Spring Tour: Winter Haven Blue Devils — Rebuild, Respond

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Spring football is nearly wrapped in the Sunshine State, and few counties bring the heat like Polk. For our eighth stop, we pulled up to Winter Haven—where head coach Carl White is quietly building something dangerous with the Blue Devils. With a mix of promising 2027/2028 talent and a few rising seniors ready to lead, this team is laying the groundwork for a resurgence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Micheal Kearney III | QB | 2026 | @BelieveInK3</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The new QB1 for the Blue Devils, Kearney is an athletic weapon Coach White can build around. He's still learning the position, but his mobility and big-play arm give this offense a dangerous ceiling. Physically solid and gaining confidence by the rep.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Michael Smith | WR | 2028 | @MJalltheWay4</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The shock of the day. Smith wasn't on my radar before, but this 2028 prospect needs to be on recruiting boards ASAP. He's already got a college-ready frame and showed real route polish and ball skills. A future WR1 in the making.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Deshaun Smalls | ATH | 2028 | @7_smalls38505</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the few players on the roster with a D1 offer—and it shows. Smalls is a physical enforcer on defense and brings downhill juice, but he's also explosive out of the backfield. A must-watch prospect who's only going to rise.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Vario McBride | ATH | 2028 | @hbk_dmarrr</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another 2028 with a college offer who made plays throughout practice. McBride's versatility stands out—he can be a weapon in different roles depending on how the defensive staff wants to deploy him. He's just scratching the surface.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1704139' first='Andrew' last='Simpson'] | RB | 2026 | @drew_ski0</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Simpson brings spark and electricity to this offense. A true gadget-type back with the ability to break big plays. Looked strong in team periods and seems to be growing into a leadership role for this group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1681432' first='Lorenzo' last='Jones'] | DB | 2028 | @lusiosk1040</strong>5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>My DOG of the day. Jones brought energy and playmaking to the secondary with two pick-sixes during team period. Still developing physically, but his instincts and confidence jump out. A tone-setter for the defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Layton Kemp | K/P | 2026 | @LaytonKemp08</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the more reliable legs in the county. Kemp can flip the field as a punter and knock down points as a kicker—something every coach values. Expect him to be a major special teams weapon this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->