2026 California Football: Top Defensive Linemen to Watch

It’s a whopping and even surprising number.

Of the top 247 senior California football recruits from the Class of 2027, 41 are either interior defensive linemen or defensive ends/edge rushers. That number was 39 in 2026 and in 2025 it was 40.

The steady talent stream along the defensive line in the Golden State is long, wide and constant.

Check out these Top 25 defensive linemen based on recruitability and high school production. See recruiting rankings from the class of 2027 by 247Sports and On3/Rivals and 2028 by 247Sports and On3/Rivals.

Also remember California’s 2026 season is less than a week away with openers starting Aug. 20-21 in the Central, Southern, San Diego, Sac-Joaquin and Los Angeles City sections, and Aug. 27-28 in the Central Coast Section, North Coast, Oakland and San Francisco sections.

TOP 10 CALIFORNIA DL TO WATCH IN 2026

1. DL Myeis Smith, Inglewood, Sr.

The 6-3, 295-pounder is headed to Texas A&M with 20 other offers, including Alabama, Auburn and Arizona State. He had a whopping 91 tackles last season, 30 for loss including 10 sacks.

2. DL Kasi Currie, Sierra Canyon, Sr.

Sierra Canyon interior lineman Kasi Currie is one of California's best, headed to Texas. | Rene Morales

The 6-5, 315-pounder has already committed to Texas with 19 other offers, including Georgia, Arizona State, Cal and Florida State.

3. DL Marcus Fakatou, Sierra Canyon, Sr.

Having two talented behemoth lineman on the defensive front is awesome for the Trailblazers but blows (up) everywhere else. The 6-6, 275-pounder is headed to Ohio State.

4. DL Alifeleti Tuihalamaka, Oaks Christian, Sr.

The USC-bound commit climbed immediately up the recruiting ranks as a sophomore when he had 67 tackles and six sacks. The 6-4, 270-pounder is the younger brother of Notre Dame linebacker Junior Tuihalamaka.

5. DL Joe Ione, Tustin, Sr.

The 6-3, 295-pounder is headed to the University of Washington. He has 24 total offers, including Boston College, Cal and the Arizona schools. Notre Dame and Michigan State. He had 50 tackles and four sacks despite also starting full time on offense.

6. DE Nasir Walker, Crean Lutheran, Jr.

The 6-6, 240-pounder is gaining muscle and speed every year. He already has a whopping 27 offers, including Cal, Florida State, Kentucky, UCLA and Vanderbilt.

7. DL Troy Bowens, Sutter, Sr.

The 6-4, 250-pounder has already committed to Cal after recording 106 tackles and 13 sacks last season. He also plays basketball and runs track and field.

8. DL Elija Harmon, Inglewood, Sr.

A second Inglewood defensive lineman should give opponents fits. The 6-3, 280-pounder has already committed to Oklahoma over 23 other schools. He’s made a big impact all the way back to his freshman season when he had 86 tackles and five sacks.

9. DL Jeremiah Williams, Tustin, Sr.

Yet another tandem on the list as the 6-1, 315-pound BYU commit joins Ione on the Tustin line to form a formidable challenge for any opponent. He racked up a remarkable 24 tackles for loss last season including five sacks. With excellent speed - he’s run a 12.7 100 meters - Williams also rushed for 170 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025.

10. DE Elijah Tuua, St. John Bosco, Jr.

The 6-6, 230-pounder comes from great bloodlines as he sister Ayla was the state Gatorade Player of the Year in softball. Tuua is an all-around athlete with 12 offers overall including Tennessee, UCLA, Cal, Arizona and Arizona State.

15 more (alphabetical)

Easy Crichton, Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa, Jr. — There’s nothing easy blocking the 6-4, 410-pounder

DE Godschoice Eboigbodin, JSerra Catholic, Sr. — 6-5, 260-pounder headed to UCLA

Godschoice Eboigbodin is committed to UCLA. — JSerra's Godschoice Eboigbodin(45) will be on of the top rushers to watch this season. | Samuel Mawanda

DL Lemani Fehoko, Serra-San Mateo, Sr. — The 6-1, 275-pound run-stopper is headed to Minnesota

DL Sione Felia, Oak Hills-Hesperia, Sr. — The 6-2, 285-pounder is headed to Oklahoma

DL Giovanni Hodge, Grant-Sacramento Sr. — Cal is getting a good one in the 6-5, 260-pounder

DL Kingston Jimmerson, Santa Margarita, So. — One of the top sophomore DLs in the country

DE Grayson Kazmouz, Laguna Beach, Sr. — In 11 games last season, he had 60 tackles, 6.5 sacks. He’s headed to Boise State

DL Kekoa Peko, St. John Bosco, Sr. — Part the state’s top-ranked teams stellar defense, the 6-2, 280-pounder has committed to Boise State

DL Cameron Saunders, Valley Christian-San Jose, Sr. — The Minnesota-bound run-stopper has 13 offers, including Cal and UCLA

DE Miles Schirmer, Corona Centennial, Sr. — Another Cal commit, the 6-5, 250-pounder is a sack machine

DL Montana Toilolo, Mater Dei-Santa Ana, Sr. — Another UCLA commit, he stands 6-3 and weights 260

DE Simote Tupou, St. John Bosco, Jr. — The 6-1, 225-pounder is third SJB player on this list

DE Elijah Tuua, St. John Bosco, Jr. — The 6-6, 230-pounder is ranked the No. 30 California player overall for the Class of 2028

DL Matamatagi Uiagalelei, Mater Dei, Sr. — The cousin over NFL QB DJ and Oregon edge rusher Matayo, Uiagalelei is a 6-3, 250-pounder headed to Washington

DL Isaia Vandermade, Santa Margarita, Sr. — The son of former NFL lineman Lenny, Vandermade has 15 college offers but committed last winter to USC

High school football California — Santa Margarita's Isaia Vandermade (53), a USC commit, slaps hands with Kingston Jimmerson in the CIF Southern Section Open title game against Corona Centennial | Photo by Jeremy Westerbeck

California 2025 review

Not Mater Dei. Not St. John Bosco.

For the first time since 2016, a California football team not named either of those two squads won the biggest prize — the California Interscholastic Federation Open Division championship — to finish off the 2025 season.

Santa Margarita, an rapidly rising up-and-coming program that plays in the same Trinity League than national juggernauts Mater Dei and St. John Bosco, won the Open crown with a decisive 47-13 win over perennial Northern California power De La Salle-Concord at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.

State Player of the Year, big-play receiver Trent Mosley had 11 catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns and added a TD rushing as the Eagles, coached for the first season by former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback standout Carson Palmer, finished off a late-season flurry with a thoroughly decisive win over De La Salle (12-1), which was after its ongoing record eighth state title.

The Spartans, who hadn’t played for 22 days due to early North Coast Section playoffs and a week off after being selected the top team from the North, were outgained 377-180 and sacked four times. Its star running back, state-champion sprinter Jaden Jefferson, scored both of De La Salle’s touchdowns.

Tulsa-bound quarterback Trace Johnson threw for 247 yards and four touchdowns, two also to Luke Gazzaniga. A 43-yard pick-6 by Siua Holani capped the lopsided win for Santa Margarita (11-3), which finished the season with lopsided wins over Orange Lutheran (28-7 and 31-6), JSerra Catholic (41-14), Sierra Canyon (21-9) and Corona Centennial (42-7).

More state champions

Division 1-AA: Folsom 42, Cathedral Catholic-San Diego 28

Division 1-A: Central East 42, Pacifica-Oxnard 28

Division 2-AA: St. Mary’s-Stockton 27, Bakersfield Christian 24

Division 2-A: Sonora 35, Rio Hondo Prep 10

Division 3-AA: St. Ignatius 42, Ventura 35

Division 3-A: Kennedy-Delano 42, McClymonds-Oakland 25

Division 4-AA: Barstow 17, Sutter 7

Division 5-AA: Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland 37, Christian-El Cajon 0

Division 5-A: San Andreas 42, Bishop Union 21

Division 6-AA: Valley Center 36, Lincoln-San Jose 35

Division 6-A: Winters 28, Morse 7

Division 7-AA: Redding Christian 16, Woodbridge-Irvine 0

Division 7-A: Balboa-San Francisco 42, South El Monte 8

State championship game previews

Section champions

Central Section — Central East (Division 1-AA), Bakersfield Christian (1-A), Arroyo Grande (D2), Kennedy (D3), Immanuel (D4), Bishop Union (D5), Minarets (D6), Fresno Christian (8-man)

Central Coast Section — Riordan (Open Division), Serra (Division 1), St. Ignatius (D2), Menlo-Atherton (D3), Lincoln-San Jose (D4), Piedmont Hills (D5)

LA City Section — Carson (Open Division), South Gate (D1), San Fernando (D2), Santee (D3), Sherman Oaks CES (8-person)

North Coast Section — De La Salle (Open Division), Pittsburg (D1), Monte Vista-Danville (D2), El Cerrito (D3), Miramonte (D4), Ferndale (D5), Bishop O’Dowd (D6), Middletown (D7), Stuart Hall (8-person D1), Elsie Allen (8-person D2).

Northern Section — Chico (Division 2), Gridley (D3), Winters (D4), Redding Christian (D5)

Oakland Section — McClymonds

San Diego Section — Cathedral Catholic (Open Division), Granite Hills (D1), Santa Fe Christian (D2), Christian (D3), Valley Center (D4), Morse (D5-A), Marantha Christian (D5-AA), St. Joseph Academy (D6)

Sac-Joaquin Section — Folsom (D1), St. Mary’s (D2), Woodcreek (D3), Roseville (D4), Sutter (D5), Sonora (D6), Calaveras (D7), Mira Loma (D8)

San Francisco Section — Balboa

Southern Section — Santa Margarita (D1), Los Alamitos (D2), Pacifica (D3), La Habra (D4), Rio Hondo (D5), Ventura (D6), Barstow (D7), Beckman (D8), Valley Christian (D9), Hillcrest (D10), Valley View (D11), Grace (D12), Woodbridge (D13), South El Monte (D14), Flintridge Prep (8-man D1), Lancaster Baptist (8-man D2).

Returning state stat leaders (All via MaxPreps leader boards)