2029 Rankings: Norcal New Additions + Instant Analysis

Payne checks into our updated rankings as a top five passer in the 2029 class across the state and is coming off his first varsity season for the Northern section power. Payne has solid throwing mechanics, gets the ball out quick and delivers on schedule throws while showing deep ball accuracy and good pocket mobility when buying time or evading pressure. He should turn plenty of heads this off-season and is one of the top returning players as only a sophomore in the northern section. In his first year under center, he threw for 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns while rushing for 670 yards and 8 touchdowns.     Ama can play either safety or corner and is having an outstanding first year for Menlo-Atherton in the CCS. Ama is a highly instinctual and quick trigger player that has natural ball skills and is seemingly always around the ball. He breaks quickly to ball carriers with strong open field tacking abilities and can bait quarterbacks into poor throws over the middle before making a play. Overall, a very high IQ and fluid athlete in coverage with still three years left in his prep career, Ama should be a household name over the next few years across the CCS and is just getting started for Meno-Atherton.     Jefferson has elite length and the frame to look for at the FBS level already and shows a huge catch radius, strong hands and terrific tracking abilities over the top. He is a long strider that chunks yardage off the ball and can stretch the field and get over the top of safeties with solid body control and consistent hands at the point of attack. After the catch, he has some open field wiggle and deceptive third level speed to pull away from defenders. Although still learning how to finish runs and be a consistently crisp route runner, he is well beyond his years as a freshman and is going to be Patterson's top weapon for the next three seasons.     The talented freshman can play multiple positions on both sides of the ball and is a explosive runner that gets downhill quickly and can chunk yards inside while able to cut it outside the tackles when needed with excellent contact balance and leg drive through initial contact. He is a fluid player with natural hands out of the backfield and should get plenty of varsity playing experience as a sophomore next season. He checks into our updated WL rankings and is one of the top 2029 players in the vaunted WCAL with a very bright future.     Shaffer lands on our watch list in the updated 2029 rankings and is a key young name to note across the WCAL that should have a excellent second season campaign for the Wildcats. He is a natural route runner with strong hands, big catch radius and can make big plays after the catch. Although currently a bit undersized, he has plenty of room to grow and develop over the next three years and is a name that should be popping up this off-season on the camp and showcase circuit.