined totals of 3,342 yards and 39 touchdowns on 8.8 yards per carry, 38 catches for 608 yards and seven TDs, 894 yards and a score returning kicks and punts, and 44 tackles and five interceptions at free safety. That includes career marks of 1,805 rushing yards and 474 receiving yards as a junior, and he's even completed three of four passes for 48 yards and a touchdown over the last two seasons. Bell is a 3-star Eastern Washington commit whose other offers came from Nevada, NAU, and UAB.
10. Jaden Jefferson, De La Salle – Sr.
COMMITTED!! #AG2G@UNCFootball@Ballhawk__8@Belichick_B@mlombardiuncgm@dlsfootball17pic.twitter.com/d61syuNZKR
— Jaden Jefferson (@JadenJefferson_) January 22, 2025
Jefferson was just a junior when he broke California's 100m record in track with a wind-legal 10.01. As a junior, he ran for 344 yards and four touchdowns on a whopping 11.5 yards per carry, caught six receptions for 36 yards and a TD, scored twice returning kickoffs, and totaled 27 tackles and four TFLs. Whether it's running back or receiver in addition to DB, we expect the high 3-star UNC commit to have a huge season statistically with the reigning NorCal champion needing him to carry a heavier load in 2025.
11. Maliq Allen, St. John Bosco – Jr.
California is so deep with running back talent that Allen broke out for 1,000 yards for one of high school football's premier programs and he's still not quite yet a household name to the common fan. That will change soon, however, with more time as the Braves' RB1 and top-ranked California running back in his class per 247Sports Allen is a speed demon but he also has the bulk to bounce off linebackers at 5-8, 190. His first three D-1 offers have come from some serious programs in Texas A&M, Missouri, and UNLV.
12. Eli Dukes, Palma – Jr.
There can't be many running backs in recent California history who've accomplished more than Dukes in just the first half of their high school football careers. Dukes lifted Palma to a CIF-CCS D3 title and 4-A state crown as a freshman with 1,229 yards and 18 touchdowns, including 212 yards and four TDs in the state finals to beat Mission Oak 31-21. He set career-highs across the board as a sophomore when he helped lead the Chieftains to the Central Coast Section D2 finals with 2,034 yards and 19 touchdowns on 8.0 yards per carry to go with 12 catches for 173 yards and a TD. Dukes is still an unranked prospect, which will likely change as he fills out his 5-foot-10, 170-pound frame, but he does have at least three D-1 offers.
13. Isaiah Ene, Granite Bay – Sr.
Locked in & ready to build #HometownHero#Sac6#GoGoSacramento@BrennanMarion4@coachapatterson@CoachKMerch@lem_adamspic.twitter.com/YVYBP0GakF
— Isaiah Ene (@Isaiahene5) January 19, 2025
If players' defensive contributions were a major factor in this list, Ene would be in the top five. He enters his senior year with career totals of 444 carries for 2,993 yards and 38 touchdowns, 31 catches for 378 yards and two TDs, 483 combined yards returning kickoffs and punts, and 253 tackles (six for loss), 10 interceptions with three returned for touchdowns, and two fumble recoveries on defense. That includes career-highs of 1,401 rushing yards, 7.1 yards per carry, 21 rushing touchdowns, 17 receptions, 221 receiving yards, and two receiving TDs as a junior, and his 88 tackles were the most on the team. Ene is a 3-star Sacramento State commit at ATH whose other offers include Arizona, Washington, UNLV and Colorado.
14. Mariyon Sloan, Shafter – Sr.
Sloan entered his junior year having eclipsed 800 receiving yards in his first two seasons of high school football, and his transition to running back was marvelous – despite the fact that he was forced to spend six games at QB due to an injury to star signal caller Ezekiel Osborne. A 3-star ATH prospect and Boise State commit, Sloan ran for 1,419 yards and 21 touchdowns on a whopping 11 yards per carry, completed 28 of 49 passes for 270 yards and two TDs, made 24 catches for 331 yards and six TDs, totaled 222 yards and two TDs returning punts, and was also a star on defense with 72 tackles (three for loss), three interceptions, and a 26-yard fumble recovery TD for the Central Section D4 finalist.
15. Jaxsen Stokes, Sierra Canyon – Jr.
As just a sophomore, Stokes broke out as the co-OPOY of one of the state's premier conferences, the Mission League. The high 3-star recruit set himself apart with his pass-catching ability and average of 9.7 yards per carry, a dazzling number given Sierra Canyon's strength of schedule. He totaled 542 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns, 37 catches for 348 yards and a TD, and one TD via kickoff return. Stokes is now up to 14 offers, nine of which he's received since the season ended, with Oregon, Penn State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Notre Dame, and USC among the biggest names to offer him.
16. Justin Lewis, Mater Dei – Sr.
JOE LUMAYA/VENTURA COUNTY STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn
The 3-star UMass commit looks to be a big factor for the reigning section, state, and national champions after a huge junior campaign at Thousand Oaks following two years at Oaks Christian. Lewis ran for 1,306 yards and 15 touchdowns and made 24 catches for 324 yards and a TD on one of Thousand Oaks stronger teams in recent memory. He received a scholarship offer from nearly every Ivy and service academy.
17. Coby Herman, La Costa Canyon – Sr.
Blessed to announce my commitment to @UCDfootball ! Thanks to my family and coaches for helping me get here, couldn’t have done it without them. #Aggie@CoachBurke10@ucdpaulshelton@CoachChapatte@SSovacool55@Daygofootball@GregBiggins@PrepRedzoneCApic.twitter.com/s0NZ2hhBYF
— Coby Herman (@cobyherman21) May 13, 2025
One of California's most underrated running backs and best pass-catchers at the position who's finally getting his due credit after a monster junior year. Herman led La Costa Canyon to a 10-0 regular season and CIF-SDS Open Division playoff berth with 879 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing plus 41 catches for 611 yards and five TDs, good for 149 yards of offense per game in 10 games against one of San Diego's tougher schedules. He picked up his first D-1 offer from NAU in November and has since been offered by Weber State, Sacramento State, and UC Davis, where he committed in May.
18. Noah Penunuri, Rio Hondo Prep – Sr.
Already a ridiculously accomplished running back heading into his senior year for one of California's most consistent small-school programs. Penunuri helped lead the Kares to back-to-back Southern Section titles as a sophomore (Division 9) and junior (Division 7), including a 3-A regional title in 2024, and was named Gold Coast League POY, Pasadena Star POY, and 210 Prep Sports POY both years. He enters his senior year with 3,916 rushing yards, 53 rushing touchdowns, and 173 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and nine pass break-ups at safety, which might be his position of the future. That includes career marks of 1,965 rushing yards, 31 rushing TDs, 10 receptions, 136 reciting yards, and two touchdown catches as a junior. Penunuri recently received an offer from Portland State, which we believe to be his first D-1 offer.
19. Dathen Moore, Lassen – Sr.
Hung T. Vu / Special to the Record Searchlight / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn
Representing the Northern Section, Moore led Lassen to a NSCIF Division 3 championship with 2,492 yards and 30 touchdowns on 10.5 yards per carry in 2024, and had 11 catches for 195 yards and a TD as well. He ran for more than 100 yards in every game, and had a season-best 274 yards and four TDs in a 49-35 win over Orland for the section title. Moore might've run for another 1,000 yards if Lassen didn't bury many of its opponents in the first half.
20. Zander Lewis, Corona Centennial – Sr.
The third unranked stud and statistical monster in a row to close out our top 20. Lewis was a Junior All-State selection by Cal-Hi Sports for totaling 1,866 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 27 catches for 399 yards and four TDs, and 18 tackles and seven TFLs in his final year at Ontario Christian. He has NAIA and D-3 offers entering his senior year, but with a big finish at Centennial we could see him racking up some D-1 offers.
ALSO IN CONSIDERATION:
Jaymieon Bradley, San Leandro – Jr.
Mason Caturegli, St. Vincent de Paul – Sr.
Junior Curtis, Lincoln (San Diego) – Sr.
Cantrell Eubanks, Victor Valley – Jr.
Jarred Geissberger, Marin Catholic – Sr. (Cal Poly)
Lindsey Graves, Clovis East – Sr.
Maurice Hall, Hayward – Sr.
Lenny Ibarra, Los Alamitos – Sr.
Deuce Jones-Drew, De La Salle – Jr.
Nikko Juarez, Manteca – Jr.
Skylar Lendsey, Western – Sr. (UNLV)
AJ McBean, Mira Costa – Jr.
Lamont McDonald, Hayward – Jr.
Elijah Pendleton, Burbank – Sr.
Isaiah Phelps, Pacifica (Oxnard) – Jr.
Edward Rivera, Compton – Sr. (Sacramento State)
Malachi Roby, Mater Dei – Sr.
Alijah Royster, Pacifica (Oxnard) – Jr.
Trevor Scheider, Norco – Jr.
Jojo Smith, Balboa – Jr.
Jerod Terry, Sierra Canyon – Sr. (Sacramento State)
Trevon Williams, Moreno Valley – Sr.
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