The recruiting spotlight shines bright at certain times of the calendar year and the beginning of the season fits the bill. We take a look at some of the top prospects sure to be in the spotlight, continuing the series with five prospects from across the Sunshine State.
THIS SERIES: Midwest prospects on center stage when HS season kicks off | Southeast prospects | Mid-South prospects
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CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker
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The Oklahoma commitment, native to Canada, is preparing for his first 11-on-11 action at Miami (Fla.) Central High School after prepping at Mobile (Ala.) Christian as a junior.
Boucard has racked up the offers as an active interior defensive lineman, showcased further by some standout efforts in the offseason, but now he is anchoring one of the most star-studded and tracked teams in the most fertile recruiting ground nationally.
The four-star was not a full participant in spring football and spent more time in Canada of late, including for his commitment to Oklahoma over USC, Miami and others. Now, though, he is healthy and heading into a season that could see his stock rise even higher given the high-profile games and competition he is slated to work through as a senior.
Flanked by Penn State commitment Randy Adirika, ahead of Miami linebacker commitment Ezekial Marcelin and many other FBS recruits on the Central defense, some breakout performances could go a long way for Boucard.
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Jackson is one of the top athletic profiles at the linebacker position nationally. He also flashed aplenty as a junior in 2023 in racking up 135 tackles, two interceptions and two sacks. The production and profile has led to a national offer list, one Jackson continues to navigate as an undeclared prospect, but a knee injury slowed his offseason and kept him out of every major camp event. It means the industry didn't get an in-person comparison with Jackson's ability alongside other coveted linebackers.
In the meantime, though, Jackson has eclipsed the 200-pound mark while apparently bulking up during the downtime and rehab portion of the offseason. With some questions surrounding the competition and now the injury and subsequent addition of mass, Jackson will be a fascinating follow during the 2024 season relative to just how high he may be able to climb on a given program's recruiting board and/or the rankings themselves.
Is he a modern linebacker with a clear third-down trait or a second-level playmaker still very far from his ceiling? Time will soon tell.
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The Michigan commitment checked in for IMG Academy media day at a slimmed-down 215 pounds and he looked fluid in select drills having taken place that day. A major knee injury cost him the 2023 season and the bulk of the 2024 spring at IMG, so this one writes itself.
Johnson, originally from Savannah, Ga., profiled as a downhill back with a thicker SEC and/or Big Ten build in the mold of a classic bell cow who could improve as the game progressed. Older and seemingly in the best shape of his prep life, Johnson's more trim build could push for three-down packages at IMG despite the always stacked national schedule the program is soon slated to begin.
Could Johnson revert back to his underclassman form or is he become a more modern back built to split carries relative to the offense or the personnel package? There are some talented young backs on campus at IMG, as usual, but Johnson will get the ball as RB1 out of the gate this fall so it won't be long until some answers come in.
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Another physical specimen coming off of a major knee injury, the recruitment of Melendez was among the most contested at the linebacker position nationally. He has flashed as a two-way player with devastating power and explosiveness regardless of alignment or assignment when healthy. The injury cost the bulk of the 2023 season, though, so the tape is actually somewhat limited for the Miami commitment relative to other blue-chip linebacker recruits nationally.
The near 6-foot-2, 220-pound prospect is now cleared for full pads ahead of the 2024 season, where questions about his game remain relative to a projection. Melendez can fire and work downhill with pop as well as any linebacker in the class, but the three-down value may have to be worked in as a pass-rusher or in coverage. A well-rounded approach could do as much as help him contend among the top projections in the class while questions not getting answered may push him just as far in the other direction in what has become a very strong off-ball linebacker group.
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As physically-impressive a skill position prospect as there is nationally, Moore broke out in 2022 with one of the most productive campaigns at the position before a slight dip in 2023 as a junior, with more programs focused on stopping him first against Pembroke Pines (Fla.) West Broward High.
Going into his senior season, he seems to have built his body towards the best shape of his prep career, drawing some physical comparisons to former No. 1 prospect Jeremiah Smith in his build. Of course looking the part and playing it are two different situations, as the Florida commitment will still have that target on his back as the primary college prospect at his school.
Elite prospects find a way to dominate the game anyway, even against loaded South Florida competition, so the force Moore plays with will be in the spotlight throughout the region and beyond as Miami and Florida State continue to work to try to flip the high-ceiling talent.
