The Aztecs 2025 recruiting class has just about taken shape. 37 total signees, 21 offensive players, 15 defensive players and one special teams player, quite the haul and there may still be more to come.
This 2025 recruiting class can be defined by one word; balance. It is not uncommon to see modern recruiting classes almost entirely built up of transfer players but head coach Sean Lewis decided to go against the trends of the times and commit to development instead.
The balance can be easily seen in the class breakdown. Of the 37 total signees, 19 are coming out of high school and 18 are coming out of the portal. Coach Lewis even pronounced his commitment to high school recruitment as a mark of pride in comparison to other programs, stating “We’re more balanced than what a lot of people are doing around the country.”
To coach Lewis, the high school recruitment process and the talent that comes with it is “The consistent heartbeat that’s gonna drive this program going forward.”
The commitment to development is reason for excitement for SDSU fans. Focusing on young athletes gives fans the opportunity to look forward to the future of the program. The portal may offer instant solutions, but your best bet at future success is with strong high school development.
It also puts homemade talent on display, strengthening the program’s connection to San Diego and California as a whole. Coach Lewis mentioned the importance of local high school recruiting when he referred to his commitment to building “Relationships year after year, in our backyard.”
Of the 37 players in the 2025 class, 22 of them are from California. Of the 19 freshmen in the class, 3 played their high school ball in San Diego. The first of the local three is La Jolla’s Jett Thomas, a three-star who comes in as the 63rd-ranked offensive tackle in the 2025 class according to 24-7 Sports. Following Jett is Cathedral Catholics 6,6 game wrecking defensive lineman Sidney Dupuy, who comes in with a three-star ranking according to 24-7 sports. Lastly, Lewis landed Mount Miguel cornerback Braylon Cardwell, who was also given a three-star ranking by 24-7 sports.
Although coach Lewis and the Aztecs committed to the future, they also realized the necessity of the portal. Lewis made that clear when he stated “we still need to be smart and efficient.” Smarts and efficiency to Lewis is using the portal as an opportunity to “supplement the holes within our roster” as opposed to an end all be all in building the team.
Coach Lewis has done some nice patchwork with the portal as well.
Two of these portal players are experiencing a bit of a homecoming with the Aztecs. Junior safety Josiah Cox and junior running back Christian Washington are both originally from San Diego, each playing high school football in the area. Lewis described the pair as “two hometown heroes that got away, and we were able to bring back.” The locals are more than just good stories. Lewis sang high praise for both of them citing their “experience”, and “infectious personalities” as positives for the SDSU culture going forward.
Josiah Cox comes in from New Mexico State, but his journey began at the local powerhouse known as Lincoln High School. From there he originally committed to Arizona State, before transferring to the aforementioned New Mexico State. He made his mark with New Mexico State, picking off two passes in 2024.
Christian Washinton played his high school football at La Mesas Helix High. From there he went to New Mexico. With the Lobos he earned an All-Mountain West selection as a kick returner, displaying his positional versatility. After two years with the Lobos, he transferred to Coastal Carolina, before finally landing back at home with the Aztecs.
Coach Lewis and the Aztecs will look to develop their class throughout camp before their “Aztec Fast Showcase” in Snapdragon Stadium Apr. 20.
