By Michael West, Contributing Writer
Last Fall, Dreyden Garner transferred back to his roots at University City after a noteworthy campaign at Lincoln High during the 2023 football season. His was expected to boost his profile having emerged as the second leading Wide Receiver for the Hornets his Junior Year.
The gazelle like pass catcher not only returned to quickly establish he was going to be the Centurions’ leading receiver, he also garnered (no pun intended) attention from major Division I football schools.
So it was quite a surprise that the fleet footed wideout didn’t immediately announce who he committed to in early December. Well, it turns out he actually did commit in December, but it wasn’t to any of the schools that were considered to be his favorites.
None of the schools he mentioned as favorites picked up the flashy receiver, and that was quite a surprise. Though listed as a Three Star Wide Receiver in the fall, schools like San Diego State, Arizona and Oklahoma State had offered scholarships to Garner.
| Recruiting Service | Grade | Rating | National Rank | QB Rank | State Ranking |
| On3 | 89 | 3 Star | – | 55 | 32 |
| 247 Sports | 88 | 3 Star | – | 54 | 60 |
| ESPN 300 | 79 | 3 Star | – | 76 | 40 |
| Rivals | 5.6 | 3 Star | – | – | 88 |
It was no surprise then, that the big-play wideout would be the highest rated Wide Receiver Sacramento State has ever signed. In fact, Garner is the highest rated Wide Receiver to ever sign a scholarship with an FCS team.
If you believe Garner was excellent in High School, Sacramento State is about to unleash a thunderstorm upon the Big Sky Conference. The Hornets picked up what I consider an All Conference Player. The reliable and sure handed receiver caught 136 passes for 2,921 yards and 31 touchdowns over his four seasons in San Diego.
As surprising a development as this is, I believe this may be a golden opportunity for Garner to not only post outstanding numbers for Sac State (as they are popularly called), but Garner will be on display to the same schools he impressed going into his senior season. With the advent of NIL in college football, I believe Garner will end up at one of the very schools that offered him a scholarship his junior season.
Congratulations Mr. Garner, best of luck to you this year.
You can check out Garner’s highlights from his senior year here:
Sr. Season Film!! Receiving 41, All Purpose Yards 1168, Touchdowns 13
https://x.com/i/status/1839812956315640262
Highlights courtesy Dreyden Garner’s X page.
