News Summary
As California high school football gears up for the next season, attention is turning to the top quarterbacks making headlines. The rankings highlight 20 exceptional talents based on their past performances, production, and accolades from the previous season. Leading the list is Joe Lumaya, a five-star recruit, followed by Brady Smigiel, who has set passing records. The diverse skills of these quarterbacks reflect a strong future for the sport in California.
California High School Football: Spotlight on Top 20 Quarterbacks Entering the 2025 Season
California high school football is preparing for an exciting 2025 season, showcasing a deep talent pool of quarterbacks. The rankings feature a total of 20 standout quarterbacks, each acclaimed for their performance during the previous season. Factors such as production, team success relative to strength of schedule, 2024 season awards, and recruiting accolades determined the ranking of these talented individuals.
Top Quarterbacks Overview
Leading the rankings is Joe Lumaya, the reigning Gatorade Player of the Year, who completed 68.1% of his passes for a formidable total of 3,011 yards, along with 46 touchdowns to just six interceptions as a junior. His impressive performance contributed to his team winning the CIF-SJS D1 championship. Lumaya also showcased his versatility by rushing for 585 yards and scoring 14 touchdowns. As a five-star recruit, he is committed to play at BYU.
Coming in at No. 2 is Brady Smigiel, a four-star commit to Michigan. Smigiel is the reigning CIF-Southern Section Division 2 champion and has set records as Ventura County’s all-time leading passer with 11,222 career passing yards and 147 passing touchdowns. In his junior year, he threw for 3,521 yards with 49 touchdowns and only three interceptions while maintaining a completion rate of 65.2%. Additionally, he rushed for 435 yards and scored 11 rushing touchdowns.
The No. 3 spot is occupied by Edmunds, a high four-star recruit who has committed to Ohio State. As a sophomore, he achieved a completion rate of 62.2% while throwing for 3,222 yards, accumulating 36 touchdowns against nine interceptions. He also rushed for 312 yards and recorded nine rushing touchdowns.
Additional Notable Quarterbacks
Other key players include Rakowski, who enters his junior year with impressive career totals of 4,675 passing yards and 47 touchdowns, alongside 935 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. Fahey, a three-star commit to Ohio State, stood out with 2,184 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and six interceptions in the 2023 season, helping his team secure the CIF-SS Division 2 title.
Rios, a four-star recruit headed to Arizona, has demonstrated remarkable potential with 5,187 passing yards over two years, leading his team to a 9-2 record against a challenging schedule. Huhn, committed to Penn State, has earned recognition for his accuracy and decision-making, steering Mission Hills to the Open Division semifinals.
Another emerging quarterback is Beaver, who had a breakout junior year with 3,214 passing yards and 33 touchdowns, leading Vista Murrieta to the CIF-SS D3 semifinals. Meanwhile, Hopkins, a high three-star recruit committed to Wisconsin, recorded 1,111 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and notable rushing averages.
Remarkable Achievements from Various Quarterbacks
Johnson, a three-star commit to Tulane, accumulated 6,366 passing yards and 64 touchdowns in just two years, while Mitchell, a high three-star recruit committed to Vanderbilt, boasted a total of 6,780 yards and 77 touchdowns against strong competition.
Other notable players include Weber, a four-star talent with 2,660 yards and 27 touchdowns in his sophomore year; Arriaza, who maintained consistent high production with nearly 2,900 yards and 30 touchdowns over two seasons; and Berry, a three-star commit to Purdue, who is returning after leading his team to an 8-3 record.
Lastly, Rose demonstrated his skills with 5,612 passing yards and 50 touchdowns over the past two seasons and is also recognized as a Division 1 baseball recruit, while Taylor, a three-star commit to Boise State, led his team to notable success with 5,537 passing yards and 54 touchdowns across two seasons. Notably, Jones, with at least 38 Division I offers, has made headlines despite limited playtime due to injury, while Malau’ulu was named the Cal-Hi Sports Freshman of the Year for his outstanding performance.
Jefferson led his team to a strong season, throwing for 2,641 yards and 30 determined touchdown passes while also showcasing impressive rushing statistics, and Dougherty, with a completion rate of 71.4%, amassed 4,441 passing yards and 50 touchdowns during the previous season. This impressive array of talent speaks volumes about California’s robust pipeline of high school quarterbacks as they look forward to the upcoming season.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
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Mission Viejo High School Kicks Off Football Season
Mission Viejo High School Football Season Preview
Mission Viejo High School Football Season Begins
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Downtown Los Angeles Prepares for High School Football Season
Strong Performances in San Diego High School Summer Tournaments
Additional Resources
- Sporting News: Top Quarterbacks California High School Football 2025
- SI: California CIF Southern Section Football’s Biggest Shoes to Fill in 2025
- Los Angeles Times: New York Gunman SoCal Football Player
- MaxPreps: 2025 California High School Football Schedules
- USA Today: High School Football Season Start Dates 2025
- Wikipedia: High School Football
- Google Search: California High School Football 2025
- Google Scholar: California High School Football
- Encyclopedia Britannica: High School Football
- Google News: California High School Football News
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MISSION VIEJO STAFF WRITER The MISSION VIEJO STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREMissionViejo.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Mission Viejo, Orange County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Oso Fit 5K Fun Run and Community Health Fair, Walk Against Drugs & Community Fair, and National Night Out. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Mission Viejo Chamber of Commerce and Providence Mission Hospital Mission Viejo, plus leading businesses in retail and education that power the local economy such as The Shops at Mission Viejo, Capistrano Unified School District, and Amazon Delivery Station. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAnaheim.com, HEREBeverlyHills.com, HERECostaMesa.com, HERECoronado.com, HEREHollywood.com, HEREHuntingtonBeach.com, HERELongBeach.com, HERELosAngeles.com, HERESanDiego.com, and HERESantaAna.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into California's dynamic landscape.
