Our List Of Florida Football Recruits
August 25th, 2007 Posted in Florida Sports, Recruiting News, High School Sports, Florida Football, football, High School FootballWith less than a week to go before the start of the Florida football season, it’s time to unveil our Pigskin Prodigy Club.
1. Chris Anderson, RB, (Lauderdale Lakes) Boyd Anderson High School—Nobody doubts that Anderson, who made his mark as a sophomore, has talent. He amassed 1,689 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior last fall at Hollywood Hills, which reached the Class 5A state quarterfinals before losing 15-9 to Coconut Creek. Oh, and there were those 871 yards on 42 catches as well, and the 11 touchdowns they produced.
This spring, however, there was grumbling from Hollywood Hills after Anderson announced that he was transferring to Boyd Anderson, which reached the Class 6A state semifinals last fall. Claims of recruiting offenses have faded, but eligibility concerns remained until Anderson was cleared to pay just before the team’s kickoff classic. Animosity ran high for a few weeks during the eligibility mess.
Despite the eligibility headaches, the 5-10, 185-pound Anderson packs a wallop on runs between the tackles, and his quickness is an asset in the open field. Expect Anderson, who played the fullback spot last fall, to average almost 200 yards per game this season and sign to play for a major Division I university, possibly in the Big Ten Conference.
2. Matt Patchan, OL/DL, (Seffner) Armwood—There are at least a dozen premier running backs in Florida, but nobody compares with this lineman. The senior has something that can’t be taught: size. At 6-7 and 260 pounds, he’s in fine shape for sliding down the line to pick up would-be tacklers. He’s new to Armwood, and he just might be the key that opens the door to a deep playoff waltz. Patchan also runs a 4.8-second 40 and squats 500 pounds.
3. Lerentee McCray, LB, Dunnellon High—He topped 100 in tackles last fall and added a dozen QB sacks. At 6-3 and 190, he has the speed and size to challenge runners and chase down receivers.
4. British Footman, RB, (Tallahassee) Godby—The 6-1, 195-pound senior rushed for 1,296 yards and 17 touchdowns on 178 carries last fall. With a similar number of carries, he could close in on a 2,000-yard season this fall.
5. T.J. Mitchell, RB, (Hollywood) Chaminade-Madonna—The senior will attempt to follow his breakout 2006 season with even more. With the team’s loaded roster, expect him to play in enough games to rush for 1,600 yards and at least 20 touchdowns.
6. Marcus Forston, DL, (Miami) Northwestern—The 6-3, 290-pound senior is a force. He sacked the quarterback 20 times last fall and recorded 92 tackles. Teams aren’t likely to run at him and opposing ball-carriers might prefer to run backward after taking a hit from this monster.
7. Aldarius Johnson, WR, (Miami) Northwestern—The senior caught 72 passes for 1,361 yards last fall and had 19 touchdowns. At 6-3 and 199 pounds, he’s a big target with the athleticism to get upfield after the catch.
8. Cory Cox, QB, Blountstown High—The 6-1, 195-pound senior led Blountstown to 13 victories last fall while throwing for 1,393 yards and 18 touchdowns with just three interceptions.
9. Nigel Bradham, LB, (Crawfordville) Wakulla High—The 6-2, 225-pound senior is one of the state’s top linebackers and the reigning Class 3A Player of the Year after registering 145 tackles last fall. He is headed to Florida State in 2008.
10. David Blackwell, QB, (Fort Lauderdale) Cardinal Gibbons—There’s no hook slide in the running style of this senior quarterback. Blackwell has the size (6-1, 210) to dish out his share of hard shots, which is why some see him converting to another position at the collegiate level. A host of big-time universities have shown interest, but he’s yet to declare his intentions, which could hinge on where he wants to play at the next level. He began his junior year as a receiver and ended the year in the state playoffs as Cardinal Gibbons’ signal-caller. For now, Blackwell will continue showcasing his arm strength and power running to lead Gibbons.
11. Etienne Sabino, LB, (Miami) Dr. Krop—He has the physical attributes to excel this fall. At 6-3 and 225 pounds, his 4.6 40-yard dash time is a strong indicator that he’s going to excel at the collegiate level.
12. T.J. Lawrence, WR, (Lakeland) Kathleen—He caught caught 70 passes for 1,245 yards and 13 touchdowns last fall. His long was a 78-yard score, but his average wasn’t too shabby at just over 20 per catch.
13. Richard Watson, RB, (Tallahassee) FAMU—Mr. Touchdown is headed to Georgia Tech next fall after rushing for 2,140 yards and, of course, 34 touchdowns as a junior for the Class 1B state champs.
14. Jamie Harper, RB, Trinity Christian Academy—He’s 205 pounds and runs better than a 4.40 in the 40-yard dash.If you need to know more, you’re obviously not that skilled at math. In any case, get out your calculators, because this senior is going to rack up the yardage this fall after amassing 1,200 yards on the ground and 17 scores in 2006.
15. Jacory Harris, QB, (Miami) Northwestern—The 6-4, 185-pounder threw for 2,920 yards and scored 37 touchdowns last fall for Northwestern. He completed 194 of 285 passes and was a Class 6A All-State first-teamer.
16. Ramon Buchanan, LB, Palm Bay—He’s a lock for 100 tackles and 5-10 sacks this fall. Opponents can try all they want to stop him, but the 6-0, 185-pounder runs a 4.5 40-yard dash and packs a wallop. He’ll go through or around most blocks, and that has garnered him the attention of the country’s biggest college football programs.
17. T.J. Bryant, CB, (Tallahassee) Lincoln—The 6-0, 185-pound senior is one of the state’s best. He had 47 tackles and three interceptions in 2006.
18. C.J. Holton, DB, (Crawfordville) Wakulla—He is headed to Florida State in 2008. First, though, the 6-1, 190-pound senior will follow his 70-tackle season with even more. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, he blocked 11 punts last fall.
19. Michael Brewster, OT, (Orlando) Edgewater—The 6-5, 300-pound senior will bust open defenses for Ohio State in 2008. For now, though, he’s still Florida’s dandy.
20. Carlton Thomas, RB, Frostproof High—The senior is ready to roll after rushing for 1,725 yards and 20 touchdowns on 144 caries last fall. At 5-8, 165 pounds, he’s compact enough to bust through some small holes and go under tacklers.
21.Nigel Carr, LB, (Jacksonville) First Coast—This 6-3, 225-pound senior is a ball hawk with the speed to rush the passer or drop into coverage. He has several colleges on his short list after recording more than 100 tackles and 13 sacks in 2006.
22. Jordan Futch, LB, (Hollywood) Chaminade-Madonna Prep—The 6-4, 200-pound Futch is a name to know if you’re a Hurricanes fan. He’s part of the school’s ‘08 recruiting class and will be a force with a little more muscle on his big frame. But perhaps he’ll wind up at defensive end.
23. Keino Burton, RB, (Miami) Carol City—Burton rushed for 1,528 yards las fall and earned a spot on the Miami-Herald’s All-Dade County team.
24. West Anderson, RB, Riverdale High—The senior back rushed for 1,543 yards and 14 touchdowns a season ago. He’s 5-10 and 160 pounds.
25. Corey Liuget, DE, Hialeah High—The 6-3, 220-pounder senior had 55 tackles and six sacks last fall.He’s also skilled at tight end.
26. Trabis Ward, RB, (Fort Lauderdale) Dillard High—Ward made his mark last fall as a sophomore. This year, the 5-9, 185-pounder will use his blazing speed to become one of the nation’s top recruits from the Class of 2009.
27. Santuan McGee, RB, (Tallahassee) Florida High—The senior rushed for 829 yards and 14 touchdowns on 123 carries last fall. He also caught 15 passes for 188 yards and another touchdown. McGee could explode this fall. He’s stronger and continues to show blazing speed. He ran a 4.3 40-yard dash as a junior.
28. David Noshay, QB,(Parkland) North Broward Prep—He played in only five games in 2006 but amassed 1,248 passing yards and another 654 yards on the ground. The 6-2, 190-pound senior could double those numbers this fall.
29. Nick Benenati, LB, (Palmetto Bay) Palmer Trinity—The 5-10, 190-pounder had 80 tackles and seven fumble recoveries last year and earned a spot on the All-Dade County team.
30. Travis Benjamin, WR, (Belle Glade) Glades Central—He is expected to top the 1,000-yard mark this fall. He had 700-plus yards as a junior in 2005, and that was with only 30 catches.
31. Matt Coffee, RB/LB, Fort Walton Beach—The junior is both quick and strong. In short, Coffee can burn you. He was an all-stater as a sophomore. Expect him to play for a major Division I school in 2009.
32. Cody Ledford, RB/LB, (Tallahassee) North Florida Christian—He’s just a junior this fall, so there’s plenty of time for everyone to decide whether his future will be on the offensive or defensive side of the ball. This fall, expect him to excel on both sides.
33. Eric Smith, WR, (Seffner) Armwood—The 5-10, 220-pound senior is hoping for a big season after missing most of the 2006 season due to an injury. As a sophomore running back, he racked up the yards, going well over 1,500.
34. Drayquan Crawford, LB, (Miami) South Miami—He’s 6-1, 185 pounds and had 104 tackles and four forced fumbles as a junior.
35. Aaron Davis, LB/DE, Bartow High—The 6-1, 240-pound senior is a monster. He benches 300 and squats 500 and had 90 tackles, three interceptions and four sacks last fall to earn a spot on the Class 3A Honorable Mention squad.
36. Ryan Baker, LB, Blountstown—The senior is set for a big finish to his prep career. Expect 100-plus tackles and perhaps 10 sacks.
37. Karnell Hatcher, FS, (Delray Beach) Atlantic—Count on 80-plus tackles from this 6-1, 185-pound senior. His speed allows him to go from sideline to sideline to make tackles.
38. Jeremy Brown, DB, (Orlando) Boone—The Gators, and Auburn are among the many top colleges competing for the services of this big-time defender. Boone’s going a long way this season, so expect Brown to approach 100 tackles as teams are forced to throw at him or suffer big losses.
39. Patrick Carter, RB/LB, (Tampa) H.B. Plant—This senior registered 14 sacks and 95 tackles in 2006. He also caused five fumbles. The 5-11, 190-pounder was a second team All-State pick.
40. Tyler Yoho, LB,(Gainesville) Buchholz High—The senior missed three games last fall but still managed 74 tackles. And, hey, he is the Class of 2008 president. Look for him to make more than 100 tackles.
41. David Rowe, DB/WR, Cocoa High—The 6-1, 185-pound senior was on the Orlando Sentinel’s All-Central Florida team last fall.He also excels in baseball as a pitcher and second baseman and in the classroom.
42. Embry Peeples, RB, (Orlando) Dr. Phillips—The buzz is high on this guy, and he has plenty of help on one of the most talented teams in Central Florida. Expect him to top 1,500 yards as Dr. Phillips marches through the playoffs.
43. Davis Hungerford, QB/RB, Lakeland Christian—The 5-9, 160-pound senior quarterback can deliver the goods, and he has the motivation this year, as the team vies for a Class 1A playoff spot a season after finishing 8-1 while playing as an independent.
44. Brian Patterson, LB/FB, (Orlando) Eastland Christian—The 5-9 195-pound senior had 88 tackles, including 49 solos, in nine games last year and added 725 rushing yards on 104 carries.
45. Marcus Robinson, LB, Homestead—Expect him to make about 100 tackles and sack the quarterback 10-15 times. With impressive speed for his size, this 6-2, 215-pound senior is tough to stop.
46. Chad Austile, RB, Palmetto Ridge High—He’s just 5-6 and 150 pounds, but Austile didn’t let that stop him from rushing for 1,367 yards on 133 carries last fall. He averaged better than 10 yards per carry and and 138 yards per game and scored nine times on the ground.
47. Sean Spence, LB, (Miami) Northwestern—At 6-1, 195, Spence is ready to slam his way to a state championship after registering 160 tackles, three sacks and two picks last fall.
48. Jeff Demps, RB, (Groveland) South Lake—This senior is lightning in a bottle. Expect him to pour it out in abundance this fall.
49. Michael Gillislee, RB/WR, DeLand High—Just a sophomore last fall, Gillislee took carries away from highly-regarded back Neiko Pate and amassed 909 yards and eight touchdowns on just 100 carries.With a new offensive system, he’ll be more of a threat in the passing game, where he often broke free for big catches, including four touchdowns, last season.
50. Thearon Collier, WR, (Miami) Booker T. Washington—Collier caught 34 balls for 791 yards and nine touchdowns, but at 5-10, his probably could use more muscle on his 165-pound frame.
51. Patrick Johnson, CB, Pompano Beach) Branche Ely—The senior scored 10 touchdowns last fall while making 31 tackles and picking off seven passes.
52. Kenneth McKenzie, RB, (Miami) Dade Christian—He rushed for 886 yards and 15 touchdowns despite carrying the ball only 85 times. The 5-9, 175-pound senior should earn more carries this fall.
53. Chris Cunningham, DL, (Miami) Dade Christian—Mr. C. had 100 tackles as a junior and comes into 2007 ready to unleash his 6-2, 230-pound frame on opposing quarterbacks.
54. Shawn Abuhoff, DB, (Miami) Dade Christian—The 5-11, 174-pound senior had 68 tackles and eight interceptions last fall.
55. Brian Moore, OL, (Coconut Creek) Ransom Everglades—Moore had 97 pancake blocks on offense and 11 sacks on defense last fall as a junior. He’s 6-4 and weights 275.
56. Sam Miller, DB, (Miami) La Salle—The sophomore is ready to make his mark after snagging five interceptions as a freshman. He’s also dangerous on special teams, where he returned two punts for touchdowns last fall.
57. Troy Dannehower, QB, (Daytona Beach) Seabreeze—He has a strong arm and a strong will. Dannehower was knocked out last year and missed a trio of key games. He still finished with 1,603 passing yards on 120-for-185 passing with 18 touchdowns and just six interceptions.He also rushed for 844 yards and another nine touchdowns.
58. Brandon Pendergrass, RB, Royal Palm Beach—He’ll only be in eighth grade, but there’s no doubt that Pendergrass has earned his spot on the team after rushing for 1,279 yards and 15 touchdowns last fall. He also caught 12 passes for 231 yards.
59. Brandon Harris, DB, (Miami) Booker T. Washington—The 5-11, 185-pound senior had seven interceptions last fall. He returned two for touchdowns and also had three sacks and 21 solo tackles.
60. Greg Shaw, OL, (Miami) Monsignor Pace—The 6-4, 265-pound senior had 72 pancake blocks last fall and allowed only two sacks.
61. Terrance Covin, FB, Coconut Creek—Covin was part of a powerful one-two punch last fall as a junior. He rushed for 1,048 yards and 20 touchdowns.
62. Tommy Streeter, WR, (Miami) Northwestern—This senior shares the catches with Aldarius Johnson, but he still managed 57 receptions and 804 receiving yards last fall. He also had 14 touchdowns.
63. Darius Morgan, WR, (Citra) North Marion—Expect this 6-4 receiver to break the 1,000-yard mark this fall, his senior season.If he shows a bit more speed, he’ll rise to the top of the wide receiver heap and garner praise from the top college football programs.
64. Kavarius Walker, LB, (Homestead) South Dade—All this 6-0, 195-pound senior did last fall was register 168 tackles, 10 sacks and five forced fumbles.
65. Melvin Ray, WR, (Tallahassee) North Florida Christian—The senior caught five touchdown passes and had 518 yards through the air last fall. He’s also a dangerous return man and, at 6-3, 200 pounds, he’s likely to push the 1,000-yard plateau this season. He’s head to Alabama in 2008.
66. Adarius Bellamy, RB, Dunedin High—The 5-8, 205-pound senior ranked among the top 15 athletes at the Orlando NIKE Combine, where he ran a 4.67 40-yard dash, last winter.
67. Brandon Washington, OL, (Miami) Northwestern—The senior transferred from Miami Edison following his junior year. His 6-3, 305-pound frame is impressive enough to gain him the attention of dozens of collegiate coaches.
68. Aaron Murray, QB, (Tampa) H.B. Plant High—What’s not to like about a kid who steps into the role vacated by Robert Marve, who’s now at the University of Miami. Murray is just a junior this fall, but he’s expected to carry the Plant offense along nicely on his 6-2, 217-pound frame.But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. He’s yet to play a down as the starter, and some of the hype might be carry-over praise from the days of Marve, who set the bar fairly high.
69. Mark Popek, OL, Plant City—When you are 6-7 and 300 pounds, college coaches are going to notice and high school opponents are going to hurt. After adding some pounds, though, he’ll have to work to improve his speed.
70. Jahleel Addae, RB, Riverview High—The senior is supposedly bound for West Virginia, his brother’s school, but for now he’ll be attempting to finish off his prep career with a third straight 1,000-plus yard season.
71. Jordan Belser, QB, (Jacksonville) Mandarin—He’s highly touted, but unproven. After throwing for just over 400 yards last fall, this 6-3, 190-pound senior will need to emerge quickly to earn a college offer.
72. Garrett Wilkins, RB/CB, Oviedo High—The 5-10, 170-pound senior is ready to explode after carrying 68 times for 687 yards last fall, when he also had 192 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns to go with 40 tackles and five interceptions.
73. Jacolby Washington, RB, (Deltona) Trinity Christian—He rushed for 1,311 yards on 171 carries, an average of almost eight yards per rush, and had 13 rushing touchdowns. He’s also a menace at linebacker, wreaking havoc on small-school offensive lines. This year, though, Washington could share more carries and take on more of a blocking role in some situations after the transfer of Neiko Pate from DeLand. Pate rushed for 1,053 yards, including almost 300 in a single district game,and 15 touchdowns last season.
74. Tory Davis, RB, Wildwood High—The 5-10, 168-pound senior carried 83 times for 950 yards last fall. Now he’ll be trying to help his team rebound after a four-win season.
75. Laquan Jefferson, QB, Winter Haven High—Well, at 6-6, he shouldn’t have problems seeing downfield. At 235 pounds, he can take a shot as well, as was evidenced during his junior season. He broke the 1,000 yard plateau last fall and had 11 touchdowns.
76. Shawn Kalinowski, DB/P, (Palm City) Martin County High—He had 70 tackles as a junior and averages 40 yards per punt. A safe bet: There won’t be an punt return touchdowns against Martin County.
77. Brandon Gardner, QB, Marianna—The senior comes off a junior season that saw him throw for 1,267 yards and 12 touchdowns up in the Big Bend area, but he also tossed 11 interceptions. This year, Marianna has questions on defense, which could mean big numbers for Gardner, who’ll be pressed into throwing the rock.
78. Antonio Bell, WR, (Daytona Beach) Mainland—Bell went over 500 receiving yards last fall, and the 6-2, 170-pound senior is expected to be a bigger piece of the pie this fall.
79. Danny Sandomenico, LB, (Deltona) Pine Ridge—He registered 113 tackles, including 58 solos, last fall and added 4.5 tackles for loss.
80. Jeff Brinson, RB, (St. Petersburg) Northeast—The 5-11, 205-pound Brinson is quick and strong. Expect him to rack up yardage this fall.
81. Anthony Cochran, S, (Clearwater) Central Catholic—This senior had 83 tackles last fall along with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
82. Brian Provost, LB/FB, (Naples) St. John Neumann—Provost is a 6-3, 195-pounder who had 149 tackles last fall to earn his way onto the Class 1A Second Team All-State roster.
83. Vinny Corona, QB, (Sarasota) Cardinal Mooney—This senior threw for 890 yards with nine touchdowns and just three interceptions in five starts in 2006. Look for those numbers to rise this fall for the 6-0, 185-pounder.
84. Travis Tindell, DL, Hudson High—He had 114 tackles and 11 sacks last fall to earn Honorable Mention All-State status. The 5-9, 250-pounder benches 400 pounds and squats the same.
85. Michael Okonkwo, OL, Port Charlotte High—He’s 6-3 and 305 pounds. If he comes into the season in top shape, look for him to dominate and raise his stock among college recruiters.
86. Derek Winter, WR, (Tampa) H.B. Plant High—This senior caught 27 passes for 471 yards and six touchdowns in 2006. Now the 6-2, 185-pounder looks to double his numbers and break into the top echelon of Florida wide receivers. By the way, college coaches, he has a 4.46 grade-point average. Don’t everyone jump at once.
87. Kyle Parker, QB, (Jacksonville) Bartram Trail—The 6-0, 190-pounder senior is headed to Clemson in 2008. First, though, he’ll likely top 1,500 yards passing and 500 yards rushing this fall.
88. Sean McNamee, FB/LB, Fernandina Beach—The junior had 68 tackles last fall. He’s 5-9 and 190 pounds and still has time to grow.
89. Stephen Rogers, WR/DB, (Deltona) Trinity Christian—Rogers quietly picked off seven balls and made 65 tackles in 2006. On offense, he had seven touchdowns. Trinity should go far in Class 1B, and Rogers will get the exposure he deserves.
90. Justin Le, QB, (Tampa) Robinson—He threw for 1,722 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior last fall. The 6-1, 175-pounder is primed for more this fall.
91. Butch Moore, QB/P, (Fort Myers) Bishop Verot—The 6-3, 195-pound senior made the All-State second team as a punter and was his team’s offensive player of the year.
92. Tyrone Hendrix, WR, (Holiday) Mitchell High—The 5-9, 170-pound senior had 32 catches for 561 yards and four touchdowns in 2006.
93. Eric Fridenberg, QB, Bradenton Christian—As a sophomore, he threw for 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns. Look for those numbers to climb this year, and don’t think the small-school kid is unfit for the college game. He’s 6-4 and 205 pounds.
94. Jared Hamilton, OL, Bradenton Southeast—This 6-3, 330-pound senior made the All-State third team in 2006.
95. Tate Humphrey, QB, (Holiday) Mitchell—The 5-11, 190-pounder is quick and elusive. He threw for 1,361 yards and rushed for 761 more as a junior, but he’ll need a big season and strong academics to raise his stock.
96. Christian Parsons, QB, (Fort Myers) Cypress Lake—He’s just a junior this fall after throwing for 958 yards and nine touchdowns and rushing for 502 yards and 10 more touchdowns in 2006. But he’s a little under-sized for the position at 5-11 and 165 pounds.
97. Jamel Crooke, DE, (Tampa) Alonso—He played some linebacker last year, but his true talent is rushing the quarterback. This senior had 12.5 sacks and 70-plus tackles in 2006. At 6-1 and 225 pounds, he might need a little more size to fit into the defensive end role at the collegiate level.
98. Davon Johnson, WR, (Miami) Booker T. Washington—He caught 22 passes for 422 yards and four touchdowns as a junior. Now he’ll be the go-to guy, and his 4.4 speed should give him plenty of opportunities.
99. Michael Ross, OL, West Boca High—The 6-2, 255-pounder runs well for his size and has the strength to fight off defenders. On defense, he caught the quarterback nine times in 2006.
100. Tommy Fleming, RB, Deltona High—Fleming has been showcasing his bulldog attitude and fleet feet for two years. He rushed for 922 yards and nine touchdowns behind a suspect offensive line last fall. Now, under the tutelage of a new coach, he hopes for a breakout season. When you run a 4.4 40-yard dash and toss up 315 pounds on the bench press despite being only 5-11 and 175 pounds, people take notice. Fleming, though, needs to convert to wide receiver.
