Top 10 tight ends in California high school football entering 2025

Lance Smith

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Top 10 tight ends in California high school football entering 2025 image

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

Most years, California's supply of outstanding high school tight ends is a sight to behold.

And in 2025, it's off the charts, thanks mostly to a phenomenal Class of 2026 in the TEs department.

California already has more than a dozen national recruits at the position, and the season hasn't even started yet. That includes several of the best pass-catching tight ends in the country who've already had exceptionally productive high school careers at high levels of competition.

Here's a look at California's top 10, followed by another dozen we considered for a 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. Mark Bowman, Mater Dei – Sr.

After emerging as a star for the national champion as a sophomore, Bowman reclassified to the Class of 2026 and is still the top-ranked tight end in his class. The 5-star USC commit racked up 32 catches for 435 yards and eight touchdowns while excelling as a run-blocker. Greg Biggins of 247Sports wrote "Assuming he stays healthy, it will be a surprise if Bowman isn't an immediate impact player and potential three and out college player."

2. Rahzario "Zo" Edwards, Grant Union – Jr.

As just a sophomore, Edwards turned in one of the more impressive seasons a California high school tight end has produced in recent years. He made 51 catches for 921 yards and 14 TDs as Grant won championships at the CIF-SJS Division 2 and state 2-AA levels. Edwards is now a consensus top-100 recruit in the Class of 2027 and has roughly two-dozen offers, including Alabama, USC, Michigan, Oregon, Mississippi, and Texas A&M.

3. Caleb Tafua, Bishop Montgomery – Sr.

Tafua enters his senior year at Bishop Montgomery after a dominant underclass tenure at Lakewood, where he had a combined 80 catches for 1,335 yards and 18 touchdowns as a sophomore and junior. He's a 4-star Texas A&M commit with USC, Washington, and Cal listed as his other finalists by 247Sports out of 28 total schools to offer him. He'll get even better down the road as he has room left to fill out his 6-foot-4.5, 220-pound frame without losing a step.

4. Andre Nickerson, Inglewood – Sr.

How often do you see a tight end catch for 391 yards on a Mission League team, or record 36 catches for 665 yards and nine touchdowns on a Southern Section D1 playoff team? Hardly ever, and Nickerson has done both already after spending two years at Serra (Gardena) and one at Inglewood. He's not the longest tight end at 6-3, but with his strength and pass-catching ability he's a high 3-star recruit and top-25 TE in his class per 247Sports who committed to SMU over Arizona, Arizona State, Washington, Washington State, UNLV, and San Diego State. To top it off, Nickerson also has a D-1 basketball offer from CSU Northridge.

5. Hayden Vercher, Thousand Oaks – Sr.

Hayden Vercher Thousand Oaks

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

Vercher cracked 1,000 receiving yards as a junior lining up as much at tight end as wideout, and he somehow still went a bit under the radar – the Class of 2026 is just that deep at TE. In total he made 70 catches for 1,011 yards and 11 TDs to help lead Thousand Oaks to the CIF-SS D4 semifinals. He's 6-4 with above-average length and tremendous explosiveness for a tight end, and a 4-star recruit who's been committed to Arizona State for six months.

6. Israel Briggs, Redwood (Visalia) – Sr.

Israel Briggs football

Ron Holman / Visalia Times-Delta / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn

A 4-star Miami commit and reigning Cal-Hi Sports All-State selection who'll finish his career at Redwood. As a sophomore in 2023, Briggs recorded 44 receptions for 571 yards and eight touchdowns at Mt. Whitney. He got 26 total D-1 offers including Ole Miss, Oregon, LSU, and Florida State. At 6-4.5 and a little over 200 lbs, Briggs still has a way to go in filling out his frame, but he's already shown the physicality needed to be a high-caliber blocker.

7. Kobie Watson, Frontier – Sr.

Watson is a high 3-star recruit and New Mexico State commit with the high school resume and maximum ceiling of a 4-star or 5-star guy. A 6-foot-4 tight end with track speed, Watson has career totals of 91 catches for 1,415 yards and 16 touchdowns, and has even recorded 411 yards returning kickoffs and two interceptions – not common for a full-sized tight end. As a junior, he had 448 receiving yards and 623 all-purpose yards as Frontier won a Central Section I-A title and state 3-AA championship.

8. Luke Sorensen, Servite – Sr.

While still improving at a rapid rate, Sorensen is of the very best blocking tight ends in California and a strong candidate to double or triple his receiving numbers as a senior – which would make him a candidate for the top spot. As a junior he was Servite's second-leading receiver with 15 catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns. Sorensen is a high 3-star prospect and Nebraska commit with another 24 offers such as Alabama, Notre Dame, LSU, and Penn State.

9. Jude Nelson, Millikan – Sr.

Nelson helped Millikan win its first undisputed Moore League title in more than 50 years last season with 29 catches for 357 yards and five touchdowns. That made him first on the team in receptions and touchdown catches. Nelson is a 3-star recruit who picked Colorado State over the likes of Fresno State, UNLV, Boise State, BYU, and Arizona State.

10. Luke Galer, Del Oro – Sr.

After a promising sophomore campaign, Galer emerged as one of Northern California's top tight ends as a junior with 21 catches for 309 yards and a touchdown. To do that in nine games against an overwhelming schedule as a focal point of opponents' game plans is quite difficult on a team that struggled to run the ball. Galer picked Washington State in June over 10 other D-1 offers, and has substantial remaining upside at 6-6, 230.

ALSO IN CONSIDERATION:

Jared Camara, Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep – Jr.

Landon Cook, De La Salle – Sr.

Jack Ellis, St. Vincent de Paul – Sr. (San Diego State)

Kaden Glover, St. Bonaventure – Sr.

Jaden Hernandez, Long Beach Poly – Sr. (Colorado State)

Beckham Hofland, Los Alamitos – Sr. (Boise State)

Crosby Kelly, Campolindo – Sr. (San Diego State)

Luke Lopez, Chino Hills – Sr.

Bryce McDaniel, Hughson – Sr. (Fresno State)

Damien Miles, Granada – Sr.

Colby Simpson, Oaks Christian – Sr. (Tulane)

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

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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.