Area players, teams showcased in football magazine

Football is king in Florida and it’s never too early to start the hype for the upcoming season.

Several area players and teams were mentioned in the annual Friday Night Football Florida (FNF) preview magazine, published by FlaVarsity.com. The 108-page magazine details every school in the state, ranks the top rising seniors, juniors and sophomores and tabs the top teams in each region. The magazine is on newsstands now and retails for $8.95 or it can be purchased online and shipped for an additional $3.

Port St. Joe’s Calvin Pryor was the top incoming senior to receive mention in the list of the Class of 2011’s top players. Pryor was ranked as the state’s seventh-best defensive back and will likely serve many roles again for the Tiger Sharks this season. Bay offensive tackle Rahkeem Ming also received a nod in the Top 20 at his position among rising seniors.

Arnold rising junior Eddie Williams earned the highest recognition among area players. He was ranked as the fourth-best player in the Class of 2012. He was listed as an athlete and also as one of the top quarterbacks, but he’s likely to play primarily at wide receiver and defensive back for the Marlins this year.

Pryor and Williams also were listed as utility players on the All-Northwest Florida teams.

The list of other players to watch in the junior class featured 16 area athletes: Arnold’s Williams, Andre Allen and Jamari Hughes, Bay’s Joshua Briggs and Carlos Wells, Port St. Joe’s Walt Bowers, LeGrande McLemore and Rock Quinn, Mosley’s Mark Grant and David Craig, Sneads’ Jon Locke, Chipley’s Taylor Smelcer, Rutherford’s T’ron Caesar and Franklin County’s Bobby Wintons, Charles Fansbenner and Trakel Turrell.

Seven area players were listed among the top rising sophomores: Franklin County’s Skyler Hutchinson, Cole Lee, Chase Golden and Buddy Davidson, Mosley’s Brannon Daniels and James Jernigan and Bay’s Moses Bogere.

Arnold was ranked as the No. 5 team in Northwest Florida, though the Marlins were erroneously listed as having finished 6-3 last season. Arnold was 4-6 and lost its last six games.

The publication also mentioned Rutherford’s new coach, saying “it might take a year or two but don’t be shocked if Rutherford has plenty of success under coach Jeff Rolson.”