Over the past three years, I’ve been lucky enough to see Dade and Broward’s best compete on the gridiron, at camps and at 7-on-7s. The list below is my personal opinion, and I don’t speak for Peter, Tito, Glory, Cam or Nash. All forty times are verified. This list only includes seniors from Dade and Broward County.
15. Isaiah McKenzie, ATH, American Heritage- 5’8, 160 pounds, 4.58 (Uncommitted)
McKenzie has already made two appearances on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays, and he hasn’t even gotten to college yet. Nobody in the state is more frightening with the ball in his hands. And he's as tough as he is quick. Every time Sony Michel or Torrance Gibson broke a long run, McKenzie was running right next to them looking for somebody to knock out. He’s so aggressive that some people feel that he belongs on defense. Accumulated 1,936 all-purpose yards and scored 20 TDs as a senior.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p6JODn9ORw
14. Ravian Pierce, TE/DE, Plantation- 6’4, 220 pounds (Arkansas)
Butch Davis always looked for players with three attributes: frame, athleticism and a passion for the game. Everything else he could fix. Pierce is a Butch Davis-type of player. He’s an impressive-looking player on the hoof, with wide shoulders and long arms. He has the athleticism of a receiving tight end, but he’s most comfortable blocking in-line or busting heads on crackback blocks. Pierce is a violent, nasty dude, and it’s rare to watch a Plantation game without seeing him get into an altercation. His future may be at defensive end. Pierce battled a nagging foot injury as a senior but should be 100% for the Razorbacks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq04fQ06bgQ
13. Trayon “Chocolate” Gray, ATH, Carol City- 6’2, 197 pounds, 4.66 (Miami)
Of all the players on this list, nobody improved more in one season than Trayon Gray. Last year, he was considered a very good athlete and a steady receiver for then-QB Akeem Jones. This year, Gray was a freak of nature on par with Dalvin Cook and Sony Michel. He rushed for 1,121 yards and 11 TDs in 2013 while displaying true breakaway speed at the quarterback position. Even when Carol City faced fast defenses like Central, Gray was able to pull away like he was playing junior varsity. Some question whether his upright style will translate to running back, but all I see is a clone of Darren McFadden.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/3522789/highlights/107694377
12. Quinton “Winky” Flowers, ATH, Jackson- 6’0, 203 pounds, 4.72 (USF)
Winky was a tricky guy to rank because of his position. If he devotes himself to safety—which he played a lot this year due to injuries—he will be another Robenson Therezie. Few guys have the kind of knack for the big play that Winky has. When he subbed in at safety against American Heritage, the crowd immediately began buzzing. On the next play, Flowers went halfway across the field and knocked Isaiah McKenzie silly on a deep ball. The first play of the next offensive series, he flicked a perfect bomb to Jovon Durante to tie the game up. One of the best all-around football players in the state.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/2704815/highlights/97105375
11. Treon Harris, ATH, Booker T- 5’11, 186 pounds, 4.48 (Florida State)
The MVP of South Florida football. Many people focus on his improvisational skills, but it was his intelligence and accuracy that kept the Booker T. offense operating like a machine. There is no question in my mid that Harris can play QB at the D-1 level. The question is whether it's in his long-term best interests ($) to switch to defensive back. Then again, coaches wanted to put Johnny Manziel and Brett Favre in the defensive backfield, too. Scored 37 TDs total TDs as a senior.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/1505830/highlights/74200375
15. Isaiah McKenzie, ATH, American Heritage- 5’8, 160 pounds, 4.58 (Uncommitted)
McKenzie has already made two appearances on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays, and he hasn’t even gotten to college yet. Nobody in the state is more frightening with the ball in his hands. And he's as tough as he is quick. Every time Sony Michel or Torrance Gibson broke a long run, McKenzie was running right next to them looking for somebody to knock out. He’s so aggressive that some people feel that he belongs on defense. Accumulated 1,936 all-purpose yards and scored 20 TDs as a senior.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p6JODn9ORw
14. Ravian Pierce, TE/DE, Plantation- 6’4, 220 pounds (Arkansas)
Butch Davis always looked for players with three attributes: frame, athleticism and a passion for the game. Everything else he could fix. Pierce is a Butch Davis-type of player. He’s an impressive-looking player on the hoof, with wide shoulders and long arms. He has the athleticism of a receiving tight end, but he’s most comfortable blocking in-line or busting heads on crackback blocks. Pierce is a violent, nasty dude, and it’s rare to watch a Plantation game without seeing him get into an altercation. His future may be at defensive end. Pierce battled a nagging foot injury as a senior but should be 100% for the Razorbacks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq04fQ06bgQ
13. Trayon “Chocolate” Gray, ATH, Carol City- 6’2, 197 pounds, 4.66 (Miami)
Of all the players on this list, nobody improved more in one season than Trayon Gray. Last year, he was considered a very good athlete and a steady receiver for then-QB Akeem Jones. This year, Gray was a freak of nature on par with Dalvin Cook and Sony Michel. He rushed for 1,121 yards and 11 TDs in 2013 while displaying true breakaway speed at the quarterback position. Even when Carol City faced fast defenses like Central, Gray was able to pull away like he was playing junior varsity. Some question whether his upright style will translate to running back, but all I see is a clone of Darren McFadden.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/3522789/highlights/107694377
12. Quinton “Winky” Flowers, ATH, Jackson- 6’0, 203 pounds, 4.72 (USF)
Winky was a tricky guy to rank because of his position. If he devotes himself to safety—which he played a lot this year due to injuries—he will be another Robenson Therezie. Few guys have the kind of knack for the big play that Winky has. When he subbed in at safety against American Heritage, the crowd immediately began buzzing. On the next play, Flowers went halfway across the field and knocked Isaiah McKenzie silly on a deep ball. The first play of the next offensive series, he flicked a perfect bomb to Jovon Durante to tie the game up. One of the best all-around football players in the state.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/2704815/highlights/97105375
11. Treon Harris, ATH, Booker T- 5’11, 186 pounds, 4.48 (Florida State)
The MVP of South Florida football. Many people focus on his improvisational skills, but it was his intelligence and accuracy that kept the Booker T. offense operating like a machine. There is no question in my mid that Harris can play QB at the D-1 level. The question is whether it's in his long-term best interests ($) to switch to defensive back. Then again, coaches wanted to put Johnny Manziel and Brett Favre in the defensive backfield, too. Scored 37 TDs total TDs as a senior.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/1505830/highlights/74200375
