Defensive linemen Dennis Briggs, Stacy Kirby among top area juniors
Central Florida is home to one of the best class of 2018 running backs in the nation, but the upcoming recruiting cycle in the Orlando area will be dominated by linemen.
Yes, all eyes will be on Orange City University High star Lorenzo Lingard, who recently committed to Miami and is currently the No. 2 running back in the country, according to 247Sports.com.
The dirty work, however, gets done on the interior and boy do we have some dandies in Orlando Sentinel’s 2018 Central Florida Super60.
There are eight defensive ends in the Super60, five of which are in the top 20, and these guys can put fear in the eyes of a quarterback, especially the top two defensive ends Dennis Briggs of Kissimmee Gateway and Stacy Kirby of Orlando Jones.
There are also eight offensive linemen in the Super60 for the upcoming senior class, and the headliners are John Campbell of Dr. Phillips, Will Barnes and Ed Montilus of Apopka and Eric Seidelman of Bishoop Moore.
Not since the Sentinel started its Super60 rankings in 2011 has there been such a talented group of defensive linemen.
We’re giving Briggs, ranked No. 2 overall in Central Florida, the edge over No. 3 Kirby at this time, but both of these guys can bring the hurt.
Briggs is 6-foot-4, 235 pounds of pure nasty and brute strength. What’s crazy about Briggs is that with him being tucked away in the Osceola County recruiting abyss, not a lot of coaches know about him.
That, however, should change. He finally picked up some momentum in his recruitment during this past season, when he totaled 75 tackles, four tackles for loss and seven sacks. He’s improved his technique since his first varsity season and simply put, he is a beast.
The Football Bowl Subdivision offer list has grew somewhat for Briggs, and UCF jumped on board in September, but this list should be loaded with Power 5 schools. Boston College joined that list on Monday, and he has 11 FBS offers so far, including FAU, Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky, UMass, Mississippi State, Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt and Virginia. He projects as a defensive tackle at the next level and 247Sports has him as the No. 44 player in the country at that position.
Briggs doesn’t worry about his lack of attention. After UCF offered him a scholarship, he said, “I'm just trying to ball out to the best of my abilities."
As for Kirby, he may not be as overpowering as Briggs, but he’s more agile and his quickness gives him an advantageous step off the line. A starter since his freshman season, Kirby has blossomed, but he has also started to draw the relentless double-teams from opposing linemen. He shakes that off, however.
“It’s football. It’s been the same for me ever since I started. I just try to do my job and win games. Being on the radar, teams do start to plan against you and make it harder for you to make plays, but I overcome it,” Kirby said. “I love where I’m sitting and it’s a rare thing to be in the position that I am. I’m just thankful that I am able to go through it.”
Kirby, who will enroll early in college, has 24 offers and he said FSU, Florida and Ohio State are coming at him the most aggressively.
Briggs and Kirby aren’t the only talented ends in the Orlando area.
Kirby’s teammate Devin Hayes, at 6-6, 250, can play both sides of the ball, while Joe Gulla (6-3, 240) of Dr. Phillips and Jay Swegheimer of Boone (6-5, 220) have the kind of motors coaches drool over. Both players are quick and powerful and Gulla led his Dr. Phillips team in tackles this past season with 105, 18 for loss. Also in the top 20 is Kissimmee Osceola’s Jordan Redmond (6-1, 292), who was offered by UCF the same week as was Briggs.
Joe Gulla, Devin Hayes, Jay Swegheimer (Chris Hays / Orlando Sentinel)
There are a few others on the list, but one of my favorites is DT Breyuan Robinson of Lake Brantley, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound ball of energy and passion.
As for the offensive line, Campbell (6-5, 280) has been reeling in offers. UCF, Miami and Auburn have all offered and he currently has 24 FBS offers. He’s hoping to hear from FSU eventually and had a good camp this past summer at Tallahassee.
Barnes (6-4, 297) and Montilus (6-4, 295) continue the tradition of top linemen at Apopka. Barnes has 15 offers, including the state’s big three of FSU, Florida and Miami; and Montilus has seven offers, the biggest of which are from Miami and Auburn.
Ed Montilus of Apopka, Eric Seidelman of Bishop Moore (Chris Hays / Orlando Sentinel)
Seidelman (6-3, 285) might not have the offer list of the other three, but Bishop Moore head coach Matt Hedrick raves about Seidelman, whose offers are from Charlotte and Coastal Carolina. Seidelman is a technician who is always striving to get better. He can also play any of the spots on the line. Also getting recruiting looks has been Sanford Seminole's Kenneth Horsey (6-4, 315), who was offered by Missouri in the fall.
The top players in Central Florida at the other positions are QB Joe Milton of Olympia, WR Anthony Queeley of Lake Nona, S Tanner Ingle of Dr. Phillips, CB Sevyn Banks of Jones, and LB Devonte Booker of Boone.
