Top 20 defensive linemen in California high school football entering 2025

Lance Smith

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Top 20 defensive linemen in California high school football entering 2025 image

JOE CURLEY/VENTURA COUNTY STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn

For all the acclaim California high school football gets for its output of talent at quarterback, receiver, and defensive back, not many people realize just how stacked it usually is at defensive line.

And 2025 brings one the state's best crops of DL talent in several years, featuring significant high-end talent and also an outstanding depth of future college players at the position. California has such a deep group that there are a handful of nationally-ranked recruits with numerous Division I offers who weren't even top-50 underclassmen at their position a year ago.

With that said, here's who we think are the state's top 20 defensive linemen entering the 2025 season. After the top 20 is a list of many more names who warranted consideration for a top-20 ranking. 

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. Tomuhini Topui, Mater Dei – Sr.

One of the biggest breakout stars of 2024, Topui broke out for 42 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, and an interception and was voted Trinity League MVP. He was also named First Team All-State by Sporting News and CIF-SS Defensive Player of the Year by High School On SI. Topui is a prototypical interior defensive lineman at 6-3, 320 with jarring quickness to go with top-tier power, Topui recently committed to USC out of 28 programs to offer him after initially committing to Oregon.

2. Richie Wesley, Sierra Canyon – Sr.

Formerly a 5-star prospect in the Class of 2027, Wesley is now a 5-star prospect in the Class of 2026 after reclassifying in March. The recent Texas commit is the state's most feared edge rusher, totaling 94 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks, 23 QB-hurries, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in his first two years for one of the state's top teams.

3. James Carrington, Crean Lutheran – Sr.

Transferring in for one year of California high school football is a 4-star Florida State commit with 30 offers. Between his junior year at Bishop Gorman (NV) and sophomore year at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee, "Tank" Carrington recorded 36 tackles for loss, 24 sacks, 74 QB-hurries, and three forced fumbles in 18 games for nationally-ranked teams.

4. J.D. Hill, Mission Viejo – Sr.

The 3-star NAU commit was one of the California's most productive defensive players as a junior for a nationally-ranked squad playing a tough schedule. Hill registered 101 tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, 15 QB-hurries, three forced fumbles, and an interception. Despite it all, he remains one of the state's more underrated defensive players in our book and could up his stock with another dominant year.

5. Khary Wilder, Serra (Gardena) – Sr.

After breaking out for 14 sacks as a sophomore, the 4-star Ohio State was a walking triple team as a junior on one of the state's top defenses. Wilder recorded career-highs of 86 tackles, 40 QB-hurries, and six passes defensed in addition to 11 TFLs and 4.5 sacks. Among his other 27 others are Notre Dame, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. 

6. Mikhal Johnson, Sierra Canyon – Sr.

The reigning Most Valuable Lineman of the vaunted Mission League with 69 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, five sacks, and nine QB-hurries. Johnson is a strong, physical edge rusher at 6-2, 250 and a 3-star prospect with 20 offers including Arizona State, Sacramento State, UNLV, and Utah. If he can build on his 2024 performance, he might be in play for the top spot at season's end.

7. Prince Tavizon, Lincoln (San Diego) – Sr.

Tavizon was one of the top sophomore defensive linemen in California last season for the San Diego Section top dog, and he's still ranked as a 4-star recruit after reclassifying to 2026. At 6-3, 240, he's not a particularly high-BMI lineman, but he's still one of the state's absolute strongest. Tavizon made 90 tackles and team-highs of 15 TFLs, 13 sacks, and two forced fumbles, and committed to Oregon over 20 others such as Notre Dame, Texas, Miami, and USC.

8. Dutch Horisk, St. John Bosco – Sr.

One of the top defensive linemen in his class since his freshman year, when he cracked the rotation St. John Bosco's last national championship team. Horisk, a high 3-star Oregon commit with about 20 offers, heads into his final year of high school with 160 tackles, 18.5 TFL, 17 sacks, and nine pass break-ups for his career.

9. Matt Perez, St. Bonaventure – Sr.

Matt Perez St. Bonaventure

JOE CURLEY/VENTURA COUNTY STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn

Perez is the 2024 Ventura County Star DPOY and probably the most underrated edge rusher in the state. As a junior, the 3-star Nevada commit totaled 90 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 18 QB-hurries, six blocked field goals, three blocked punts, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries for the Southern Section D4 finalist. And he was at his best against their state-ranked opponents.

10. Max Meier, Loyola – Sr.

One of the top breakout stars of 2024, Meier went from a backup to a national recruit as a junior. He entered the season with one D-1 offer (Illinois), picked up five in October, and now has 23 including Stanford, where he committed in April. The 3-star recruit navigated a Mission League schedule and finished with 90 tackles, 18 TFLs, 8.5 sacks, and 25 QB-hurries.

11. Izak Simpson, Simi Valley – Sr.

Simpson has already had a remarkable high school before starting his senior year, putting up huge numbers as Simi Valley won a Southern Section D6 title in 2023 and made the D3 finals in 2024. Between those two seasons he totaled 185 tackles, 46 TFLs, 29 sacks, and three blocked field goals. Simpson is a 3-star recruit and Sacramento State commit who also got offered by UNLV, Wyoming, Cal Poly, San Diego State, and Utah Tech.

12. Simote Katoanga, Santa Margarita – Sr.

Simote Katoanga football

Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn

While Katoanga is already a reigning First Team All-Trinity League pick, he's one of California's top picks to have an All-American caliber breakout campaign. At 6-5, 250 with a well-rounded athletic profile and skill set, he's already a 4-star prospect and USC commit with at least 33 offers. Katoanga missed a bit of time late in the season as a junior at JSerra but recorded 29 tackles (eight for loss), five sacks, and three blocked field goals while getting double and triple teamed by state-ranked offenses.

13. George Toia, Summit – Jr.

Checking in as the top-ranked underclass defensive lineman in California, Toia helped lead Summit to the Southern Section Division 5 semifinals primarily just by showing up – there might not have been a DL in California who was the focus of more opposing game plans. He totaled 27 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks, 10 QB-hurries, and two forced fumbles while being a legitimate factor in limited reps as a supersized fullback. The year prior, he made 49 tackles, 14 TFLs, and six sacks. Possessing uncommon mobility for 6-2, 305, Toia is a high 4-star recruit with 25 offers such as Oklahoma, Oregon, Michigan, Miami, and Texas.

14. Samu Moala, Leuzinger – Sr.

About as versatile as they come in the front seven, Moala has played every spot at DL and LB throughout his high school career and is a D-1 prospect at three different positions. He enters his senior with three-year totals of 146 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks, 27 QB-hurries, five pass break-ups, and an interception, including a career-high 52 tackles for a state-ranked squad in 2024. Moala is a 4-star Texas A&M commit whose other offers include Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, BYU, and Michigan.

15. Elija Harmon, Inglewood – Jr.

As you read on, you'll see that Inglewood has quite the defensive line. Just halfway through his high school career, Harmon has already made 166 tackles (93 solo), 50 TFLs, and 10 sacks, and recovered two fumbles primarily playing defensive tackle. He's a 4-star recruit with offers from Notre Dame, Texas, Oregon, Michigan, Oklahoma, and at least 17 others.

16. Jeremiah Williams, Tustin – Jr.

At 6-1, 310, Williams has been one of California's better defensive tackles since the very start of his high school career. He totaled 21 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks, and six QB-hurries in just five games as a freshman, and in 2024 he recorded 40 tackles and team-highs of 16 TFLs and 10 sacks. Both seasons, he helped Tustin sweep its league and make the CIF-SS D3 playoffs. Williams is a 4-star prospect with 19 offers including Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Texas.

17. Marcus Fakatou, Orange Lutheran – So.

One of the very best defensive linemen in the Class of 2028 who'll probably be listed as a 5-star prospect as soon as sophomore rankings come out. He's already 6-6.5, 275 with enough quickness to  thrive as an edge rusher. Fakatou was a rare freshman to make First Team All-Trinity League honors in 2024, totaling 28 tackles, 10 TFLs, and five sacks against a national schedule. His 28 offers include Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State, BYU, Texas, and Alabama.

18. Troy Bowens, Sutter – Jr.

Among California's top breakout stars in 2024 was Bowens, who exploded for 76 tackles, 19 TFLs, 13.5 sacks, and 26 QB-hurries to lift Sutter to a league title and CIF-SJS D5 finals appearance. Since then he's become a 4-star recruit and picked up 11 offers, mostly from big-name programs like Notre Dame. He's a prototypical DE at 6-4.5, 255 with good speed and tenacity.

19. Sarrel Howard, Inglewood – Sr.

Howard racked up 70 tackles (43 solo), 12 sacks, and 21 QB-hurries last year for one of California's top front sevens. He's a pure EDGE who's probably more of a lineman than OLB at the next level but could go either way. Howard, a 3-star prospect, committed to Stanford in July out of 16 choices.

20. Myels Smith, Inglewood – Jr.

A third Sentinel on the list? Last season, Inglewood recorded 133 tackles for loss, 57 sacks, and 62 QB-hurries en-route to a 10-0 regular season and CIF-SS Division 1 playoff berth. Smith, an overpowering 4-star interior lineman with 19 offers, accounted for 65 tackles, 20 TFLs, and 7.5 sacks. 2025 will mark yet another year that opposing offenses dread The 'Wood.

ALSO IN CONSIDERATION:

Josiah Anyansi, Murrieta Valley – Sr. (Minnesota)

Lua DeBerry, Folsom – Jr.

Devyn Blake, Edison (Huntington Beach) – Sr. (Sacramento State)

Malik Brooks, St. Pius X-St. Matthias – Sr. (USC)

Dominic Coelho, Rocklin – Sr. (San Diego State)

Kasi Currie, Sierra Canyon – Jr.

Jason Davis Jr., Gridley – Sr.

Dakota Dickson, Monte Vista (Danville) – Sr. (SMU)

Frank Fanua, Mount Miguel – Sr. (Cal)

Manoah Faupusa, Santa Margarita – Sr.

Sione Felila, Oak Hills – Jr.

Kody Galloway, Banning (Wilmington) – Jr.

Cole Goldsworthy, Amador Valley – Sr. (UNLV)

Giovanni Hodge, Grant Union – Jr.

Jon Ioane, Tustin – Jr.

Auma Jennings, Orange Lutheran – Sr.

Anthony Jones, Crean Lutheran – Sr. (UCLA)

Bronx Letuligasenoa, Cathedral Catholic – Sr.

Cody Morin, Murrieta Mesa – Sr.

Lance Mitchell, Moreau Catholic – Sr. (San Jose State)

Laneselota Olive-Enos, St. John Bosco – Sr. (Portland State)

Joseph Peko, Oaks Christian – Sr.

CJ Perez, St. Vincent de Paul – Sr.

Maxwell Porter, San Juan Hills – Sr.

Jackson Renger, Los Alamitos – Sr. (Cornell)

DJ Sanchez, Archbishop Riordan – Jr.

Zion Scrivens, Loyola – Sr.

Francis Taamu, Edison (Stockton) – Sr.

Koi Taiese, McClymonds – Sr. (San Diego State)

Nemyah Telona, De La Salle – Sr. (Cal)

Blake Thorp, Yorba Linda – Sr.

Alifeleti Tuihalamaka, Oaks Christian – Jr.

Isaiah Vandermade, Santa Margarita – Jr.

Andrew Williams, Fremont (Los Angeles) – Sr. (USC)

Kingston Williams, Chaminade – Jr.

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Lance Smith

Lance has covered high school basketball, football and softball since 2019. A graduate of The USC Marshall School of Business, Smith dabbles in linear algebra and football and basketball computer rankings.