How Sacramento State Outsmarted Ole Miss and North Carolina to Land a Four-Star Recruit

When was the last time a mid-major football program pulled off a recruiting coup that made Power Five schools blink? Sacramento State just did exactly that, snagging wide receiver Xavier McDonald, a four-star talent who gave Ole Miss and North Carolina the cold shoulder. It’s not every day a program with clear FBS ambitions lands the highest-ranked recruit in its history—especially under the newfound leadership of Brennan Marion, whose “go-go offense” promises to turn heads and defenses inside out. Can the Hornets truly rewrite their narrative after a tough 3-9 season? This commitment might just be the spark the program desperately needs to soar. Ready to dig deeper into this game-changing move? LEARN MORE.

Brennan Marion and Sacramento State have made history with their latest commitment. Per a report by On3 Sports’ Hayes Fawcett, the Hornets have landed wide receiver Xavier McDonald, who chose the program over Ole Miss and North Carolina. The commitment is huge as Sacramento State has clear FBS ambitions and a desire to build the program back into a long-term winner.

McDonald is ranked as the No. 114 overall prospect and the No. 16 wide receiver in the 2026 class. Per On3 rankings, he is the third-ranked wide receiver and sixth-ranked player in Mississippi. Sacramento State adds to an already impressive recruiting class, with their 2026 class ranking 74th nationally. With this commitment, McDonald becomes the highest-ranked recruit in Sacramento State history.

The recruiting win is huge for Brennan Marion, who’s starting his first season with the program this Fall. Marion is recognized for his dynamic “go-go offense,” which blends traditional option and spread concepts with a focus on speed, misdirection, and creating space. Under his guidance, UNLV achieved impressive results, ranking 35th in the FBS for total offense with an average of 425.8 yards per game, and 14th in scoring, averaging 36.2 points per game.

Prior to joining UNLV, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Howard University. Interestingly, his first win in that role came against UNLV in what became the biggest point-spread upset in college football history.

Howard secured a thrilling 43-40 victory over UNLV, a game that stunned the college football world and brought national attention to Howard University athletics. In 2019, he departed Howard along with then-head coach Mike London to join FCS powerhouse William & Mary. Brennan also brings a wealth of experience from his time at Arizona State, Hawaii, Pittsburgh, Texas, and UNLV.

Now, Marion looks to bring his level of success to a Sacramento State program that finished 2024 season with a 3-9 record.

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