By Mitch Stephens
Based 75 percent on recruitment and 25 percent productivity, The Chronicle’s preseason list of the top 50 Metro high school players to watch is spread among schools and positions.
Valley Christian-San Jose, De La Salle-Concord and Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland each had four players on the list — DLS’s four are in the top 12 — and the defensive line (including defensive ends) had the most representatives with 11 players, followed by defensive backs and quarterbacks (seven each), offensive line (six), wide receivers (five), running backs and linebackers (four) and athletes and tight ends (three).
The Metro Top 50 for 2017:
| Rk. | Pos. | Player | School | Yr. | Ht., Wt. | College |
| 1. | DT | Tuli Letuligasenoa | De La Salle | Sr. | 6-2, 295 | USC |
| 2. | LB | Henry To’oto’o | De La Salle | Jr. | 6-2, 210 | Undecided |
| 3 | S | Jevon Holland | Bishop O’Dowd | Sr. | 6-1, 185 | Oregon |
| 4. | DT | Tyler Manoa | St. Francis | Sr. | 6-5, 295 | Undecided |
| 5. | DT | Jacob Bandes | Pittsburg | Jr. | 6-3, 285 | Undecided |
| 6. | ATH | Tariq Bracy | Milpitas | Sr. | 6-0, 180 | Undecided |
| 7. | QB | Spencer Petras | Marin Catholic | Sr. | 6-5, 215 | Oregon St. |
| 8. | G | Blake McDonald | San Ramon Valley | Sr. | 6-5, 295 | UCLA |
| 9. | S | D’Angelo McKenzie | Valley Christian | Sr. | 6-0, 180 | Undecided |
| 10. | RB/LB | Omari Harris | Antioch | Sr. | 6-1, 210 | Cal |
| 11. | RB | Kairee Robinson | De La Salle | Sr. | 5-8, 180 | Undecided |
| 12. | TE | Isaiah Foskey | De La Salle | Jr. | 6-4, 215 | Undecided |
| 13. | DT | Isaac Hodgins | Berean Christian | Sr. | 6-1, 285 | Oregon St. |
| 14. | OT | Miles Owens | Bishop O’Dowd | Sr. | 6-7, 310 | Cal |
| 15. | DE | RJ Stone | Valley Christian | Sr. | 6-3, 188 | Undecided |
| 16. | OT | Brandon Mello | Clayton Valley | Sr. | 6-7, 295 | Cal |
| 17. | DE | Joshua Pakola | St. Francis | Jr. | 6-3, 225 | Undecided |
| 18. | RB | Austin Jones | Bishop O’Dowd | Jr. | 5-11, 190 | Undecided |
| 19. | DE | Nick Alftin | Mitty | Sr. | 6-6, 245 | Cal |
| 20. | WR | Tuni Fifita | Milpitas | Sr. | 6-3, 210 | Undecided |
| 21. | DE | JH Tevis | Menlo School | Sr. | 6-5, 227 | Cal |
| 22. | CB | Deshon Wilson | Stellar Prep | Sr. | 6-1, 180 | Oregon St. |
| 23. | CB | Alton Julian | Valley Christian | Sr. | 6-2, 185 | Undecided |
| 24. | QB | Ben Wooldridge | Foothill | Sr. | 6-2, 173 | Fresno St. |
| 25. | ATH | Patrick Nunn | Serra | Sr. | 6-3, 206 | Undecided |
| 26. | G | Atonio Mafi | Serra | Sr. | 6-3, 360 | Cal |
| 27. | P/QB | Ryan Wright | California | Sr. | 6-3, 240 | Undecided |
| 28. | QB | Jake Simmons | Rancho Cotate | Sr. | 6-1, 190 | Undecided |
| 29. | QB | John Torchio | Campolindo | Sr. | 6-1, 180 | Undecided |
| 30. | OT | Justin Scrempos | Milpitas | Jr. | 6-8, 310 | Undecided |
| 31. | CB | Dylan Wyatt | St. Mary’s | Sr. | 6-2, 170 | Undecided |
| 32. | DE | Dimitri Sakaila | Menlo-Atherton | Sr. | 6-4, 240 | Undecided |
| 33. | S | Quinn Brinnon | Bishop O’Dowd | Sr. | 6-0, 185 | Colo. St. |
| 34. | WR | Kenden Robinson | Encinal | Sr. | 6-3, 175 | Undecided |
| 35. | LB | Kilifi Leaaetoa | Menlo-Atherton | Sr. | 6-1, 210 | Undecided |
| 36. | WR | A’jae Boyd | Pittsburg | Sr. | 5-10, 175 | Undecided |
| 37. | RB | Marshel Martin | SPSV | Sr. | 6-2, 210 | Undecided |
| 38. | G | Ben Makoni | Menlo-Atherton | Sr. | 6-3, 305 | Undecided |
| 39. | RB | Isiah Kendrick | Serra | Sr. | 5-11, 170 | Undecided |
| 40 | WR | Rob Funkhouser | San Ramon Valley | Sr. | 5-10, 170 | Uncecided |
| 41 | LB | Austin Ajiake | Bellarmine | Sr. | 6-3, 205 | Undecided |
| 42. | TE | Jason Boyd | Carlmont | Sr. | 6-4, 225 | Undecided |
| 43. | WR | Baylei Coston | Freedom | Sr. | 5-10, 165 | Undecided |
| 44. | CB | Lionel Anderson | Moreau Catholic | Sr. | 6-0, 170 | Colo. St. |
| 45. | TE | Junior Fehoko | St. Francis | Sr. | 6-4, 235 | Undecided |
| 46. | CB | Charlie Bostic | Valley Christian | Sr. | 6-1, 170 | Undecided |
| 47. | DE | Cade Hall | Bellarmine | Sr. | 6-3, 226 | Undecided |
| 48. | DL | Jaedon Roberts | St. Ignatius | Jr. | 6-4, 250 | Undecided |
| 49. | QB | Tyree Bracy | Milpitas | Sr. | 5-11, 185 | Undecided |
| 50. | QB | Robbie Rowell | Acalanes | Sr. | 6-3, 190 | Undecided |