PALM BEACH COUNTY – On Wednesday (Feb. 6), over 80 high school football players from around the county signed their national letters of intent (NLI’s) to play on the next level at various colleges.
With a decently high number, the fact remains this: Palm Beach County has some of the best high school football in the nation.
Every year, schools will have multiple players sign and those players will often go on to FBS Power 5 programs.
This year, however, that wasn’t the case. Only five players signed to Power 5 schools and only another seven signed to Group of 5 schools. Both of those totals are some of the lowest in recent memory.
Despite the low amounts of FBS signings, there are plenty of takeaways to take from Wednesday’s events.
1. Newest South Florida college football teams dominate
Last season, Keiser University (West Palm Beach) fielded their newest football program that finished the 2018 college football season with a 6-4 record.
In 2019, St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens will field a new football team that is slated to participate in the NAIA.
On National Signing Day, a total of 31 players signed their National Letter of Intent to the two programs. A total of 36 percent of our area’s 85 signees chose these two upstart institutions.
Post-graduate school McDougle Preparatory (Deerfield Beach) also signed 10 players from the county, including four from Atlantic.
The domination of the two programs – plus McDougle Prep – bodes well for both the area’s college football scene and high school football scene in Palm Beach County. If these programs continue to constantly recruit Palm Beach County, multiple underrated prospects from the county will be able to further their education and playing career close to home.
2. Florida’s Power 3 schools almost non-existent
Between Florida, Florida State and Miami, National Signing Day was a major disappointment in Palm Beach County.
Between the three schools, only one student-athlete on Wednesday chose to play football at one of them, when Benjamin ATH Ka’iir Elam chose Florida over Miami and Georgia.
Past Elam, Wellington athlete Mark-Anthony Richards spurned both Miami and Florida for Auburn. Mark-Antony, who is the younger brother of former Hurricanes wide receiver Ahmmon Richards, had been considered a favorite for both Miami and Florida at one point or another.
Before Wednesday, the three schools had only signed one other player, when Palm Beach Central’s Akeem Dent signed with Florida State.
While it doesn’t exactly draw concern for the three schools given the relatively poor year for FBS recruitment, the representation is a disappointing look.
3. History made for one high school
On Wednesday, two Somerset Academy-Canyon football players made school history.
Offensive lineman DeVante Miguel and defensive lineman Vanes Valiere both signed NLI’s to join Culver-Stockton College in Missouri. The two signings mark the first time in school’s history that any student-athlete has signed on National Signing Day.
4. The talent level in Palm Beach County is in good shape
More important than anything else on this list, the talent in the county is in good, if not great, shape.
The 2020 Palm Beach County class currently features five players ranked in 247Sports’ Top 125 for the state of the Florida. The list includes Palm Beach Central’s Bryan Robinson, who is currently ranked No. 9 in the state.
With rankings and stars fluctuating throughout the high school football season, there’s a strong possibility that even more Palm Beach County players move into the Top 125.
Outside of the Top 125, there will definitely be multiple players who will sign to programs like Keiser, St. Thomas and Stetson.
In total, Palm Beach County will likely surpass the total of 85 football players signing this season in 2020.
5. A chance for unsigned seniors to prove themselves
Aside the seniors who got the opportunity to sign, there are still multiple seniors who didn’t get the opportunity to sign with a college football program.
Next week, those seniors will get another chance to prove themselves to various scouts.
This Saturday (Feb. 16), the third annual Orange Bowl Showcase will take part at St. Thomas University from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
