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 heart of the defense.
Here are the top 10 linebackers to watch in San Joaquin County this fall.
Note: Players are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Mason Addington, Tokay
Back-to-back seasons as Tokay’s leading tackler have established Mason Addington as the heart of the defense. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound linebacker led the Tigers with 79 tackles and an interception as a sophomore before recording a team-high 78 tackles, two sacks, a fumble recovery and a 31-yard interception return as a junior. Addington earned first-team All-SJAA honors both years, and coach Collin Rhoads believes an even bigger season could be ahead. “He has stepped up this summer as a leader of our team,” Rhoads said. “Looking for a big year ahead.”
Giovanni Barbosa, McNair
There weren’t many positives for McNair to take from going 3-6 a year after finishing 7-3, but discovering what it had in junior Giovanni Barbosa was certainly one of them. The 5-foot-11 linebacker amassed a team-high 102 tackles in seven games as a sophomore, averaging 14.6 per contest, with 10 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Barbosa also forced two fumbles and recovered both, earning first-team All-SJAA and The Record’s 2025 All-San Joaquin County third-team honors.
Case Borges, Tracy
Good luck keeping Case Borges away from the football. After playing JV just one year earlier, the 6-foot, 182-pound senior linebacker exploded for 123 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in his first varsity season. For perspective, Tracy’s next-leading tackler finished with 45. Borges’ production earned him first-team All-TCAL honors, 2025 The Record All-County 1st Team and MaxPreps All-Section second-team recognition.
Erick Cortez, East Union
Getting into the backfield was Erick Cortez’s specialty last season. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound linebacker finished with 57 tackles, including 10 for loss, six sacks and a 74-yard pick-six. Cortez already saw time at middle linebacker, but with three of East Union’s four leading tacklers ahead of him gone, expect to see even more of him there this fall. The senior is also beginning to draw college attention, according to coach Jason Stock.
Khalil Daniels, Edison
Seven games were enough for Khalil Daniels to give Edison a glimpse of what’s ahead. The 6-foot, 215-pound middle linebacker recorded 36 tackles as a sophomore, still good for fifth on the team despite the limited action. Now, all four players who finished ahead of him have either graduated or transferred, leaving Daniels with a much bigger role. Coach Eric Crocker believes the junior could even lead Edison in tackles this season.
Chance Garner, Lincoln
For most freshmen, playing varsity is something to work toward. Chance Garner made it his starting point. The 6-foot-2, 202-pound linebacker didn’t simply crack Lincoln’s varsity lineup — he led the team with 60 tackles, including four for loss, and added three sacks. With three high school seasons still ahead, Garner’s frame and game have plenty of room to grow.
Lincoln Ly, Linden
Want an example of what an offseason of hard work can produce? Look at Lincoln Ly. The Linden linebacker went from just 17 tackles one season to becoming the Lions’ leading tackler with 92, along with seven tackles for loss, two sacks and the team’s only interception. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound senior earned first-team All-Mother Lode League honors while helping Linden reach its first CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship game since 2004.
Micah Mandracken, St. Mary’s
Only a sophomore, Micah Mandracken was already one of the leading tacklers on a state championship defense. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound linebacker racked up 81 tackles, fourth most on St. Mary’s, averaged 5.4 per game and added six pass deflections during what coach Tony Franks called “a heck of a season.” With Mandracken only entering his junior year, Franks believes “he will be one of the top returning linebackers in the county.”
Jon Reyes, Lodi
Week after week, wins remained hard to find during Lodi’s first one-win season in more than two decades. Jon Reyes kept making plays anyway. In his first varsity season, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound linebacker finished second on the team with 50 tackles, eight of them for loss, and led the Flames with five sacks. With Lodi looking to climb back from a 1-9 finish, the senior gives the defense someone to build around.
Jazciel Solis, St. Mary’s
Tony Franks might have trouble spelling Jazciel Solis’ name without hearing from his mother. Figuring out who will command the middle of St. Mary’s defense is much easier. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker recorded 36 tackles as a sophomore, finishing 10th on the team, but five players ahead of him have since departed, including two safeties, two defensive backs and a linebacker. Now a junior, Solis becomes the main voice of a defense replacing plenty of experience behind and around him.
This article originally appeared on The Record: San Joaquin County high school football 2026: Top 10 linebackers
Reporting by Dylan Ackermann, The Stockton Record / The Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dylan Ackermann, The Stockton Record | USA TODAY Network
