Football players make early calls in choosing a college

It’s too early to declare it a trend, but the top high school football players in Southern California may have finally come to the conclusion that there’s just too much pressure and too many hassles in waiting until the final day to reveal their college choices.

Not one elite prospect held out until Wednesday’s signing day. That’s a big change from 2002, when Lorenzo Booker of Ventura St. Bonaventure chose Florida State over USC and Notre Dame during a suspenseful announcement on ESPN, and from 2005, when DeSean Jackson of Long Beach Poly picked California over USC on FSN.

Linebacker Chris Galippo of Anaheim Servite set the example for the Class of 2007, committing to USC on Jan. 31, 2006, one year before he was eligible to sign. He never wavered and didn’t lose out on any publicity, earning All-American honors this season.

“It’s something I took pride in,” Galippo said of his early decision. “Not once did it even cross my mind that I didn’t want to go to USC. If I was still uncommitted, it would be nuts. It would be insane. I’m still receiving tons of mail.”

There are plenty of good reasons to commit early:

* It will reduce stress.

* It will stop the incessant phone calls from college coaches, newspaper reporters and Internet bloggers.

* It will increase the chances of your parents buying you a car with the money saved from an athletic scholarship.

There are also reasons to commit late:

* You’ll gain 10 pounds dining on steak and lobster during five official recruiting visits.

* You’ll keep receiving free tickets to UCLA and USC home games.

* Your ego will stay inflated.

In truth, there’s really no right or wrong time to make a college choice. But college coaches are relying more on early commitments. Seven of UCLA’s 10 signees Wednesday committed months ago, and the Bruins held a junior day Saturday, inviting dozens of prospects to get a head start on 2008.

USC already has commitments from Servite’s D.J. Shoemate and Matt Kalil for next year’s class.

The pressure is clearly increasing for players to commit early, and with that in mind, here’s a look at some of the other top prospects from the Class of 2008 who should be making their college decisions within the next year:

* Wes Horton, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. The defensive tackle might be the best available prospect at any position in Southern California. He is still growing at

6 feet 5 and 230 pounds, and had 13 sacks as a junior. His father played for UCLA, so if the Bruins don’t get him, it will be a big disappointment.

* Darrell Scott, Ventura St. Bonaventure. The third-leading rusher in the state didn’t exactly earn points for abandoning Moorpark, the school that helped him develop over the last three seasons. But it hasn’t stopped college recruiters from endorsing him as one of the best in the nation.

* Milton Knox, Lake Balboa Birmingham. The City Section’s player of the year is a running back who consistently delivers top performances. He’s elusive and tough, has good grades and terrific character.

* Khaled Holmes, Santa Ana Mater Dei. An imposing offensive tackle whose older brother, Alex, was a tight end at USC, Holmes already has offers from Stanford and Mississippi.

* Dayne Crist, Notre Dame. A 6-5 quarterback who is 9-1 as a starter, Crist has the strong arm, mental makeup and toughness to be a Pacific 10 Conference recruit.

* Blake Ayles, Orange Lutheran. He’s the No. 1 tight end in the state. Look for the Trojans and Bruins to have an all-out battle.

* Ryan Bass, Corona Centennial. A running back with speed and power, Bass has been a scoring machine for two years.

* Jordan Mannisto, Westlake Village Westlake. He’s a kicker who made 14 of 15 field-goal tries, with a long of 50 yards.

* Kemonte Bateman, Los Angeles Crenshaw. The Cougars had five players sign Wednesday, and Bateman should be a big-play receiver this fall.

* Warren Reuland, Mission Viejo. Reuland averaged 22.6 yards a catch as a junior. He has size and improving speed. His brother, Konrad, signed with Notre Dame last year.

* Delano Howell, Newhall Hart. With terrific grades and an unwavering work ethic, Howell is a running back who should have many college options.

* Graham Wilbert, Valencia. A 6-5 quarterback who’s a pure drop-back passer, Wilbert is someone who should excel in combines.

* Nick Crissman, Huntington Beach Edison. A 6-4 quarterback who was effective running the shotgun formation, Crissman can assure his future with continued improvement in arm strength and mobility.

* Curtis McNeal, Venice. He scored 42 touchdowns at running back as a junior.

* Wes Fletcher, Placentia Valencia. He rushed for more than 2,000 yards with 25 touchdowns as a junior. His breakaway speed is impressive.

* Jack Sula, Carson. It will be the year of the running back in the Southland, and Sula is one of many potential recruiting targets.

* Ryan Griffin, West Hills Chaminade. He’s a 6-4 quarterback who gained attention after passing for 3,128 yards in his first year of varsity football.

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Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com