It’s time for USA TODAY Florida Network’s fourth annual all-state, all-recruit team.
The basic concept is to fill out a team with 25 senior players (11 offense, 11 defense, kicker, punter, athlete) who happen to be elite recruits.
Before we can start penciling in names, we have two rules that must be followed.
1. Only one player per school. (So, no loading up with guys from Miami Northwestern, IMG, Chaminade-Madonna, American Heritage, Bolles, etc.) This creates some obvious dilemmas: Calvin Russell, Jordan Campbell or James Johnson from Northwestern? Which player from IMG’s loaded class makes the cut?
2. Positions matter. You can’t just put five left tackles on the offensive line. But, we will give a little wiggle in this area and say that a player who plays tackle in high school but is being recruited to be an interior lineman can be listed as a guard or center.
Pretty simple, right.
Here we go.
Offense
QB Dia Bell, American Heritage
This is an all-time quarterback class in Florida with Jones’ Dereon Coleman (Miami commit), Lake Mary’s Noah Grubbs (Notre Dame), Jesuit’s Will Griffin (Florida) and Bell (Texas commit). We’ll go with Bell, the Elite 11 Finals MVP, who says he has unfished business this fall after suffering a season-ending injury in the playoffs last year.
RB Derrek Cooper, Chaminade-Madonna
Cooper, a Texas commit, is the No. 1 player on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and an easy pick as the running back for this team. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound All-American rushed for 905 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2024.
WR Calvin Russell III, Miami Northwestern
The 6-foot-5, 195-pound Russell is a walking mismatch and a human highlight reel with his outstanding catch radius and body control. Ranked No. 4 on the top 100, the Syracuse commit caught 39 passes for 704 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2024.
WR Naeem Burroughs, Bolles
A dynamic playmaker with outstanding speed and the ability to line up in the slot or on the outside. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Clemson commit can stretch the field and has 34 touchdown catches during his varsity career.
WR Justin Williams, Buchholz
Williams is such a good playmaker at both running back and receiver that this feels like cheating. The Florida commit had over 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in 2024.
TE Adam Land, Mosley
Despite being committed to an SEC program (Mississippi State), it still feels like Land has gone under the radar during much of the recruiting process. Standing almost 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Land has good size and is a long strider who runs very well.
OT Champ Smith, Vero Beach
The UCLA commit is an athletic lineman at 6-foot-5 1/2, 325 pounds. He played on both sides of the ball in 2024 when Vero Beach reached the regional championship game.
OT Samuel Roseborough, Clearwater
The 6-foot-5, 285-pound Roseborough is one of the premier linemen in the nation with a very protectible frame. The Texas A&M commit recorded 33 pancake blocks in 2024.
IOL Grant Wise, Pace
An easy selection as Wise, the son of former University of Miami center Ty Wise, is the top ranked interior lineman on the top 100. The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Clemson commit had 128 pancake blocks last fall.
IOL Canon Pickett, Tampa Bay Tech
The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Pickett has been considered a top recruit since he first arrived in high school. It’s no surprise that he’s following in his family’s footsteps to Miami. His father, Booker Pickett Sr., played for the Hurricanes and his older brother, Booker Pickett Jr., currently plays for Miami.
IOL Chancellor Barclay, The First Academy
The First Academy’s offensive line is one of the team’s strengths and Barclay is a big reason why. The 6-foot-3 1/2, 285-pound Clemson commit was the Offensive Line MVP at the Under Armour Next Camp in Orlando.
Defense
EDGE Jake Kreul, IMG
The Ascenders could have a player at just about any position on this team, which speaks volumes about Kreul’s talent and ability to impact the game off the edge. The All-American has announced a top three of Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Texas.
EDGE Trenton Henderson, Pine Forest
Henderson, an LSU commit, checks all the boxes for a prototypical edge rusher. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder has a long wingspan, great first step and strong technique. Henderson recorded 10 sacks, 22 tackles for loss and 20 quarterback hurries last fall.
DL Kendall Guervil, Fort Myers
The Florida commit has a strong upper body and a is a dominant run stopper. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound lineman had 88 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in 2024.
DL Elijah Golden, Cardinal Mooney
At 6-foot-4, 275 pounds, Golden has the ability to line up both on the inside or on the edge. He has an outstanding first step, which helped him record 30 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in 2024.
LB Izayia Williams, Tavares
The top-ranked linebacker on the top 100, Williams brings elite speed and athleticism to the position. The Ole Miss commit had 125 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, four sacks and was named an All-American in 2024.
LB Malik Morris, Lakeland
The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Morris is a true playmaker and something of a throwback at the inside linebacker spot. The Florida commit can come downhill and delivier punishing hits, but also drop back into coverage.
CB Chauncey Kennon, Booker
Kennon couples ideal size (6-foot-1, 175 pounds) and long arms with speed, quickness, athleticism and playmaking ability. The Florida State commit recorded 33 tackles, one interception and 16 passes defended in 2024.
CB Jaelen Waters, Armwood
The Miami commit is long (6-foot-1, 170 pounds) with good speed and technique. Waters had 20 tackles, two interceptions and three passes defended in 2024.
CB CJ Bronaugh, Windermere
No senior in the state has seen his recuiment take off more in the past eight months than Bronaugh. Blessed with elite speed (he won gold in the Class 4A 100 meter dash in May), the Florida commit had six interceptions in 2024.
S Justice Fitzpatick, St. Thomas Aquinas
This may be the biggest “cheat” on the list. Fitzpatrick probably plays cornerback at the next level, but Minjah Fitzpatrick’s younger brother can absoltuely play safety at Georgia. He has size (6-foot-1, 185 pounds), solid coverage skills and is a very willing hitter.
S Ayden Pouncey, Winter Park
The Notre Dame commit has a scary combination of size (6-foot-2 1/2, 160 pounds) and athleticism. Pouncey has the ability to cover like a corner but also has the skill set schools covet at the safety spot.
Specialists
K Gaston Gramatica. Cambridge Christian
Yes, Gaston is from that Gramatica family. Gaston, the son of former NFL Pro Bowl kicker Martin Gramatica and the younger brother of current USF kicker Nico Gramatica, connected on 13 field goals and all 23 extra points in 2024. Gaston is a USF commit.
P Owen Carey, Beachside
Carey is committed to Tulsa to kick, but he also is a standout punter. The athletic 6-foot-2, 190 pounder has a really strong leg — his field goal kick that landed on the roof of the school’s gym is the stuff of legend — and can flip the field quickly.
ATH Xavier Lherisse, Eau Gallie
Pick a side of the ball and the Oregon defensive back commit is going to make plays. Lherrise caught 53 passes for 776 yards and nine touchdowns, rushed for a score, had more than 500 kick return yards and stood out on defense where he had 41 tackles and six interceptions.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Florida high school football 2025 preseason all-state, all-recruit team (with a twist)
Reporting by Jon Santucci, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
