Prolific running back and safety Jaylee Abraham, one of the top Class of 2028 prospects in the state, is transferring from Desert View to Peoria Centennial, sources have confirmed.
Per AIA transfer rules, Abraham will have to miss Centennial’s first five games this fall before gaining eligibility, unless he and his family make an appeal.
Abraham, the reigning Bijan Robinson Arizona Bowl High School Player of the Year, rushed for 1,716 yards (8.9 yards per carry) and 33 touchdowns, and tallied 30 receptions for 574 yards with five touchdowns last season. He also had 46 tackles and five interceptions.
He led the Jaguars to a perfect regular season, the first time that’s happened in program history, and an 11-1 overall record. They were eliminated in the 5A quarterfinals by Waddell Canyon View 38-28.
He was selected a 5A Southern Region Player of the Year and All-5A first-team accolades as a running back. He was also a 5A Southern first-team choice as a defensive back, running back and punt returner.
The loss of Abraham may adversely affect Desert View, although the Jaguars had 41 other underclassmen on last season’s roster. Included among them are All-5A Southern first-team selections Esteban Ortiz (junior offensive lineman) and Anthony Rodarte (sophomore receiver).
A name to watch with Abraham leaving: Greg McKinstry III, a junior running back who is the son of new Empire coach Greg McKinstry Jr. (who has also served as head coach at Catalina and Catalina Foothills).
The younger McKinstry, also a linebacker at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, played sparingly on offense because Abraham had a bulk of the carries. On defense, McKinstry III had 52 tackles, four for loss.
His father played Division I football as a defensive back at Ohio and Northern Iowa.
FORMER SALPOINTE & PUSCH RIDGE STANDOUTS TRANSFER TO NEW PROGRAMS
Former Salpointe standout linebacker Orlando Gonzalez is transferring from Saddleback College at Mission Viejo, Calif., to Indiana State with three years of eligibility remaining.
Tyler Nolan, a former Pusch Ridge placekicker who was at NAU last year, is transferring to Azusa Pacific.
Gonzalez was an All-National Division Southern League second-team selection after finishing eighth on Saddleback’s team in tackles. Gonzalez totaled 33 total tackles with three for loss, and had one fumble recovery and one interception last season.
Indiana State plays an NCAA D1 FCS schedule within the Missouri Valley Conference.
In his three-year run on Salpointe’s varsity from 2022 to 2024, Gonzalez tallied 166 tackles with 17 for loss.
Nolan was a 3A All-Conference and 3A South All-Region First Team selection as a senior when Pusch Ridge won the state title in 2024. He converted 10 of 16 field goals and 62 of 69 extra-point attempts as a senior. His longest field goal was 45 yards. He aas 19 for 30 on field goal attempts and 150 of 164 on extra points during career.
He also averaged 43.2 yards per punt as a senior with a long of 66 yards.
Azusa Pacific, which is located at Azusa, Calif., is an NCAA Division III program.
NEW HEAD COACHES FOR 2026 SEASON
These are the known high school football coaching changes of schools that compete in Southern Arizona regions:
Buena — Chis Determan (former coach Joe Thomas)
Casa Grande — Joe Thomas (Mark Luna)
Catalina — Keith Edwards (Virgil Henderson … Henderson is now the running backs coach at Marana)
Desert Christian — Zach Davila (Bob Vance)
Empire — Greg McKinstry Jr. (George Kelly)
Flowing Wells — Brian Brindley (Brian Hook)
Maricopa — Kacy L. Day (Tevin Rutherford)
Rincon/University — David Nunez (Johnny Chan)
Santa Rita — Cam Gaddis (Douglas Smith)
San Tan Foothills — Walter Sword (Michael Coe)
Tombstone — Anthony Ciccariello (Jerry Rhoades)
Willcox — Steven Ward (Jeston Lotts)
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