High School Showcase: Joe Davidson Previews 2026 Season

Joe Davidson joins The Drive Guys for the High School Showcase to break down the teams and players to watch this football season.

BY BRENDEN NUNES

Aug 19, 2026, 6:31 PM Updated: Aug 20, 2026, 6:35 am

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Watch: High School Showcase: Sacramento's Top High Football Prospects in 2026 | 1 min

High school football season is nearly here, bringing Friday night games back to schools all throughout the Sacramento region. With plenty of potential future NFL and collegiate talent, there’s plenty to watch locally.

Sactown Sports is expanding its coverage of the local high school football scene with the ‘Sactown Sports High School Showcase’, a weekly feature highlighting some of the top teams, players and matchups from around the area. Each week, The Drive Guys with Whitey Gleason and Allen Stiles will be joined by a reporter, coach or another voice connected to the local football scene to get the latest insight.

For the debut edition of the High School Showcase, The Drive Guys were joined by longtime Sacramento Bee sports writer Joe Davidson, who set the stage for the upcoming season by highlighting programs and players to watch and the continued growth of high school football throughout the region

“We have such a great area,” Davidson told The Drive Guys. “Such good football around here.”

Davidson pointed to perennial powerhouses such as Folsom, Oak Ridge and Grant as programs that routinely produce collegiate talent, but also highlighted smaller communities such as Colfax and East Nicolaus. While plenty of attention will be paid to the stars, the High School Showcase will keep you up to date, and Folsom remains at the forefront of that conversation.

The Bulldogs are coming off another CIF state championship and enter 2026 with Brody Rudnicki taking over at quarterback. Rudnicki was forced into a larger role late last season when star quarterback Ryder Lyons (now at BYU) suffered an injury, and he responded by helping Folsom finish its championship run. He has since verbally committed to Cal.

“If you want to see the Folsom Bulldogs, you will not be bored,” Davidson said. “Fast, dynamic.”

Folsom’s schedule will provide an early test against Cardinal Newman before a one-week matchup with Mission Viejo. Mission Viejo handed Folsom its lone loss last season before the Bulldogs went on to win the state championship.

Grant is another program Davidson highlighted as worth making time to see. He emphasized Grant’s talent in the trenches and two pass catchers who already have college commitments.

Rahzario “Zo” Edwards, a 6-foot-6 wide receiver, has committed to Cal after emerging as one of the top prospects in the area. Koby Shabazz, another Grant playmaker, is committed to Sacramento State.

Oak Ridge also remains firmly in the mix among the area’s programs to watch. Davidson singled out Justen Womack as a projected standout 2027 linebacker. For fans closer to Natomas, Davidson pointed to Inderkum under head coach Justin Reber as another team to monitor. Folsom travels to Inderkum later this season as well.

There’s plenty of exciting, high-level high school football scheduled to occur all throughout the Sacramento region, and the Sactown Sports High School Showcase will keep you up to date every week of the season.

Listen to and watch Sactown Sports’ The Drive Guys with Kevin “Whitey” Gleason and Allen Stiles, airing weekdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. PT on Sactown Sports.