Stars Remembered Decades Later
In this article:
Having watched high school football in the state of Florida since the 1960's and covered it starting in 1970, you tend to see and recall many talented prospects.
Digging through my archives of information compiled through the years, you stumble upon some names and schools that many have forgotten or never knew about.
Because many are fixed on the prospects over the past decade or so, high school football in the Sunshine State has flourished since the late 1920's and into the 30's.
Having been fortunate to talk with many brilliant football minds who have lineage way back to the very beginning, you hear stories and find out so much about the impressive athletes who have made this sport so respected in the state of Florida.
While we will often miss on a number of gifted football players, our objective is to bring you – the football fan – a look at some of the stars from the past.
Today, we go back 60, 50, 40, 30, 20 and 10 years to uncover some talented young men:
1963
Hewritt Dixon, RB, Alachua Mebane – FAMU
1973
Boobie Clark, RB, Jacksonville Stanton Prep – BETHUNE COOKMAN
Charles Goodrum, OL, Fort Lauderdale Dillard – FAMU
Van Green, DB, Auburndale – SHAW UNIVERSITY
Eddie McMillan, DB, Tampa Blake - FSU
Leon McQuay, RB, Tampa Blake – TAMPA
Ron Osborne, DB, Pahokee – IOWA STATE
Burgess Owens, DB, Tallahassee Rickards - MIAMI
Gary Pariss, TE, Vero Beach - FSU
1983
Val Brown, DL, Gainesville Eastside - FLORIDA
Anthony Carter, WR, Riviera Beach Suncoast - MICHIGAN
Arthur Cox, TE, Plant City - TEXAS SOUTHERN
Scott Facyson, LB, St. Petersburg Dixie Hollins - HOWARD
Warren Hanna, DL, Davie Nova - FSU
Tony Hayes, LB, Tallahassee Leon - FAMU
Fernando Jackson, LB, Blountstown - FLORIDA
Spencer Jackson, WR, Boca Raton - FLORIDA
James Jones James Jones 5'11" | 155 lbs | ATH/WR Atlantic high school | 2026 FL , RB, Pompano Beach Blanche Ely - FLORIDA
Nathaniel Koonce, QB, Miami Killian - FAMU
Ronnie Lippett, DB, Sebring - MIAMI
Dennis McKinnon, WR, South Miami - FSU
Zeke Mowatt, TE, Wauchula Hardee County - FSU
Mike Mularkey, TE, Oakland Park Northeast - FLORIDA
Johnny Rembert, LB, Arcadia DeSoto - CLEMSON
Mark Rush, RB, Fort Lauderdale Stranahan - MIAMI
Zach Thomas, KR, Cocoa – SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
Eddie Weaver, DL, Haines City - GEORGIA
Tyrone Young, WR, Ocala Forest - FLORIDA
1993
Jahleel Addae, DB, Riverview – CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Micheal Barrow, LB, Homestead - MIAMI
Tom Carter, DB, St. Petersburg Lakewood – NOTRE DAME
Horace Copeland, WR, Orlando Evans – MIAMI
Darryl Crane, WR, Jacksonville Ribault – BETHUNE COOKMAN
Steve Everitt, OL, Miami Southridge - MICHIGAN
Dan Footman, DL, Tampa Hillsborough - FSU
Marvin Jones, LB, Miami Northwestern - FSU
Rashean Mathis, DB, Jacksonville Englewood – BETHUNE COOKMAN
Ryan McNeil, DB, Fort Pierce Westwood - MIAMI
Scott Player, P, St. Augustine - FSU
Darrin Smith, LB, Miami Norland - MIAMI
Wally Williams, OL, Tallahassee Rickards - FAMU
2003
Ray-Ray Armstrong, LB, Sanford Seminole - MIAMI
Tommy Bohanon, RB, North Fort Myers – WAKE FOREST
Anquan Boldin, QB/WR, Pahokee - FSU
James “Dirty” Davis, LB, Stuart Martin County – WEST VIRGINIA
Jeff Faine, OC, Sanford Seminole – NOTRE DAME
Drayton Florence, DB, Ocala Vanguard - TUSKEEGEE
Doug Gabriel, WR, Orlando Dr. Phillips - UCF
Earnest Graham, RB, Cape Coral Mariner - FLORIDA
Clinton Hart, DB, Bushnell South Sumter – CENTRAL FLORIDA CC (baseball)
Jamaal Jackson, OL, Miami High – DELAWARE STATE
Jarrett Johnson, DL, Chiefland - ALABAMA
Kawika Mitchell, LB, Winter Park Lake Howell - USF
Asante Samuel, DB, Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson - UCF
Cecil Sapp, RB, Miami Palmetto – COLORADO STATE
2013
Stedman Bailey, WR, Miramar – WEST VIRGINIA
Sam Barrington, LB, Jacksonville Terry Parker - USF
Giovanni Bernard, RB, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas – NORTH CAROLINA
Jonathan Bostic, LB, Wellington Palm Beach Central - FLORIDA
Johnathan Cyprien, DB, North Miami Beach - FIU
Matt Elam, DB, Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer - FLORIDA
Mike Gillislee, RB, DeLand - FLORIDA
Kemal Ishmael, WR, North Miami Beach - UCF
Mike James, RB, Davenport Ridge Community - MIAMI
Denard Robinson, QB/RB, Deerfield Beach - MICHIGAN
Ace Sanders, PR/WR, Bradenton Manatee – SOUTH CAROLINA
Geno Smith, QB, Miramar – WEST VIRGINIA
Akeem Spence, DL, Fort Walton Beach - ILLINOIS
Caleb Sturgis, PK, St. Augustine - FLORIDA
Chris Thompson, RB, Madison County - FSU
Kembrell Thompson, WR, Miami Northwestern – EL CAMINO CC
Vince Williams, LB, Davenport Ridge Community - FSU
You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@aol.com.
