Top 10 Bay Area high school quarterbacks to watch for 2026 season
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With the high school football season less than four weeks away, here are the Top 10 quarterbacks to watch (and a few others) in 2026. All season openers are Aug. 28.
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1. Tyler Winkles (Acalanes-Lafayette)
The incoming senior was second-team All-Metro last season when he threw for 2,716 yards and rushed for 356 more while accounting for 35 touchdowns. Beyond a live arm, the excellent field general and baseball prospect has been timed at 11.1 seconds in the 100 meters, and 4.47 in the 40-yard dash. He led the Dons to 11-1 mark last season under then first-year coach Joel Isaac. Season opener:at Mitty.
2. JaVale Jones (Pittsburg)
After he split time as a sophomore with then-senior Carlos Torres, Jones should put up huge numbers, especially throwing to the region's top receiver, another junior in Kenneth Ward. Jones was super accurate, completing 110 of 156 last season for 1,459 yards and 15 touchdowns. The 6-foot, 170-pounder has an offer from Boston College.Season opener:vs. Monterey Trail-Elk Grove.
3. William Orr (Clayton Valley Charter-Concord)
Hasn't quite accomplished as much as others on the list, but the 6-2, 200-pound sophomore is definitely on everyone's radar after transferring from Serra where he threw for 891 yards and rushed for 204 more while splitting time as a freshman. Now under first-year coach Nate Kenion, Orr is a top 2029 talent on a very intriguing team. Season opener:at American Canyon.
4. Cole Dawes (San Ramon Valley-Danville)
The 6-foot, 175-pound senior adds to a long line of standout SRV signal-callers mentored by coach Aaron Becker. Threw for 2,226 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. Poised and polished, Dawes is also a top baseball prospect. Season opener: at El Cerrito.
5. LT Retamoza (Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa)
A collarbone injury hindered the 6-2, 200-pound junior's sophomore season after a stellar freshman campaign when he accounted for nearly 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns. This will be Newman's third coaching regime in three seasons, but the Cardinals are absolutely stacked with a long line of talented returners and transfers for first-year head coach Kenny McMillan and associate head coach Sean Embree. Season opener: at Folsom.
6. Dylan Skrinar (Marin Catholic-Kentfield)
Another North Bay juggernaut will be led by an experienced junior after the 6-foot, 180-pounder completed 168 of 267 for 2,131 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. He also showed good mobility and rushed for two scores. Under Mazi Moayed, who coached Jared Goff at Marin Catholic, the perennial North Coast Section power looks to rebound from its first losing season (5-6) since 2007. Season opener: at Monte Vista-Danville.
7. Ethan Havens (College Park-Pleasant Hill)
The 6-4, 210-pounder completed 153 of 269 passes last season as a junior for 2,382 yards and 25 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. An excellent student (4.4 GPA) and athlete, he also rushed for 248 yards (including sacks) and four scores and was the team's punter and kicker. Season opener:vs. Beckman-Irvine (Orange County).
8. Dejuan Compton Jr. (El Cerrito)
El Cerrito's surprising 11-3 season capped by a rather shocking state 4-A championship was largely keyed by the development of the then burly 5-11, 210-pound sophomore, who completed 19 of 27 for 265 yards and four touchdowns in the state finals, a 35-12 win over Beckman-Irvine. He won't have All-Metro receiver Gary Youngblood to throw to but the Gauchos should have plenty of offensive weapons. Season opener:vs. San Ramon Valley.
9. Drew Cumby (St. Francis)
The West Catholic Athletic League Sophomore of the Year last season figures to let it loose a bit more after accounting for more than 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns. Season opener: vs. Manteca.
10. Isaac Liu (St. Ignatius)
The 5-10, 170-pound sophomore was very impressive as a freshman for the defending NorCal and state Division 3-AA champion, completing 63% of his 91 passes in seven games. With starter Caeson Afsharipour graduated and second-year coach JuJuan Lawson, a former college quarterback, mentoring him. Liu should make a significant jump. Season opener:at San Marin-Novato.
15 more:Kimoni Brown (Moreau Catholic-Hayward), So.; Izeah Buchanan (Salesian-Richmond), Jr.; Maximus Cantrell (Northgate-Walnut Creek), Jr.; Christian Cermenelli-Johnson (Bishop O'Dowd), Sr.; Jayden Crane (Riordan), Sr.; Justin Fung (Palo Alto), Jr.; Ricky Gutierrez (King's Academy-Sunnyvale), Jr.; Kai Imahara (Mitty), Sr.; Jaydyn Irving (Hayward), Sr.; Nicco Kovacs (California-San Ramon), Jr.; Jimmy Lagios (Piedmont), Jr.; Henry Tuttle (Tamalpais-Mill Valley), Sr.; Michael Vasquez (Mt. Diablo-Concord), Sr.; Carter Vose III (Windsor), Sr.; Brody Zirelli (Carlmont-Belmont), Sr.
Mitch Stephens has covered high school sports for the Chronicle since 2001. Email: [email protected]
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