A loaded slate of high school football games in Week One also means several of the top recruits in the nation will be action during the weekend.
The Broward County National High School Football Showcase includes several of the nation’s top recruits, including Bishop Gorman five-star senior wide receiver Derek Meadows (LSU commit) and Chaminade-Madonna junior five-star running back Derrek Cooper.
The showcase also boasts several of the top quarterback recruits such as American Heritage junior Dia Bell (Texas commit), Lake Mary junior Noah Grubbs (Notre Dame) and Milton (Georgia) senior Luke Nickel (Miami).
The first weekend of the regular season also features several intriguing individual matchups.
Here’s a look at some of the best potential matchups of elite recruits going head-to-head to watch in Week 1.
(Note: All rankings are 247Sports composite rankings unless otherwise noted.)
Stream Florida high school football games on the NFHS Network
Corner Canyon 2025 WR Jerome Myles vs. IMG 2026 DB Zech Fort
Myles, a five-star recruit, is the No. 1 recruit in Utah and the No. 7 wide receiver in the nation. His top schools include Georgia, Ohio State, Texas A&M, USC and Utah. Fort is ranked No. 81 overall and the No. 8 safety in the class of 2026. His offers include Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame and Ohio State.
Armwood 2025 RB Girard Pringle vs. Gaither 2025 EDGE LaJesse Harrold
Pringle, a four-star recruit, is No. 26 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 13 overall running back in the nation. He is committed to Miami. Harrold, a four-star recruit, is No. 19 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 12 edge rusher in the nation. He is committed to LSU.
Watch Armwood RB Girard Pringle vs. Gaither EDGE LaJesse Harrold
Jones 2025 WR Vernell Brown III vs. Winter Park 2026 DB Ayden Pouncey
Brown, a five-star commit, is No. 8 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 6 wide receiver in the nation. He is committed to Florida. Pouncey, a four-star recruit, is the No. 9 safety and No. 134 overall player in the nation in the class of 2026. His offers include Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Missouri, Ole Miss, Oregon and Penn State.
Watch Jones WR Vernell Brown III vs. Winter Park DB Aiden Pouncey on Friday
West Boca 2026 RB Javian Mallory vs. Benjamin 2026 LB Adam Balogoun-Ali
Mallory, a four-star recruit, is the No. 14 running back in the nation in the class of 2026. His offers include Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and USC. Balogoun-Ali is the No. 7 linebacker and No. 113 overall recruit in the 2026 class. His offers include Florida, Florida State, Kentucky, Miami, Penn State, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Milton 2025 WR CJ Wiley vs. American Heritage 2025 DB Zae Thomas
Wiley, a four-star recruit, is the No. 15 wide receiver and No. 108 overall player in the nation. He is committed to Florida State. Thomas, a four-star recruit, is No. 29 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 28 safety in the nation. He is committed to Florida State.
Miami Central 2025 WR Naeshaun Montgomery vs. Lakeland 2025 S Keon Young
Montgomery, a four-star recruit, is No. 35 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 18 wide receiver in the nation. His offers include Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Oregon and Penn State. Young, a four-star recruit, is No. 37 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 29 safety in the nation. He is committed to Ole Miss.
St. John Bosco WR Daniel Odom vs. Chaminade-Madonna 2025 CB Chris Ewald
Odom, a four-star recruit, is the No. 29 wide receiver and No. 162 overall player in the nation. His offers include Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ole Miss and Texas. Ewald, a four-star recruit, is No. 24 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 23 overall recruit in the nation. He is committed to Miami.
Venice 2025 WR Winston Watkins Jr. vs. Tampa Bay Tech 2025 CB Rukeem Stroud
Watkins, a four-star recruit, is No. 34 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 29 wide receiver in the nation. His offers include Indiana, Ole Miss and South Carolina. Stroud, a four-star recruit, is No. 45 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 41 cornerback in the nation. He is committed to UCF.
Vero Beach 2026 ATH Efrem White vs. Eau Gallie 2026 DB Xavier Lherisse
White, a four-star recruit, is the No. 5 athlete and No. 78 overall player in the nation in the 2026 class. He is committed to Florida State. Lherisse, a four-star recruit, is the No. 23 safety in the nation in the 2026 class. His offers include Clemson, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame and Oklahoma.
Watch Vero Beach ATH Efrem White vs. Eau Gallie DB Xavier Lherisse on Friday
Riverside 2025 WR Tea’shaun Gelsey vs. Oakleaf 2025 CB Kaylib Singleton
Gelsey, a four-star recruit, is No. 67 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 60 wide receiver in the nation. He is committed to Florida. Singleton, a three-star recruit, is No. 88 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and No. 65 cornerback in the nation. He is committed to Rutgers.
Creekside 2026 QB Sean Ashenfelder vs. Mandarin 2025 S Hylton Stubbs
Ashenfelder is committed to Rutgers. Stubbs (No 6 USA Today Florida Network top 100) is committed to Miami.
Clearwater Central Catholic 2025 QB Jershaun Newton vs. Berkeley Prep DB Dallas Golden
Newton is committed to Illinois. Golden (No. 13 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100) is committed to Florida State.
Watch Clearwater Central Catholic QB Jershaun Newton vs. Berkeley Prep DB Dallas Golden
St. Thomas Aquinas 2025 RB Cedric Wyche II vs. Bishop Gorman 2026 DL James Carrington
Wyche is committed to Illinois. Carrington’s offers include Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon and USC.
Lake Mary 2026 QB Noah Grubbs vs. Cardinal Gibbons 2025 DB Jonathan Rousseau
Grubbs is committed to Notre Dame; Rousseau is committed to Buffalo.
Watch Lake Mary QB Noah Grubbs vs. Cardinal Gibbons DB Jonathan Rousseau on Friday
Peachtree Ridge 2025 QB Darnell Kelly vs. Monarch 2025 EDGE Romando Johnson
Kelly’s offers include Kentucky, Colorado State and Middle Tennessee. Johnson (No. 64 USA Today Florida Network top 100) is committed to West Virginia.
Niceville 2026 IOL Jakobe Green vs. South Sumter LB Malakhi Boone
Green’s offers include Maryland, Miami, Ole Miss and USF. Boone (No. 83 USA Today Florida Network top 100) is committed to UCF.
Santaluces 2025 WR Jamar Browder vs. Somerset Academy Canyons 2027 DB Damari Jerry
Browder is committed to N.C. State. Jerry’s offers include Florida State, Kentucky, Miami, Syracuse and USF.
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida football: The best recruiting matchups to watch in Week 1
