Quarterback Jayden Daniels is shown on NFL Draft night in Detroit (left) and while he was playing in high school in San Bernardino County. He won the Heisman Trophy after 2023 season for LSU. Photos: @LSUfootball / Twitter.com & YouTube.com.
This list has been updated again to reflect the 2023 Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York when San Bernardino Cajon’s Jayden Daniels won college football’s highest honor. Go inside to see which national honorees starting from Glenn Davis of Army winning the Heisman Trophy in 1946 to the present day went to California high schools. We also have list of everyone from state in College Football Hall of Fame.
Note: We hope you enjoy this free post at CalHiSports.com. All player ranking charts (past and present in three sports) plus updated state records and more historical lists are for Gold Club members only. This is a great time to sign up and you can get it for just $4.99 for one month. For details, CLICK HERE.
HEISMAN TROPHY
(Given to most outstanding player in the nation since 1935)
1946 – Glenn Davis, Army RB (La Verne Bonita)
1964 – John Huarte, Notre Dame QB (Santa Ana Mater Dei)
1965 – Mike Garrett, USC RB (Los Angeles Roosevelt)
1967 – Gary Beban, UCLA QB (Redwood City Sequoia)
1968 – O.J. Simpson, USC RB (San Francisco Galileo)
1970 – Jim Plunkett, Stanford QB (San Jose James Lick)
1979 – Charles White, USC RB (San Fernando)
1981 – Marcus Allen, USC RB (San Diego Lincoln)
1992 – Gino Torretta, Miami QB (Pinole Valley)
1994 – Rashaan Salaam, Colorado RB (La Jolla Country Day)
1998 – Ricky Williams, Texas RB (San Diego Patrick Henry)
2002 – Carson Palmer, USC QB (Rancho SM Santa Margarita)
2004 – Matt Leinart, USC QB (Santa Ana Mater Dei)
2005 – Reggie Bush, USC RB (La Mesa Helix)
2021 – Bryce Young, Alabama QB (Santa Ana Mater Dei)
2023 – Jayden Daniels, LSU QB (San Bernardino Cajon)
Marcus Allen takes a breather as the quarterback at Lincoln High in San Diego during 1977 season. He went to become an all-time great NFL running backs Photo: Partletonsports.com.
MAXWELL AWARD
(Given to college player of the year since 1937)
1946 – Glenn Davis, Army RB (La Verne Bonita)
1967 – Gary Beban, UCLA QB (Redwood City Sequoia)
1968 – O.J. Simpson, USC RB (San Francisco Galileo)
1970 – Jim Plunkett, Stanford QB (San Jose James Lick)
1979 – Charles White, USC RB (San Fernando)
1981 – Marcus Allen, USC RB (San Diego Lincoln)
1992 – Gino Torretta, Miami QB (Pinole Valley)
1998 – Ricky Williams, Texas RB (San Diego Patrick Henry)
2001 – Ken Dorsey, Miami QB (Orinda Miramonte)
2021 – Bryce Young, Alabama QB (Santa Ana Mater Dei)
WALTER CAMP AWARD
(NCAA Player of the Year since 1967)
1967 – O.J. Simpson, USC RB (San Francisco Galileo)
1968 – O.J. Simpson, USC RB (San Francisco Galileo)
1970 – Jim Plunkett, Stanford QB (San Jose James Lick)
1979 – Charles White, USC RB (San Fernando)
1981 – Marcus Allen, USC RB (San Diego Lincoln)
1992 – Gino Torretta, Miami QB (Pinole Valley)
1994 – Rashaan Salaam, Colorado RB (La Jolla Country Day)
1998 – Ricky Williams, Texas RB (San Diego Patrick Henry)
2004 – Matt Leinart, USC QB (Santa Ana Mater Dei)
2005 – Reggie Bush, USC RB (La Mesa Helix)
2023 – Jayden Daniels, LSU QB (San Bernardino Cajon)
OUTLAND TROPHY
(Given to outstanding interior lineman of the year since 1946)
1967 – Ron Yary, USC (Bellflower)
1993 – Aaron Taylor, Notre Dame (Concord De La Salle)
1998 – Kris Farris, UCLA (Rancho SM Santa Margarita)
De La Salle’s Aaron Taylor celebrates during his career at Notre Dame. Photo: und.com.
VINCE LOMBARDI AWARD
(Given to outstanding player of the year since 1970 including leadership, resiliency)
1993 – Aaron Taylor, Notre Dame OT
(Concord De La Salle)
2014 – Scooby Wright, Arizona LB
(Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman)
2023 – Laiatu Latu, UCLA DL
(Carmichael Jesuit)
KNUTE ROCKNE AWARD
(Given to outstanding lineman of year from 1939 to 1962)
1946 – Burr Baldwin, UCLA E (Bakersfield)
1962 – Hal Bedsole, USC E (Reseda)
DAVEY O’BRIEN AWARD
(Given to No. 1 quarterback of year since 1981)
1981 – Jim McMahon, BYU (San Jose Andrew Hill)*
1992 – Gino Torretta, Miami (Pinole Valley)
2021 – Bryce Young, Alabama (Santa Ana Mater Dei)
2023 – Jayden Daniels, LSU (San Bernardino Cajon)
FRED BILETNIKOFF AWARD
(Given to best wide receiver of year since 1994)
2012 – Marqise Lee, USC (Gardena Serra)
2013 – Brandin Cooks, Oregon State (Stockton Lincoln)
JOHN MACKEY AWARD
(Given to best tight end of year since 2000)
2003 – Kellen Winslow, Miami (San Diego Scripps Ranch)
2005 – Marcedes Lewis, UCLA (Long Beach Poly)
2022 – Brock Bowers, Georgia (Napa)
2023 – Brock Bowers, Georgia (Napa)
DOAK WALKER AWARD
(Given to top running back of year since 1990)
1994 – Rashaan Salaam, Colorado (La Jolla Country Day)
1997 – Ricky Williams, Texas (San Diego Patrick Henry)
1998 – Ricky Williams, Texas (San Diego Patrick Henry)
2005 – Reggie Bush, USC (La Mesa Helix)
2009 – Toby Gerhart, Stanford (Norco)
2020 – Najee Harris, Alabama (Antioch)
JIM THORPE AWARD
(Given to best defensive back of year since 1986)
1989 – Mark Carrier, USC (Long Beach Poly)
1990 – Darryl Lewis, Arizona (La Puente Nogales)
1992 – Deon Figures, Colorado (Gardena Serra)
2001 – Roy Williams, Oklahoma (Union City James Logan)
2007 – Antoine Cason, Arizona (Los Alamitos)
2016 – Adoree’ Jackson, USC (Gardena Serra)
BRONKO NAGURSKI AWARD
(Given to best defensive player since 1993)
2001 – Roy Williams, Oklahoma DB (Union City James Logan)
2014 – Scooby Wright, Arizona LB (Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman)
CHUCK BEDNARIK AWARD
(Given to best defensive player since 1995)
2008 – Rey Maualuga, USC (Eureka)
2014 – Scooby Wright, Arizona (Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman)
DICK BUTKUS AWARD
(Given to top linebacker since 1985)
1998 – Chris Claiborne, USC (Riverside J.W. North)
2014 – Eric Kendricks, UCLA (Fresno Hoover)
RONNIE LOTT AWARD
(Given to the top IMPACT defensive player since 2004)
2002 – Pat Tillman, Arizona State (San Jose Leland)*
2006 – Daymeion Hughes, Cal (Los Angeles Crenshaw)
*Awarded posthumously and for a season prior to award’s beginning.
MOSI TATUPU AWARD
(Given to top special teams player from 1997 to 2006)
1998 – Chris McAlister, Arizona (Pasadena)
1999 – Deltha O’Neal, Cal (Milpitas)
LOU GROZA AWARD
(Given to top placekicker since 1992)
2005 – Alexis Serna, Oregon State (Upland)
2009 – Kai Forbath, UCLA (Sherman Oaks Notre Dame)
RAY GUY AWARD
(Given to top punter since 2000)
2005 – Ryan Plackemeier, Wake Forest (Fallbrook)
2021 – Matt Araiza, San Diego State (San Diego Rancho Bernardo)
COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAMERS
(For amateur contributions only; listed in order of year inducted)
College Football Hall of Famer Lynn Swann once visited his alma mater Serra of San Mateo wearing his Pro Football Hall of Fame gold jacket. Photo: Prep2Prep.com.
1951 – Harold “Brick” Muller, Cal E 1922 (San Diego & Oakland Tech)*
1951 – Ernie Nevers, Stanford FB 1925 (Santa Rosa)**
1054 – Stanley Barnes, Cal T 1921 (San Diego)*
1954 – Morley Drury, USC QB 1927 (Long Beach Poly)
1955 – Harry Smith, USC G 1939 (Ontario Chaffey)
1956 – Frankie Albert, Stanford QB 1941 (Glendale)
1956 – Kenny Washington, UCLA HB 1939 (Los Angeles Lincoln)
1957 – Bill Corbus, Stanford G 1933 (Vallejo)
1957 – Erny Pinckert, USC HB 1931 (San Bernardino)
1961 – Glenn Davis, Army HB 1946 (La Verne Bonita)
1964 – Bob Herwig, Cal C 1937 (Pomona)
1966 – Aaron Rosenberg, USC G 1933 (Los Angeles Fairfax)
1968 – Adam Walsh, Notre Dame C 1924 (Hollywood)
1969 – Babe Horrell, Cal C 1924 (Pasadena)
1970 – Ernie Smith, USC T 1932 (Gardena)
1971 – Nello Falaschi, Santa Clara HB 1931 (San Jose Bellarmine)
1971 – Dan McMillan, Cal T 1921 (Los Angeles Manual Arts)
1972 – Mort Kaer, USC HB 1926 (Red Bluff)
1973 – Larry Bettencourt, St. Mary’s C 1927 (Washington Fremont)
1973 – Bill McColl, Stanford E 1951 (San Diego Hoover)
1973 – Donn Moomaw, UCLA C 1952 (Santa Ana)
1974 – John Ferraro, USC T 1944 (Bell)
1975 – Frank Gifford, USC HB 1951 (Bakersfield)
1975 – Walter Gordon, Cal G 1918 (Riverside Poly)
1975 – Cotton Warburton, USC HB 1933 (San Diego)
1976 – Tom Fears, UCLA E 1947 (Los Angeles Manual Arts)
1976 – Ollie Matson, USF HB 1951 (San Francisco Washington)
1977 – Len Casanova, Santa Clara & Oregon coach (Ferndale)
1977 – Rod Franz, Cal G 1949 (San Francisco Galileo)
1980 – Tay Brown, USC T 1932 (Compton)
1980 – Eddie LeBaron, Pacific QB 1949 (Oakdale)
1981 – Vic Bottari, Cal HB 1938 (Vallejo)
1981 – Hugh McElhenny, Washington HB 1951 (Los Angeles Washington)
1982 – Les Richter, Cal G 1951 (Fresno)
1983 – John Baker, USC G 1931 (Kingsburg)
1983 – O.J. Simpson, USC HB 1968 (San Francisco Galileo)
1983 – Al Sparlis, UCLA G 1945 (Los Angeles Poly)
1984 – Sam Chapman, Cal HB 1937 (Mill Valley Tamalpais)
1984 – Jackie Jensen, Cal FB 1948 (Oakland)
1984 – Chuck Taylor, Stanford G 1984 (San Jose)
1985 – George Brown, San Diego State 1947 (San Diego Hoover)
1985 – Mike Garrett, USC HB 1965 (Los Angeles Roosevelt)
1986 – John Brodie, Stanford QB 1956 (Oakland Tech)
1987 – Mike McKeever, USC G 1960 (Los Angeles Mt. Carmel)
1987 – Ron Yary, USC T 1967 (Bellflower)
1988 – Gary Beban, UCLA QB 1967 (Redwood City Sequoia)
1989 – Paul Cleary, USC E 1947 (Santa Ana)
1989 – Matt Hazeltine, Cal LB 1954 (Mill Valley Tamalpais)
1990 – Jim Plunkett, Stanford QB 1970 (San Jose James Lick)
1992 – Craig Morton, Cal QB 1964 (Campbell)
1993 – Lynn Swann, USC WR 1973 (San Mateo Serra)
1995 – Chris Burford, Stanford E (Oakland)
1996 – Charles White, USC HB 1979 (San Fernando)
1996 – Jerry Robinson, UCLA LB 1978 (Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman)
1997 – Fred Dryer, San Diego State DL 1968 (Lawndale)
1999 – Bill Kilmer, UCLA QB 1960 (Azusa Citrus)
1999 – Ed White, Cal OG 1968 (Indio)
2000 – John Elway, Stanford QB 1982 (Granada Hills)
2001 – Jon Arnett, USC HB 1956 (Los Angeles Manual Arts)
2001 – Michael Haynes, Arizona State DB 1975 (Los Angeles Marshall)
2001 – Bill Redell, Occidental QB 1963 (San Marino)
2002 – Chris Ault, Nevada head coach (San Bernardino Pacific)
2002 – Brent Jones, Santa Clara TE 1985 (San Jose Leland)
2002 – Ronnie Lott, USC DB 1980 (Rialto Eisenhower)
2003 – Ricky Bell, USC RB 1976 (Los Angeles Fremont)
2003 – Ron Pritchard, Arizona State LB 1968 (Antioch)
2004 – Joe Kapp, Cal QB 1958 (Newhall Hart)
2004 – Charles Young, USC TE 1972 (Fresno Edison)
2005 – Anthony Davis, USC HB 1974 (San Fernando)
2005 – John Huarte, Notre Dame QB 1964 (Santa Ana Mater Dei)
2005 – Paul Wiggin, Stanford T 1956 (Manteca)
2005 – David Williams, Illinois WR 1985 (Gardena Serra)
2006 – Jeff Siemon, Stanford LB 1971 (Bakersfield)
2009 – Chuck Cecil, Arizona DB 1987 (La Mesa Helix)
2009 – Ken Margerum, Stanford WR 1986 (Fountain Valley)
2009 – Gino Torretta, Miami QB 1992 (Pinole Valley)
2010 – Randy Cross, UCLA C/G 1975 (Encino Crespi)
2010 – Sam Cunningham, USC FB 1972 (Santa Barbara)
2010 – Terry Donohue, UCLA head coach (Sherman Oaks Notre Dame)
2010 – Pat Tillman, Arizona State DB 1997 (San Jose Leland)
2012 – Steve Bartkowski, Cal QB 1974 (Santa Clara Buchser)
2012 – Hal Bedsole, USC E 1962 (Reseda)
2013 – Teddy Bruschi, Arizona DE 1995 (Roseville)
2014 – Mike Bellotti, Oregon/Chico St head coach (Concord Ygnacio Valley)
2014 – Darrin Nelson, Stanford RB 1981 (Downey Pius X)
2014 – John Sciarra, UCLA QB 1975 (La Puente Bishop Amat)
2015 – Ricky Williams, Texas RB 1998 (San Diego Patrick Henry)
2016 – Randall Cunningham, UNLV QB 1984 (Santa Barbara)
2016 – Pat McInally, Harvard WR/P 1975 (Villa Park)
2017 – Matt Leinart, USC QB 2005 (Santa Ana Mater Dei)
2021 – David Fulcher, Arizona State LB (Los Angeles Fremont)
2021 – Carson Palmer, USC QB 2002 (Rancho SM Santa Margarita)
2021 – Aaron Taylor, Notre Dame OL 1993 (Concord De La Salle)
2022 – Rashaan Salaam, Colorado RB 1994 (La Jolla Country Day)
2022 – Roy Williams, Oklahoma DB 2001 (Union City James Logan)
2023 – Reggie Bush, USC RB 2005 (La Mesa Helix)
Notable For Division II/NAIA:
1997 – Ken O’Brien, UC Davis QB 1982 (Carmichael Jesuit)
2010 – Brian Kelley, Cal Lutheran LB (Fullerton Sunny Hills)
*Muller and Barnes were teammates at San Diego High in 1917.
**Nevers started and finished high school at Central High (Superior, Wis.), but played his senior season of high school football at Santa Rosa.
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
