Signing Day has come and gone.
The top high school football players, for the most part, have made their college decisions and are ready to make impacts at their new schools after successful careers in the high school ranks.
There is always a lot of hype around Signing Day. No one ever speaks bad about an incoming recruit. For this day, every single player is going to make an impact at his new school and be a contributing player.
Orlando is a decent area for recruiting with several local players heading to big schools.
With the dust settling on signing day, here is where the top players in the area are heading with some comments on their potential impact:
LaDerrian Wilson (RB, Osceola) — Maryland
“Wilson joins a new and somewhat exciting-looking Maryland backfield for 2015. With presumptive starter Wes Brown suspended for reportedly most of the season, the Terps figure to lean heavily on sophomore lightning bolt Ty Johnson and Virginia Tech transfer senior Trey Edmunds. But behind them, Maryland still needs options, and Wilson is one of a handful of new ones. He joints Maryland products Lorenzo Harrison and Jake Funk in the 2016 class.” —ALEX KIRSHNER, TESTUDO TIMES
Parker Boudreaux (OL, Bishop Moore) — Notre Dame
“Lost in the internet celebrity (he pulled a truck to reveal his commitment) is a prospect who had 70 offers and could’ve played anywhere. Now he’ll enter a depth chart that has uncertainty at center and will look to replace senior Steve Elmer at guard. Boudreaux doesn’t have the natural length to be a tackle, but his strength is already an asset.” —KEITH ARNOLD, NBC SPORTS
Carlos Becker III (CB, Osceola) — Florida State
The Kowboys cornerback was a four-year starter picking between Florida State and Ohio State on signing day. Osceola’s star-studded senior class saved his decision for last. He had five of his career 10 interceptions last year as a senior.
Eddie McDoom (WR, West Orange) — Michigan
Eddie McDoom proved this year to be an explosive and speedy receiver who made a lot of big plays in the Warriors run past the Blue Darters in the playoffs. He decommitted from Oregon late and made his pledge to Michigan.
Henry Miller (CB, Gateway) — Pitt
Miller is one of the top cornerback prospects throughout the country and made an early commitment to Pitt that he stuck to despite overtures from Miami and Ohio State.
Stone Forsythe (OL, West Orange) — Florida
The 6-foot-7, 331-pound offensive lineman was bit for West Orange in its breakthrough season and its strong last four years as the program rose up to challenge Apopka for area dominance. Forsythe enrolled early at Florida.
Tashawn Manning (DT, Wekiva) — Auburn
“Manning was diagnosed with cancer around Thanksgiving. If healthy, Manning figures to be a big run-stopper and hole-plugger in the middle of the defensive line.” — Drew Champlin, AL.com
Tyrek Tisdale (ATH, Oak Ridge) — Maryland
“Tisdale’s exact role in Maryland’s secondary isn’t clear, as the major recruiting services generally classify him as an athlete or all-purpose back but not with a specific positional designation. Perhaps that’s a good thing for defensive coordinator Scott Shafer and secondary coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, who can mold Tisdale to contribute in any number of ways.” —Alex Kirshner, Testudo Times
Woody Barrett (QB, West Orange) — Auburn
“The Tigers struggled in 2015 without a dual-threat quarterback under center, and Barrett fits the mold of what an Auburn quarterback should be in Gus Malzahn’s offense. He is a true dual-threat who put a tight zip on the ball.” —Wesley Sinor, AL.com
Jonathan Jones (DL, Oak Ridge) — Notre Dame
“Whether that’s at middle linebacker, where Joe Schmidt used to roam, or outside linebacker, the spot formerly manned by Jaylon Smith, Jones believes he can push for a starting spot. And if those goals aren’t bold enough for you, there’s more.” —Tyler James, South Bend Tribune
Rayshad Lewis (WR, Bishop Moore) — Utah State
Ray Lewis’ son got very little notice from schools throughout the nation despite putting in good performances for Bishop Moore as a wide receiver in cornerback. They said he was undersized despite his speed. So he committed to Utah State and stuck with them even as bigger schools began to sniff around too late.
Devon Clarke (DB, Osceola) — Syracuse
Clarke had long wanted to wear Orange and play for Syracuse. He tried to verbally commit to Syracuse under old coach Paul Schafer but was never given a scholarship. That is until Dino Babers took over.
Jaquarius Bargnare (WR, Dr. Phillips) — UCF
“UCF commitment better known as “Q,” Bargnare is a very versatile athlete who began his career at Boone before transferring to Dr. Phillips prior to his junior season. Bargnare is also an outstanding special teams player who earned honorable mention all-state recognition as a utility player this past season. Bargnare was one of Scott Frost’s first commits after the UCF coaching change.” —SHANNON GREEN, ORLANDO SENTINEL
Tre Johnson (DE, First Academy) — Miami
Tre Johnson is a 6-foot-6, 280-pound offensive and defensive lineman likely to play on the offensive side of the ball for Mark Richt and the Hurricanes. Originally an Illinois commit, Johnson is a good athlete for his size, but will still have to increase his weight to play offensive line.
Leighton McCarthy (DE, Wekiva) — FAU
“FAU commitment pledged to the Owls in late January. The Owls were the first to offer McCarthy back in the spring. He made the All-Central Florida first team and earned honorable mention all-state honors after recording 20 sacks this past season. McCarthy was a bit under the radar because he never played football til his junior season but his best years are ahead of him. ” —Peter Thomson, Orlando Sentinel
Daquan Newkirk (CB, First Academy) — Auburn*
Daquan Newkirk has committed to Auburn, but was not offered a scholarship because of academic issues. Perhaps the best player in the whole area struggled in school early in his high school career. He will enroll at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College to increase his grades to join the Tigers as he planned.
Jeff James, Jr. (ATH, Olympia) — Miami
“James will need some time to develop into a good D1/ACC Safety. He has the ball skills and athleticism to do so, but he will need more experience playing the sport. This is a goo pick up from a developmental standpoint. James will likely redshirt as a freshman. But he has good size to go with aforementioned skills above. You might not hear from him right away, but down the line he could be a major factor in the UM secondary.” —Jerry Steinberg, State of the U
Brandon Walton (OL, Seminole) — FAU
Brandon Walton was a bit of a late bloomer physically, but he grew up. Grew up into a 6-foot-5, 285-pound offensive lineman who was a big part of Seminole’s strong running attack this year.
Zander Zimmer (DE/TE, Bishop Moore) — Wake Forest
“Zimmer will give the Deacs some depth at the defensive end position, and will likely start the season spelling Duke Ejiofor at defensive end. He will likely gain more playing time as the year goes on as the coaching staff finds ways to put him in a position to make an impact on the field.” —Adam Bridgers, Blogger So Dear
Cycoby Burch (DB, Oak Ridge) — UMass
Cycoby Burch is a talented athlete who had originally committed to Wisconsin. He qualified late academically which cooled interest in him, but the defensive back could provide an immediate impact to the Minutemen with power-five talent.
Brandon Moore (ATH, Seminole) — UCF
Brandon Moore was the first signee for UCF and the first local to help kickstart UCF’s rebuild. He had a shoulder injury for most of the year, but the talented two-way player is the exact kind of athlete the Knights will need to revitalize and start the #UCFast offense.
Josh Keeler (DT, Bishop Moore) — Yale
“Committed to Yale. Keeler was a crucial part of one of the best defensive line units in the state and a big reason why trying to run against the Hornets this past season was not a very good idea. He’s very quick on his feet for a big guy and he’s a very talented two-way lineman. He’s also extremely intelligent and turned down offers to play at Vanderbilt and UCF for the opportunity to play football and also pursue academic excellence at Yale.” —Chris Hays, Orlando Sentinel
Jonathan Pollock (LB, Dr. Phillips) — Rutgers
“Pollock, a three-star recruit, might just be Rutgers’ most important recruit of this class. Ever since he committed to the Scarlet Knights in October 2014, he has been vocal and enthusiastic about Rutgers, and seamlessly took over the role as recruiter after Ted Field’s departure. Pollock enrolled early, and has already begun classes at Rutgers. He’ll be able to participate in spring practice, which should help him get a leg up on his fellow freshmen and give him a good shot at earning playing time as a true freshman. Pollock has a keen ability to rush the quarterback and stuff the run, and isn’t afraid to drop back into coverage as well.” —Scott Logan, On the Banks
Craig Rucker (ATH, Edgewater) — Utah State
Craig Rucker is the second Orlando resident to take the trip to Logan, Utah. Aggies coach Matt Wells said Rucker is a player who can make plays with the ball in his hands, something the team will need in its open offense particularly with a new quarterback.
Nolan DeFranco (DE, West Orange) — North Carolina
“DeFranco is a long, high-motor, run-stopping defensive lineman. He’ll likely begin his career at strong-side end, but could eventually grow into a D-tackle. Either way, he’ll need to significantly bulk up. He has a great first step inside and will slip between O-linemen. He plays to the whistle, which includes pursuing the play outside of the tackle box. He uses his giant wingspan to maintain separation from blockers and engulf ball carriers.” —Don Callahan, Inside Carolina
Chris Tooley (CB, Oak Ridge) — FAU
Tooley was somewhat lightly recruited. He got a late visit to Louisville and immediately committed to FAU after he got off the plane. Not a good look for the Cardinals. But Tooley finally got a few offers and finally got the reward for his play.
Tim Marinan (RB, Lake Brantley) — Long Island University
“Committed to Long Island University (CW Post). Marinan is one of the most gifted running backs in the state, and his lack of recruitment is one of the most baffling sagas. He’s had barely a sniff of interest from most colleges even after running for 1,000 yards in each of the past three seasons. He’s a big back who can take a pounding, but has also demonstrated good speed once he gets in the open field. CW Post stole this one.” —Chris Hays, Orlando Sentinel
Gavin Johnson (DE, Apopka) — William & Mary
Who knows where Gavin Johnson could have ended up if not for a shoulder injury in the spring which hampered him throughout the season. Johnson committed early to William & Mary.
Ben Bollinger (LB, West Orange) — Air Force
“Bollinger has been a bit of a late bloomer, but he blossomed big time this past season for West Orange and was a huge part of the Warriors defense. His interception return for a touchdown at the end of the Dr. Phillips game gave West Orange its first win over DP in 10 years. He was instrumental in West Orange shoring up some defensive issues it had last season and the Warriors used the improvement to eventually get to the Class 8A state semifinals, where they lost to Kissimmee Osceola. He was named the Orlando Touchdown Club’s defensive player of the year.” —Chris Hays, Orlando Sentinel
Andre Hale (RB, Lake Nona) — Southern Miss
“Coming off a strong junior season (958 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns), the all-purpose back struggled to produce like that as a senior, putting up 484 rushing yards and one rushing score. However, Hale doubled his receiving yardage total from 2014 to 2015, catching 39 passes for 365 yards and three touchdowns last season. Will likely redshirt.” —Jason Munz, Hattiesburg American
Sam White (DE, Boone) — Old Dominion
White committed to Old Dominion in January after receiving an offer in December. The Monarchs were White’s first FBS offer.
Buck Watkins (WR, Edgewater) — Florida Tech
“Committed to Florida Tech, an NCAA Division II school in Melbourne. Watkins was one of the most sure-handed receivers in Central Florida during his time at Edgewater. He combined with scatback Craig Rucker to form quite a formidable receiving duo. Watkins, who also plays basketball for the Eagles, will concentrate on football in college. He caught 38 passes for 580 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior. He also had three kickoff returns for touchdowns as a senior.” —Chris Hays, orlando Sentinel
Ben DeLuca (S, Bishop Moore) — Charlotte
The two-star safety committed to the 49ers in July and played the season with that commitment in tow. He said he was impressed where the burgeoning, young program was headed in an interview with Patrick O’Brien of Niner Report in January.
Robert Cheathem (WR, Bishop Moore) — Charlotte
The wide receiver/cornerback was an all-state selection in 5A for the state champion Hornets. He and DeLuca committed together in July and kept the family vibe going from high school.
Bakhari Goodson (CB, Wekiva) — UMass
“Committed to UMass. Yet another stellar athlete to come out of Wekiva, Goodson was a solid performer for former Wekiva coach Kenard Lang. Goodson played safety for most of his senior season out of team necessity, but he’s a true corner and will play there in college. He also played some offense during his Wekiva career.” —Chris Hays, Orlando Sentinel
Tyshaun Ingram (RB, Winter Park) — UMass
“Tyshaun Ingram (6-0, 185) could be in the mix at running back as well. His college position is undetermined, but the Winter Park, Florida, native was a standout running back in high school.” —Matt Vautour, Daily Hampshire Gazette
Nate Haskins (OL, Boone) — Appalachian State
“Committed to Appalachian State. Haskins will head for the mountains of North Carolina to start his college career, changing his mind earlier this month on a previous commitment to FIU. Haskins has had trouble gaining weight and was considered undersized as an offensive lineman, but he hopes to take advantage of the college training table and workouts to get him up to the playing weight he needs. App State plans to use him at center or guard.” —Chris hays, Orlando Sentinel
Congratulations to all who signed national letters of intent this week!
