The Hotline is delighted to provide college football fans with a regular dive into the recruiting process through the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based national recruiting editor for 247Sports. He submitted the following report on Feb. 20 …
In-state recruiting used to be the lifeblood of any college football program. But with national recruiting more popular these days — family travel is largely covered by NIL money, and every game is televised or streamed — seeing your son play is easier than ever. Even in a conference on the other side of the country.
Still, schools will tell you they’d love to keep the best players at home.
Here’s a look at key in-state targets on defense in the 2025-26 recruiting cycle for each of the Pac-12 legacy schools.
Arizona: LB Hudson Dunn (Peoria)
Dunn is the top defensive prospect in the state in the ’26 class, and the Wildcats have made him a huge priority. They’ll have a battle on their hands but have welcomed the three-star prospect to campus numerous times and are making a big push to keep him home.
Arizona State: CB Camren Hamiel (Goodyear)
Hamiel has been in Arizona for a year after moving from Indiana, but the Sun Devils’ breakthrough season had a big impact on his outlook, as we anticipated it would. To date, Arizona State has secured the only scheduled official visit of the spring for the four-star recruit. The Devils might encounter competition, but they have made Hamiel a priority, and getting that first visit is big.
Cal: DL Nemyah Telona (Concord)
The Bears have struggled to land players from Concord De La Salle High School, the nearby prep powerhouse. They tried a year ago with Telona’s teammate, Matthew Johnson, but Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, a former De La Salle player, was able to snag him. While Lupoi is trying to do the same with Telona, a three-star prospect, the Bears have a legitimate chance to keep him — and rebuild that pipeline.
Colorado: DL Tufanua Ionatana Umu-Cais (Englewood)
Umu-Cais is one of just a handful of in-state recruits with an offer from CU coach Deion Sanders and the only defensive recruit in this class to have one. (That fact is not lost on him.) But other schools are interested in the three-star player. In fact, he has nearly 30 scholarship offers, from all over the country, so the Buffaloes have their work cut out to keep him home.
Oregon: DL Tony Cumberland (Eugene)
Cumberland made the move to Oregon prior to his junior season but was already committed to the Ducks when he relocated from Arizona. The four-star prospect has remained steadfast in that commitment and is now in Oregon’s backyard, making it that much more difficult for someone to rip him away.
Oregon State: Edge Noah Tishendorf (Lake Oswego)
The Beavers have been close to signing players from Lakeridge High School in previous classes, but Tishendorf is the one they have the best chance to secure. They already have a commitment from one in-state prospect, LaMarcus Bell, who plays for Tishendorf’s crosstown rival (Lake Oswego). Tishendorf is the only in-state defensive player with an offer from the Beavers, which reflects their motivation to sign the three-star recruit.
Stanford: LB Chase Cahoon (Mountain View)
Cahoon, whose high school, St. Francis, is less than 10 miles from Stanford Stadium, is the first player to commit to the Cardinal in the ’26 class. Starting off with an in-state player is important for coach Troy Taylor. But landing a recruit so close to campus is a bigger bonus: It allows the three-star prospect to visit on weekends and do some recruiting of his own.
UCLA: Edge Shaun Scott (Santa Ana)
Scott plays for Mater Dei High School, which has produced two Oregon commitments alone in this class. But UCLA has made a huge push for Scott, and he knows it: The four-star prospect is the top in-state pass rusher on the Bruins’ board and is planning to set up an official visit with UCLA, which has made strides at Mater Dei under coach DeShaun Foster.
USC: CB Brandon Arrington (Spring Valley)
Arrington is the No. 1 athlete in the country according to the 247Sports composite database and can play on both sides of the ball. USC covets the five-star prospect as a defensive back and will take his speed — he’s the defending 100-meter and 200-meter state champion — any day. Arrington can return kicks and punts, as well, and could even play receiver. Just like a certain recent Heisman Trophy winner.
Utah: DB Salesi Moa (Ogden)
Moa is the top-ranked player in Utah in the 2026 class, an elite two-way prospect who originally wanted to play receiver but now wants to play defense. How nice: That’s exactly where the Utes want the four-star recruit, too. His older brother, Aisea, was once committed to Utah before flipping to Brigham Young. But his father, Ben, is a former Utes tight end. They would love to get the younger standout.
Washington: Edge Derek Colman-Brusa (Burien)
The No. 1 recruit in the state in the 2026 class, Colman-Brusa has held an offer from the Huskies since before he even started high school — before Kalen DeBoer even coached a game in Seattle, in fact. Washington offers proximity to home for the four-star recruit and has an ace in the hole: The Huskies signed his brother, Lowen Colman-Brusa, as an offensive lineman in their 2025 class.
Washington State: LB Ramzak Fruean (Spanaway)
Fruean was offered by the new Washington State coaching staff earlier this month. He’s a top-five recruit in the state and the one the Cougars have the best shot to land. He has an official visit to Pullman set for the middle of June — the last one on his schedule. WSU has battled Washington for the three-star prospect, as well as UCLA and Arizona State.
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