As we get set for another high school football season, we will be revealing our Top 100 players to watch for in their respective classes. We will start with the senior class, followed by juniors, and then sophomores. The following players are ranked by their collegiate potential and the impact they made during the 2023 season.
#40 Winston Watkins– Venice
Position: Wide Receiver
Commitment: Uncommitted
Watkins has already shined into becoming one of the most elite playmakers in this year’s senior class. He may only be 5’10, but his hands and footwork in his route-running ability have continued to take huge strides. Watkins could also often be used as a return man on kick-offs or punt returns.
2023 Stats: 61 catches, 1170 yards, 13 touchdowns (Receiving) 14 carries, 51 yards, 2 touchdowns (Rushing)
#39 Girard Pringle– Armwood
Position: Running Back
Commitment: Miami
Pringle is a mobile running back with quick feet and can quickly change gears. His versatility in the backfield speaks volumes on how legit of a prospect Pringle is. Pringle could be viewed as an impact player at the Power-5 level with the burst of energy he creates for his offense.
2023 Stats: 219 carries, 1683 yards, 24 touchdowns (Rushing) 7 catches, 80 yards, 1 touchdown (Receiving)
#38 Jyon Simon– Raines (Jacksonville)
Position: Defensive Line
Commitment: Rutgers
The 6’1 260-pound defensive end has the potential to make a lot of noise as he has committed to play in the Big Ten. His ability to time and react to the opposition’s movements has also improved where he set a new career-high in sacks as a junior last season.
2023 Stats: 77 tackles (15 Tackles for loss), 9.0 sacks
#37 Waden Charles– Palm Beach Central
Position: Wide Receiver
Commitment: UCF
The 6’2 185-pound wide receiver has added some muscle since the beginning of his junior season where he had a 1,000-yard season in his sophomore season prior to that. Charles is known to be a deceptive route-runner who can mix in a different variant of speeds on his breaks. Look for Charles to be a primary return man once he gets to the next level or come in on red zone situations.
2023 Stats: 30 catches, 478 yards, 7 touchdowns
#36 Bryce Fitzgerald– Columbus (Miami)
Position: Safety
Commitment: Miami
Fitzgerald was a multi-sport athlete when he was younger as he played basketball as well as run track. He helped Belen Jesuit win the Class 5A title in basketball back in 2022-2023 before transferring to Columbus ahead of his junior season.
Fitzgerald could be viewed as a deep threat in the passing game as he can create separation from the defensive backs.
2023 Stats: 20 total tackles, 5 interceptions, 1 forced fumble (Defense) 5 catches, 75 yards (Offense)
#35 Taevion Swint– Kissimmee Osceola
Position: Running Back
Commitment: UCF
Swint will often at times get underestimated because of his size but is one of the most explosive running backs in the Sunshine State when healthy. Despite missing the first few games of his junior season due to a knee injury, Swint still put up some efficient numbers for the Kowboys.
2023 Stats: 74 carries, 602 yards, 6 touchdowns (Rushing) 6 catches, 84 yards (Receiving)
#34 Ty Jackson– Seminole Ridge
Position: Linebacker
Commitment: Uncommitted
Jackson is the true definition of a tackle machine where he is one of the most underrated prospects in not just South Florida, but maybe the entire state. Jackson is often at times used in drop coverage where his speed allows him to chase down receivers in the open field. He has the potential to be a multi-year starter once he gets to the next level as he has nearly 30 scholarship offers.
2023 Stats: 135 total tackles (4 Tackles for loss), 4 forced fumbles, 2.0 sacks, 2 interceptions
#33 Keon Young– Lakeland
Position: Safety
Commitment: Ole Miss
Young is a game-changer when he is on the field as he does it all on the defensive side whether it’s in-coverage or stopping the run game. Young is very versatile and can play multiple positions in the secondary.
2023 Stats: 45 total tackles (9 Tackles for loss), 12 pass breakups, 6 interceptions.
#32 Waltez Clark– Plant (Tampa)
Position: Running Back
Commitment: Florida
Clark is a multi-versatile player where he gets snaps at running back, wide receiver, and linebacker. His ability to read defenses has also taken a huge stride in his game where he can be a threat to make a big play every time the ball is in his hands. He also has the size and skills to play both outside and inside receiver positions.
2023 Stats: 77 carries, 476 yards, 15 touchdowns (Rushing) 22 catches, 358 yards, 4 touchdowns (Receiving) 23 total tackles (2 Tackles for loss) and a sack (Defense)
#31 Carter Smith– Bishop Verot
Position: Quarterback
Commitment: Michigan
Smith is a dual-threat quarterback who will do what it takes to win games. He can generate with his arm as well as his legs making him unpredictable as a signal-caller. His willingness to be unafraid when it comes to throwing in a key block for a teammate has also improved since the start of his junior season.
2023 Stats: 62.4% completion (133-of-213), 2223 yards, 29 touchdowns, 4 interceptions (Passing) 103 carries, 715 yards, 19 touchdowns (Rushing)
