The Herald-Tribune has released The Big 15 and The Next 15, looking at the area’s top high school football recruits.
Still, there’s plenty of talent in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
We’ve compiled a list of the top 50 most underrated players heading into the 2026 season who college coaches should be keeping an eye on. Players are listed in alphabetical order.
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Baron Baldwin, Southeast
Baldwin is a 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior linebacker. In 2025, Baldwin had 60 total tackles, 38 solo tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two pass deflections and one fumble recovery.
Ty Baker, Parrish Community
Baker is a 5-foot-11, 225-pound middle linebacker entering his junior season. Last year, he had 33 total tackles, 13 solo tackles, eight tackles for loss, one sack and five quarterback hurries. He also forced two fumbles, recovering one.
Jake Beasley, Out-of-Door Academy
Beasley is a 6-foot senior who plays multiple positions, including fullback, defensive end and linebacker. Last season, Beasley had 54 total tackles, 12 solo tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 34 quarterback hurries and nine sacks.
Elidrick Berry, Lakewood Ranch
Berry is a 5-foot-8, 170-pound senior running back. Last season, Berry had 886 yards and nine touchdowns on 132 carries. He logged three games with 100 or more yards. He also added 105 yards and one touchdown on six receptions.
Davion Bryant, Manatee
Bryant is a 6-foot-1, 255-pound defensive end. He had 43 total tackles, 38 solo tackles, 13 tackles for loss, five sacks, seven quarterback hurries and one pass deflection last season.
Cooper Buck, Sarasota
Buck is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound linebacker, who is entering his senior season. In 2025, Buck had 90 solo tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and one interception.
Ryan Bundrage, Southeast
Bundrage is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior who can play at receiver and linebacker. In 2025, he had 26 total tackles, 21 solo tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception and three pass deflections.
Luke Buttle, Cardinal Mooney
Buttle is a 5-foot-11, 240-pound center. He is entering his senior season.
Aric Cleveland, Lakewood Ranch
Cleveland is a 6-foot, 170-pound junior who can play at outside linebacker and strong safety. During his sophomore campaign, Cleveland had 41 total tackles, 25 solo tackles, two tackles for loss and one pass deflection.
Kane Collazo, Riverview
Collazo is a senior offensive guard for the Rams. The 6-foot-3, 285-pounder will be pivotal on Riverview’s offensive line.
Kahleb Crawford, Southeast
Crawford is a 5-foot-8 junior linebacker. During his sophomore campaign, Crawford had 62 total tackles, 43 solo tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, two pass deflections and two fumbles recovered for a combined 32 yards.
Landon Dean, Cardinal Mooney
Dean is a 6-foot-5, 230-pound senior tight end. He has six Division I offers, following a junior campaign where he recorded 135 yards and two touchdowns on nine receptions. This will be his first season at Cardinal Mooney after transferring from Sarasota.
Louisen Desinor, Braden River
Desinor is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound quarterback. He transferred from Southeast ahead of his junior season, starting for the Pirates in 2024. Desinor threw for 1,614 yards and 10 touchdowns. He performed well during the spring and will be Braden River’s signal-caller in his senior season.
Athian Early, Manatee
Early is a 5-foot-9, 160-pound junior cornerback. In 2025, Early had 29 total tackles, 20 solo tackles, seven pass deflections and one forced fumble.
Sebastian Engel, Lakewood Ranch
Engel is a 6-foot-2 quarterback entering his senior season. In 2025, he threw for 331 yards and five touchdowns in six games.
Alex Falu, Out-of-Door Academy
Falu is a 6-foot, 180-pound senior who can play on both sides of the ball, including wide receiver, defensive end and linebacker. Last season, Falu had 30 total tackles, five solo tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He’ll likely be a starter this season after ODA graduated some defensive pieces.
Chase Fritz, Sarasota
Fritz is a 6-foot-5, 190-pound strong safety entering his senior season. In 2025, Fritz had 84 total tackles and 60 solo tackles.
Juan-Miguel Genao, Parrish Community
Genoa is a 5-foot-8, 170-pound receiver entering his senior season.
Brennan Gunter, Manatee
Gunter is a 6-foot-5, 225-pound tight end entering his senior season.
Seneca Hawthorne, Cardinal Mooney
Hawthorne is a 6-foot, 168-pound receiver entering his junior season.
Trenton Huffman, Riverview
In 2025, the wide receiver had 544 and three touchdowns on 30 receptions. Huffman averaged 18.1 yards per game. The 5-foot-11, 190 pound wideout is heading into his senior season.
Wyatt Inman, Parrish Community
Inman is a 5-foot-7, 165-pound quarterback who can also play at defensive end. He’s entering his junior season.
Connell Jackson, Cardinal Mooney
Jackson is a 5-foot-10, 168-pound defensive back. Last season, Jackson had 39 total tackles, 22 solo tackles, nine tackles for loss, two pass deflections and two forced fumbles.
Toryeon James, Cardinal Mooney
James is a 5-foot-8, 150-pound senior, who can play at both running back and receiver. Last season at Riverview, James had 1,941 yards rushing yards and 28 touchdowns on 200 carries. He had eight games with over 100 rushing yards.
Ka’Marion Jones, Lakewood Ranch
Jones is a 5-foot-10, 155-pound senior who can play on both sides of the ball at corner and wide receiver.
Ashton Kelly, Palmetto
Kelly is a senior running back, who had a huge spring at Palmetto. During the offseason, he’s become bigger, faster and stronger to have more of an impact on the Tigers this season.
Cedric King, Cardinal Mooney
King is a 6-foot, 165-pound junior wide receiver. Ahead of his first season at Cardinal Mooney, King has three offers to Minnesota, Liberty and Toledo. Last season, King played at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel, recording 546 yards and five touchdowns on 31 catches.
Desi Kmit, Venice
Kmit is a junior who can play on both sides of the ball at running back and linebacker. After transferring from Michigan, Kmit will likely start at outside linebacker.
Felly Kmit, Venice
Kmit is a junior middle linebacker. The 6-foot-2, 223-pound player transferred from Michigan during the offseason after he had 55 total tackles, 16 solo tackles, 16 tackles for loss, three interceptions, two forced fumble and two sacks during his sophomore season. He’ll likely start for Venice this season.
Kingston Kokoefer, Out-of-Door Academy
Kokoefer is a 6-foot junior who can play on both sides at the ball at wide receiver and defensive back. He’s started at ODA for the last two seasons since he entered as a freshman.
Cooper Kolbe, Manatee
Kolbe is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound tackle/defensive end entering his junior season. He blocked two punts last season.
Jayden Lewis, Manatee
Lewis is a 5-foot-10, 155 pound free safety entering his junior season.
Jordyn Lowery, Manatee
Lowery is a 6-foot, 190-pound senior outside linebacker. He had 36 total tackles, 31 solo tackles, eight tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and one forced fumble last season.
Denver McDonald, Parrish Community
McDonald has been a starting safety for Parrish during the last two seasons. He’s entering his senior season.
Harold McKeever, Lakewood Ranch
McKeever is a 5-foot-7 middle linebacker, who had 11 total tackles and two solo tackles in five games during his sophomore season.
Grayson Miller, Parrish Community
Miller is a 5-foot-7, 290-pound offensive lineman entering his junior season.
Jacob Murray, Sarasota Christian
Murray is a 6-foot-2, 310-pound senior defensive tackle. Against Master’s Academy in December, Murray had one fumble recovery and one blocked field goal.
Jack Naylon, Cardinal Mooney
Naylon is a 6-foot-2, 285-pound senior lineman with several offers. He’s started at Mooney for the last three seasons.
Tristen Neeley, Venice
Neeley is a 6-foot-2 senior middle linebacker. In 2025, he had 127 total tackles, 82 solo tackles, five tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also played on Venice’s 2024 state championship team.
Reece Poole, Lakewood Ranch
Poole is a 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior defensive end. In 2025, Poole had 26 total tackles, 17 solo tackles, four tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries and two pass deflections.
Brody Redman, Cardinal Mooney
Redman is a 6-foot-5, 245-pound senior tackle. Last season, he had five total tackles.
Jose Rivera, Parrish Community
Rivera is a 6-foot, 165-pound senior wide receiver, who had 64 receptions and three kick returns last season. Although he wasn’t a starter this season, Rivera will likely have a big impact on the Bulls’ season due to his playmaking ability.
Everett Russ, Lakewood Ranch
Russ is a 5-foot-11, 165-pound senior quarterback. Last season, Russ was sidelined with a torn ACL.
Thomas Seymour, Parrish Community
Seymour is a 6-foot, 170-pound quarterback entering his senior season.
Noah Spenn, Sarasota Christian
Spenn is a 6-foot-4 wide receiver, heading into his senior season. In 2025, Spenn had 374 yards and nine touchdowns on 31 receptions.
Timothy Shabunin, North Port
Shabunin is a 5-foot-8, 195-pound senior, who will likely start at middle or outside linebacker for North Port this season.
Jacoby Thomas, Parrish Community
Thomas ia 5-foot-9, 180-pound halfback entering his senior season. Last season, he recorded 811 yards and 10 touchdowns on 145 carries. He also added 21 catches for 180 yards and three touchdowns.
Isaiah Tyson, Palmetto
Tyson is a 6-foot-1 senior defensive end. In 2025, Tyson had 34 total tackles, 17 solo tackles, 15 tackles for loss and four sacks in eight games.
Julian Wilcom, Sarasota
Wilcom is a 6-foot, 180-pound wide receiver/cornerback entering his junior season. Last season, he was on IMG Academy’s State team before transferring to Sarasota.
Ki’yon Williams, Sarasota
Williams is a 5-foot-10, 180-pound running back entering his junior year.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: 50 underrated Sarasota, Manatee football players entering 2026 season
Reporting by Emma Moon, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Emma Moon, Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
