Some players are so exciting to watch, you can’t help but be a fan for a second.
Take Carol City’s Nick Lennear as an example. Lennear is as electrifying an athlete that you’ll find in high school football. The 6-foot receiver comes in at No. 3 overall in the USA TODAY Florida Top 100 for one main reason; every time we’ve seen him play, he comes up with a play (at least) that make us stop in our tracks.
Lennear is a gamer. When he steps on the field, the game just becomes more fun to watch. One-handed snags, incredible route-running, elite breakaway speed and length are just a few of the reasons that we ranked Lennear as the top pass catcher in the state, but really, it’s his ability to change the game like few others can.
Lennear, a Miami commit, is the type of player that makes you want to break out the popcorn and enjoy the show.
Simply stated, we call them popcorn players. Recruits who are so much fun to watch, that you just want to grab a bucket of popcorn and enjoy the show.
USA TODAY Florida Network recruiting reporters Jon Santucci and Nick Wilson each named five players in the pre-spring top 100 that they consider popcorn players.
Jon Santucci’s Popcorn Players
IMG Academy CB Aaryn Washington
USA TODAY Florida Network top 100 rank: 5
The first time I saw Washington in person was at Battle Miami in January. Even on a loaded South Florida Express squad, Washington immediately stood out. So much so that I immediately asked a couple of the SFE coaches about him. His speed, length and elite coverage skills were on full display. He followed it up by running a sub-4.40 40-yard dash a month later. Washington is just so much fun to watch.
John Carroll Catholic IOL Sean Tatum
USA TODAY Florida Network top 100 rank: 14
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of offensive linemen who move well. Tatum’s athleticism is off the charts. He can pull from his tackle spot and open holes on the other side of the formation, so it’s easy to project him as a guard or even a center at the next level. Tatum’s MVP performance at the Rivals camp was just an exclamation point on an elite body of work.
Carrollwood Day ATH Brooklyn Maxey
USA TODAY Florida Network top 100 rank: 60
If I had an All-Popcorn Team, Maxey would probably be the captain. So much fun to watch. You don’t typically see a 215-pounder pulling away from the pack on a kick return, making elite plays on offense and coming downhill with force on defense. Maxey does all of these things consistently. He also had one of the best catches in the state on a twisting, one-handed touchdown grab, all after making a defensive back look silly.
West Boca CB Damari Jerry
USA TODAY Florida Network top 100 rank: 71
Jerry is a chess piece and West Boca’s coaching staff does a great job of using him all over the field. I got to see West Boca several times in 2025, and it was just a matter of when and where Jerry would end up making a big play. Be it an interception, a forced fumble or a hit behind the line of scrimmage, Jerry always finds a way to be in the right place and doing something that alters the game.
West Nassau OL Clayton Lee
USA TODAY Florida Network top 100 rank: 87
This is a prototypical case of turning on the film, sitting back and enjoying the show. The second clip on Lee’s highlight reel is a drone shot of him pushing the edge rusher back 12 yards before driving him into the ground and watching as the running back scores. Lee blocks at times like a heat-seeking missile: Find the target and destroy.
Nick Wilson’s Popcorn Players
Jesuit LB Kaden Henderson
USA TODAY Florida Network top 100 rank: 6
Henderson is just really, really good at football. That’s about all there is to this one. He’s a dominant, versatile linebacker that makes tackles look like they are stuck in mud, or he can drop back in coverage and make a receiver coming across the middle really consider how much they actually love football. He is as physically gifted as any prospect in the state, and it shows in the film. He flies around the field, pops pads, and is (for my money) the most explosive defensive prospect from this cycle that I’ve seen in person.
West Boca DL Jamar Thompson
USA TODAY Florida Network top 100 rank: 13
The way that Jon is a big fan of mobile offensive linemen, I’m a fan of people-eating defensive lineman. And Thompson is top-of-class when it comes to wrecking balls in the middle. He’s a Mack Truck up front, and yet explodes of the line and rarely comes off the field for West Boca. And there’s something to be said about big linemen who have a deep bag behind the line scrimmage. Thompson checks all the boxes, and it’s extremely fun to watch.
Cardinal Mooney QB Davin Davidson
USA TODAY Florida Network top 100 rank: 17
Davidson’s 6-foot-7 frame makes him an intriguing prospect on it’s own. But he’s a bona fide gunslinger in the pocket, possessing an absolute cannon of an arm that he’s not afraid to let loose. His throwing mechanics are fluid and pretty, and combined with elite touch and accuracy, he’s one of the more complete quarterback prospects of the cycle. His height lets him get away with looks most others wouldn’t be able to. And not for nothing, his mobility is underrated. He can tuck it and use his long legs to pick up chunks when need be, and has been known to lower his shoulder to get over the goal line.
Lakeland EDGE Drew Sapp
USA TODAY Florida Network top 100 rank: 50
Sapp is, in my eyes, the most underrated prospect in Florida. He has a ridiculous motor, and despite being undersized for a collegiate edge rusher, he makes big tackles looks absolutely silly on film. He is incredibly explosive, has one of the best first steps in this class, and I have yet to see someone stop his spin move in person. He gets an A-plus in the strength category and his bull rush is one of his more reliable moves. If Sapp was 3 or so inches taller, we’d be talking about him being a top 10 player in the state.
Venice RB Dorien Jones
USA TODAY Florida Network top 100 rank: 80
Jones is one of the more reliable ball-carriers in the state, and he passes the eye test. Watching him level linebackers is very entertaining, almost as entertaining as watching him dust DBs in the open field when he breaks free. Which is often. His vision and patience in the backfield is something to behold, and he always found a way to move the sticks when called upon in key situations. His balance makes him nearly impossible to solo tackle, and his yards after contact are elite.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida football recruiting Top 100 for 2027: Popcorn Players
Reporting by Jon Santucci and Nick Wilson, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
