ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - As the college football season prepares to kick off, many Elk Grove area alumni are preparing for the upcoming season. 

Following their successful high school careers, these student-athletes had the ability to take their talents to the next level and play college football while obtaining a college education.

 They have made the most of their opportunities at the high school level and now look to prove themselves in their collegiate careers. 

With so many high-caliber high school football programs in the area, it is no wonder that many of them have found their way to play at the next level. Elk Grove has consistently been a hotbed for collegiate talent, with many college football programs specifically scouting the area to fill the needs of their current rosters. Universities from all over the West Coast and beyond look to Elk Grove to find skilled players that can help take their programs to the next level. 

Many local and West-Coast universities have Elk Grove-area alumni that hold spots on their rosters. These universities include Sacramento State, Stanford, Nevada and San Jose State just to name a few. 

With the college football season quickly approaching, keep an eye out for these local student-athletes to make a name for themselves at the Division I level and bring even more eyes to the Elk Grove area as college coaches seek out more talent to round out their rosters. 

Current high school athletes benefit from the success of former student-athletes in the area. The more success in the area, the more opportunities that arise for up-and-coming athletes to get more looks from college scouts. 

The new uniting of the Delta League should also prove to increase the level of competition in the area and pit some of the best talent that Elk Grove has to offer against one another. This will only add to the opportunity that Elk Grove student-athletes have to showcase their talents and prove that they can add value to a collegiate roster. 

This season will showcase many college athletes that call Elk Grove home. They are at various levels of college football and parts of their careers. 

With so much excitement about the upcoming high school football season for Elk Grove, it is important to continue the support for those that have made it to the next level and continue to put Elk Grove on the map.

Some of these athletes to keep an eye on this season at the college level include:

Zeke Burnett, sophomore running back, Sacramento State (Elk Grove HS)

Fata Puloka, red-shirt freshman defensive lineman, Sacramento State (Monterey Trail HS)

Declan Follette, freshman offensive lineman, Sacramento State (Laguna Creek HS)

Simione Pale, sophomore offensive lineman, Stanford (Elk Grove HS)

Caleb Ramseur, junior running back, Nevada (Monterey Trail HS)

Oluwanfemi Oladejo, senior linebacker, UCLA (Cosumnes Oaks HS)

Michael Sullivan, red-shirt junior defensive lineman, UCLA (Sheldon HS)

Malik Gucake, junior edge rusher, San Diego State (Sheldon HS)

Mohammad Othman, freshman offensive lineman, San Jose State (Pleasant Grove HS)