Trent Mosley speeds down the sidelines for Santa Margarita during recent win at home vs Liberty of Bakersfield. Photo: Greg Townsend / Courtesy school.
Junior multi-purpose player at Santa Margarita Catholic leaves opponents in his wake and is rewriting the school’s record book. And as a sophomore he was MVP on offense in the Trinity League. Go inside for an in-depth look at this Class of 2026 standout and yes we know that head coach Anthony Rouzier was placed on administrative leave this week. We had assigned this story and had it ready to be posted before that news was made public. It’s still a great look at a great player.
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If you want to get an introduction to what Trent Mosley of Santa Margarita can do on a football field, the first quarter of the Eagles’ game in September against perennial power and nationally ranked Centennial of Corona may be the best example. He caught touchdown passes that went for 51 and 67 yards and he scored on a 1-yard run in an eventual 31-15 win that catapulted the Eagles into the national rankings themselves until they lost two weeks ago, 14-13, to Leuzinger of Lawndale in a game that Mosley didn’t play. In that Centennial game, he also ended with nine catches for 217 yards.
Being an All-America selection, Most Valuable Player in the strongest prep football league in the nation, son of two former successful athletes at the University of Notre Dame, maintaining a high grade point average and immersing one’s self in the fabric of a Catholic high school is challenging and even daunting. Not everyone can accept that role.
For Mosley, that is the life at the South Orange County school that he currently lives — and loves every minute of it. The multi-purpose star has definite goals in front of him, and as he maneuvers on the football field, he has a plan to score. Trent resides in a home that, when he and his siblings complete college, there will have been six NCAA Division 1 athletes.
The Notre Dame factor is especially prevalent throughout the home. Trent’s parents, Emmett IV and Cindy, were noteworthy athletes for the Irish in the 1990s. They give him all the support possible and have shared the ND experience with all of the family, including Trent.
“The three pillars of Notre Dame are faith, sports and academics,” he immediately offered.
Cindy, known as Cindy Daws from Bishop Alemany (Mission Hills), went on to play a significant role in bringing the Irish women’s soccer program to prominence. A four-year starter, she swept the top three awards in women’s soccer and collegiate athletics in her senior year. Daws won the Honda-Broderick Cup, which is given to the nation’s top female college athlete.
Emmett IV played for legendary Coach Lou Holtz, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He appeared in 44 games, playing in the ND backfield from 1993-96, as the Irish won nearly 74 percent of their games and played in four bowls.
Both Emmett IV and Cindy are quite active with the SMC community and their sons’ teams.
“I’ve been around it my whole life,” Trent told an Irish recruiting blog site. “They (ND) have an amazing education. It’s not only for football, it’s more. When you’re done with football, you have a great degree in whatever you choose to do.” He went on to add: “That’s probably the biggest thing I’ve learned, especially from my dad. The culture and vibe are a really great fit for almost everyone.”
This is Trent looking for daylight during his 217-yard receiving game for the Eagles when they posted their big win over Corona Centennial. Photo: Taylor Mielke / Courtesy school.
Athletic Family
The Mosley family is surrounded by more athletic prowess beyond the immediate household that transcends to extended family. In addition to his parents, Trent’s three siblings are gifted with extra special athletic talent. Sister Jalyn, the eldest, was a soccer player for Iowa and was an Academic All-Big Ten Conference selection. Older brother Emmett V graduated from SMC in 2023 and is now at Stanford.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Emmett V was considered an All-American entering his senior season in 2023, but was unfortunately injured and did not play. Trent’s other sibling Grant is a freshman at SMC and on the varsity. Trent’s uncle, Chester Burnett, also was a linebacker for Arizona and drafted by the Minnesota Vikings. Cousins Gage (Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo) and Keyan (Arizona) Burnett are collegiate linebackers.
The Legacy Begins
Emmett V, the first of the Mosley siblings to enroll in high school, attended Servite in Anaheim his first two years. For his junior year, the family moved and he decided to transfer to SMC. During this time, Trent would also begin his freshman year. The change certainly paid dividends for all.
“Values are really important to our family. The morals we saw here at SMC are what appealed to us, being accepted in the community,” Trent said. “The choice was easy because of the great balance between academics and sports. I immediately felt a positive connection in the environment with teachers and coaches.”
Trent Mosley is shown as a sophomore last season with the Eagles. Photo: Twitter.com.
Emergence and Rise
In his first season with the Eagles, 2022, Emmett V made an immediate impact on the offensive attack. The speedy and talented receiver piled up near record statistics as he helped SMC to success and an appearance in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs. Trent too saw significant action as a freshman at receiver and built his confidence as he collected 28 pass receptions and averaged nearly 15 yards per catch.
The 2023 season started on a down note as Emmett V suffered a season-ending knee injury in the summer. As Emmett was going to be a vital component in the offense, this became his brother’s opportunity, which led to him being the main offensive focus. The result was an eruption of success as Trent posted numbers that led him to be voted the Trinity League Most Valuable Player (offense) by the other coaches. In all, he had 81 receptions for 1,282 yards (15.8 average) and 11 touchdowns. He rushed for 270 yards and 15 more scores, giving him 26 all-purpose trips to the end zone. The 81 balls he caught were three more than brother Emmett V grabbed in the 2022 season which was nearly a school mark.
“Emmett’s injury has made me stop and reflect on my vulnerability,” Trent said. “I now seek to simplify my athletic career — just enjoy the moment and not take anything for granted.”
Thus far, Trent’s 2024 season has seen him amass 557 yards receiving through the first four games. That rivals the 567 receiving yards he gained in the final three regular season contests of 2023 — three of those games with more than 210 yards. In fact, he is averaging nearly 25 more receiving yards per game than last season.
“I don’t expect to get in the end zone every time but I do expect to get at least five more yards on each play,” he said.
That is certainly true to the eye of the observer. Trent is blessed with sub-4.5 speed (40-yard dash) with exceptional body control, soft hands and leaping ability.
The Numbers
Currently Trent has five pages of the team’s Media and Information Guide dedicated to his accomplishments, records and awards. His extensive and sometimes computer game like numbers can be astonishing. With the stellar start of his career, Trent has embarked on a trek to rewrite the SMC Record Book at the game, season and all-time levels.
Mosley’s current statistics have already vaulted him into the lead or closely approaching many of those records.
One example of this is the SMC record for career pass receptions. As of this writing, Trent has collected 143 catches. That is already third in history and he most likely will climb to the second spot (155) before the season ends. Staying healthy, he will establish a new school mark early next season when he hits 179. With a decent chance of reaching 200 for his career, Trent would be included in the top 10 of the CIF-Southern Section Record Book and second all-time in Orange County. Two hundred career catches also would go into the Cal-Hi Sports state record lists.
Coupled with that career record is Mosley’s consecutive-game streak of catching at least one pass. That currently stands at 24 straight in games played. The record was established 31 years ago. The only time Trent has not caught a pass was in his first career game with the Eagles in 2022.
More Superlatives
*425 all-purpose yards at JSerra Catholic (2023)
*6 overall touchdowns at Bishop Amat (La Puente) (2023)
*27 plays of 25-or-more yards
*13 plays of 50-or-more yards
*10.57 yards per touch in career
As he dazzles all, Trent has already earned just about every award and honor a prep football star can garner. He is All-County, All-Section, All-State and even All-America. There is not a prep media journalist that doesn’t know his name.
Mosley is shown in the open field during team’s loss earlier this season to state No. 3 Mission Viejo. Photo: Greg Townsend / Courtesy school.
Versatility
It would be easier to list the positions that Trent does not play on the gridiron than the ones that he does. He is the skilled player that any coach would want to get the ball to as much as possible and in any manner — a playmaker.
Offensively, he sees action at wide receiver, running back, slot back and wildcat quarterback. In pivotal situations, Trent has been inserted to the defensive rotation at safety and cornerback. Not done yet, he is on kickoff return, punt return and holder for PAT conversions. He scored two 2-point conversions in the same game last year at Bishop Amat (La Puente).
Playing Style and Ability
Shifty and quick. Those are just two adjectives that adequately describe Trent on the field. His trademark weapon is to be patient while a play develops and then let his opposition make the first move (or moves) and then make a calculated decision to cut, push, redirect and so on. After that one elusive move, he turns on the speed and he’s gone. Very rarely can opponents catch this superior athlete once he gets a few yards in front of them and is in the open field. A large percentage of his touchdowns are of the “long distance” variety.
Opponents, fans and even his teammates (it never gets too redundant) shake their heads in astonishment at Trent’s vast athleticism. Humble, after scoring a touchdown, he flashes that million-dollar smile, shares the moment with teammates and digests another dose of confidence for next time.
Media Observations and Praise
As soon after reputable prep sports media outlets in the Orange County and Los Angeles areas got their first glimpse of Trent’s emergence in 2023, they were quick to bestow the highest praise.
Mark Tennis of Cal-Hi Sports (calhisports.com) said that Trent is the “Most versatile player on the field in 2024.”
Eric Sondheimer of The Los Angeles Times has asserted that Trent is a “One-man wrecking crew and a special talent.” During his preseason preview, Sondheimer predicted that “In the 2024 season, Trent Mosley will score touchdowns returning a kickoff, returning a punt, catching a pass, running and throwing a pass — in a single game.”
Tarek Fattal of SBLive / scorebooklive.com described Trent as “Unguardable and lightning in a bottle.”
Michael Huntley of PrepRedzone.com and OCVarsity.com flourished Trent with compliments about his play from every aspect: “Trent specializes in plays after the catch. He’s the key target and his team gets the ball to him any way they can — makes big plays on all levels of the field.”
Greg Biggins, a premiere high school football talent assessor in the Southland for 247 Sports said, “Trent is a natural football player, skilled and very talented. Not a flat out burner — more quick than fast — but he is most deadly after the catch.” He likens Trent’s body frame and playing style to Mater Dei grad and current Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Former SMC Head Coach Harry Welch, three-time state championship winning coach and member of the inaugural class of the California High School Football Hall of Fame (2023) was captivated when he saw Trent play. “He is the best sophomore level player I have ever seen,” Welch said. This is high praise given the roll call of players Welch has seen and mentored in a career that spanned nearly four-decades.
Steve Fryer of the Orange County Register said: “Trent is most likely the top player in Orange County.” Very high praise considering the talent pool at schools like Mater Dei, Mission Viejo and the rest of the Trinity League (except St. John Bosco).
Emmett Mosley missed almost an entire year of football due to a knee injury he had in the summer of 2023. Photo: GoStanford.com.
Up Close and Personal
Trent himself is a quiet, calm and demure young man. He enjoys all the usual things that 17-year-olds do. He especially loves hanging out with teammates, attending other school athletic events and meeting new people at school.
The most revealing look into his life came last spring when he appeared on the school’s YouTube channel — a broadcast television production on Eagle TV 2.0 Sports. Mosley sat down with teacher and well-known sports broadcaster Paul Higgins and showed no shyness when he eloquently shared his love of the main elements of his life and goals. He spoke of family, school, athletics and spirituality.
He was quick to mention the efforts that it sometimes takes to keep the process rolling. “My mom encourages all of her athletes with two words ‘effort’ and ‘attitude’ — the two things you can control,” he said. Trent added, “She prays for our continued health — she too knows how quickly things can change on one play. Her experience gives me perspective and a mindset to carry with me.”
Ending the piece, Trent was asked to share three words that best describe him. “The three words that describe me are hard working, determined and friendly.”
Training Program
“My offseason training consists of a heavy dose of weight training,” he said. “I also work with a special trainer to improve my speed with a method called plyometrics (type of exercise training that uses speed and force of different movements to build muscle power). In January, I start working with our quarterbacks to develop timing, rhythm and consistency.”
Trent’s competitiveness took a new direction last spring when he decided to take the field in a new endeavor — lacrosse. His grit and fitness led him to gain immediate success with the stick. Overall, in 11 games, he tallied 15 goals, 5 assists for 20 points as SMC was one of the top teams in California.
Recruiting Path
As far as the recruiting ladder goes, Trent is anywhere from No. 15 to No. 25 in California overall — all positions — for an absolutely loaded Class of 2026 that includes several of the nation’s top ranked quarterbacks.
At his receiver position, he is between No. 5 and No. 10. He has earned 17 Division 1 offers. These include many of the powerhouse schools including: Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Oregon, Michigan State, Texas A&M, USC, San Diego State, Stanford, Texas and Notre Dame. Obviously, the ND one sticks out the most as well as Stanford where his brother is playing. Having parents who are alumni may make the Irish recruiters feel more comfortable, but Trent has not tipped his hand one bit. All of the ND fan blogs say the word on the street is that they want him “bad.”
The Competition
Playing in the Trinity League is the toughest experience any high school athlete can take on — in any sport, not just football. The six member schools offer competition versus the best players in Southern California, and arguably the nation. Their schedules have proven to be the toughest in the country. Two perennial powers, St. John Bosco and Mater Dei, vie for the national championship regularly while contenders JSerra Catholic, Orange Lutheran, Servite and SMC try to keep pace but would win any other area league championship handily. The five game schedule each Trinity League school faces against each other, coupled with their nonleague slate, is rugged enough to elevate all six to the level of the toughest.
The Future
Trent currently describes his future in the form of a five-year plan. He will finish high school and then move on to a Division 1 program where he can continue his development at the professional level.
“I’ve been driven by the fun and competitiveness of sports from a young age,” he said. “It’s what drives me. My dream is to play football in college and then the NFL. Our coaches focus on academics and hold each player to a standard. The faculty mentors each student while clubs, activities and sports enhance the experience. This is great preparation.”
Certainly the young man has a huge start on his possible way to the NFL. His football education continues each way he turns.
Andy Sulick, long time President of SMC, a huge sports fan who played football at SMC and in college said “This young man is the epitome of what a well-rounded high school student athlete should be — that personification is basically extinct. Mosley is a servant leader in the community. He strives to get better in everything he takes on. Despite his success and talent, he is humble and practices gratitude.”
Anthony Rouzier, SMC’s head coach, goes as far as stating that Trent is the best player in the state.
“Certainly he’s the most dynamic player in the Trinity League,” Rouzier said. “This amazing young man deserves every award he gets. I’m blessed to be a part of his journey.”
That journey will continue for Mosley this weekend as the Eagles come off of their bye week (and after the upset loss to Leuzinger) to face Mater Dei, the No. 1 team in the nation.
Chuck Nan is a frequent contributor to CalHiSports.com, primarily for Orange County where he lives. Chuck also has authored a book “San Francisco Giants Fifty Years By The Bay” and is currently working on one about the now demolished Candlestick Park.
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
One Comment
Great article. Interesting. Superb writing.