The Mandarin Mustangs once again had the hottest summer of any team winning with more key additions to the team. But before we go to the additions, we have to highlight who is coming back. Quarterback Tramell Jones (Florida State commit) led the state in passing with 3,195 yds and 33 touchdowns. Mandarin advanced all the way to the state championship game on his arm as state runners-up.
Mandarin also has 5-Star wide receiver Jaime Ffrench Jr (1,247yds 14TDs) returning, who is the most dangerous weapon in the state at the position. Five-Star Safety Hylton Drake Stubbs (Miami commit)goes into his second year at the school. He made a major impact his first year, with 97 tackles, 2.5 sacks and an eye popping 6 interceptions. Joining him on defense returning is linebacker Israel Ratliff who had 113 tackles as a sophomore.
Key additions to the team tis year include 2025 offensive tackle Austin Candler coming over from Jackson high school. Defensive back junior Brody Jennings (Michigan commit) came over from Sandalwood, along with Kameron Mills (2026 ATH) who played previously at Sandalwood as well.
Freshman Brysen Wright comes from Murray Middle School (St. John’s County), and has already turned heads this summer with his play at the NFL Flag tournament. Yet 2026 DB Tamajh Mitchell just might be the sleeper that everyone talks about at seasons end. He transferred over from Bartram Trail.
Mandarin has become a popular destination for talent around Northeast Florida. Last year, Stubbs (Oakleaf) and Deryc Plazz ( Jackson) were top transfers from that came over from different schools. Head Coach Toby Bullock recently addressed transfers in an interview with Brent Martineau of Action News Jax at high school media day.
When asked why does he believe some people are angry that kids are going to Mandarin, Bullock replied “I’ve seen both sides of it, at Wolfson High School three days after I got there several kids transferred.”
Bullock continued, “at Mandarin high school, we try to make it like a movie where it is the place to go to high school”. Said Bullock, “every kid that walks into Mandarin, we want them to have the greatest experience, we want them to be spoiled rotten, we want them to work their tails off, and that’s what we try to exude to the community”. “If people don’t like that, I really don’t care”, Bullock added.
Mandarin is the newest team in Northeast Florida to play the role of villain due to player transfers. Sandalwood had a short run from 2016-2020 where several players looked to the southside as a destination. Bolles is a program that has always attracted top talent in Northeast Florida for decades.
Yet both Sandalwood and Bolles weren’t able to turn the transfers into championship trophies the last decade. The only team in recent history that’s been able to attract top talent in the area, and win a state title is Trinity Christian led by head coach Verlon Dorminey.
In fact, Trinity is the last team in Northeast Florida to boast two 5-star athletes on the same roster in safety Shaun Wade, and defensive back Tyreke Johnson. No team could boast such a claim until now, as Mandarin has two 5-star athletes themselves in Drake Stubbs and Jaime Ffrench.
What Trinity Christian was able to accomplish from 2013-2017 may never be duplicated again, as they won four state championships in a row. However, Mandarin has a tremendous opportunity this year to bring a title back to Northeast Florida.
Mandarin, who won a state title under Coach Bobby Ramsay in 2018, is one of only two public school teams in Duval County to win state titles. Raines high school has won three titles (1997, 2017, 2018). Last year, the Mustangs fell to Columbus in the state championship game. A team they defeated for their lone state title.
The road to the championship for a public school has traditionally been much harder than a private schools, mostly due to transfer restrictions which has capped roster talent.
However, now that public schools can benefit from transfers it has evened the playing field, allowing a public school like Mandarin to be spoken in the same breath as a private school like Trinity Christian. With two 5-star athletes, and two 4-star athletes on the roster, orange is the new black as the 2024 Mandarin squad looks very similar to the 2016 Trinity squad.
If Mandarin is truly a team that can be mentioned as a powerhouse program like Trinity, they must win a championship. It’s something that is not lost on the team,
