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At Nike Football's six-week Opening Elite Training Camp, a pair of players at one point connected by high school proximity and connection to Oklahoma faced off.
Taven Epps and Jaxsen Stokes don’t have many similarities on the field. Stokes, a 5-foot-9 running back, emerged as the lead running back on a strong Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, CA) team as a junior, beating defenses and garnering collegiate attention as a three-star player. Epps, on the other side, makes it his job to bring down backs like Stokes — at 6-foot-3.5, he’s a four-star All-American linebacker at Tustin High School (CA).
Epps, an Oklahoma commit, and Stokes, who flipped from Oklahoma to Cal, both participated in the invite-only training camp from March 28 through May 23 ahead of June’s Opening Finals. Epps spent time training and further establishing relationships.
“Being able to train and go up against the best players in the country, [meeting] and working with all the staff at Nike, and growing friendships and relationships with the players and staff” were among the most meaningful parts of the camp, Epps said in an email to USA TODAY.
Stokes, meanwhile, sought to prove himself at the Opening events.
“It’s allowed me to focus on my movement, cutting ability, making explosive plays, and just being ready to compete at the highest level,” he said in an email. “I want to prove that I’m one of — if not the — best running back in the country. Competing against athletes from all over the country, especially from regions like the South and the West, I want to show that I can compete with the best and prove I belong at the top.”
Stokes was a fixture of nationally ranked Sierra Canyon’s run game in 2025, rushing for 722 yards on 109 carries with 14 total touchdowns in nine games, but he’s ranked No. 50 among running backs in the class of 2027 on the 247Sports Composite. With the graduation of secondary rusher Jerod Terry Jr., Stokes has an opening for an even larger role.
He said he wants to be able to “do everything” for the team.
“Whether that’s running the ball, catching passes, playing a little defense, or stepping up as a vocal leader, I want to be someone the team can rely on in every situation. I love my team, and my goal is to do whatever it takes to help us keep growing and building on what we accomplished.”
Sierra Canyon won its fourth straight Mission League title last year, winning 10 straight games before falling in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Div. I playoffs. The team was in USA TODAY Sports' Super 25 national rankings for much of the season before slipping out of the final list.
Epps and Tustin High School (CA), meanwhile, will work to get over a hump that has plagued them throughout his high school career. The Tillers have gone a combined 28-5 over the last three seasons, dominating the Delta League with back-to-back championships, but have been knocked out in the first round of each CIF-SS playoff — the first two of which came in Div. 3 and the third in Div. 2.
Ranked as the No. 8 linebacker in the country and 10th-best senior in California on the 247Sports Composite, Epps was a defensive leader for the team, recording 72 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks and 13 quarterback hurries last year. He also got some reps on offense, scoring a touchdown in the Delta League title game, and flipped his commitment from Texas to Oklahoma.
He feels he still has more to show.
“I WILL prove I am the best linebacker in the class of 2027 and show everyone why I am an All-American,” he said.
His campaign began at the Opening Elite Training Camp. Initially launched in 2011, the event returned after a seven-year hiatus, according to Nike Los Angeles Head of Marketing Ian Shepherd. The six-week program included performance training, recovery, mental performance coaching and personal branding development.
“More than just competition, this platform creates an opportunity for young athletes to experience elite coaching, mentorship, and the kind of environment that pushes them to grow both on and off the field,” he said in an email. “At Nike, we’ve always believed in meeting athletes early in their journey and giving them the tools, inspiration, and confidence to help unlock what’s possible.”
Epps and Stokes played on the victorious West team at The Opening Finals.
Epps and Stokes were connected over the first quarter of 2026 with commitments to Oklahoma, but Stokes decommitted in April, not long after DeMarco Murray departed his job as running backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. Stokes cited coaching changings among circumstances that prompted his decommitment.
The running back then chose Cal.
“It felt like the right fit for me in a lot of ways. It’s closer to home ... I also built a really strong relationship with the running backs coach at Cal, and having the opportunity to earn a great degree there played a big role in my decision as well,” he said.
Epps, who had initially committed to Texas in April 2025 before decommitting in November, announced in January that he will play at Oklahoma. He said the program was the best place for him to grow as a player and person, and commended the relationships he build with the staff.
“I felt confident in the culture they’re building there. I wanted to challenge myself at the highest level and be part of a program with a strong football tradition,” he said. “I’m looking forward to competing, developing my game even more, and preparing myself for the next level while being surrounded by people who are going to push me every day.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SoCal football stars Taven Epps, Jaxsen Stokes seek to prove themselves as seniors
Continue reading...
Taven Epps and Jaxsen Stokes don’t have many similarities on the field. Stokes, a 5-foot-9 running back, emerged as the lead running back on a strong Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, CA) team as a junior, beating defenses and garnering collegiate attention as a three-star player. Epps, on the other side, makes it his job to bring down backs like Stokes — at 6-foot-3.5, he’s a four-star All-American linebacker at Tustin High School (CA).
Epps, an Oklahoma commit, and Stokes, who flipped from Oklahoma to Cal, both participated in the invite-only training camp from March 28 through May 23 ahead of June’s Opening Finals. Epps spent time training and further establishing relationships.
“Being able to train and go up against the best players in the country, [meeting] and working with all the staff at Nike, and growing friendships and relationships with the players and staff” were among the most meaningful parts of the camp, Epps said in an email to USA TODAY.
Stokes, meanwhile, sought to prove himself at the Opening events.
“It’s allowed me to focus on my movement, cutting ability, making explosive plays, and just being ready to compete at the highest level,” he said in an email. “I want to prove that I’m one of — if not the — best running back in the country. Competing against athletes from all over the country, especially from regions like the South and the West, I want to show that I can compete with the best and prove I belong at the top.”
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Jaxsen Stokes and Sierra Canyon football outlook
Stokes was a fixture of nationally ranked Sierra Canyon’s run game in 2025, rushing for 722 yards on 109 carries with 14 total touchdowns in nine games, but he’s ranked No. 50 among running backs in the class of 2027 on the 247Sports Composite. With the graduation of secondary rusher Jerod Terry Jr., Stokes has an opening for an even larger role.
He said he wants to be able to “do everything” for the team.
“Whether that’s running the ball, catching passes, playing a little defense, or stepping up as a vocal leader, I want to be someone the team can rely on in every situation. I love my team, and my goal is to do whatever it takes to help us keep growing and building on what we accomplished.”
Sierra Canyon won its fourth straight Mission League title last year, winning 10 straight games before falling in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Div. I playoffs. The team was in USA TODAY Sports' Super 25 national rankings for much of the season before slipping out of the final list.
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Taven Epps and Tustin football
Epps and Tustin High School (CA), meanwhile, will work to get over a hump that has plagued them throughout his high school career. The Tillers have gone a combined 28-5 over the last three seasons, dominating the Delta League with back-to-back championships, but have been knocked out in the first round of each CIF-SS playoff — the first two of which came in Div. 3 and the third in Div. 2.
Ranked as the No. 8 linebacker in the country and 10th-best senior in California on the 247Sports Composite, Epps was a defensive leader for the team, recording 72 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks and 13 quarterback hurries last year. He also got some reps on offense, scoring a touchdown in the Delta League title game, and flipped his commitment from Texas to Oklahoma.
He feels he still has more to show.
“I WILL prove I am the best linebacker in the class of 2027 and show everyone why I am an All-American,” he said.
His campaign began at the Opening Elite Training Camp. Initially launched in 2011, the event returned after a seven-year hiatus, according to Nike Los Angeles Head of Marketing Ian Shepherd. The six-week program included performance training, recovery, mental performance coaching and personal branding development.
“More than just competition, this platform creates an opportunity for young athletes to experience elite coaching, mentorship, and the kind of environment that pushes them to grow both on and off the field,” he said in an email. “At Nike, we’ve always believed in meeting athletes early in their journey and giving them the tools, inspiration, and confidence to help unlock what’s possible.”
Epps and Stokes played on the victorious West team at The Opening Finals.
Taven Epps and Jaxsen Stokes college commitments
Epps and Stokes were connected over the first quarter of 2026 with commitments to Oklahoma, but Stokes decommitted in April, not long after DeMarco Murray departed his job as running backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. Stokes cited coaching changings among circumstances that prompted his decommitment.
The running back then chose Cal.
“It felt like the right fit for me in a lot of ways. It’s closer to home ... I also built a really strong relationship with the running backs coach at Cal, and having the opportunity to earn a great degree there played a big role in my decision as well,” he said.
Epps, who had initially committed to Texas in April 2025 before decommitting in November, announced in January that he will play at Oklahoma. He said the program was the best place for him to grow as a player and person, and commended the relationships he build with the staff.
“I felt confident in the culture they’re building there. I wanted to challenge myself at the highest level and be part of a program with a strong football tradition,” he said. “I’m looking forward to competing, developing my game even more, and preparing myself for the next level while being surrounded by people who are going to push me every day.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SoCal football stars Taven Epps, Jaxsen Stokes seek to prove themselves as seniors
Continue reading...
