Five Fall Breakout Players: Greater Sacramento Area
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RB Carter Jackson, Granite Bay HS 2025 Jackson has showed out at multiple events this off-season and is a very explosive back that is twitchy in the short area with elite lateral movement abilities and impressive open field speed…
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RB Carter Jackson, Granite Bay HS 2025
Jackson has showed out at multiple events this off-season and is a very explosive back that is twitchy in the short area with elite lateral movement abilities and impressive open field speed through the third level. He can move around from the backfield to the slot and displays soft hands in traffic while able to make defenders miss in the open field and is tough to tackle with a natural forward lean and good leg drive-through contact. Recently transferring to Granite Bay from Folsom this off-season, he is in line to be one of the top rushers across the section and is one of the top 2025 running backs Northern California has to offer.
RJ Whitten RJ Whitten 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Folsom | 2024 State CA , Folsom HS 2024
Whitten is a very explosive playmaker with natural ball skills and high point ability that will make a big impact for Folsom this Fall. With two more years left in his prep career, he picked up his first offer from Cal this week and other Pac-12 schools should follow suit sooner rather than later. He is a very smooth athlete with fluid hips in transition and physical at the line of scrimmage will not afraid to drop into the box and make tackles near the line of scrimmage. Offensively, he is a precise route runner with strong hands that can go up and make contested catches, gain the tough yards after the catch and make explosive plays in the open field.
CB Cade Dutton Cade Dutton 6'1" | 170 lbs | ATH Folsom | 2024 State CA , Folsom HS 2024
Dutton will be an emerging name across all of Northern California this Fall and will be a top corner that the region has to offer. He is a long and smooth athlete with very fluid hips and can sink his hips naturally while attacking the ball in the air with high point abilities. A physical tackler in the box as well, he shows a quick trigger, closing speed and has recovery length and physical hands when pressed at the line of scrimmage. A high IQ and well-put together player, he is a terrific natural athlete that is in line for a breakout season in 2022.
RB Devin Green Devin Green 6'0" | 205 lbs | ATH Grant | 2024 State CA , Sheldon HS 2024
Green is one of the top overall players across the region regardless of class and recently picked up an offer from Cal. The smooth runner is a big and physical back that can also play on the outside as well and has tremendous hands and ball location abilities downfield. Out of the backfield, he is a powerful and vertical runner that shows good vision in tight windows and strong contact balance, while flashing a third level gear in the open field. With some lateral movement ability in the short area near the LOS, he has a natural forward lean and easily breaks arm and ankle tackles due to a strong lower body and powerful running style. Also a impressive returner that understands angles and setting up defenders, he should gather other FBS offers soon.
OL Zander Esty, Placer HS 2023
Esty has been one of the most notable names over the last few weeks across the region and recently picked up offers from Oregon State and Cal. He is a true interior mauler with a strong punch at the point of attack and keeps a wide base through the first level while finishing blocks downfield. Able to pull when needed without wasted movement, he shows good bend in his stance and first step explosion while creating immediate inside hand placement and knock-back against bigger defenders. As he continues to pack on more weight and develop as a pass protector, he will be a very effective player at the FBS level for any college program.