IMG Academy National football team loaded with top-notch college prospects
BRADENTON — The IMG Academy National Team team begins the football season ranked fourth nationally and first in the state by MaxPreps.
Billy Miller begins his second season as coach of the Ascenders' program which has gone 86-7 in the first 10 years of existence.
IMG Academy National has not lost more than one game in a season since its first season in 2013.
In 2020, the Ascenders captured their first national championship under coach Bobby Acosta, who went 8-0 in his only season at the helm.
The program has produced 52 Under Armour All-Americans and had 140 Division I collect commits (FBS/FCS). Eighteen players were selected in the NFL draft from 2018-23. Twenty-two IMG alumni were on NFL training camp opening rosters.
The National team will play games in Nashville, Tennessee (Lipscomb Academy); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (St. Joseph Prep); Alabaster, Alabama (Thompson); Indianapolis, Indiana (Ben Davis); along with two road games in Florida at St. Johns Bartram Trail and Ida Baker High in Cape Coral.
Home games include Glenville High of Cleveland, Ohio; Pine Forest High out of Pensacola; Life Christian Academy of Chester, Virginia; St. Thomas More of Oakdale, Connecticut; and St. Frances Academy of Baltimore, Maryland, the No. 6-ranked team in the country by MaxPreps.
Here are some of the players to watch (numbers can change):
Ellis Robinson IV
Position: Cornerback
Year: Senior
Number: 12
Height, weight: 6-1, 185
Recruitment: Five-star committed to Georgia
David Stone
Position: defensive lineman
Year: Senior
Number: 90
Height, weight: 6-4, 270
Recruitment: 5-star committed to Oklahoma
Jordan Seaton
Position: linebacker
Year: Senior
Number: 77
Height, weight: 6-5, 287
Recruitment: Four-star uncommitted
Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng
Position: linebacker
Year: Junior
Number: 11
Height, weight: 6-2, 205
Recruitment: Four-star uncommitted
Anthony Rogers
Position: running back
Year: Junior
Number: 21
Height, weight: 5-8, 185
Recruitment: Four-star uncommitted
Alex Graham
Position: safety
Year: Junior
Number: 7
Height, weight: 6-1, 186
Recruitment: Four-star uncommitted
Winston Watkins Jr.
Position: wide receiver
Year: Junior
Number: 5
Height, weight: 5-10, 172
Recruitment: Four-star uncommitted
Donovan Johnson
Position: running back
Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6-foot, 205
Recruitment: Four-star uncommitted
Gavin Nix
Position: linebacker
Year: Junior
Number: 6
Height, weight: 6-foot, 220
Recruitment: Four-star uncommitted
Jayden Bradford
Position: quarterback
Year: Senior
Number: 4
Height, weight: 6-0, 185
Recruitment: Three-star committed to Liberty
Jerrick Gibson
Position: running back
Year: Senior
Number: 22
Height, weight: 5-10, 200
Recruitment: Four-star uncommitted
Jimothy Lewis
Position: offensive tackle
Year: Senior
Number: 74
Height, weight: 6-6, 275
Recruitment: Four-star committed to Mississippi State
Jonathan Echols
Position: athlete
Year: Senior
Number: 9
Height, weight: 6-4, 230
Recruitment: Four-star committed to Tennessee
Jarrae Hawkins
Position: wide receiver
Year: Senior
Number: 10
Height, weight: 5-9, 165
Recruitment: Four-star committed to Florida
Jordan Johnson-Ribell
Position: safety
Year: Senior
Number: 23
Height, weight: 5-10, 180
Recruitment: Four-star committed to Texas
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: 4- and 5-star players dot IMG Academy National football team roster
