MaxPreps 2012 Preseason All-Southern California Football Team

When it comes to skilled prep football players, Southern California has its fair share. Many of the country's more high-profile recruits, in fact, call the hotbed their home.

From the Inland Empire to Orange County. From Los Angeles to Ventura County. All points in between too. The talent pool from the West Coast is about as deep as any in the nation, rivaling the collection of prospects found in destinations such as Texas and Florida.

With the start of regular-season play right around the corner for many programs, it's time to take a look at some of the individuals who figure to make an impact for the respective schools. That said, here's an inside look at the MaxPreps 2012 Preseason All-So.Cal. Team.

MaxPreps 2012 Preseason All-Southern California Football Team

QB: Troy Williams, Narbonne (Harbor City), 6-1, 190, Sr.
Williams enjoyed a breakout effort a season ago when he passed for more than 3,200 yards, rushed for close to 600 and accounted for 46 touchdowns. What can Williams possibly do for an encore? Chances are, he duplicates the feat. At the very least, he ends up approaching the same kind of numbers.

RB: Terrell Newby, Chaminade (West Hills), 5-10, 185, Sr.
If the Eagles are going to have any type of success this season and make a prolonged postseason run, the offense must run through him. He showed glimpses of being able to carry the load as a sophomore and took a step forward last year. The maturation process continues for Newby.

RB: Craig Lee, Redlands, 6-0, 190, Sr.
Expectations this season are high for the UCLA commit. His goal is to gain more than 2,000 yards on the ground and score 20 touchowns. Good news is: Lee will be the focal part of the offense for the Terriers. Bad news is: Defenses will focus their efforts toward stopping him.

WR: Demorea Stringfellow, Rancho Verde (Moreno Valley), 6-2, 185, Sr.
Secondaries figure to have a hard time stopping him this season. With his size, Stringfellow can go up and catch the ball at its highest point. With his fearlessness, he can make the difficult catch over the middle. With his speed, the Washington commit can stretch the field vertically.

WR: Steven Mitchell, Alemany (Mission Hills), 5-10, 180, Sr.
A threat to take the ball to the house and score a touchdown each time he touches the ball, Mitchell is one of the West Coast's most feared individuals. He figures to see plenty of double-and-triple teams this season. The added attention, however, will not keep him out of the end zone.

TE: Marcus Baugh, JW North (Riverside), 6-4, 245, Sr.
His numbers from a season ago were modest. He finished with 30 receptions for 528 yards and seven touchdowns. The perceived lack of production will likely drive the Ohio State commit to prove the naysayers wrong. Therefore, it's reasonable to expect a spike in production.

OL: John Lopez, Orange Lutheran, 6-6, 320, Sr.
They don't make them much bigger, or badder, than Lopez. Once he gets going in one direction, watch out, because Lopez is an absolute load to stop. He committed to UCLA in August.

OL: Nico Falah, St. John Bosco (Bellflower), 6-7, 270, Sr.
Whether it's creating a hole for his running back to pick up chunks of yardage or creating room in the pocket for his quarterback to stand and deliver, the USC commit is up to the task.

OL: Erik Bunte, Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita), 6-7, 323, Sr.
Versatility is certainly his strong suit. He can play just about any position on the line and is particularly effective at the guard and tackle spots. The UCLA commit is a jack-of-all-trades type.

OL: Alex Redmond, Los Alamitos, 6-5, 302, Sr.
As physical as they come, he never backs down from a challenge. His unwavering spirit to compete from start to finish is what truly separates the Oregon commit from most of his peers.

OL: Cameron Hunt, Centennial (Corona), 6-4, 263, Sr.
For years now, the Huskies have been known to develop quality linemen. Hunt will keep the tradition alive and well. That is, of course, until he graduates and moves on the next level at Cal.

DL: Joe Mathis, Upland, 6-4, 250, Sr.
Despite facing multiple linemen on each and every snap last season, he was a beast and ended up with 79 tackles and six sacks. And things don't figure to be any easier this time around. Mathis is marked man. Nevertheless, expect him to find a way to stuff the stat sheet on a weekly basis.

DL: Kylie Fitts, Redlands East Valley, 6-5, 263, Sr.
With a motor that doesn't stop, he is a nightmare for opposing teams to deal with. Fitts has an explosive first step. His strength is completely off the charts, too. Combine those facts together and you start to understand why the USC commit is a problem from his spot on the end of the line.

DL: Kenneth Clark, Carter (Rialto), 6-2, 303, Sr.
When it comes to disruptive forces on the inside, few do it better from the tackle position than Clark. He has an uncanny knack for getting off the ball fast. Next thing you know, the UCLA commit is in the backfield throwing the ballcarrier for a loss or sacking the quarterback.

DL: Myron Aiava, Westminster, 6-5, 270, Sr.
An underrated type in the past, Aiava appears poised to deliver a breakthrough effort this season. If anyone is able to put the Lions on the map, perhaps it's the Utah commit.

LB: Cameron Judge, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village), 6-1, 200, Sr.
There's not much he can't do when the ball is snapped. Judge is capable of stopping a back in his tracks or covering a tight end in pass coverage. He committed to UCLA in June.

LB: Viliami Latu, Rancho Cucamonga, 6-2, 230, Sr.
Latu does not receive nearly enough credit, but rest assured, the lack of exposure in the past fuels the fire inside him. The unquestioned leader for the Cougars, his work ethic is unmatched.

LB: Keishawn Bierria, Narbonne (Harbor City), 6-1, 205, Sr.
The Gauchos' offense is explosive, behind quarterback Troy Williams, there's no doubt about it. Bierra, however, is equally important to this team. On the defensive side of the ball, he is essentially the glue that holds the unit together. With him in the lineup, Narbonne is a balanced bunch.

DB: Su'a Cravens, Vista Murrieta (Murrieta), 6-1, 205, Sr.
Size. Speed. Smarts. Stamina. Toughness. Cravens is the total package. Considered by most as the Golden State's top prospect, he's also mentioned in the same sentence as the nation's premier players around, regardless of position. Cravens recently committed to nearby USC.

DB: Max Redfield, Mission Viejo, 6-3, 195, Sr.
The USC commit is play-maker, a ball-hawker, always attempting to change the momentum of a game with his aggressive style. Opposing offensive coordinators have designed game plans around avoiding the presence of Redfield in the past. The strategy failed more times than not.

DB: Chris Hawkins, Rancho Cucamonga, 6-0, 170, Sr.
The Cougars' coaching staff has been known to be completely comfortable with leaving him alone, out on a proverbial island, in the secondary. His cover skills are superior. So much so, the USC commit is capable of shutting down an entire side if the field when called upon to do so.

DB: Tahaan Goodman, Rancho Cucamonga, 6-2, 185, Sr.
With an above-average frame and possessing exceptional range, he matches up well with oversized tight ends and can keep up with speedy receivers. Not afraid to play close to the line of scrimmage, Goodman mixes it up with offensive linemen en route to tackling running backs.

K: Jose Morales, Lompoc, 6-0, 200, Sr.
Far from automatic, he did a serviceable job for the Braves a season ago. One thing Morales does have going for him is a strong leg. He nailed 50-yard field goal last year.

P: Andrew Jimenez, Paraclete (Lancaster), 5-10, 165, Jr.
A busy young man last season, he averaged 43 yards on his 28 attempts with a long of 65. Six of his boots landed inside the 20-yard line too. Not too shabby.

All-purpose: Sebastian LaRue, Santa Monica, 5-11, 188, Sr.
LaRue plays on both sides of the ball for the Vikings, although he's most valuable when he lines up at receiver. It will be interesting to see what position the USC commit calls home once he reaches the next level. One thing is certain: LaRue is capable of getting the job done all over the field.

All-purpose: Khalfani Muhammad, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), 5-8, 174, Sr.
As the featured running back for the Knights, he figures to touch the football early and often over the course of a game. Equipped with sprinter's speed, it's reasonable to expect him to catch the ball out of the backfield as well. Muhammad is most dangerous in the open field.

All-purpose: Dashon Hunt, Westlake (Westlake Village), 5-9, 175, Sr.
Hunt projects as a defensive back in college. However, he gained more than 1,000 yards rushing a season ago and signs point to being the No.1 option on offense for the Warriors this time around. He initially committed to UCLA but has since opened up the recruiting process.

Sean Ceglinsky has covered preps and college sports in Southern California for the better part of the past 15-plus years. Follow him on twitter: @SeanCeglinsky