Our list of the top 50 seniors for 2025 includes a couple of household names along with consistent producers and others ready to burst on the scene.
The Florida high school football season is here, and The News-Press and the Naples Daily News have highlighted the top senior players in Southwest Florida for the 2025 season. Among this group are a few of the most highly touted players in Florida along with school record-holders and unquestioned team leaders.
These 50 members of the Class of 2026 should be main contributors for their programs during the season and are listed in alphabetical order.
Javien Altine, Gulf Coast RB
Altine was a workhorse in the backfield last season for the Sharks, rushing for 1,015 yards on 135 carries with 10 scores, helping them to a 5-5 finish. Entering his senior season, Altine will assume the reins of RB1 once again in hopes of sending the Sharks to the postseason.
Micah Anderson, Bishop Verot LB
Anderson has been a mainstay on the Verot defense since his freshman year, posting a career-high 98 tackles in his junior season. For his career, Anderson enters his senior season with 247 tackles (17.5 tackles for loss), 8 sacks, 17 quarterback hurries, and an interception.
Tariq Arbyummi, Naples LB
Arbyummi was an effective piece on the Naples defense a season ago and will enter this year as the team's leading returning tackler. As a junior, Arbyummi finished with 70 tackles (7 for loss), 5 sacks, and a pair of fumble recoveries.
Dom Ardezzone, Fort Myers QB
The gunslinger had a strong junior season in new colors, completing 53.6 percent of his passes for 1,815 yards with 15 touchdowns against 6 interceptions. Ardezzone also added a pair of rushing touchdowns on the ground and might have to contribute more as a runner with a handful of key skill players having graduated.
Jeremiah Bataille, Riverdale EDGE
Bataille was a solid asset on the defensive line for Riverdale, finishing with 59 tackles (18 for loss), adding 5 sacks, 22 quarterback hurries, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries. As a junior, Bataille also blocked a punt, leading the program to its best season in program history.
Lovensky Blanchard, Riverdale RB
Blanchard was a strong asset for the Raiders last year in the run game, rushing 137 times for 1,312 yards (9.6 YPC) with 6 touchdowns and five 100-plus yard games. He'll take the reins as RB1, replacing a prolific rusher in Cole Hayes (271 rush, 1,978 yards, 28 TDs).
JJ Bolz, Bishop Verot LB
One of four Southwest Florida Football Player of the Year finalists on the defensive side of the ball, Bolz led the Vikings defense with 134 tackles (10.5 for loss), 5.5 sacks, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Committed to Dartmouth, Bolz will anchor arguably the best front seven in Southwest Florida, alongside Micah Anderson and Macrae Thompson.
Jayden Boyd, Cape Coral DB
In nine games at the safety spot, Boyd posted 48 tackles, forced a fumble, and recovered four fumbles for the Seahawks a season ago for a unit that conceded just north of 10 points per game. Two of those fumble recoveries were returned for touchdowns.
Noah Brown, Lely DL
Brown provided experience for the Trojans on the defensive side, posting 51 tackles and a sack last year for a team that advanced to the regional semifinals. Surrounded by a veteran defense along with a couple of transfers, Brown could be poised for a breakout season with Lely in 2025.
Dwyer Camron, Bishop Verot EDGE
Camron was a News-Press All-Area First Team selection a season ago after a breakout year in which he posted 70 tackles (16.5 for loss), 12.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Camron's physicality on the edge helped Verot to a 9-4 season and a regional final appearance.
Jadrien Carmo, Bishop Verot WR/DB
Carmo was a two-way player for the Vikings a season ago, finishing with 13 receptions for 145 yards on the offensive end while adding 19 tackles, 2 interceptions, and a forced fumble last season to go along with 4 pass breakups.
Eli Chery, Naples DB
Chery was busy in the defensive secondary for Naples, racking up 47 tackles, 2 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, and a forced fumble to help the Golden Eagles reach the Final Four. With Jordan Bergeron and Xavien Michel having graduated, expect Chery to be the next man up.
Eli Cochran, Bishop Verot DB
Cochran's role was a bit limited, appearing in eight games with 43 total tackles and a forced fumble. But with the secondary lacking depth this season, expect Cochran to fit right in and make an impact alongside Justin Rode, Jyden German, Jadrien Carmo, and others.
Ty Collins, Lely ATH
There weren't many players who did more last year than Collins, who rushed for 1,189 yards on 125 attempts, scored 17 touchdowns, and added 16 receptions for 211 yards just on offense. Collins had 63 tackles, 3 interceptions, and a forced fumble as well for the Trojans. Expect him to be used in virtually every facet this season.
Julien Correa, Riverdale DL
Correa led a stingy Riverdale defensive line with 87 tackles, 24.5 tackles-for-loss, and 3.5 sacks in his junior season, helping lead the Raiders to their first-ever regional final. With virtually everybody back on the defensive end, expect Correa and the Raiders to do damage again.
Judah Daniels, Fort Myers DL
Widely viewed as underrated by a handful of area coaches, Daniels is a key player for the Greenies. Daniels may have had just 18 tackles last season, but he also played offensive line at the left guard position, helping Fort Myers average north of 5 yards per rush.
Zephaniah Diamond, Lely TE
Diamond had a good season for the Trojans as a tight end, catching 41 passes for 653 yards with 7 touchdowns. His 15.9 yards per catch led the receiving corps at Lely a season ago, and with a potent offense that will put up plenty of points, do not be surprised if he surpasses each of his marks from a season ago.
Andres DiGrigoli, Naples DB
The Air Force commit is expected to give the Naples defense a boost, especially after a season in which he logged 69 tackles, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, and an interception at First Baptist last season.
Joel Ervin, Fort Myers OL
At 6-foot-6, it's hard to miss Ervin on the Fort Myers offensive line. The Miami commit produced more than 300 yards of offense a game while protecting Dom Ardezzone under center, helping the Green Wave to an 8-4 finish a season ago with their first district title this decade.
Andre Ferdinand, Naples DB
Opposing quarterbacks opted to test Ferdinand a bit too much last year, which led to 6 interceptions, 9 pass breakups, 2 fumble recoveries, and 34 tackles. Ferdinand picked off a pair of passes in the Class 4A-Region 3 final against Port Charlotte, including the game-sealer in crunch time.
Micah Fils-Aime, Community School of Naples DL
Fils-Aime is one of the area's top defensive linemen, making the Naples Daily News All-Area First Team in back-to-back seasons. He has totaled 172 tackles, 53 tackles-for-loss, 22.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
D'mauri Francois, Dunbar LB
Francois produced at the linebacker spot and is expected to do so again this season. As a junior, Francois posted 85 tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery for the Tigers, who advanced to the Class 4A-Region 3 quarterfinals.
Chris Germinal, Immokalee QB
Germinal will be an intriguing follow this season for Redwood, especially having grown a couple of inches while putting on some weight. As a junior, Germinal threw for 1,580 yards while completing 56.4 percent of passes with 16 touchdowns against 4 interceptions. He also ran 52 times for 351 yards and 3 scores.
Tylen Gore, Dunbar RB
Gore was a key piece in the backfield last season for Sammy Brown's Tigers, having rushed for 779 yards on 117 attempts with 7 touchdowns, adding 20 receiving yards and a score. Expect Gore's workload to continue to be that of a starter.
Adrean Guerra, Naples OL
Guerra's offensive line play alongside Logan Nibbelin was key, as Naples rushed for 4,451 yards as a team with 50 touchdowns. That mark became a new program record, surpassing the 4,448 yards by the 2007 state championship squad.
Kendall Guervil, Fort Myers DL
The Florida commit is a large presence on the line, listed at 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds. In 11 games, Guervil posted 88 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss and two forced fumbles for the Green Wave despite plenty of double teams that were thrown his way.
Coby Hayes, Riverdale LB
Hayes was a machine on the opposite side of the ball, much like his brother was on the offensive side. Coby finished with a team-leading 103 tackles (14.5 for loss), adding 4 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries, 3 blocked punts, 2 forced fumbles, and an interception.
George Haseotes, Community School of Naples OL
The Vanderbilt commit has been a stable presence on the CSN offensive line, helping churn out a 1,500-yard rusher in Jayvian Tanelus while also playing on the defensive line and making an impact there. CSN averaged 7.2 yards per carry a season ago, their fourth-best mark on the ground in program history.
Aydin Herrera, Lely LB
Herrera was busy on the defensive side of the ball, racking up 96 tackles with 5 for loss. He also added a sack and an interception. Expect him to potentially eclipse the century mark with the expectation that the defense improves tremendously after allowing 41 points per game last season.
John Holcy, Fort Myers RB/LB
Holcy was a two-way talent last year for the Green Wave, finishing with a team-leading 478 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns, while adding 72 tackles (9 for loss), 2 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries on the defensive side.
Carson Honick, Community School of Naples LB
Honick led CSN in tackles last year from the linebacker spot, posting 63 tackles and 5 tackles-for-loss. He also had a sack and a forced fumble for a defense that's going to be much better than it was a season ago.
Jace Jackson, Community School of Naples OL
The rising senior will give CSN a boost on the line, joining the likes of George Haseotes, Colin Urrea, Josh Loizon, and company. Jackson was a Naples Daily News All-Area First Team selection last year after helping the Cougars average 386.4 yards per game.
Deshon Jenkins, Bishop Verot RB
The reigning Southwest Florida Offensive Player of the Year put on a show for the Vikings, rushing for 1,786 yards and 22 touchdowns while averaging 8.3 yards per carry. The Bowling Green commit posted 100-yard games against Venice (17 rush, 175 yards), West Boca Raton (19 rush, 106 yards), Cardinal Mooney twice (13 rush, 116 yards; 16 rush, 115 yards), Lakewood (24 rush, 171 yards), and Tarpon Springs (26 rush, 168 yards) among others.
Hezekiah Jones, Cape Coral DB
Jones has been a significant contributor on the back end of the Dunbar defense the past two seasons, which included a game-sealing interception in the Class 3S-Region 4 semifinals against Golden Gate in 2023. Cape Coral had one of the area's top secondaries last season, so Jones' addition should help offset the loss of Darrion Jones, who graduated and enrolled at Kansas.
Kegan Kreuscher, Estero WR
Kreuscher was a solid No. 2 wide receiver last season behind Owen Maurizi, catching 42 passes for 535 yards with 8 touchdowns. With Maurizi gone, Kreuscher's beyond poised to assume WR1 duties, especially after catching 9 passes for 173 yards with 2 touchdowns against Immokalee and East Lee County in a spring jamboree.
Michael Lau, Estero LB
The alpha of Estero's defense, Lau led the unit with 128 tackles (19 for loss), 6 sacks, 8 quarterback hurries, 3 blocked field goals, and an interception. With Lau back in the fold for his senior season alongside plenty of experience on the defensive side, Darren Nelson's Wildcats could make some noise in 2025.
Izzy Lobe, Immokalee OL/DL
Lobe's one of James Delgado's most effective players, playing on both lines entering his senior year. He logged a team-high 71 tackles with 4 for loss as a junior, adding 4 sacks. On the offensive line, Lobe churned out a pair of 1,200-yard rushers in Jontay Hais and Jayden Mixon, all while helping the ground game average 8.1 yards per carry.
Virdarian Maloy, Dunbar WR
Maloy was a playmaker for the Tigers last season, catching 31 passes for 606 yards and 5 touchdowns, adding 9 rushes for 64 yards. With a new quarterback in the fold, it'll be worth watching to see if Maloy can continue the success he had with Austin Price under center a year ago.
Jayden Petit, St. John Neumann WR
Arguably the biggest transfer of the offseason, the former First Baptist star will suit up in new colors for one final ride before trekking to Madison, Wisconsin to play for the Badgers. The 4-star wide receiver hauled in 50 passes for 777 yards and 12 touchdowns with First Baptist from a season ago and will all but surely be Peyton Frontino's No. 1 target.
Sam Powell, Barron Collier QB
Powell threw for 1,660 yards with 16 touchdowns against 7 interceptions a season ago with Golden Gate, while also rushing for 209 yards and 4 touchdowns. He gets a fresh start at Barron Collier in his final season, looking to continue the tradition of successful quarterback play at Barron alongside Dylan McNamara, Niko Boyce, and Tommy Mooncotch.
Justin Rode, Bishop Verot DB
Rode has taken a lot of snaps in the defensive secondary for the Vikings, which included 74 tackles and 3 interceptions a year ago as a junior. Rode also logged a sack with 7 pass breakups and a forced fumble and will give Verot stability and a leader on the back end.
Frederic Sainteus, St. John Neumann DL
The 6-foot-5, 280-pound defensive linemen chose to join the Celtics after a strong season at Golden Gate. Last season for the Titans, Sainteus had 71 total tackles, 7 for loss, and 5.5 sacks and has seen his recruitment gain steam following a commitment to FAU. Florida, Michigan State, and Syracuse have all offered as of late.
Jermaine Skinner, Cape Coral RB
Skinner was a big asset on the ground for the Seahawks, finishing with 769 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns. With a lot of attention now on Cape Coral after a strong 8-2 season, Skinner will aim to post a 1,000-yard season before his prep career comes to a close.
Sam Sparacio, Naples RB
The Army commit rushed 124 times for 867 yards with 11 touchdowns, added 59 receptions for 761 yards and 9 touchdowns, and averaged north of 50 yards per punt a season ago for the Lions. Sparacio's elusiveness in the Naples backfield will be an interesting follow, especially considering the success he had in the spring game against Venice.
Jayvian Tanelus, Community School of Naples RB
Tanelus was key offensively for the Seahawks, rushing for 1,525 yards and 20 touchdowns on 169 attempts, good enough for 9 yards per carry. The Duke commit will be running behind an even more seasoned offensive line, putting a 2,000-yard season in reach this year.
Almirian Thomas, Cape Coral DB
The Illinois commit burst onto the scene in the offseason, gaining a 3-star ranking following a year where he finished with 22 tackles, 4 pass breakups, an interception, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble, and a blocked field goal.
Brady Thomas, Lely DB/LB
Last year with Barron Collier, Thomas caught 7 passes for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns. On defense, he had 68 total tackles, 8 for loss, along with 2 passes defensed and 1 fumble recovery. Thomas should be on the defensive side of the ball for the entirety of this season in Ben Hammer's system.
Macrae Thompson, Bishop Verot RB/LB
Thompson returns to Sunrise Drive after a one-year hiatus at Fort Myers, where he rushed for 201 yards and 12 touchdowns on 75 rushes, adding a team-leading 92 tackles and an interception on the defensive end for the Greenies. Thompson should have no issues transitioning back to his roles as a sophomore, where he was stout on both sides of the ball.
Marquan Young, Riverdale WR
Young made a switch midway through last season, leaving Bishop Verot for Riverdale. The bulk of his work came with the Vikings, but in total, he had 25 receptions for 420 yards and 3 touchdowns, adding 6 rushes for 94 yards.
Marquis Young, Riverdale ATH
Young heads east after a solid season with Bishop Verot both offensively and defensively. On the offensive end, he ran 11 times for 106 yards with a reception for 15 yards, while finishing with 53 tackles on the defensive side, adding 4 tackles for loss, 4 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, and a forced fumble.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: FHSAA football: 50 SW FL seniors to watch in the 2025 high school season
Category: General Sports
