4-star Gorman CB gets flooded with college offers: ‘I really blew up’

The college recruiting process is beginning to ramp up for the top high school football prospects in the class of 2027.

Bishop Gorman junior cornerback Hayden Stepp got a taste of that during a busy offseason.

Stepp is Nevada’s top class of 2027 recruit, according to 247Sports. He is a four-star prospect and considered the 27th-best player in his class.

Stepp picked up 31 Division I offers this offseason. Several came from some of the nation’s top college football programs including Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State.

“It was really good,” Stepp said. “It was really like a dream come true because I really blew up. All the hard work I’ve been putting in is finally paying off. I’m just getting to meet all the coaches and (talking) to them and (building) a relationship with them has been a good experience.”

Stepp, listed at 6-foot-3, 183 pounds, picked up his first college offer from UNLV before he played his first high school football game. Boise State, Cal and Miami later offered him before the beginning of his sophomore season.

Stepp drew even more interest after helping Gorman’s defense limit opponents to 9.25 points per game last year. He also stood out at offseason events and camps including the Polynesian Bowl, which caused new teams to reach out.

“It was really cool, but at times it’s really overwhelming because you’re getting a text or a call every day,” Stepp said. “It’s just really learning how to handle all this, but it was a blessing for sure.”

Stepp said his lone visit this offseason was to Oregon. He hopes to return this fall and also make trips to Arkansas, Clemson, Notre Dame and Tennessee.

“I’m starting to narrow it down (with which schools) I like, but I also want to still go out and see more schools because right now I’ve only seen one,” Stepp said. “I want to get to see more of what’s out there.”

Stepp said he’s developed a good relationship with Oregon and Notre Dame. He said he also talks with Arkansas, Miami and Tennessee frequently.

Stepp, who had 20 tackles and an interception last year, said college coaches like his length and how athletic he is for his height. He credited his family, Gaels defensive backs coach Bene Benwikere and senior teammates Jett Washington (an Oregon commit) and Prince Williams (an Arizona commit) for helping him navigate the recruiting process.

“(I) have the same questions for every coach so I can be able to know what (I) want and what (I’m) looking for in a school, as well as a team,” Stepp said. “For me, a big thing is a position coach that I get along with and somebody that doesn’t move around so I know they’ll be there for the three or four years I’ll be in college.”

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com with any recruiting information. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.