There will be much focus by college coaches on Jalen Hall and other highly ranked junior teammates at Hawkins of Los Angeles this season. Photo: utrsportsmedia.com.
We go with Matt Corral of Oaks Christian at the top, but local rival Cameron Rising of Newbury Park is also in the top 10. The first 35 also continues to show how talented the team at Hawkins of Los Angeles may be this season. No other school in the state has as many players in this class ranked as high.
To see our player rankings for the Class of 2017 that were done in early July, CLICK HERE.
Note: We’ll also issue player rankings in football for the Class of 2018 after the season for sure and possibly during the season. Also look for more updated player rankings in boys basketball before the next season starts. All player ranking charts are for Gold Club members only. This is a great time to sign up and you can get it for just $9.99 for three months. For details, CLICK HERE.
The last time we closely compared big-time Class of 2018 quarterbacks Matt Corral of Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) and Cameron Rising of Newbury Park it was to choose the State Sophomore Player of the Year.
Cameron Rising of Newbury Park looks downfield during historically great 2015 season. Photo: pantherprowler.org.
It was a close call, but Rising was picked higher on the Ventura County Star team and that selection made sense because he only threw one interception compared to 40 TDs with 3,213 yards and 756 more rushing. Corral had even more yards (3,283) and played tougher competition – including a 435-yard outing in a high-scoring CIFSS Pac-5 Division loss to Bishop Amat. He also had 36 TDs with six interceptions and had 414 yards rushing.
While Rising got the nod for the sophomore honor, Corral is consistently higher on national recruiting lists so he has to be higher in our own Class of 2018 player rankings, which are expanded to 100 deep with the start of the 2016 season fast approaching. In fact, we went with Corral in the No. 1 position, which also matches where Scout.com has him among California incoming juniors.
Both quarterbacks already are verbally committed – Corral to USC and Rising just a few days ago to Oklahoma.
We admit it’s hard for us in our own player rankings to go as hog wild like some have for the players at rising power Hawkins of Los Angeles. Jalen Hall of the Hawks is considered by some to be the state’s No. 1 player in this class, but coming from a program that has not even won a lower division title yet in the CIF L.A. City Section just gives a little pause.
