Players from California with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 68% of roster spots in 2016 and 33% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 83 of 122 roster spots were filled by California players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 34 of 103 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 3 to 42.
The median hometown distance moved from 365 mi in 2016 to 638 mi on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 63.6% | 46.8% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 4.0% | 18.5% |
The 2026 roster
- 987 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 100 located players.
- 40.8%In-state40.8% of players with a known home state are from California.
- 19.0%Backyard19.0% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 40.8%Previously rostered elsewhere40.8% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where California ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do California's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 103 | 40.8% | 40.8% | 638 mi |
| 2025 | 114 | 39.5% | 33.3% | 647 mi |
| 2024 | 116 | 45.2% | 25.0% | 535 mi |
| 2023 | 118 | 55.6% | 20.3% | 392 mi |
| 2022 | 114 | 57.0% | 8.8% | 381 mi |
| 2021 | 118 | 62.4% | 5.1% | 375 mi |
| 2020 | 107 | 68.2% | 4.7% | 359 mi |
| 2019 | 112 | 68.8% | 4.5% | 345 mi |
| 2018 | 103 | 63.4% | 5.8% | 366 mi |
| 2017 | 112 | 61.8% | 3.6% | 376 mi |
| 2016 | 122 | 70.0% | 2.5% | 365 mi |
| 2015 | 141 | 71.9% | 1.4% | 357 mi |
| 2014 | 124 | 74.0% | 0.8% | 347 mi |
| 2013 | 123 | 68.9% | 0.8% | 346 mi |
| 2012 | 124 | 65.0% | 0.8% | 357 mi |
| 2011 | 116 | 59.5% | 0.9% | 363 mi |
| 2010 | 109 | 58.7% | 0.0% | 355 mi |
| 2009 | 107 | 71.0% | 0.9% | 346 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 638 mi