Top 10 highest-rated California HS football players of all time
2. D.J. Williams, Class of 2000 鈥� .9998
Williams is the oldest member of this list but he鈥檚 the . The standout linebacker from De La Salle High School (Concord) was the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year as a senior 鈥� when he tallied 130 tackles, six sacks and broke the school record for touchdowns in a season with 42 while rushing for 1,974 yards 鈥� and was regarded as the nation鈥檚 top player.
After beginning his collegiate career at the University of Miami as a fullback, Williams switched back to his preferred position at linebacker and helped the Hurricanes win the 2001 BCS national championship behind his 51 tackles on the season and crucial forced fumble in the Rose Bowl against Nebraska. He went on to be a first-team All-Big East selection in back-to-back seasons (2002, 2003) before being selected in the first round (17th overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Williams quickly emerged as one of the league鈥檚 top linebackers and racked up 899 career tackles and 22.5 sacks during his 11-year NFL career.
