Five-star QB Ryder Lyons visiting Sacramento State

Five-star quarterback and 2026 recruit Ryder Lyons is visiting Sacramento State on Friday for an unofficial visit, a source told On3. The No. 4 quarterback in the On3 Industry Ranking from Folsom, California, is currently trending toward USC, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.

Currently an FCS program in the Big Sky Conference, Sacramento State hired Brennan Marion this offseason amid its push to move to FBS. Marion brings his Go-Go offense with him to Sacramento from UNLV. Along with the new head coach, Sacramento State has also announced plans for a new stadium and has claimed to source $35 million in NIL funds from local businesses, community leaders and a local tribe.

Ole Miss wide receiver commit Jameson Powell is also on an unofficial visit with Lyons.

The 2024 Gatorade California Football Player of the Year, Lyons threw for 2,874 yards and 44 touchdowns while also rushing for 556 yards and another 12 scores. Lyons is actually viewed as a 2027 as he plans to take an LDS mission following graduation. Oregon and USC are viewed as the top two, with BYU and Arizona are some of the other contenders.

Michigan has made a late push for Lyons, who is scheduled to visit Ann Arbor next month. Bill Belichick and North Carolina extended a scholarship over the winter to Ryder Lyons, too.

“I just think he’s a phenomenal athlete,” his quarterback trainer Danny Hernandez said. “You take a look at a kid who, he has a basketball background. It’s not that he’s a superstar in the basketball court or anything, but you do see a guy that’s very athletic. So he’s able to just create. … He’s just a big-time play maker, and it comes very natural to him too.”