Who are the top college football recruits in Tulare County this season?
Tulare County has produced its share of NCAA Division I college football recruits over the years.
In the past decade, several prep standouts went on to play at some of the top college football programs on the west coast, including a few dominating players like former Mission Oak star Kevin Palma (Stanford), Dinuba quarterback Marcus McMaryion (Oregon State, Fresno State) and Tulare Union's record-setting running back Kazmeir Allen (UCLA).
Ex-Central Valley Christian two-way starter Jaeden Moore is currently a freshman at the University of Oregon. Moore, a two-time Bob Mathias Award Winner as Tulare County's most outstanding high school football player, helped the Cavaliers win a Central Section Division III title in 2021. His senior squad in 2022 also advanced to the section's D-II final.
More: Find out everything you need to know for the Tulare County football 2023 season
This year's Class of 2024 features three Tulare County high school football players — Marsel Akins (El Diamante), Bryson Donelson (CVC) and Kenny Jackson (Mission Oak) — who are on the right track to extend their playing careers at Division I programs next season. They are all ranked by the recruiting website 247sports.com in its top 247 seniors in the state of California.
Here's a look at those three prospects:
Marsel Akins, El Diamante
Position: Offensive tackle
Measurables: 6-5, 265
247sports star rating (on a five-star scale): Three stars
247sports state overall player ranking: 109
Reported scholarship offers: Fresno State, Colorado State, Nevada, Utah State, Washington State
Highlights: Akins verbally committed to play for head coach Jeff Tedford and Fresno State in June. The Miners' starting left tackle earned 2022 All-East Yosemite League first-team honors as a junior last season. He is ranked by 247sports.com as the 113th-best offensive tackle senior prospect in the nation. El Diamante won last season's Battle for the Saddle rivalry game over Golden West.
Bryson Donelson, Central Valley Christian
Position: Running back
Measurables: 6-0, 205
247sports star rating (on a five-star scale): Three stars
247sports state overall player ranking: 128
Reported scholarship offers: Boston College, Colorado State, Fresno State, New Mexico, San Jose State, Washington State
Highlights: Akins and Donelson were once teammates at El Diamante before the latter transferred to CVC before the start of last season. The Cavaliers' senior running back is coming off a 1,466-yard and 23-touchdown season. Donelson averaged 10.1 yards per carry as a junior and enters his senior year as one of the Central Section's premier players at his position. He took an official visit to Boston College on June 2.
Kenny Jackson, Mission Oak
Position: Receiver/defensive back
Measurables: 5-11, 185
247sports star rating (on a five-star scale): Three stars
247sports state overall player ranking: 169
Reported scholarship offers: Bethune-Cookman, San Jose State
Highlights: Jackson is the son of College of the Sequoias head track and field coach Kenny Jackson. A two-way starter, Jackson also plays in the secondary and has tallied 70 total tackles and two interceptions in a Mission Oak uniform. The incoming Hawks' senior is also one of the top pass catchers in the Central Section. In two seasons at the east Tulare high school, he has registered 114 receptions for 1,615 yards receiving and 17 total touchdowns. He also has two career pick-sixes and is coming off a 1,000-yard receiving junior season.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Who are the top college football recruits in Tulare County?
