Fast rise coming for 2026 California OL Josh Haney during spring evaluations
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
More than a big body, Josh Haney is a road-grader that can move defenders in the box down the field. Haney (6-5, 290) got after it throughout his junior campaign roughing over some of the country’s best defenses out of California’s Trinity League. Early evaluations on the Class of 2026 prospect have brought offers from Colorado State and Purdue with recruiting interests on the rise.
JSerra Catholic’s offense was detailed by Haney, “We run a lot of RPO (run-pass option). We are in the shotgun the whole time. We have a mobile quarterback; he is a very important part of our scheme. He finds gaps in the pass blocking and takes off.”
The Lions had a balanced offense during the 2024 season allowing Haney to showcase his pass-pro and run blocking.
“I think I am very good at keeping aggression throughout the game, and keeping it level emotionally,” Haney stated. “I don’t let my emotions get in the way with how I am playing on the field. I worked on a lot this season; getting the extension with my arms and engaging at the point of attack are strengths. I feel the extension is very important because that is creating that distance with the defender and not letting them get control.”
Hitting the weight room and the field, Haney is already preparing for his senior year which will bring a move from guard to tackle.
“I started working on this with my coach; I had to reset the footwork,” Haney said. “It will be a process to change my footwork to playing tackle, but I already feel good about it. I am pumped and excited to play tackle again. It doesn’t matter the amount of work I have to put in because I am having so much fun with it. I am working on my vertical sets. You have to go back more especially against the fast edge rushers you see these days.”
Josh Haney at Purdue (2024).
The two scholarship opportunities are about to get more company.
“I have talked to USC, Rice, Nevada, UNLV, San Diego State, and I have talked to Boise State a little bit,” Haney shared. “There are more. There are a lot of coaches that reach out on Twitter, but those are the main ones.”
Coaches are letting Haney know why they are on the phone.
“They really like my aggression, my technique, how I am hitting hard, and how I am finishing my blocks,” Haney added. “They like that I am leaving it all on the field. They also like my athleticism.”
Purdue, Nebraska, USC, and San Diego State hosted Haney for games this past season.
The West Lafayette experience was covered.
“I thought it was really fun,” Haney stated. “I was excited to be there the whole time. From what I saw, the game day environment was very fun. It was a fun experience to see what opportunities I could have at Purdue. I liked what the coaches showed me. The thought about what I could be doing there was great. The hospitality of all their coaches and everyone was great. I had a good time.”
Heading up the 405, Haney spoke about seeing the Trojans in person.
“I thought it was really fun,” Haney said. “It was really cool. Both my parents went to USC; there is a connection to USC. I have been going to those games since I can remember. USC is a cool school; it is awesome because it is local. The personal connection with my family to USC is great. It is awesome to see how things work there.”
Before the winter break, the head Duck in Eugene made a stop in San Juan Capistrano to see Haney.
“During the season, I talked to coach Dan Lanning, and Wyoming along with a couple of other players,” Haney shared.
Haney continued on the experience meeting Oregon’s head coach, “I was called out of class; they said coach wants you to talk to someone. I see him, and I’m like “oh my gosh”. He complimented me on my film. That was right before a game too; I was like “wow”.”
The 2025 travel schedule is wide open.
“I’d really like to visit USC again – all of them I would love to go visit,” Haney shared. “Every program can have something for me, I want to see what those opportunities are and what is possible. I want to explore all my options.”
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