All-State FB 2025: 1st Team Defense

Here are the 11 defensive players plus one punter and three of the other six multi-purpose players who have been named First Team Overall on the 48th annual Cal-Hi Sports All-State Football Teams. There has to be a minimum of three DLs, LBs and DBs among this group and we went with a 3-4-4. Within the writeups there also has been a DB of the Year (had to be a junior), and an LB of the Year. Thanks to intern Isai Gutierrez for providing some of the writeups.

For this year’s First Team Offense plus three more multi-purpose players,
CLICK HERE.

For this year’s Second & Third Team (Gold Club post), CLICK HERE.

MORE OF OUR 48TH ANNUAL ALL-STATE FOOTBALL TEAMS: Medium Schools | Small Schools | Juniors (Gold Club) | Sophomores (Gold Club) | Players of Year by region | Players of Year by positions QB, RB, WR/TE, Line, LB, DB| FINAL All-State Nominations for CIF Southern Section plus LA, SD & Central sections plus NorCal

If you are not a Gold Club member and want to see the already announced All-State Junior & Sophomore Teams plus many, new updated state record files and more exclusive content, please sign up today. Some of the most promising freshmen also will be listed in next few days in separate feature (also Gold Club). You can now join for one-month rate of just $4.99. For subscription info, CLICK HERE.

FOR ARCHIVE OF ALL-TIME ALL-STATE TEAMS BACK TO THE 1950s, CLICK HERE.

CHECK OUT CALGAMESWANTED.COM
Created for Coaches by Coaches for California Varsity High School Head Coaches and Athletic Directors, Start building your schedule with CalGamesWanted.com.
User friendly to take the stress out of scheduling.

FIRST TEAM ALL-STATE DEFENSE (ELITE)

DL J.D. Hill (Mission Viejo) 6-2, 275, Sr.
One of the keys for the Diablos being as good as they were this season was J.D. taking over the role of lead pass rusher and defender after all-state first team Jaden Williams graduated after last season. His improved play and ability to make tackles for loss on run plays or by pass rush were apparent in the very first game when Mission Viejo topped eventual State Team of the Year Santa Margarita, 7-3. Hill ended the season with a whopping 25.5 tackles for loss. He also had 108 tackles and 13 sacks. J.D. went out with a back injury in the early going of the team’s final regular season game vs Los Alamitos. He was missed in the rest of that shootout win and didn’t play in the stormy weather when the Diablos then lost in the first round of the CIF Southern Section D1 playoffs to Mater Dei. Hill also saw his recruiting pick up from the summer and into the season, including offers from Utah and Arizona State. He eventually signed with Washington.

DL Richard Wesley
(Sierra Canyon, Chatsworth) 6-5, 250, Sr.
Once Wesley reclassified into the 2026 class, there were questions about how he would handle older competition. Clearly, the extra year most players had on him made little difference. The explosive edge rusher followed up his all-state sophomore season with another dominant run as a senior, totaling 29 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and a jaw-dropping five interceptions. That surge came after two straight breakout seasons in which Wesley totaled 94 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks across his freshman and sophomore years while constantly living in opposing backfields for Sierra Canyon. Already one of the nation’s premier pass rushers, Wesley has enrolled early at the University of Texas and continues to separate himself from the pack.

DL Khary Wilder (Serra, Gardena) 6-4, 260, Sr.
A force along the defensive front since his sophomore season, Wilder steadily elevated his game each year before delivering a dominant senior campaign. Although Serra as a team had trouble with injuries and only finished 4-6, Khary finished his final season with 91 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and five forced fumbles, consistently living in opposing backfields and changing games with his explosiveness. That surge built on two standout seasons, including 75 tackles with 15 tackles for loss and 14 sacks as a sophomore, followed by 86 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks as a junior. The five-star recruit now heads to Ohio State, bringing proven production and high-level upside to the college game.

LB Rocky Cummings (Carlsbad) 6-4, 220, Sr.
Another of the fastest-rising recruits in the state from the summer compared to during the season was Cummings. He had committed to Cal, but then more offers kept coming in and eventually he would decommit from the Bears and signed with Texas. Defense was one reason Carlsbad was able to grab the top seed for the CIF San Diego Section Open Division playoffs and although the Lancers fell to Cathedral Catholic in the semifinals their defensive leader was later named the CIF San Diego Section Defensive Player of the Year by a media panel. Despite missing a couple of games, Cummings recorded 34 tackles with 2 1/2 sacks and 10 quarterback hurries. He also was effective on offense for the Lancers with 13 catches as a tight end for 236 yards and eight scores.

LB Dash Fifita (Santa Margarita, Rancho SM) 5-10, 200, Sr.
He’s a little undersized, but so was his brother, Noah, when he was at Servite of Anaheim but that didn’t stop him from being a first team all-state selection as a senior after the 2021 season. Dash played like a quarterback leader of the Santa Margarita defense and clearly would be that unit’s top all-state candidate much like Trent Mosley (the State Player of the Year) was the one from offense. In helping the Eagles to their first-ever CIF Southern Section Open Division title and to their first-ever CIF Open Division state title, Fifita was the team’s second leading tackler and already has been named Orange County Register Defensive Player of the Year as well as Trinity League MVP on defense. Dash had 12 tackles with two sacks and a forced fumble in the CIFSS Open Division final vs Corona Centennial, he had eight tackles and an interception in the semifinal vs Orange Lutheran and he had six tackles with one sack in the CIF Open Division state final vs De La Salle. The nephew of Santa Margarita defensive coordinator Steve Fifita had 101 tackles in all with 16 for loss and 6.5 sacks. Noah is now at the University of Arizona where his brother still has one more year to go as the Wildcats’ QB but this last season he’ll be able to share it with his younger brother also on the team.

LB Lenny Ibarra (Los Alamitos) 5-11, 200, Sr.
There was more than one player among our first teamers on offense or defense who perhaps made more sense to be multi-purpose but did so much that he ended up first team in a offensive or defensive position. There’s also only six slots after all for multi-purpose. Lenny was one of those guys and gains a first team all-state spot as a linebacker. He led the Griffins in tackles with 136 and he also came up with four interceptions. He literally did everything for the CIF Southern Section D2 champions. On offense, Ibarra had 1,108 yards rushing and 18 TDs. He also had 47 catches coming out of the backfield for 666 yards and six TDs. We saw him punt in one game (averaged 41.2 yards per punt) and he made two field goals. A huge honor he’s already received is being named Long Beach Press-Telegram Player of the Year, which remember is the same newspaper that covers St. John Bosco. Ibarra has signed with Army.

LB Tristan Phillips (Ventura) 6-3, 215, Sr.
One of the most disruptive defenders in California, Phillips brought size, athleticism and nonstop energy to Ventura’s championship run this year. The long, explosive linebacker, who also has been named as the 2025 Cal-Hi Sports LB of the Year and has been added to an all-time state list of winners, finished his senior season with 127 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks and an interception while leading the Cougars to the CIF Southern Section D6 title and a 13-3 record. His biggest performance came in the section championship game when he piled up 10 tackles and six sacks in a lopsided win over St. Pius X–St. Matthias Academy. The team then beat Arroyo Grande for the CIF D3-AA SoCal title but then lost to St. Ignatius of San Francisco in the state final A versatile linebacker who can play inside or outside, Phillips drew heavy recruiting attention before deciding to commit to the University of Oregon.

DB Brandon Arrington
(Mt. Miguel, Spring Valley) 6-2, 185, Sr.
A lot of the highly-ranked national recruits in the state who played corner or safety positions this season didn’t put up huge stats, which actually is fairly normal since opposing teams just don’t bother challenging them. Arrington was one of those guys but the difference for him is that he’s ranked now as the No. 1 corner recruit in the nation by 247 Sports. Brandon first made a name for himself in track when as a sophomore he won CIF state titles in the 100-meter dash (10.33 seconds) and 200-meter dash (20.55 seconds). He was hurt at the end of last spring and wasn’t able to defend those titles. Arrington, who already has been all-state medium schools and All-San Diego Section first team at DB, now adds this final all-state honor. He had 27 tackles and one interception last season at Mt. Miguel and on offense he had 20 catches for 389 yards and two TDs. He did more on offense as a junior, but his future (beginning now at Texas A&M) clearly is going to be as a speed corner with great length.

DB Davon Benjamin
(Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-0, 190, Sr.
It’s rare to see a player start on varsity for four seasons, but when it happens, it’s usually for a good reason. A fixture in the Lions’ secondary since his freshman year, Davon developed into one of the state’s most instinctive playmakers, finishing his career with 164 tackles and 16 interceptions while constantly flipping games with long pick-six returns. His senior season featured four interceptions, including two returned more than 100 yards for touchdowns, and the year before he added six more picks and three defensive scores. He also contributed offensively and in the return game, showing true all-around ability. Recruited nationally since early high school, including an early USC offer, he ultimately signed with the Oregon Ducks, despite having offers from Texas, North Carolina, Washington, and Michigan.

DB Madden Riordan (Sierra Canyon, Chatsworth) 5-11, 170, Sr.
The Sierra Canyon defense that posted shutouts in five of its 11 games and helped the team get to No. 1 in the state entering the CIFSS D1 playoffs before a 21-9 loss to Santa Margarita gets both Madden along with defensive end Richard Wesley on first team. The Trailblazers had two other highly-recruited DBs, but Riordan had the most noteworthy prep career. Last season as a junior, Madden ranked among the state leaders with 10 interceptions in 12 games. He played 10 this season and came up with four more picks plus 32 tackles. For his career, Riordan had 20 interceptions and played 49 games in all for the Trailblazers. He committed to USC more than one year ago and ended up signing with the Trojans as well.

DB Jaden Walk-Green (Centennial, Corona) 5-11, 180, Jr.
One of the most dominant defensive players in the state regardless of class, Walk-Green put together a season that was almost unheard of in the secondary. The junior led California with 10 interceptions, returned five of them for touchdowns and added a fumble return score while also leading Centennial with 125 tackles. His ability to flip games instantly with pick-six plays, while also staying on the field to kick extra points, made him one of the most impactful two-way contributors in the state. Walk-Green’s production came against elite competition as the Huskies finished 11-2, beat Mater Dei twice and earned State Public Schools Team of the Year honors. His season included interception return touchdowns against Bingham of Utah, Mater Dei and Servite in the playoffs. For his historic year, Walk-Green was named Cal-Hi Sports Defensive State Player of the Year and earned first team all-state defense honors as a junior. He also obviously now adds the State DB of the Year designation. He’s now gettig ready to play baseball for the Huskies.

P Jacob Kreinbring (Loyola, Los Angeles) 6-0, 190, Sr.
Like others who have been selected to the all-state first team as a punter, Jacob was a combo kicker-punter during his high school career. It’s the punting part of it that has put him on among this group. He averaged 42.8 yards per punt in the 2025 season on 48 punts and put 23 of those punts inside the 20-yard line. As a kicker, Kreinbring made a 44-yarder at SoFi Stadium in a win vs Serra (Gardena) and had a longest field goal of 46 yards.

FIRST TEAM
ALL-STATE MULTI-PURPOSE (ELITE)

QB/RB Mike Mitchell Jr. (Archbishop Riordan, San Francisco) 5-10, 185, Sr.
Only having earned second team and third team all-state recognition in previous seasons, Mitchell Jr. makes the jump to first team all-state after an outstanding senior campaign that lifted Archbishop Riordan to new heights. The Stanford-bound quarterback guided the Crusaders to a 12-1 record, the school’s first CIF Central Coast Section Open Division championship and an unbeaten run through the West Catholic Athletic League while finishing among the Top 12 teams in the state rankings. Mitchell shined on the biggest stage as well, tossing four touchdown passes in Riordan’s narrow 42-38 loss to Folsom in the CIF NorCal Division 1-AA final. A rare four-year starter, he had already established himself early as one of the West’s top signal callers, earning Cal-Hi Sports underclass all-state honors as a sophomore after throwing for 2,927 yards and 31 touchdowns while completing 65 percent of his passes before adding third team all-state offense as a junior. During his career, Mitchell rewrote several passing marks in the highly competitive West Catholic Athletic League, a league that once featured quarterbacks Tom Brady and Dan Fouts. He was originally committed to Vanderbilt but flipped to Stanford in late November of 2025.

WR/KR/DB Kenny Moore III (St. Mary’s, Stockton) 5-10, 175, Sr.
Late in the CIF D2AA state championship season for the Rams, Kenny didn’t hesitate when he was asked to play more at the cornerback position on defense due to injuries. The way he played on defense for a young man who already was known for his explosive play as a receiver, running back on sweeps and kick returner also pushed him over the top to land a first team all-state position. As a receiver, Moore had 59 catches for 945 yards and 11 TDs despite facing double teams for much of the time. The four-year starter also had 35 rushing attempts for 235 yards and five TDs. In addition, he had two kickoff returns for scores and he ran back a punt for a score. In his later games on defense, Kenny also contributed 30 tackles, eight passes broken up and one fumble recovery. It’s hard to get more multi-purpose than that. Moore has graduated from St. Mary’s after the season and is now getting ready for spring practices at UCLA.

Trent Mosley (Santa Margarita, Rancho SM) 5-11, 175, Sr.
Already named our 2025 Mr. Football State Player of the Year, Mosley just made such a strong case for being the most dangerous all-around weapon in California. While he could have easily been listed strictly at wide receiver, his Swiss Army knife role made him a nightmare matchup every week. Despite missing five games due to injury, he finished the season with 58 receptions for 831 yards and six touchdowns while adding 204 rushing yards and 10 more scores in Wildcat packages. When the postseason arrived, Mosley elevated his play even further. In the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship game at the Rose Bowl, he erupted for 292 receiving yards and two rushing touchdowns against Centennial of Corona. He followed that by earning CIF Open Division State Championship Game MVP honors with 11 catches for 183 yards and two scores in a 47-13 win over De La Salle of Concord. For his career, Mosley totaled 228 receptions for 3,430 yards and 28 receiving touchdowns while adding more than 30 rushing scores. He capped it all off by signing with USC.

(The other three multi-purpose players listed with the offense)

Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports