High school football is back, which means opportunities to see some of the top recruits in the state under the bright lights.
In a handful of cases, top recruits will be lining up across from each other.
During Kickoff Classic weekend, the list includes some major individual matchups from the Miami Super Showdown High School Football Classic such as Armwood running back Girard Pringle against Norland’s loaded defensive line with three FBS commits and Homestead wide receiver Cortez Mills against Cardinal Newman’s secondary.
Other top matchups include Bishop Verot senior quarterback Carter Smith against St. Thomas Aquinas junior defensive back Justice Fitzpatrick and Robinson edge rusher LaJesse Harrold against Clearwater Central Catholic’s talented backfield.
Here’s a look at some of the top potential individual matchups to watch during the Kickoff Classic weekend.
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Bishop Verot 2025 QB Carter Smith vs. St. Thomas Aquinas 2026 DB Justice Fitzpatrick
Smith (Michigan commit) is ranked No. 32 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100. The dual-threat quarterback threw for 2,223 yards and 29 touchdowns and rushed for 715 yards and 19 scores in 2023. Fitzpatrick, the younger brother of Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, is considered one of the nation’s premier junior defensive backs. Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Ohio State and Oregon are among the schools to offer Fitzpatrick.
Homestead 2025 WR Cortez Mills vs. Cardinal Newman 2025 DB Max Redmon
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Mills (Oklahoma commit) is No. 17 on the top 100; the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Redmon (Florida State commit) is No. 89. Mills has been a big reason for the Broncos success the past two seasons. He caught 79 passes for 1,640 yards and 18 scores last year as Homestead advanced to its second consecutive Class 3M state title game. Redmon had 64 tackles and two interceptions in 2023. He’ll play both safety and linebacker for the Crusaders.
Armwood 2025 RB Girard Pringle vs. Norland 2025 EDGEs Darryll and Mandrell Desir
Girard, one of the state’s premier running backs, starts the season against a deep and experienced defensive line that helped Norland reach the Class 2M state championship game in 2023. Pringle (Miami commit) is ranked No. 26 on the top 100. He averaged more than 150 yards per game in 2023 and finished the year with 1,683 yards and 25 total touchdowns. The Desir twins are both committed to UCF. Darryll had seven sacks and 16 tackles for loss in 2023; Mandrell had five tackles for loss and three sacks.
Jones 2025 WR Vernell Brown III vs. Seminole 2025 CB Juan Berchal
Brown, No. 8 on the top 100, is a five-star recruit who committed to Florida in July. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder caught 70 passes for 1,363 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2003. The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Berchal (Appalachian State commit) is a standout cover corner. He recorded 36 tackles, four passes defended and an interception for the Seminoles in 2023.
Watch Jones WR Vernell Brown III vs. Seminole CB Juan Berchal
Tampa Bay Tech 2026 QB Logan Rogers vs. Apopka 2026 Kingston Shaw
Rogers, who has a handful of offers including Florida, takes the reigns of a Titans passing attack that includes two Power 4 receivers (Oregon commit Dallas Wilson and UCF commit Santonyo Isaac). The 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior completed 32 of 49 passes for 642 yards and nine touchdowns in five games in 2023. Shaw saw his recruitment pick up during the spring and currently has offers from Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi State and several others. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound lineman had 56 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery in 2023.
Watch Tampa Bay Tech QB Logan Rogers vs. Apopka EDGE Kingston Shaw
Robinson 2025 EDGE LaJesse Harrold vs. Clearwater Central Catholic 2025 QB/ATH Jershaun Newton
Harrold, one of the nation’s premier edge rusher prospects, opens the season against a Clearwater Central Catholic offense with a pair of Big Ten commits in the backfield. Ranked No. 18 on the top 100, the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Harrold (LSU commit) recorded 42 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 2023. The Marauders feature a backfield with Newton (Illinois commit) and running back Sean Cuono (Indiana commit). The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Newton is the younger brother of Washington Commanders rookie defensive lineman Johnny Newton. Jershaun threw for 2,084 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 1,020 yards and five touchdowns in 2023.
Watch Robinson EDGE LaJesse Harrold vs. Clearwater Central Catholic QB Jershaun Newton
Miami Palmetto 2025 WR Cameron Sapp vs. Miami Northwestern 2025 DB Antonio Branch
Sapp, the son of former NFL fullback Cecil Sapp, is a three-star wide receiver with offers from Maryland, Nebraska, Pitt, South Carolina, Texas A&M and others. The 5-foot-10 speedster caught 20 passes for 316 yards and scored six total touchdowns in 2023. The 6-foot-2, 174-pound Branch (Penn State commit) is ranked No. 69 on the top 100. Sapp is one of four players from South Florida in the Nittany Lions’ 2025 recruiting class.
Buchholz 2026 QB Trace Johnson vs. Spruce Creek 2025 DL Derry Norris
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Johnson threw for 2,844 yards and 35 touchdowns as a sophom*ore. The son of former Florida Gators quarterback Doug Johnson, Trace has a handful of FBS offers including West Virginia. Norris (Georgia Tech commit) is ranked No. 82 on the top 100. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound lineman recorded 63 tackles, seven sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss in 2023.
Gadsden County 2025 OT Lamar Williams vs. Venice 2026 EDGE Asharri Charles
Williams (Maryland commit) is a long tackle at 6-foot-7, 285 pounds. The All-Big Bend second team selection initially committed to Miami in February before decommitting in May and committing to the Terrapins a month later. Charles is fast shot up recruiting boards over the past few months and currently has several offers including Florida, Florida State, Louisville, Miami. Charles had 98 tackles, 11 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last season.
Jon Santucci is the lead high school football recruiting reporter for the USA Today Florida Network. He can be reached at jsantucci@gannett.com.
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