NorCal POP Rankings 2026: Top 10 at Every Position Through Week 11

These are not opinion rankings. Nobody at SPIN picks who is No. 1. POP, Production Over Potential, is calculated from what each player has actually done this season, game by game, from the box scores of his games, weighed for who he did it against and where. Stars, offers, highlight tapes and reputation are not in the math. Two things are: what he produced, and the competition he produced it against.

That is why big numbers against weak opponents do not rank high here, and why a big game against a great opponent is the most valuable thing on these boards. Consistency counts too: a full season of steady games is worth more than one monster night surrounded by quiet ones. The rules are set before the numbers come in, and they apply to every player in every region the same way.

Below: the Top 10 at every position across Northern California through Week 11, games of Oct. 23 and 24 included, plus the Two-Way board. The board covers the Sac-Joaquin, Central, Central Coast, North Coast and Northern sections. The full Top 25 at every position, a Top 10 for every section and every rated player in the region live on the Player Rankings tab, updated weekly.

What changed this week

• EJ Coleman of Folsom takes No. 1 at linebacker (93, up from 91 and No. 6) after nine tackles, one and a half for loss, a sack and an interception in the 42-41 win over Del Oro. Julian "JuJu" Bruno of Grant, No. 1 a week ago, slips to No. 6 at 91 with no new box score. Folsom posted two games this week, the Oct. 16 Oak Ridge box and the Del Oro box, after a week without a stat entry, so its players move across every board. Nick Wegner of Folsom climbs from No. 9 to No. 5 (92). Ethan Chase of Archbishop Mitty moves from No. 10 to No. 3 (92) on seven tackles and an interception against Sacred Heart Cathedral.
• CJ Wallace IV of Folsom is No. 1 at defensive back (96, up from 94), passing Nate Anzelc of Oak Ridge (93), who stays No. 1 on the Two-Way board at 92. Fallon Barquet of Lincoln of Stockton jumps from No. 17 to No. 3 (91) after three sacks and three tackles for loss in the 42-7 win over Tracy. Casey Nelson of St. Ignatius moves to No. 8 (91, up from 88) after the school's updated stat sheet credited him with 36 tackles and four interceptions on six games. Vincenzo Tarantino of Saint Francis (No. 9, 90) and Sione Vaihola of Archbishop Riordan (No. 10, 89) enter the Top 10.
• Brixton Bridger of Clovis is No. 1 on the defensive line (97, up from 95) after two sacks and two tackles for loss in the 41-6 win over Clovis North. Case Borges of Tracy (95), Cameron Saunders of Valley Christian (95) and Blake Meggers of Oak Ridge (95) follow. Lua DeBerry of Folsom moves from No. 8 to No. 6 (94); Nick Hunt of Oak Ridge enters at No. 7 (94) after a fumble return for a touchdown in the 42-0 win over Jesuit.
• Brody Rudnicki of Folsom moves to No. 2 at quarterback (93, up from 91 and No. 5) after 406 yards and three touchdowns on 34 attempts against Del Oro. Jelani Dippel of Central East holds No. 1 at 94. Isaiah Carter of Clovis East enters the Top 10 at No. 10 (87, up from 81 and No. 28) after 380 yards and four touchdowns in the 56-43 loss to Buchanan.
• Jaden Angel (No. 7, 92) and Travis Beatty (No. 8, 92) of Folsom enter the receiver Top 10; Angel caught five passes for 136 yards against Del Oro. Chase Carmazzi of Del Oro climbs from No. 7 to No. 3 (94). Brennen Gibbs of Del Oro holds No. 1 at 95. Sterling Edwards of Clovis enters at No. 10 (91).
• Carvell Wafer Jr. of Buchanan holds No. 1 at running back (93) with teammate Gannon Sever at 93 behind him. Buchanan posted offense only for its 56-43 win over Clovis East. Jeremiah Whyte of Woodcreek holds No. 1 at tight end (93); Declan Dixon of Folsom enters the tight end Top 10 at No. 10 (87).
• Folsom holds nine of the 70 Top 10 spots across the seven position boards after holding none of them a week ago on a frozen file. St. Ignatius holds seven, Central East and Oak Ridge six each, De La Salle four. The Sac-Joaquin Section holds 26 of the 70, the Central Section 18, the Central Coast Section 15, the North Coast Section 10 and the Northern Section one (Jaret Bridwell of Red Bluff, DB No. 5).

Coaches, post your box scores. POP can only count what gets recorded. About half of Northern California team-games from Oct. 23 and 24 had a complete box score in when this week's numbers were run. St. Ignatius, Buchanan, Cardinal Newman, Clovis West and Clovis East posted offense only; Archbishop Riordan did not post. When a program posts no box score, or logs only part of what its players did, those players lose credit for work they actually did. Post full box scores, offense and defense, every week. If a stat is wrong, tell us and show us; the corrected rating shows on the next board.

Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

Defensive Backs

Linebackers

Defensive Line

Two-Way (Athletes)

How to read the number

A POP rating runs 25 to 99 on one national scale, so a 93 in Northern California means the same thing as a 93 in Utah or Southern California. GP is games with a posted stat line. Two-Way players must be rated on an offensive board and a defensive board; the Two-Way number is built from both sides.

How every number on this board is built: the SPIN Production Rankings methodology. Why we built it: Stars Are a Bet. Yards Are a Receipt. Last week's board: NorCal through Week 10. This week's other boards: SoCal, Arizona and Nevada, all through Week 11, are on the Player Rankings tab. Utah had the week off and its Week 10 board stands.

Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Northern California and Southern California are live on the Player Rankings tab.