Elite 2026 QB Ryder Lyons impresses in junior season debut

Folsom (Calif.) quarterback Ryder Lyons is already an elite prospect in the 2026 class, but he also already has the look of someone who can be the next great gunslinger to hail from the Golden State.

Kicking off his junior season on Friday night, Lyons wasted no time adding some clips to his highlight reel. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder threw for 182 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 95 yards and a score.

Folsom, the No. 12 team in California, according to the On3 Massey Ratings , raced past No. 24 Long Beach Poly for a big 63-20 victory. It was Lyons who stole the show thanks to multiple eye-popping plays, including an absurd TD run in the second quarter.

The dual-threat QB broke out in a big way as a sophomore for Folsom, leading the Bulldogs to 13 wins and a fifth state title. He threw for 3,578 yards, 38 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also ran for 929 yards and added 23 more TDs on the ground.

Lyons is the No. 12 overall prospect and No. 3 QB in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking , a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 2 junior in California.

Of the top 10 signal-callers in the junior class, Lyons is the only one left on the board. USC is currently trending for his pledge, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine , though he recently logged positive visits to the likes of Auburn, Alabama, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.

“I am not focused on others,” Lyons told On3 earlier this month . “I see everyone is committing, but I am not going to be pressured, so I will commit when I feel it is right for me. Whether I commit in a month or in six months, I will still have a year to build a class. When I commit, I want to build the best class in the country, so that will be my focus when I find the right school.”

“The culture of the program is important to me,” he said. “I want to play for coaches who believe in me too. I am a hard worker, I strive to be the best, so I want to play for coaches who see that in me. Feeling at home, playing for great coaches and being in a position to win a national championship and Heisman Trophy are other big goals for me.”

Lyons and Folsom will return to action on Friday, Aug. 30, in a big clash against fellow top-25 California program Junipero Serra San Mateo .

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