Five 2028 Florida ATH’s Recruiting Staff’s Should Know Early
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I consistently tell people that Florida is one of the state’s that emphatically makes up the Mount Rushmore of high football talent in the country. Alongside Texas, California and Georgia, the Sunshine State is loaded with talent and ability from…
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Continue ReadingI consistently tell people that Florida is one of the state’s that emphatically makes up the Mount Rushmore of high football talent in the country. Alongside Texas, California and Georgia, the Sunshine State is loaded with talent and ability from youth ball to college–and beyond. On the pre-high school level, often times Florida coaches are “gifted” with freaky athletes that straight up dominate the game in all aspects. With the main objective being winning, sometimes these freaky athletes play multiple, or out-of-position, in order to allow them to have the biggest impact on the game as possible. Here are five eighth-grace (class of 2028) athletes from Florida that can take over the game at any time.
– Super talented athlete at wide receiver and defensive back. His ability at both positions is trumped only by the magic he creates on the basketball court
– Bloodlines run deep here. He’s the son of 12-year NBA vet Raja Bell, and younger brother of 2026 prospect Simeon Caldwell Simeon Caldwell 6’1″ | 180 lbs | DB Jacksonville Bolles | 2026 FL , a sophomore quarterback with double-digit offers at American Heritage
– With another calendar year to go until he’s on the high school level, Tai Bell Tai Bell 6’1″ | 170 lbs | ATH FL is already 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, nearly the same size as Simeon Caldwell Simeon Caldwell 6’1″ | 180 lbs | DB Jacksonville Bolles | 2026 FL who is a sophomore (Raja was 6-foot-5). Tai is exceptionally smooth for a wide receiver with great size as an eighth-grade prospect
– Harmon absolutely stole the show this past summer at the Future Stars Game, propelling Florida to a tremendous showing in a victory over North Carolina and a heart-breaking “walk-off” loss to Georgia in the championship game
– After watching him in practice, I originally had him pinned as a wide receiver but I don’t want to pigeonhole his prowess on the field because he can do a lot as a running back, linebacker, safety and/or even taking direct snaps as a quarterback
– At this point has a rocked-up, muscular kid at 6-foot and 180 pounds with speed and ability that translate to multiple positions at the next level. Saw him live for four practices and two games and my takeaway is that he’s a physical chess piece that does a lot at a high level
– Despite calling the state of Florida home, Wright is playing for the Georgia-based RareBreeds program this season. The RareBreeds have helped produce a large number of FBS-projected high school prospects in recent years, such as current UCF commit EJ Colson and current Tennessee-commit Shamar Arnoux (both are 2025 prospects)
– Wright, who just recently turned 13 in late August, is one of the most physically dominating athletes you’ll see in youth football across the country. This is only amplified by the fact that his birthday allows him to play 12U football this season–and I can tell you, there won’t be many kids, if any at all, that will stop him on this level
– He’s a legitimate 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds (verified) right now, but looks a little bigger and is likely closer to 6-foot-3. At this point, what he can do as a weapon isn’t fair. He’s bigger, faster, stronger and brings a significantly higher skill level to the field than any of his opponents. Legitimately, one of those “just throw it up to him” type of kids who is going to come down with it
– Like the other class of 2028 Florida prospects on this list, Outler III comes with impressive size and ability for only being in the eighth grade this school year
– Right around 6-foot-3 and 170 pounds with a motor and hustle that is very evident on tape, I’m almost certain he’s going to shine as a defensive end at the next level. He spends nearly all of his time at the position right now, but with a frame and the athleticism he shows off, I’m not confident enough to rule out a position change long term
– As a defensive end he plays standing up and has one of the best first steps off the snap, that I’ve seen of anyone in this class–regardless of position. Despite being 6-foot-3 and standing up, he is able to drop his hips, use his length and zero-turn around offensive tackle’s. It’s what I see in that hip-dropping and upfield explosion that makes me think he may be equally as impressive as a tight end