The countdown to the 2026 high school football season is on.
San Joaquin County returns plenty of proven talent, but a new season also means new names, new opportunities and new players ready to break through.
Leading up to Week 0, The Record will highlight 10 players to watch at each position across the county.
Next up, the defensive front.
Here are the top 10 defensive linemen to watch in San Joaquin County this fall.
Note: Players are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Dom Amato, Manteca
Thirty-three of Manteca’s 36 sacks from last season walked out the door with graduation. So who’s next? Coach Mark Varnum points to Dom Amato. The 6-foot, 270-pound defensive tackle recorded 12 tackles last season, but his strength stands out as a Thousand Pound Club member with a 545-pound squat. Now, Amato gets his opportunity to help replenish a pass rush that played a major role in Manteca earning the No. 1 seed in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs.
Fallon Barquet, Lincoln
The TCAL coaches had their say on the league’s best defender last season, and Fallon Barquet was their choice. It’s easy to see why. The 6-foot-4, 198-pound defensive end and outside linebacker piled up 45 tackles, 11 sacks and 17 tackles for loss while adding an interception. The TCAL Defensive Player of the Year also earned The Record’s 2025 All-San Joaquin County recognition, and a similar senior season could bring collegiate attention.
Mehtaab Bhangu, St. Mary’s
A fifth-place finish at the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Masters wrestling tournament shows the physicality Mehtaab Bhangu brings. He may be an even better football player. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive end totaled 38 tackles and 1.5 sacks while earning honorable mention All-TCAL honors last season, numbers that don’t fully tell the story of his ability.
Malachi Joseph, Lathrop
One year, Malachi Joseph was playing freshman football. The next, JV. By his junior season, he was the WAC Defensive Lineman of the Year. The 6-foot-3, 285-pound defensive tackle burst onto the varsity scene with 43 tackles, including 25 tackles and three for loss in conference play. Joseph helped Lathrop run the table at 7-0 in the WAC and finish 10-2 overall.
Donald Kennard III, Edison
Not a single high school snap, and Edison already avoids running to Donald Kennard III’s side in practice. That’s how quickly the 6-foot-3, 250-pound freshman has made his presence felt. His uncle, Edison graduate Derrick Kennard, was an 11-year NFL veteran, Super Bowl champion and 1992 second-team All-Pro, part of a family lineage filled with NFL and Division I talent. Donald hasn’t built that resume yet, but he has four years to do it — and the early signs suggest Division I offers and a recruiting ranking could be in his future.
Jake Lucatello, St. Mary’s
Whether lined up at defensive end or tackle, Jake Lucatello was difficult to miss on St. Mary’s state championship defense. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound lineman piled up 86 tackles, third most on the team, 22 tackles for loss and eight sacks as a junior, earning first-team All-TCAL honors and The Record’s 2025 All-San Joaquin County Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Now a senior with a Division I offer from the University of San Diego, Lucatello has earned quite the praise from coach Tony Franks. “He is really something special,” Franks said.
Luke Lucatello, St. Mary’s
That’s right, there are two of them — and Luke Lucatello gave opposing offenses just as much to worry about as his twin brother. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound senior totaled 67 tackles, seventh most on St. Mary’s state championship team, 20 tackles for loss and led the Rams with 11 sacks. Despite being a second-team All-TCAL selection, Luke joined Jake as The Record’s 2025 All-San Joaquin County Co-Defensive Player of the Year. He also holds a Division I offer from the University of San Diego and has drawn high praise from the St. Mary’s coaching staff.
Elias Mao, Stagg
Elias Mao was already difficult to handle after recording 67 tackles and eight sacks as a sophomore. Somehow, he found another level. The 6-foot-2, 270-pound defensive lineman followed with 80 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks as a junior, earning SJAA Defensive Lineman of the Year honors while Stagg finished 8-3 for its first eight-win season since 2013. If his first two varsity seasons are any indication, Mao could have even more in store as a senior.
Maxwell Moore, Tracy
Forty tackles and two sacks as a freshman. Then 43 tackles, seven sacks and TCAL Defensive Lineman of the Year honors as a sophomore. Maxwell Moore’s rise has been quick, with the 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive tackle also earning The Record’s 2025 All-San Joaquin County first-team honors and returning a pick-six in Tracy’s 61-6 win over Merrill West on Aug. 22, 2025. With two high school seasons still ahead, Moore has plenty of potential to turn that production into collegiate attention.
Josiah Wiles, Franklin
It didn’t take long for Josiah Wiles to make an impression on Booker Guyton. Just months into his first year at Franklin, the former Edison coach believes the 6-foot, 270-pound defensive end has the potential to become the league’s best at his position. Wiles already earned second-team All-SJAA honors as a sophomore, and he’s only entering his junior season.
This article originally appeared on The Record: San Joaquin County high school football 2026: Top 10 defensive lineman
Reporting by Dylan Ackermann, The Stockton Record / The Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dylan Ackermann, The Stockton Record | USA TODAY Network
