2024 Recruiting Rankings: Florida's Top 25 Prospects
Article cover photo of Jeremiah Smith and Joshisa Trader; photo credit to Brian Smith
Traveling around the state of Florida, it’s a blessing to be able to see so many top recruits in person.
Seeing top recruits before one's eyes helps to clearly define the best of the best. With that measurement in mind, a few key elements that were particularly important beyond the obvious football talent would be the same ones that many NFL scouts utilize to measure how highly a prospect goes in the NFL Draft.
Attitude, character on and off the gridiron, academics, being clutch and a good teammate, and a person that understands how to handle adversity.
1) Jeremiah Smith, Wide Receiver, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna - Ohio State commitment
Jeremiah Smith
Everything Smith did on game day, time after time, was the same as what I’ve seen from highly ranked college players and even NFL players. How he warmed up, took practice reps seriously, and stayed focused were impressive. The non-paralleled athleticism of someone that size, combined with his determination, has made him a rare prospect.
Wingspan, hand-eye coordination, top-end speed, moves to get off bump coverage, and making contested catches look easy, those all fit nicely into Smith’s repertoire. In my opinion, he’s the best player within Florida and the country.
2) Joshisa Trader, Wide Receiver, Miami (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna
Incredible hands; makes one-handed grabs look mundane. Most importantly about all of Trader’s skills – and there are a plethora – he shined brightest during the biggest moments.
Third down catches, 50-50 balls, or needing a pick when he was playing defense, this young man has been dominant. Finally, one will not find a player more capable of tracking a long bomb than Trader.
3) David Stone, Defensive Line, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
Incredibly rare skills as an interior pass rusher; Stone has hit the gas and blown by opposing lineman and also bull rushed players that weighed well over 300 pounds and placed them in the lap of the quarterback. He’s also hungry for more.
Looking at his combined physical tools combined with the knowledge he’s acquired, Stone has been a lot of fun to watch.
4) Jordan Seaton, Offensive Tackle, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
Seaton’s attitude to get in shape by going from 330 pounds down to 285 was a great sign of his determination. Seeing his quick kick step against talented pass rushers was also impressive. He’s taken to his craft and wants second helpings of how to get better.
He’s one of the nation’s most talked about recruits for a reason and Seaton could end up being ranked as the top overall offensive tackle in the nation.
5) Ellis Robinson IV, Cornerback, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy - Georgia commitment
Plays cornerback like a player that’s been in college for at least a couple of seasons. He’s polished as it’s often called in the recruiting industry, for sure. Robinson’s length, speed, and natural change of direction – combined with that veteran-like technique – make him arguably the nation’s best cornerback.
He could also play nickel corner or even move back to free safety. He’s an all-around defensive back and one with room to get bigger and strong so look out.
6) Chauncey Bowens, Running Back, Palm Beach (Fla.) Benjamin School - Florida commitment
Chauncey Bowens
Boom! Pow! Bam! Meet Mr. Bowens and his powerful frame. He certainly filled out his uniform and has much quicker feet than one would expect having just seen him standing prior to actually playing. That’s just it, Bowens has nimble feet despite his size. Additionally, he can truly run well in the open field.
With the ability to get to the perimeter and make long runs in addition to being a power back, Bowens has the upside to one day play in the NFL.
7) Eddy Pierre-Louis, Offensive Line, Tampa (Fla.) Catholic
Like Seaton, “Big Eddy” has changed his body and looked like a new man. He’s carried his weight well and also adapted to playing each of the five spots along the line (just started learning center).
He’s also been working his craft as a nose guard from time to time. Pierre-Louis should be considered a big-time talent and one that can help a college football program in multiple ways.
8) Colin Hurley, Quarterback, Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian - LSU commitment
Elite arm, consistent, and pressure does not bother him. He’s as rare as it gets when it comes to dedication to training as well. He’s been working out with MLB players and other quarterbacks for years. It’s hard to place his mentality into perspective for those that do not know him personally.
Long-term, Hurley simply needs to learn the craft of quarterback more each day. He will one day lead the LSU Tigers and potentially an NFL team.
9) Charles Lester, Cornerback, Sarasota (Fla.) Riverview
Charles Lester
Lester has been the definition of length, size and speed since meeting him when he was 14 years old. It’s been comical to watch him go against and dominate his own age group. Now that Lester has played on the national stage with South Florida Express, as well as having competed in several camps, it’s only verified what numerous scouts already knew.
It’s just a matter of where Lester plays at the college level. He’s probably best at cornerback with his smooth backpedal and speed, but he could be a safety or wide receiver.
10) Zaquan Patterson, Safety, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna
Dependable, determined, and dominant. Patterson has patrolled the deep secondary for Chaminade-Madonna and Defcon with excellent results. He’s also proven he can be a big-play wide receiver as well.
From this entire list, Patterson has earned the distinction of being the captain. He leads by example as well as with helping players to get lined up. He’s a true competitor and leader.
11) Lawayne McCoy, Wide Receiver, Miami (Fla.) Central - Florida State commitment
12) Jordan Lyle, Running Back, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Saint Thomas Aquinas - Ohio State commitment
13) Adarius Hayes, Edge, Largo (Fla.) High School - Florida commitment
14) Jameer Grimsley, Cornerback, Tampa (Fla.) Catholic
15) Jerrick Gibson, Running Back, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
16) Bredell Richardson, Wide Receiver, Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day School
17) Trever Jackson, Quarterback, Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange
18) Chance Robinson, Wide Receiver, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Saint Thomas Aquinas - Miami commitment
19) D’antre Robinson, Defensive Tackle, Orlando (Fla.) Jones
20) Jamari Howard, Cornerback, Hialeah (Fla.) Westland Hialeah
21) Stacy Gage, Running Back, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Saint Thomas Aquinas
22) Cai Bates, Cornerback, Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater
23) Micahi Danzy, Running Back, Tallahassee (Fla.) Unversity School
24) Brandon Jacob, Safety, Orlando (Fla.) Evans
25) Ricky Knight II, Cornerback, North Palm Beach (Fla.) Benjamin School
Obviously there were numerous players that have not yet been seen live this spring or even this past fall. With that in mind, here's to looking forward to seeing many more of Florida’s best over the course of the next several months and into the 2023 season.
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