The News-Press and The Naples Daily News have released The Big 15 and The Next 15, looking at the area’s top high school football recruits.
But there’s plenty of promising talent to go around in Southwest Florida.
The Big 15: The top college football recruits from SW Florida high schools ranked No. 1-5
The Next 15: Who are Southwest Florida high school football’s next best crop of college recruits?
We’ve compiled a list of the 40 most underrated players coming into the 2024 season — the players that consistently shine on Friday nights in Southwest Florida and deserve opportunities on collegiate rosters.
Malik Allen
Estero
The running back showed himself capable of carrying a heavy load, carrying the ball 253 times — the highest mark in Southwest Florida. He produced with 1,293 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Stream Florida HS football games on the NFHS Network
Kobey Babernitch
Dunbar
Babernitch did a bit of everything for Island Coast last season, making him an intriguing addition to the Tigers. At safety, he made 58 tackles (13 for loss), defended six passes and picked one off. He produced 456 yards of passing, rushing and receiving yards, scoring four touchdowns.
Khari Bendolph
Naples
Bendolph did nothing but produce for the Golden Eagles last season. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound linebacker finished with a team-high 14 sacks, plus 67 tackles, including 23 for loss.
Leo Berman
Bishop Verot
Though the 6-foot-2 wide receiver caught just five passes last season, the Vikings are high on his upside in the team’s revamped receiving corps. Berman put on muscle in the offseason and forget key chemistry with Carter Smith heading into his senior year.
Osyrus Boykin
Golden Gate
At Lely last season, the cornerback recorded 21 tackles and grabbed an interception. He also returned punts and kicks for the Trojans.
James Brockmeier
Gulf Coast
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound linebacker had the second-most tackles on the Sharks with 77 last season. and an interception for the Sharks last season. He also had three tackles-for-loss, five quarterback hurries and an interception.
Jake Bruni
St. John Neumann
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound quarterback completed 65% of his passes for 1,686 yards and 18 touchdowns last season while rushing for 241 yards and five scores.
Garyan Burger
Dunbar
The 6-foot safety made 65 tackles last season. He recorded three interceptions, including a pick-6, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Gilbert Charles
Immokalee
The 6-foot, 170-pound defensive back had four interceptions, four pass breakups, 78 tackles, and two forced fumbles for the district-champion Indians last season.
Cayden Daugherty
Gulf Coast
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound big-play wide receiver had a team-high 16 catches for 408 yards and five touchdowns last season. He added 34 tackles and two interceptions while playing safety for the Sharks.
Michael ‘Mint’ Edwards
Dunbar
The 5-foot-10, 270-pound defensive tackle led the Tigers in tackles-for-loss with 26 stops in the backfield. He had 74 total tackles along with six sacks, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Fred Harley Jr.
Oasis
The 5-foot-10, 20-5-pound running back carried 159 times for 1,142 yards and nine touchdowns last season, helping the Sharks to a 6-4 record.
Anthony Harris
Island Coast
The 5-foot-10, 200-pound linebacker was a big-time playmaker for the Gators last season, racking up 154 tackles, including 21 for loss, four sacks, four forced fumbles, four passes defensed, two fumble recoveries and one interception.
Cole Hayes
Riverdale
Hayes broke out in his junior season for the Raiders, finishing the year as Lee County’s rushing leader. He turned 231 carries into 1,621 yards and 15 touchdowns and also caught two touchdown passes.
Harkym Henry
Lehigh
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound defensive end finished last season with 45 tackles, 10 quarterback pressures, six sacks and a force fumble in nine games.
Caden Hudson
Barron Collier
Hudson made a dangerous duo alongside wide receiver Brody Graham in the Cougar offense, catching 40 passes for 482 yards and five touchdowns last season.
Trayvon Jean
Naples
The slippery Jean was a nightmare for opposing defenders, going for 1,683 yards and 14 touchdowns for Golden Gate last season. Joining Shawn Simeon in the backfield at Naples should give the Golden Eagles the best tandem in Southwest Florida.
Victor Jenkins
South Fort Myers
The 6-foot, 195-pound running back rushed 136 times for a team-leading 925 yards and nine touchdowns last season for the Wolfpack.
Nino Joseph
Lely
Joseph made a case as the area’s best freshman last season, rushing for just under 1,100 yards and 8 touchdowns, averaging a touch under 8 yards per carry.
Fletcher Kean
Community School
The 6-foot-tall wide receiver put together a special freshman season, catching 25 passes for 355 yards and four touchdowns. He will be surrounded by plenty of offensive talent on a promising Seahawk squad.
Gervaris Leaphart
Island Coast
The running back going to showcase his skill set in a fully healthy season, carrying the ball 177 times for a team-best 1,009 yards and six touchdowns last season for the Gators.
Trent Maloney
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound linebacker had 129 tackles for the Lions last season, along with two forced fumbles and one sack. Maloney has been a key player for the Lions since his freshman year when the team won the Class 1S state title.
Aiden Matyas
SFCA
Matyas was a standout two-way player for the King’s last year, catching 22 passes for 424 yards and six touchdowns. On defense, he made 42 tackles from the safety position along with an interception and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Jamarion McElroy
ECS
The 5-foot-10, 165-pound athlete steps as the Sentinels’ new signal-caller after previous starting experience at Gateway. Last season, he rushed for 246 yards and four touchdowns and also caught 26 passes for 318 yards and two more scores.
Sean McNamara
Community School
The 6-foot-1 tight end caught 23 passes for 310 yards and a touchdown in his sophomore season for the Seahawks last year.
Devon Messenger
Palmetto Rdige
The 6-foot-1 receiver was the Bears’ leading receiver as a sophomore, catching 38 passes for 434 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed for two scores.
Jayden Mixon
Immokalee
The 5-foot-10, 190-pound running back carried 106 times for 587 yards and nine touchdowns for the Indians last season and is due for a bigger role this year.
Dylan Moore
Cypress Lake
The 5-foot-10, 225-pound linebacker was a defensive standout for the Panthers last season and finished with 138 tackles, including 15 for loss, two sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Ryan Peterson
Bishop Verot
Peterson led an active Viking defensive line with 19 tackles-for-loss and 7.5 sacks. He made 62 tackles, the second-highest on the team, and recovered two fumbles.
Michelot Pierre
East Lee County
The 6-foot-3, 265-pound defensive lineman had 54 tackles, 16 for loss, and 1.5 sacks up front last season for the Jaguars.
Austin Price
Dunbar
With a knack for clutch plays, Price helped lead the Tigers to their second consecutive Final Four last season, completing 56% of his passes for 2,183 yards and 24 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
Nick Purdy
Mariner
At 6-foot-6 and 275-pounds, Purdy can’t be missed on the Triton offensive line. The tackle helped Mariner to a historic 8-3 season where the team scored 32 points a game.
Camden Rivera
Dunbar
The Tigers have a few home run hitters at wide receiver, but don’t overlook a consistent chain mover in Rivera. Last season, the 6-foot-1 receiver caught 27 passes for 348 yards for Dunbar.
Jace Seyler
Gulf Coast
Seyler was a breakthrough player for the Sharks last year. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound quarterback completed 53-of-95 passes for 731 yards and six touchdowns last season while also rushing for a team-high 521 yards and two more scores.
Chris Singleton
Dunbar
Singleton led the Tigers in rushing yards (1,065) and rushing touchdowns (7) last season. He was particularly productive in the playoffs last year where he rushed for 344 yards.
Frank Starks
Fort Myers
The 5-foot-8, 185-pound running back was a reliable weapon for the Green Wave last season, leading the team with 837 rushing yards and scoring 11 touchdowns.
Jayvian Tanelus
Community School
The newest addition to the Seahawk backfield was injured for part of last season with Lely, but made the most of his time, rushing for 454 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Rashad Taylor
South Fort Myers
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound middle linebacker had 101 tackles, including 28 for loss, six sacks and two fumble recoveries last season for the Wolfpack.
Max Varga
Community School
A key two-way player for the Seahawks last season, Varga made 22 tackles, defended four passes and snagged two interceptions in eight games at defensive back. Playing receiver, he averaged 32 yards a catch and totaled 320 yards and scored three touchdowns.
Brian Williams
Barron Collier
Williams stepped in after an injury to starting quarterback Niko Boyce last season, connecting on 26 of 49 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns. At his more natural receiver position, he caught 15 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown.
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 Fort Myers News-Press: High school football: 40 SWFL underrated players heading into 2024
