35 Plus Teams To Watch This Summer

Spring football is now in the books and programs throughout Florida are headed to college campuses throughout the country over the next month.

As the 2024 season came to an end, you had Madison County (Rural), Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (1A), Cocoa (2A), Miami Northwestern (3A), Plantation American Heritage (4A), Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (5A), West Boca Raton (6A) and Venice (7A) all crowned as champions.

With the landscape in high school football changing all the time with so many transfers making an impact, it is no longer unusual for a program to jump into the spotlight from one year to the next.

With that said, here is a look at some of the programs who figure to be in the mix on the Road To Miami and the 2025 state championships at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of Florida International University.

1 Bradenton IMG Academy (Independent). Always loaded with players from all over the country. They will have their hands full but have elite personnel to stay with anyone.

2. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (1A). Loaded once again as the Lions look for an amazing ninth state trip to the state finals with talent everywhere. They have a tough schedule but nobody in 1A are within three touchdowns of them – still!

3. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (5A). Six-time defending state champions – enough said. May have more talent than anyone not named IMG Academy. Always well coached and loaded with elite talent.

4. Miami Northwestern (3A). Tough to imagine ANYONE in the country with more talent. You have no idea how loaded this program is. NO public school in American has more prospects. Not even up for discussion.

5. Miami Central (3A). Do not feel sorry for the Rockets. They may have been the best team in Florida on the field last year, but having to forfeit the season tainted some elite prospects.

6. Orlando The First Academy (Independent). Crazy talent with a schedule that is going to be challenging. Probably one of the most gifted teams in Florida.

7. Orlando Jones (4A). Ready for another run at a 4A state title – with some impressive talent everywhere. They will have a challenge to get to Miami, but elite players will guide them.

8. Venice (7A). They are still a program that is as good as you get as they look for a fourth straight trip to the state final. Well coached and always strong up front.

9. West Boca Raton (6A). Don't look for the slipper to fall from Cinderella just yet. The Bulls are an elite team ready for a repeat.

10. Jacksonville Raines (3A). The Vikings have all the talent to get back for another shot after being embarrassed in the title game.

11. Plantation American Heritage (4A). The defending state champions may have the toughest schedule in the country, but the Patriots like it that way.

12. Lakeland (5A). After being crushed in the title game last year, the Dreadnaughts need to turn things around with some new faces.

13. Seffner Armwood (6A). One loss in 2024, but that ended up costing the Hawks an opportunity to play for a state title.

14. Miami Norland (4A). The Vikings have a tough road but still have amazing talent to compete with anyone on their schedule.

15. Cocoa (2A). Business as usual for the three-time defending state champions who have reloaded in many areas of the program.

16. Miami Southridge (6A). Here is a team that feels they should have been in the finals last year, and with one of the most athletic programs in Florida, do not sleep on the Spartans.

17. Bradenton Manatee (5A). Maybe not as potent as last year, but the Hurricanes are still stinging from the state semifinal loss to St. Thomas.

18. Niceville (5A). Always stacked with talent. Will it be enough to make a serious run at the 10-hour trip to Miami?

19. Havana Gadsden County (2A). They sent a message a year ago by taking Cocoa down to the wire in the title game. They've reloaded and are a serious contender again.

20. Miami Christopher Columbus (7A). Never count the Explorers out. Even in a down year, they took Venice down to the final quarter in the state semifinals.

21. Miami Palmetto (7A). This could be the strongest program the Panthers have ever had. Explosive on offense and fast on the defensive side of the ball. They could be a serious contender.

22. Orlando Edgewater (5A). New coach. No problem for the Eagles who could be flying way beneath the radar screen and could be that team in 2025.

23. Tampa Jesuit (4A). The Tigers are back – and have loaded up on both sides of the ball as they look to make a serious run with some familiar faces.

24. St. Augustine St. Augustine FL (4A). Steady as usual. Is there enough talent to make a strong run? Plenty of obstacles for the Yellow Jackets.

25. West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (1A). While nobody is ready to unseat Chaminade-Madonna, the Crusaders have added enough talent in the off-season to create some problems for opponents.

26. Clearwater Central Catholic (1A). The Marauders have won 90 percent of their regular season games for a reason. They are loaded with quality players and very well coached. Is this the year? They may get a third straight title game appearance.

27. Sarasota Cardinal Mooney (2A). This is a team that you better not sleep on. They are big, strong, fast and have an opportunity to make some real noise as they look to narrow the gap in classification.

28. Pembroke Pines West Broward Pembroke Pines West Broward FL (6A). Here is a team that may be new to the state powerhouses, but the Bobcats have loaded up and could have some the most impressive athletes you will find – with an offensive line that is big and physical.

29. Lake Mary (7A). There is no doubt that the state title game didn't shine a favorable light on the Rams, and while they may not have the talent that most 7A schools have, they do have the talent and coaching.

30. Lynn Haven Mosley (5A). The Dolphins felt that last year was their best chance of making it to the late rounds of the playoffs, but a valuable lesson was learned, and they have a chance to benefit from it.

31. Coconut Creek Monarch (6A). Even though the spring is never a true indicator of what lies ahead, the Knights looked mighty impressive on both sides of the ball and need to be taken seriously.

32. Pace (6A). This could be the Patriots' best team in many years – with a major offensive line and athletes throughout the defense. Quality team that tasted success last season.

33. Jacksonville Bolles (2A). This is another program that has plenty of talent, and while the region will be a challenge, the Bulldogs have some impressive talent that could carry them.

34. Lake Wales (4A). If the Highlanders are going to have success this coming season, it all starts in the district where Orlando Jones looms as a major obstacle. This is a program with talent but are they deep enough.

35. Naples (4A). The Golden Eagles are impressive again, but the road to state will be one that will have many challenges. They showed in the spring that this will be a very interesting year.

KEEP AN EYE ON:

RURAL

Blountstown

Chiefland

Hawthorne

Madison County

Jacksonville Trinity Christian

Miami Edison

Miami True North Classical Academy

Tampa Carrollwood Day

Belle Glade Glades Central

Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons

Fort Myers Bishop Verot

Newberry

Pensacola Catholic

Starke Bradford County

Crawfordville Wakulla

Eau Gallie

Sarasota Booker

Fort Lauderdale Dillard

Fort Pierce John Carroll

Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee

Ocala Vanguard

Pensacola Escambia

Port Charlotte

Daytona Beach Mainland

Delray Beach Atlantic

Tallahassee Lincoln

Tampa Bay Tech

Gainesville Buchholz

Jacksonville Mandarin

Kissimmee Osceola

Orange Park Oakleaf

Ponte Vedra Nease

Ruskin Lennard

Sunrise Piper

Trinity Mitchell

Jupiter

Orlando Dr. Phillips

Orange City University

Port Orange Spruce Creek

Sanford Seminole

Vero Beach

Wellington Palm Beach Central

Class of 2027 Ranking: https://prepredzone.com/2025/06/updated-2027-florida-rankings/

Statewide Coverage Daily. https://prepredzone.com/florida/

You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@aol.com.

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