2026 Rankings Newcomers: Orange County (Part 2)
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Prep Redzone updated its class of 2026 rankings recently and there are many new faces who earned spots in the rankings. Here is a look at some of the players from Orange County who are new to the rankings or…
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Continue ReadingPrep Redzone updated its class of 2026 rankings recently and there are many new faces who earned spots in the rankings.
Here is a look at some of the players from Orange County who are new to the rankings or Watch List.
Baker leads all returning receivers for Los Alamitos with 494 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman.
He has really good ball skills and goes up to get 50/50 balls. He’s good at making plays after the catch and has some burst. He’s a good cornerback too.
Baker has offers from Georgia, Tennessee and Miami among others.
I saw Lavender flash his impressive speed when he returned an interception for a touchdown in a game this season.
He’s one of the top cornerbacks in the class but his versatility makes him an even better prospect. He can play safety, be a nickel in the slot or even come up into the box in certain packages.
Lavender has offers from Michigan State, Oklahoma, Oregon and Tennessee among others.
Leinart got some playing times late in games for Mater Dei last season and backed up star quarterback Elijah Brown Elijah Brown 6’2″ | 180 lbs | DB Narbonne | 2024 State CA .
He threw for 137 yards on just 18 attempts with a touchdown. He is a solid athlete who moves fluidly and plays basketball. His release is a little long but he is accurate on the intermediate level throws and has some arm strength.
Leinart is the son of former Heisman quarterback Matt Leinart and has four offers already.
O’Neal got significant playing time at Los Alamitos as a freshman when USC signee Malachi Nelson Malachi Nelson 6’3″ | 195 lbs | QB Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA went down with injury.
I saw him at the Under Armour Camp and he’s a big guy at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds. He can really let it fly and has a nice throwing motion.
O’Neal has 9 offers including Arizona, Oregon and Penn State among others.
Utu started at right tackle for Orange Lutheran last season and even slid in and played guard a bit.
He’s a good run blocker who uses his first step to gain leverage and uses his body to get between the defender and the ball carrier. He’s a strong guy who defends the bull rush well and can bury guys if they caught leaning.
Utu has 13 offers including BYU, Colorado, Notre Dame, Texas and USC among others.