It’s that time of the year again where the Friday Night Lights are bright and prospects across the country are starting the high school football season.
Like the past years Gator Country is going to do a preview every Thursday for all of the Florida Gators commits and on Monday we will do a full recap including stats and notes from the past weeks’ games.
This year we are going to also highlight the key players to watch in the game that aren’t Florida Gators commits but rather targets or just big names in the game.
Week 1 preview
2023 commits
Safety Jordan Castell (6-2, 195, Winter Garden, FL. West Orange)
Matchup: West Orange (0-0) travels to take on Oak Ridge on Friday.
Yearly Stats:
Notes:
Defensive lineman Kelby Collins (6-5, 280, Gardendale, AL. High)
Matchup: Gardendale (1-0) plays host to Calhoun on Friday night.
Yearly Stats: Collins had a sack in last week’s win.
Notes:
Defensive back Sharif Denson (5-11, 170, Jacksonville, FL. Bartram Trail)
Matchup: Bartram Trail (0-0) has a home game against Ponte Vedra on Friday night.
Yearly Stats: N/A
Notes:
Athlete Aaron Gates (6-0, 180, Sharspsburg, GA. Trinity Christian)
Matchup: Trinity Christian (0-1) travels to take on Fellowship Christian on Friday.
Yearly Stats: Gates had several catches in last week’s loss.
Notes:
Offensive lineman Knijeah Harris (6-3, 335, Bradenton, FL. IMG)
Matchup: IMG (0-0) plays host to Central on Friday night.
Yearly Stats: N/A
Notes: IMG won their preseason game last week.
Defensive lineman Gavin Hill (6-3, 255, Gainesville, FL. Buchholz)
Matchup: Buchholz (0-0) plays host to Columbia on Thursday night.
Yearly Stats:
Notes:
Defensive back Ja’Keem Jackson (6-1, 180, Kissimmee, FL. Osceola)
Matchup: Osceola (0-0) will play host to Treasure Coast on Friday.
Yearly Stats:
Notes:
Defensive lineman Kamran James (6-6, 265, Orlando, FL. Olympia)
Matchup: Olympia (0-0) travels to take on Wekiva on Friday night.
Yearly Stats:
Notes:
Receiver Andy Jean (6-1, 180, Miami, FL. Northwestern)
Matchup: Northwestern (0-0) travels to take on Venice on Friday.
Yearly Stats:
Notes:
Offensive lineman Bryce Lovett (6-5, 330, Rockledge, FL. High)
Matchup: Rockledge (0-0) plays host to Gulliver Prep on Friday night.
Yearly Stats: N/A
Notes: N/A
Receiver Aidan Mizell (6-2, 180, Orlando, FL. Boone)
Matchup: Boone (0-0) will host Timber Creek on Friday.
Yearly Stats: N/A
Notes:
Defensive lineman Isaiah Nixon (6-4, 215, St. Petersburg, FL. Lakewood)
Matchup: Lakewood (0-0) plays host to Northeast on Friday.
Yearly Stats:
Notes: N/A
Defensive lineman Will Norman (6-5, 290, Baltimore, MD. St. Frances)
Matchup: St. Frances Academy (0-0) will travel to take on East St. Louis on Saturday.
Yearly Stats:
Notes: Norman transferred to St. Francis from IMG this year.
Receiver Tyree Patterson (6-2, 175, Eustis, FL. High)
Matchup: Eustis (0-0) plays host to Harmony on Friday.
Yearly Stats:
Notes:
Linebacker Jaden Robinson (6-1, 222, Lake City, FL. Columbia)
Matchup: Columbia (0-0) travels to take on Buchholz on Thursday night.
Yearly Stats:
Notes: Robinson will face-off against Whittemore on Thursday.
Defensive lineman TJ Searcy (6-5, 250, Thomaston, GA. Upson-Lee)
Matchup: Upson-Lee (0-1) will host Lamar County on Friday.
Yearly Stats: Upson-Lee looks to pick up their first win this week.
Notes: Up
Quarterback Marcus Stokes (6–2, 190, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Nease)
Matchup: Nease (0-0) plays host to Andrew Jackson on Friday.
Yearly Stats:
Notes: This is the first game for Nease but Andrew Jackson has already played one game.
Running back Treyaun Webb (6-1, 205, Jacksonville, FL. Trinity Christian)
Matchup: Trinity Christian (0-0) travel to take on Ed White on Friday.
Yearly Stats: N/A
Notes: Webb and Trinity Christian won their preseason game last week.
Receiver Creed Whittemore (5-11, 175, Gainesville, FL. Buchholz)
Matchup: Buchholz (0-0) will host Columbia on Thursday night.
Yearly Stats: N/A
Notes: Whittemore accounted for two touchdowns last week in preseason action.
Receiver Eugene Wilson III (5-11, 165, Tampa, FL. Gaither)
Matchup: Gaither (0-0) travels to take on Steinbrenner on Friday.
Yearly Stats: N/A
Notes: Wilson had two touchdowns in last week’s preseason win for Gaither.
2024 commits
Linebacker Myles Graham (6-1, 212, Atlanta, GA. Woodward Academy)
Matchup: Woodward Academy (1-0) will travel to take on McCallie on Friday.
Yearly Stats: Graham had 21 carries for 135 yards and two touchdowns in week one. Graham also had one tackle on defense.
Notes: The 2024 commit plays both sides of the ball for his high school team.