Florida high school football: Which transfers could have a major impact this postseason?

Every year, impact players transfer into new schools and cause a seismic shift in the landscape.

Last fall, Blake Boda went to Cocoa for his senior year and ended up leading the Tigers to the Class 2S championship. Cormani McClain was one of the defensive backs to transfer to Lakeland before the 2022 season and helped the Dreadnaughts take home the Class 4S title. Chaminade-Madonna already was the favorite in Class 1M last fall, but there's no doubt the addition of Joshisa Trader helped the Lions raise the trophy.

USA Today Florida Network's reporters highlight one transfer in each area that could have an impact in 2023.

Big Bend: Lincoln QB Christian Sims Jr.

Lincoln graduated quarterback Ayden Fryer and the Trojans needed a new man under center. In steps Sims, a six-foot dual threat QB who threw for 1700 yards and 18 touchdowns for Godby in 2022. Sims will lead a talented Lincoln offense that looks like it could be a legitimate state title contender. — Liam Rooney/Tallahassee Democrat 

More: 8 can't miss games in the 2023 Big Bend football season

Bradenton-Sarasota: Venice QB Jadyn Glasser

Coming over from South Plantation High, where he threw for 2,624 yards and 25 touchdowns while competing 57% of his passes, Glasser should step in to Venice's high-powered offense and possibly top last year's numbers with the number of skill athletes surrounding him. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder is committed to Central Michigan. — Dennis Maffezzoli/Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Daytona Beach: Mainland LB/RB Rodney Hill Jr.

Following its run to the 2022 FHSAA Class 3S state championship game, Mainland added a handful of significant transfers from neighboring schools — including Spruce Creek offensive lineman Elijah Walker and cornerback Ezaiah Shine, both of whom previously attended Mainland, and Flagler Palm Coast quarterback Dennis Murray Jr. Hill might be the most impactful newcomer, certainly if his two-sack performance in the spring game against West Orange is any indication. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Tulane commit, who played for Buccaneers head coach Travis Roland as a freshman at Flagler Palm Coast, topped triple digits in solo tackles last fall and should also serve as Mainland's best rushing option near the goal line. — Chris Boyle, Daytona Beach News-Journal

More: Tulane gets commitment from Mainland 4-star linebacker Rodney Hill

Fort Lauderdale: Western WR Koby Howard

Western had several impact players come in this season, including running back Tovani Mizell (Kentucky commit) and quarterback Davi Belfort (Virginia Tech commit) but having Howard transfer from Pensacola Catholic could really open the offense. The 6-foot, 180-pound junior is a four-star recruit who was an all-state selection as a freshman. Howard has averaged 82 yards per game the past two seasons and could be in for an even bigger year with Belfort throwing to him. — Jon Santucci, USA Today Florida Network

More: Football: Pensacola Catholic's Koby Howard transferring to Western in Davie

Fort Myers: Fort Myers ATH Jyden German

German, the son of former Miami and Atlanta Falcons receiver Jammi German, played his eighth grade season at Evangelical Christian School, carrying the ball 36 times for 312 yards and a touchdown as a backup. Now, at his father's alma mater, he is primed to take off on a team returning plenty of experience, starting with head coach Sam Sirianni Jr., entering his 22nd season leading the Green Wave. — Dustin Levy, The News-Press

More: Southwest Florida high school football: 23 questions before the start of the 2023 season

Gainesville: Buchholz LB/RB Myles Graham

Graham, a Florida commit, joins a Buchholz squad that advanced to the Final Four last season. The son of former Florida star and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ernest Graham, Myles should make a major impact for the Bobcats on both sides of the ball. Defensively, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Graham had 63 tackles, six tackles for loss, five sacks and three passes defended at Woodward Academy in Georgia). Offensively, he rushed for 465 yards and six touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 130 yards and three scores. — Jon Santucci, USA Today Florida Network

More: Florida football: 2024 LB commit Myles Graham to play senior HS season in Gainesville

Jacksonville: Mandarin OL Deryc Plazz

Last year, Plazz cleared the path for Jackson to win its first district championship for a dozen years. Now, trading Jacksonville's Northside for its southernmost public high school, he's ready to bring a major boost to a Mustangs team that's dreaming big in 2023 with five players already committed to power-conference programs and several more likely to join them in Division I. The 6-5, 290-pound Plazz, rated as a three-star recruit, committed to Miami in July and brings big-time muscle in the trenches. — Clayton Freeman, Florida Times-Union

More: Super 11: For Mandarin's Deryc Plazz, O-line is like... Louis Vuitton design? Here's how

Miami: Central DL Armondo Blount

Anytime one of the nation's top players — Blount is a consensus five-star recruit and one of the premier players nationally in the class of 2025 — transfers schools, it's a big deal. The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder has an elite first step and is a consistent presence in the opposition's backfield. Blount was a MaxPreps Sophomore All-American in 2022 at Dillard when he had 30 tackles for loss and 16 sacks. Blount is expected to play a big role for a Central squad looking for its fifth consecutive state title and is expecting to contend for a state title this fall. — Jon Santucci, USA Today Florida Network

Naples: Barron Collier QB Niko Boyce

Boyce passed the eye test in the Cougars’ spring game against Miami Southridge, going 16 for 22 for 190 yards with a pair of touchdowns. Boyce rushed for 46 yards and two more scores in the game while getting sacked just once. The junior displayed pinpoint accuracy throughout the game, squeezing in throws on zone and man coverage. With Boyce in a system that fits his mold much better than the Naples’ split back offense from a season ago, Mark Jackson and company are eager to let Boyce sling it come the regular season, where he easily could throw for 2,000 or more yards in the Cougar offense. — Alex Martin, Naples Daily News

Northeast Florida: Baker County RB Malakhi Lewis

A playoff qualifier seven years running, Baker County strengthened its ground game with the arrival of Lewis, who committed to Syracuse at one point during his sophomore year (he subsequently de-committed) and enters the season with a host of offers. He rushed for 750 yards last year, and that doesn't tell the whole story: Those yards came on a traditionally-undersized Stanton team that finished 1-8. At Veterans Memorial Stadium in Macclenny, he could tip the balance in Baker County's District 6-2S battle against Baldwin, Yulee, Fernandina Beach and West Nassau. — Clayton Freeman, Florida Times-Union

Northwest Florida: Niceville QB Nino Freeman

The junior finds himself with his third high school in as many years. As a freshman he took his lumps as the starter for 1-9 Pensacola, throwing for 700 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions to accompany two rushing scores. Then, last year, he backed up three-star QB Jayden Bradord at IMG Academy and found success in his limited snaps. Now, Freeman enters a situation brimming with potential. Coming off a 9-2 campaign, the Eagles have the biggest O-line they've had in years, they return all-state Maddax Fayard and Landon Isbell at wideout and DJ Shorts headlines a stacked backfield. Freeman has dazzled this preseason. He could be the key in returning the Eagles to the Final Four for the first time since 2020. — Seth Stringer, NWF Daily News

More: Who are the top 5 QBs on the Emerald Coast? No. 1 shouldn't surprise you

Orlando: Jones QB Trever Jackson

Anytime an Elite 11 finalist transfers during the summer, it's a big deal. Jackson threw for 1,559 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 306 yards and six touchdowns at West Orange in 2022. He saw his recruiting take off during the offseason after he dominated at camps and showcases. Texas A&M, Penn State, Maryland, UCLA, Ole Miss and Oklahoma are among the schools to offer in the past six months. Jackson joins a Jones team that was a Class 3M state semifinalist in 2022 but will have a retooled offense this season after graduating its starting quarterback and top five pass catchers from last fall. — Jon Santucci, USA Today Florida Network

Palm Beach: Cardinal Newman LB Devon Byrd

Palm Beach saw a number of moves from the names you already know, namely Florida State commit Ricky Knight III's transfer from Benjamin to Cardinal Newman. However, there's a new Crusader in town that's received all the offseason hype before Newman makes another run for Chaminade-Madonna. Keep an eye out for Devon Byrd, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound linebacker. For a Newman roster that underwent a good bit of turnover after last fall, the unrated 2024 recruit will bring some much-needed experience from years of big school football at Atlantic. In 2022, Byrd posted 123 total tackles to rank No. 7 in Class 3M. He also had 17 pass breakups, two fumble recoveries for 29 yards, and three picks − two for touchdowns. — Emilee Smarr, Palm Beach Post

More: Under the lights: An essential guide to Palm Beach County high school football

Pensacola: Ryan Huff, QB, Pensacola Catholic

Owning Division I offers from Ole Miss, Liberty, Florida A&M and New Mexico State, Huff transferred to Pensacola Catholic last winter after playing at Greenwood High School in Bowling Green, Kentucky the previous fall. The 6-foot-4, 208-pound junior quarterback replaces graduating signal caller Aidan Byrd, who was selected to the PNJ All-Area First Team and is currently playing for Division II North Greenville. During Catholic's spring game against Pine Forest, Huff showcased a smooth delivery and tremendous accuracy on immediate and long passes. While no longer having four-star wide receiver Koby Howard as an option, Arkansas State commit Jayvion Showers, Georgia Tech commit Demontrae Gaston and 1,000-yard rusher C.J. Nettles are a few of the targets the quarterback will have at his disposal. — Patrick Bernadeau, Pensacola News Journal

St. Augustine: Creekside RB/WR Kaleb Taylor-Burch

Looking for an under-the-radar transfer that could shake up Northeast Florida's deepest district? That could be Taylor-Burch, who competed outside the spotlight at Christ's Church (2-8 and now independent) but put up serious sophomore-year numbers (68 catches, 885 yards, nine touchdowns) as a quick weapon out of the backfield. He adds one more weapon to a Knights squad that already returns a 1,400-yard tailback in Nicholas Williams entering an all-out battle in District 3-4S. — Clayton Freeman, Florida Times-Union

Space Coast: Melbourne Central Catholic WR DayDay Farmer

Farmer caught 63 passes for 938 yards and 10 scores for Class 2S state champion Cocoa last season. He finished with 1,297 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns overall. With more than 20 FBS offers, Farmer originally committed to Pitt but recently switched to UCF. – Brian McCallum, FLORIDA TODAY

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Tampa-St. Petersburg: Clearwater Central Catholic WR Caleb Goodloe

Clearwater Central Catholic graduated its four wide receivers from last year’s Class 1A state runner-up squad. Enter Goodloe, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior who caught 50 passes for 617 yards and 10 touchdowns at Calvary Christian (Clearwater) in 2022. Goodloe, who has a handful of Power 5 offers, also had four pass breakups as a defensive back last season. — Jon Santucci, USA Today Florida Network

Treasure Coast: Vero Beach LB TJ Alford

A star at John Carroll Catholic the past two seasons, Alford has been a tackling machine since entering high school. As a sophomore, Alford totaled 103 tackles and added three sacks and coming to Vero, he will slide right in expected to be a leader. Alford's latest offer was from Georgia, the defending national champions on July 28 to go along with offers from Ohio State, Florida, Penn State, Miami, Florida State and many more. — Bryan Cooney, Treasure Coast Newspapers

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This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Football: High school transfers who could have an impact in 2023