The high school football season starts in less than a month and our countdown to kickoff highlights the top 10 defensive players in the Gainesville area.
Last November, the lights were turned off at high school football stadiums in the Gainesville area.
They were left off for eight months and some rust probably started to form.
In just a few weeks, those switches will be flipped “on” and the Friday night lights will illuminate towns and villages across North Central Florida.
In advance of the Kickoff Classic on August 16 and the Week 1 games a Friday later, the Gainesville Sun is releasing a list of the best players in each position group.
Our first three watchlists focused on the offensive side of the field. Now we come to the most important aspect of the field – defense.
We started with the linebackers on this side of the ball and now move on to the defensive linemen.
Here’s a look at the top 10 DLs in the Gainesville area for the 2024 season:
Jarquez Carter, Newberry
Carter, who has committed to Ohio State, had his choice of four strong schools. He headlines an absolutely strong Newberry front seven. His 2023 numbers – 67 tackles and nine sacks – do not do justice to his talent. He is one of the best players in the region.
Mykah Newton, Newberry
Newton, who committed to NC State, also had a wealth of options when he joined the Wolfpack. He is Carter’s partner on the defensive line and is just as talented. He had 62 tackles and 13 sacks, tops in Class 1R.
Elijah Daniels, Buchholz
Buchholz lost a lot of talent from his roster in 2023, but Daniels returns and looks to improve his game with the Bobcats and their D-line. He had 30 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Jaden McCray, Fort White
McCray was a force in the Indians’ defense, regularly shutting down opponents in 2023. He had nine sacks (5th in 1R) and 46 tackles.
Timothy Taylor Jr., Williston
Taylor led the Red Devils defense with nine sacks and 48 tackles in 2023. Williston went undefeated in the regular season and made it to the Class 1R Regional Final before losing to Hawthorne.
Connor Bresee, Union County
Bresee had 5.5 sacks for the Fightin’ Tigers in 2023, making him the team’s best player. UCH hopes to return to the state semifinals after losing to Madison County in the regional final.
Hunter Watson, Suwannee
As a sophomore for the Bulldogs in 2023, he led Suwannee with 7 sacks (27th in class 2S) and 52 tackles.
Trente Jenkins, Bradford
Like Buchholz, the Tornadoes lost several key players from their second-ranked defense, but Jenkins is back with four sacks and 64 tackles.
Trevis Johnson, Columbia
Johnson was the team’s best player with three sacks and 31 tackles and is aiming to improve on his 4-6 record in 2023.
Kyler Ingram, Hawthorne
Kyler, the newest addition to the Ingram family, will become a force on the Hornets’ defensive line after making 65 tackles in the 2023 season.
Noah Ram covers high school sports in the Gainesville area and athletics at the University of Florida for The Gainesville Sun. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him @Noah_ram1 on Twitter.
