SoFLA’s Top 100 for 2010

SoFLAfootball has compiled a list of the top 100 prospects in Palm Beach, Broward, and Dade Counties coming out of spring football heading into the summer.  Each athlete on the list has been seen in person during a game, camp, combine, or 7-on-7 event. 

Today we bring you prospects #1-#30, with the rest of the Top 100 coming later this week.

1. Todd Chandler - 6′0″ 285 DT - Miami Northwestern: Chandler is a dominate force on the interior of Northwestern’s defense. The combination of his quick get off and strength are matched by no other defensive linemen in South Florida. Not many defensive tackles can affect the course of a game like Chandler.

2. Torrian Wilson - 6′4″ 300 OT - Miami Northwestern: Wilson is a mauler on the offensive line that moves his feet well and does a good job finishing off his blocks. Wilson has done a great job ridding his body of bad weight over the past several months.

3. Giovanni Bernard - 5′9″ 190 RB - St. Thomas Aquinas: Bernard has great vision, changes direction well, and has shown a nice burst through the hole. Bernard seems to be an even more explosive runner this spring than he had shown in the past.

4. Brandon Gainer - 6′0″ 200 RB - Miami Central: Gainer is a big bruising back that is the toughest runner in South Florida. Gainer goes full throttle from start to finish and wears a defense down with his punishing running style.

5. Ivan McCartney - 6′1″ 165 WR - Miramar: McCartney is a silky smooth route runner and has superb body control. The acrobatic catches this prospect is able to pull off are impressive. McCartney proved this off-season he was the top receiver in South Florida.

6. James Louis - 5′11″ 180 S/WR - Delray Beach Atlantic: Louis is a playmaker with the ball in his hands. He gets to full speed quickly and has the frame to shake off arm tackles. Louis is far from a polished receiver, but his physical tools are second to none.

7. Matt Elam - 5′10″ 210 LB/RB - Dwyer: Elam is a jack of all trades on the football field, excelling at a number of positions. He has good speed and is already physically developed. The only question surrounding Elam is where he will line up once in college.

8. Corey Lemonier - 6′4″ 225 DE - Hialeah: There is not a defensive lineman in South Florida that has a more impressive looking build than Lemonier. He has a good burst off the ball, but needs to show a more consistent motor.

9. Brandon Linder - 6′5″ 275 OT - St. Thomas Aquinas: Linder is able to play all three offensive line positions and is one of the more technically sound linemen around. He moves well, but missed the entire spring with a foot injury.

10. Richard Ash - 6′3″ 265 DT - Pahokee: Ash is a big body that will be able to carry plenty more weight. His agility and speed are impressive for a defensive tackle, but he has to learn to play lower. Ash plays on both sides of the ball for the Blue Devils.

11. Stephen Morris - 6′2″ 180 QB - Monsignor Pace: Morris has the physical tools to be an elite level quarterback with a strong arm, effortless release, good size, and the speed to be a threat running the ball. He needs to continue working on shorting up his release and overall quarterbacking skills.

12. Lynden Trail - 6′6″ 205 DE - Miami Booker T. Washington: Trail is the most athletic pass rusher in South Florida without a doubt. He has a great motor and has a knack for making big plays. Trail’s weight is a concern, but once he gives up basketball and running track adding weight will be much easier.

13. Greg Dent - 6′0″ 180 CB/S/WR - Glades Central: Dent’s best position is cornerback, where he always seems to be around the ball. He has great hands and ball skills for a physically big corner. The most impressive characteristic of Dent is the fact he is at his best during the biggest games when the lights are on.

14. Lamarcus Joyner - 5′8″ 165 ATH - St. Thomas Aquinas: Joyner is a great athlete and pound for pound the hardest hitter in South Florida. On offense he has the ability to take the ball to the end zone every time he touches it. It has still not been determined what position Joyner will be most effective at going to the next level.

15. Chris Dunkley - 5′11″ 175 WR - Pahokee: Dunkley has a great release and is difficult to get a solid jam on. In the open field Dunkley proves to be tough to tackle and excels as a great return man.

16. Quinton Dunbar - 6′3″ 175 WR - Miami Booker T. Washington: No receiver in South Florida has more upside than Dunbar with his combination of height, speed, and leaping ability. His routes are not very crisp, but he does a good job attacking the ball in the air.

17. Jeff Godfrey - 5′11″ 175 QB - Miami Central: Godfrey spins it better than any quarterback in South Florida, and does a good job reading defenses. He has good speed and is a threat to run the ball. The knock on Godfrey is his lack of ideal height.

18. Antonio Ford - 6′3″ 270 OL/DT - Pahokee: Ford has long arms, big frame, and mean streak wanted in linemen. Ford in an integral part of the Blue Devil offensive line, limiting his time along the defensive line. Defensive tackle is probably where Ford fits best at the next level.

19. Issac Dixon - 5′11″ 185 OLB - Monsignor Pace: Dixon has the speed to make plays from sideline to sideline from his linebacker position. His ability to cover running backs out of the backfield is second to none in South Florida. Dixon’s size is not that of the traditional outside linebacker, but with the number of spread offenses in today’s college football speed and coverage skills has become more of a priority.

20. Keion Payne - 6′0″ 165 CB - St. Thomas Aquinas: Payne has nice height for a cornerback and is very fluid. He has long arms and runs fairly well. Even with his slight build Payne does a decent job in run support.

21. De’Joshua Johnson - 5′10″ 150 WR - Pahokee: Johnson has more shake than any other prospect in South Florida and is lethal in the open field. He also has the speed to get behind a defense with ease. Johnson needs to continue to improve his hands, as he double catches too many balls right now.

22. Eduardo Clements - 5′11″ 175 RB - Miami Booker T. Washington: Clements is a very versatile running back with the ability to split out as a receiver. There may not be a better pass catcher out of the backfield in South Florida than Clements, and his speed make him a threat to score from anywhere on the field.

23. Richard Leonard - 5′8″ 165 CB - Miami Killian: Leonard is excellent in coverage and has great speed. Even with his lack of ideal height he sticks in a receiver’s hip pocket and will get physical.

24. Willis Wright - 6′0″ 190 WR/S - Miami Springs: Wright is probably the most physical receiver in South Florida. He uses his strength to his advantage when going after balls and has adequate speed.

25. Darius Millines - 6′1″ 190 ATH - American Heritage-Delray: Millines is a superb athlete with very good size. He plays a host of positions for the Stallions including receiver, cornerback, safety, and quarterback. Millines blazed 4.42 electronic forty this off-season.

26. Calvin Smith - 6′3″ 270 DT/OG - Hialeah: Smith is another big body that could easily carry plenty more weight. He plays both sides of the ball, but still plays with a high motor. Smith does a great job getting penetration from his defensive tackle position.

27. Devon Wright - 6′1″ 185 RB - Taravella: Wright puts up gaudy numbers on the field and has good size. He does a good job catching the ball and runs hard. Wright does not have the explosiveness other backs in South Florida possess.

28. DeAndre Johnson - 5′8″ 190 RB - Monsignor Pace: Johnson is a bowling ball of a running back that has surprising speed for as bulky as he is. He shows good balance and is not brought down by one defender very often.

29. Shawn Corker 6′1″ 180 WR - Cardinal Gibbons: Corker is a physical receiver that runs good routes and has knack for going over defensive backs for acrobatic catches. He is not a burner, but certainly runs well enough. At times Corker loses concentration dropping some easy balls, but nothing that cannot be worked out.

30. James White - 5′10″ 195 RB - St. Thomas Aquinas: White is a hard runner that can catch the ball out of the backfield. He has a sturdy build and pretty good speed. White shows good patience letting the hole develop before bursting through.