Northeast Fl- It’s high school football season again, and this year we have some new teams on the Week #1 Power Rankings than in year’s past. This is the year of the quarterback, and there are several top recruits leading many programs this year. Ironically, our #1 team doesn’t have the highly recruited, big armed signal caller. They’re an old school type team with an old school philosophy. Running and defense, still wins championships.
#1. Bradford County (12-2 Record in 2022)
Strength: Rushing and experience. Rush attack averaged 235ypg in 2022
Weakness: Passing attack averaged 4.5 completions per game
The Tornadoes were just one win away from going to the state championship game last year. With their top runner out for the season (Cincinnati commit Manny Covey) they would still advance to the state semifinal falling to eventual state champion Cocoa.
Returning Players:
Linebacker Chason Clark (Marshall commit), linebacker Torin Brazell (8 D1 offers), athlete Chalil Cummings (24 D1 offers), athlete Dae’jon Shanks (8 D-1 offers), and RB Willie Pollard (Ga Southern offer) all of whom are seniors. Rising junior QB Jeremiah McKenzie (Ga Southern offer) is set to follow up a break out year last year, as he showed he is a true game-breaker. They will use him at several positions including in the back-field.
Impact Player to watch: “Fast Willie Pollard”
Week 1 Opponent: Baker County (Home); A rematch of last year’s playoff regional final in the same place.
Dre’ s Take: In just a half of football at their kickoff classic, Bradford scored on four straight possessions, with two touchdowns occurring after turnovers, in a 28-6 win over Chiefland . They have the most returning starters in NE Florida and unfinished business. They’ll go as far as their defense and rushing attack can take them.
#2. Bartram Trail (2022 Record 12-1)
Strength: Scoring offense: Averaged 32.2ppg
Weakness: Defensive size and speed
3-star UCF commit quarterback Riley Trujillo leads the Bears into his senior season at quarterback. He passed for 1,910yds and 15 TDs, but also ran for 710yds and 5 TDs. Running back Laython Biddle ran wild in 2022 for 1,515yds and 29 TDs. They both might be the best QB/RB duo in Northeast Florida in 2023.
Impact Player to watch: Laython Biddle had 7 carries for 130 yards and 2 TDs in the KOC vs Riverside. Monster year coming for him!
Week 1 Opponent: Away versus a tough Ponte Vedra team.
Dre’s Take: Bartram put up 30 points on Riverside at halftime in their KOC. New head coach Cory Johns comes over and has seemingly picked up right where long time head coach Darrell Sutherland left off. He might have the missing piece to Bartram’s playoff puzzle. Finally getting them over the hump, and hoisting a state championship.
#3. Trinity (2022 record 11-1)
Strength: Experience and total offense
Weakness: Undersized defense
Returning Players:
Coming back for a senior year is arguably the best running back in Northeast Florida Darnell Rogers (Valdosta St commit). In additon to Rogers, Trinity has 4-star LSU commit Colin Hurley at quarterback, who is ready to go out with a bang after reclassifying from 2025 to 2024. He’ll be throwing to one of the best wide receivers in the area Miles Burris (Charlotte Commit).
On defense FAU commit Kyle Boylston returns after a stellar year with 6 interceptions at safety. He also plays wide receiver on offense. Linebacker Cam Anderson was second in the area in tackles last year, and is one of the most under-recruited players in NE Florida. Senior linebacker Bryce Kazmierczak will have a monster year as well, along with fellow backer Lovell Vareen. Three were named 2022-2023 Duval Sports Prime Time Players. Jayke Jones is a talented long athlete that has break-out potential.
Impact Player To Watch: Trinity will feature Colin Hurley this year, look for him to put up some eye popping numbers this year from the quarterback position.
Week 1 Opponent: Home vs Ed White, rematch of last year’s high scoring opener.
Dre’s Take: Trinity defeated Parker 48- 6 in their KOC. Colin Hurley tossed three TD passes to three different receivers (Smith, Burris, Boylston). Rogers ran for 50yds on just 3 carries and a TD. It’s just a taste of what this offense will do this year.
#4. University Christian (2022 Record 11-2)
Strength: Big play offense (17.4 ypc, over 15 pass attempts)
Weakness: Depth and size
Returning Players:
Jenoa Alford, just a sophomore, amazed with his ability to get open and go over the top of defenders. His quarterback Dwayne Stuckey Jr was a playmaker and unsung hero of the team. He made lots of plays during crunch time. Both are rising juniors.
UC’s leading tackler Luke Thomas returns at linebacker, as well as Ryan Oakley Jr, an opportunistic DB that generates turnovers. Dah’kari Gilley will be called upon to make lots of plays for his team at multiple positiions. The Rutgers commit will be up for the task.
Impact Player to Watch: Jenoa Alford (2022-23 Duval Sports Prime Time Player )
Week 1 Opponent: Home versus Raines. A historic and intriguing regular season matchup that we haven’t seen.
Dre’s Take: David Penland III has the hardest task in NE Florida replacing Orel Gray and Desirrio Riles. However, he is the best at reloading his roster and this year is no exception. He has a returning QB and playmaking wide receiver to capitalize on big plays.
#5. St Augustine (2022 Record 7-4)
Strength: Passing Attack Averaged 210 ypg
Weakness: Defense (Gave up 34 to Bolles, 41 to Nease, and 59 to Bartram)
Returning Players:
Quarterback Locklan Hewlett (Wake Forest commit) and First Team Duval Sports Prime Time Player, was the best passer statistically in Northeast Florida in 2022. There’s no reason to think that he won’t be even better in 2023 especially with 6’3 wide receiver and rising junior Carl Jenkins Jr (14-D1 offers) catching balls and making plays. Trenton Jones is another player to watch out for in this explosive offense.
On defense, Linebacker Drake Lusk and safety Ja’ki Singleton return to lead the defense as well as Devonte Lyons, who plays offense as well at Runningback.
Impact Player To Watch: Locklan Hewlett passed for 3 TDs in the first half of their kickoff classic, including an 80-yarder and 72-yarder. He is going to tear it up this year.
Week 1 Opponent: Away vs Bolles, this is a great barometer for the Jackets. If they can finally beat Bolles this might be a special year.
Dre’s Take: Was Spruce Creek that bad losing 47-0? Or in St. Augustine just that good scoring 30 points in 30 minutes? I’ll go with the ladder and say the Jackets are going to be that good.
#6. Bolles (2022 Record: 9-5)
Strength: Rushing attack (158.2 Rushing YPG)
Weakness: Inexperienced secondary
Returning Players:
At quarterback, DJ Moore Jr (Coastal Carolina commit) leads the way for the Bulldogs who will rely on his leadership to captain a young but talented team. Moore’s targets at wide receiver include rising sophomore sensation Naeem Burroughs who already has an offer from Alabama.
The signature Bolles running game will fall in the hands of juniors Ty Neal and Emmett Grzebin. Senior linebacker Trent Carter (Louisville commit) spear-heads the defense, along with Garrison Butler (Cincinnati commit). Then there’s sophomore (DE) big 6’5 Corbyn Fordham
Impact Player to Watch: DJ Moore is a senior who shared time at QB his sophomore year, and sufferd injuries his junior year. He has something to prove his senior year, and he will.
Week 1 Opponent: Home vs St. Augustine which Bolles has won every game the last three years.
Dre’s Take: Bolles was a young team last year that still made it to the State Semifinals losing to powerhouse American Heritage by only one touchdown (21-14). Experience is on their side as key positions return on their team, albeit many of them are still not seniors, their QB and leader is.
#7. Fletcher (2022 Record 8-3)
Strength: Experience and Balance on offense
Weakness: Undersized Defense
Returning Players:
Star quarterback Marcelis Tate (USF commit) returns, along with his big target Anthony Vaglienti at wide receiver (Tennessee Tech commit). Brayden Wallace (Tennessee Tech commit) anchors the offensive line, also with the big 6’4, 310lbs Takaylen ‘T.k’ Muex (offers from Louisville, Troy, Western Kentucky). Noah Taylor is a sleeper athlete who is a complete football player. A new weapon in Troy Hillman Jr is exciting coming over from Sandalwood.
Senior DB and Mercer commit Kai Torrealba-Reyes leads a defense along withhard hitting linebacker Eysaw (Dj) Parrish Jr. The addition of Davarius “DL” Lee from First Coast in the secondary bolsters a unit that’s primed to make plays.
Impact Player to watch: Anthony Vaglienti has the potential to be the best wide receiver in the city. He’s already in the conversation, but this year could end the discussion for everyone else. He’s just that good.
Week 1 Opponent: Rematch against Mandarin where Fletcher believes they ran out of time last year. This year the clock is back at 90 minutes and the score is 0-0. A win shocks the city.
Dre’s Take: Senior D-1 quarterback, Senior D-1 Wide Receiver, Senior D-1 offensive line, Senior D-1 Defenders, not only does Fletcher have the talent but it’s their time!
#8. Mandarin (2022 Record 5-5)
Strength: Highly recruited players at every skill position (QB, WR, DB, S)
Weakness: Lack of size on interior defensive line and linebackers
Returning players:
Returning at quarterback is Florida State commit Tramell Jones who passed for 2,310 yards and 23 touchdowns his junior year. Mandarin also has recent Alabama commit Jaime Ffrench Jr (WR), and defensive backs Antoine Belgrave-shorter, and Jon Mitchell both Penn State commits.
New comers to the team are rising senior Offensive Tackle Deryc Plazz (Miami commit) who comes over from Jackson, and 4-star safety and rising junior Drake Stubbs who comes over from Oakleaf along with all around weapon Carlos Witherup. On paper, no team stacks up to their D1 star power.
Impact Player To Watch: Jaime Ffrench Jr. When you have a 5-star Alabama commit on the roster, you use him. He is the first nationally recruited 5-star rated wide reciver in Northeast Florida in the modern rating era.
Week1 Opponent: Rematch against Fletcher from last year in a game that went down to the wire. A great early test for a team with all the hype this year.
Dre’s Take: This team has high expectations with the additions. They struggled against Ponte Vedra in their KOC so the Mustangs need to gel in some areas to foster team cohesion. Hopefully for them, they have been able to do that this week in practice, because week #1 is here.
#9. Raines (2022 Record 9-3)
Strength: Size on the offensive and defensive lines
Weakness: Passing offense; Averaged only 6.8 completions per game
Returning Players:
The Vikings have some of the highest recruited players in the nation. They aren’t just big time recruits, but they are big time play-makers as well. The biggest of them is Big Solomon Thomas who stands at 6’5, 315 lbs. He’s a Duval Sports First Team Prime Time Player and one of the top linemen in the country with with offers from Alabama, Florida State, Florida and Penn State.
The next big man is Jyon “BigCatt” Simon, a 6’3, 285lb terror on the defensive line with offers from Texas, Auburn, Georgia Tech. Both big men are just rising juniors. Big playmakers to watch are RB Mark Miller on offense and DB Nicholas Kilpatrick on defense. They both can take it to the house in an instant. Sleepers are QB Tyren “T.Y.” Randolph and athlete Terrell Sheppard, they’ll turn heads this year.
Impact Player To Watch: Running back Mark Miller looks bigger and stronger than last year.
Week 1 Opponent: Away versus University Christian, an opponent they’ve only seen in an exhibition in recent years
Dre’s Take: Raines has typically started slow and turned it on late in the season the last couple of years. That trend needs to reverse this year in order to take it to the next level. A win over UC would do that.
#10. First Coast (2022 Record 6-4)
Strengths: Passing Offense, Last year averaged 190.6 passing ypg.
Weakness: Defense: In all four losses, Bucs gave up 27 or more ppg
Returning Players:
This is a surprise pick as First Coast hasn’t been in out Top 10 in a long time. Yet with a returning starting quarterback in Rodney Tisdale Jr, and starting wide receiver in Thomas Jackson Jr (both of whom made the 2022-2023 Duval Sports Prime Time Player list. Michael Thomas is another weapon for the Bucs who seem poised to catch some teams off-guard this year. .
On defense, corner Zion Mitchell returns locking down the aiways. While Israel Lucas locks down the defensive line at 6’3, 310lbs.
Impact Player To Watch: 6’3 wide-out and Georgia Southern commit Jordan Anderson is a player to watch
Week 1 Opponent: Away at Bishop Kenny. First Coast lost to BK 27-0 last year. This will be a good test to see if they are who we say they are.
Dre’s Take: I’m an early believer in First Coast. With several new coaches on the staff. A new era of players that were leaders in the city in passing and receving.. First Coast even has a new attitude with it’s media department. This might be the year First Coast bucs the old and breaks-through the new.
