Las Vegas Bishop Gorman four-star cornerback Hayden Stepp is one of the nation’s top overall prospects in the 2027 cycle. He’s narrowing the focus on his recruitment ahead of his senior season.

The 6-foot-3, 175-pounder told Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett on Friday afternoon that he’s down to four schools: Alabama, Cal, Georgia and Oregon.

Stepp is the No. 27 overall prospect and No. 4 CB in the 2027 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 1 player in Nevada.

Stepp’s cut comes after logging a visit to Berkeley to get a look at the Cal program under new head coach Tosh Lupoi. The Bears are building some momentum on the recruiting trail and would love to add a player of Stepp’s caliber to the fold.

“Coach Tosh is being very aggressive right now and I know there’s a lot of players interested in them,” Stepp told Rivals’ Greg Biggins ahead of his trip.

Two of Stepp’s four finalists have long been at the top of his process. He got another look at Tuscaloosa and Eugene this spring, too.

“It is very close between Alabama and Oregon,” Stepp recently told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “Both schools will definitely get official visits. It is really tight at the top between those two schools.”

Georgia certainly remains a threat, too. He also stopped by Athens and continues to consider Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs as a potential home at the next level.

“The trip to Georgia was eye opening,” Stepp told Biggins. “We had a chance to watch practice and I loved watching them compete. They were very intense and efficient in everything they did. It’s a program known for great defense and when you see them up close, it’s easy to see why.”

Tennessee and Clemson are among the top contenders that did not make Stepp’s top four. He’ll now embark on his official visits and continue to work towards making a decision.

“When I commit, it will be about how I feel,” he added. “Coaching will be big for me and how they want to use me. Competing as a freshman will be a factor too.”

Stepp of course plays for one of the more notable high school football programs in the nation. Bishop Gorman finished as the No. 5 team in the nation last fall, according to the Rivals Composite Rankings. Stepp is currently the highest-ranked prospect on the Gaels’ 2026 roster, which will once again be loaded with talent.

In an era when college football careers are no longer linear, Zen Michalski has built one of the most distinctive resumes in the sport’s modern history.

The former Ohio State Buckeyes and Indiana Hoosiers offensive lineman became a rare two-time national champion at two programs. He won titles in 2024 with Ohio State and again in 2025 with Indiana. That kind of accomplishment, once nearly impossible, now symbolizes college football’s rapidly evolving landscape. This change is driven by the transfer portal and NIL opportunities.

Michalski’s journey is a case study in how player mobility has reshaped the sport. After four seasons at Ohio State, where he played primarily as a depth lineman and battled injuries, he entered the transfer portal after the Buckeyes’ championship run. Opportunity rooted his decision. With limited starting prospects in Columbus, the portal offered a second chance.

Indiana became that opportunity.

Michalski’s Transfer to Indiana

The Hoosiers, led by head coach Curt Cignetti, were building something unprecedented in Bloomington. Michalski returned to his home state and quickly became part of a historic turnaround. Indiana finished a perfect 16–0 season and captured its first national championship in program history. The team defeated Miami in the College Football Playoff title game.

In doing so, Michalski accomplished something almost unheard of: back-to-back national titles at two different schools.

A decade ago, that path didn’t exist.

New Era of College Football

Before the transfer portal era, players were often forced by the NCAA to sit out a year after transferring. This rule discouraged movement between programs. Today, immediate eligibility has empowered athletes to make career-driven decisions about playing time, development, or financial opportunities through NIL deals. Michalski’s move from a national powerhouse to a rising contender exemplifies how players can now maximize both exposure and success.

Despite his championship pedigree and experience at two elite programs, Michalski is not declaring for the NFL Draft. According to reports and team context, the decision stems largely from durability concerns, as injuries limited parts of his career, including a setback during the 2024 season at Ohio State.

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A Historic College Career

In many ways, Michalski’s story reflects both the promise and the complexity of modern college football. The portal and NIL have created unprecedented flexibility, allowing players to pursue the right fit and, in his case, make history. At the same time, those players must carefully balance immediate success with long-term professional viability.

For Michalski, the result is already set: two rings, two programs, and a place in college football history.

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