St. John Bosco sends players to college football’s biggest programs every year. Dorian Franklin had some of those programs calling, too. He picked Harvard.
Franklin, a Class of 2027 defensive back, announced his commitment on X on July 17, 2026, in a short film in which he unfurls a crimson Harvard flag. The decision says a lot about who he is: a three-star cornerback on one of the best high school teams in the country who has also been taking college classes since he was a freshman.
Quick answer: Who is Dorian Franklin?
Dorian Franklin is a Class of 2027 defensive back at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California, one of the top high school football programs in the country. He holds a 4.0 GPA and two associate’s degrees, was a class officer all three years he’s been at Bosco, and on July 17, 2026, he committed to Harvard over a list of 20 offers that included UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State and Texas A&M.
Key takeaways
- Franklin committed to Harvard on July 17, 2026. In his words: “Compete at the highest level. Earn a world-class degree.”
- He started at Bosco as a wide receiver, moved to defense as a sophomore and was a defensive captain as a junior.
- He began community college classes as a freshman and has earned two associate’s degrees while keeping a 4.0 GPA.
- 247Sports rates him a three-star cornerback (84) and lists 20 offers.
- His senior season so far includes interceptions against Roman Catholic and JSerra and a blocked-punt scoop-and-score.
Who is Dorian Franklin?
Franklin plays for the St. John Bosco Braves in Bellflower, California. He has been on varsity since his freshman season. According to The Los Angeles Sentinel, which named him its Student Athlete of the Week in July 2026, he started as a wide receiver, moved to defense as a sophomore and was named a defensive captain as a junior.
That move made him better, he told the Sentinel. Playing offense first taught him “the indicators of what the receiver or what the offense is trying to do.” And the captaincy mattered: “To be recognized by a lot of the coaches as a defensive captain meant that I was doing everything right.”
He goes by “D3” online, with the hashtag #iAmD3, and lists himself on X as a runner, lifter and speaker. In February 2026 he posted a 385-pound squat with a goal of 450 by July.
How did Dorian Franklin earn two college degrees in high school?
Franklin started community college classes as a freshman, beginning with courses like art and music appreciation, and kept going. By the summer before his senior year he had earned two associate’s degrees, according to the Sentinel. He has also kept a 4.0 GPA, made the President’s Honor Roll and taken AP Calculus and AP English Language.
“Having two associate’s degrees helped my time management,” he told the Sentinel. “It helped me be more responsible and disciplined.”
He has led off the field as well. He was class president as a freshman and sophomore and junior class vice president, and he says his focus in student government was planning events “that people actually want to go to.” He is part of the Business of Student Success (BOSS) program, and he and his dad are building a training journal called “Train, Build Brand,” which he describes as “a journal to track your progress when you train” and a template for younger athletes.
Why did Dorian Franklin commit to Harvard?
His recruitment was wide open for a long time. In June 2025 he told UCLA Bruins On SI that the Bruins stood “high on my list,” and he later named Colorado State, New Mexico, Wyoming, Columbia, Cornell and Oregon State as schools staying in touch. In January 2026 he announced offers from Oregon State and New Mexico. By the time he decided, 247Sports listed 20 offers, including Arizona, Arizona State, Texas A&M and UCLA.
What he was looking for never changed. “For me, it’s not just about the offer,” he told SI in September 2025. “It’s about how genuine the staff is, the fit academically, and how I could see myself growing on and off the field in their program.”
Here is how he explained his choice when he committed:
“I could’ve taken the traditional route. Instead, I’m betting on myself and the path that develops me as both a student-athlete and a man. Compete at the highest level. Earn a world-class degree. Use the 5 for 5 and chase the NFL.”
After a lot of prayer, conversations, and weighing every opportunity, I’ve decided to commit to Harvard.
— Dorian Franklin (@DorianLaw27) View on X
In the video, he talks about the work behind the moment: the early mornings, the doubt and the failures nobody saw. “Anybody can have a dream,” he says. “But the question is, what are you willing to sacrifice for it?”
How good is Dorian Franklin as a football player?
247Sports rates him an 84, a three-star prospect, with a 0.8500 composite score. That ranks him No. 166 among 2027 cornerbacks nationally and No. 144 among 2027 prospects in California, one of the deepest recruiting states in the country. 247Sports lists him at 5-foot-9.5 and 170 pounds.
The schedule is the other part of the résumé. When he shared his junior-year film with college coaches in February 2026, he listed the opponents: Chaminade-Madonna (Florida), Mater Dei, Santa Margarita, St. Frances Academy (Maryland), St. Louis (Hawaii) and Sierra Canyon. “Comp level matters,” he wrote. “National schedule. Every week.”
His offseason ran through some of the biggest camps and 7-on-7 events in the country, including The Opening, Under Armour Next and OT7 in Dallas. At the Brave 8 Invitational in May 2026, he picked off two passes against Sierra Canyon.
Competition heavy at the Brave 8 Invitational yesterday. Couple INTs vs Sierra Canyon.
— Dorian Franklin (@DorianLaw27) View on X
Dorian Franklin’s senior season at St. John Bosco
He has kept making plays as a senior. Based on the highlights he has posted:
- Aug. 28, 2026: An interception in a win over Roman Catholic.
- Sept. 4, 2026: A blocked punt he scooped up and returned for a touchdown.
- Early October 2026: A “drive stopping pick” in a win over JSerra, followed by another Trinity League win, a league where, as he put it, “EVERY Friday is a playoff game.”
Blocked punt. Ball on the ground. Had to go get it. Scoop. Score.
— Dorian Franklin (@DorianLaw27) View on X
Got the W vs JSerra and came away with another drive stopping pick too.
— Dorian Franklin (@DorianLaw27) View on X
What’s next for Dorian Franklin?
First, the rest of his senior season in the Trinity League, widely considered the toughest high school league in the country. Then Harvard, where he plans to play Ivy League football and work toward a Harvard degree. His own goal, written in his commitment post, goes further than that: “chase the NFL.”
“Entering high school, I always had accomplishments and goals for myself,” he told the Sentinel. Three years later, he has checked off more of them than most players do in four. Follow him on X at @DorianLaw27.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Dorian Franklin?
Dorian Franklin is a Class of 2027 defensive back at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California. He has played varsity since his freshman year, carries a 4.0 GPA, has earned two associate’s degrees through community college classes, and committed to Harvard on July 17, 2026.
Where is Dorian Franklin committed?
Harvard. He announced his commitment on X on July 17, 2026, and 247Sports lists it as a hard commit. Harvard plays in the Ivy League at the FCS level.
What position does Dorian Franklin play?
247Sports lists him as a cornerback. He started his high school career at wide receiver, moved to defense as a sophomore and was a defensive captain as a junior. His X bio lists him as WR/DB.
How many offers did Dorian Franklin have?
247Sports lists 20 offers. Schools that offered him include UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State, Texas A&M, Oregon State, New Mexico, Colorado State and Sacramento State.
What is Dorian Franklin’s recruiting ranking?
247Sports gives him an 84 rating (three stars) and a 0.8500 composite score, ranking him No. 166 among 2027 cornerbacks and No. 144 among 2027 prospects in California.
How tall is Dorian Franklin?
247Sports lists him at 5-foot-9.5 and 170 pounds. In an April 2026 post he described himself as 5-foot-10, 178 pounds.
Sources and media credits
- Rating, ranking, offers and commitment: 247Sports player profile (checked October 30, 2026).
- Academics, leadership and position history: Amanda Scurlock, “Student Athlete of the Week: Dorian Franklin,” The Los Angeles Sentinel (July 2026), also published by The LA Local.
- Recruiting quotes: Caleb Sisk, UCLA Bruins On SI, June 23, 2025 and Sept. 27, 2025.
- Game and camp details, the commitment statement and other quotes come from Franklin’s own posts on X, embedded above.
- All photos are frames from videos Dorian Franklin posted on X, @DorianLaw27. Posts are embedded with X’s official embed.