NFL Draft: 37 players from Florida high schools invited to NFL Scouting Combine
The state of Florida will be well represented at the NFL Scouting Combine later this month.
More than 10 percent of the players invited (37 of 321) finished their high school careers in the Sunshine State.
The list includes Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner (St. Thomas Aquinas), Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold (Pope John Paul II), Illinois defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton (Clearwater Central Catholic), Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham (IMG) and Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy (IMG).
IMG has four former players invited to the combine: Clemson defensive end Xavier Thomas, LSU center Charles Turner III, Latham and McCarthy.
Godby, St. Thomas Aquinas and Godby each had two players invited to the combine.
The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine will be held Feb. 26 through March 4 in Indianapolis.
Quarterback
J.J. McCarthy (IMG): McCarthy has been a winner everywhere he’s been, leading IMG to the national championship in 2020 and helping the Wolverines win the NCAA title in January.
Joe Milton (Olympia): After starting his college career at Michigan, Milton threw for 2,813 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushed for seven scores in 2023 at Tennessee.
Michael Penix Jr. (Tampa Bay Tech): The 2023 Maxwell Award Winner threw for 9,544 yards and 67 touchdowns the last two years at Washington and helped the Huskies reach the College Football Playoff championship game.
Michael Pratt (Deerfield Beach): The Tulane star threw for 9,286 yards and 88 touchdowns and rushed for 1,163 yards and 27 touchdowns in his career.
Austin Reed (St. Augustine): Reed, who led West Florida to the 2019 Division II national championship, threw for 8,084 yards and 71 touchdowns in two seasons at Western Kentucky.
Jordan Travis (Benjamin): The Florida State star started his career at Louisville and is the Seminoles career leader in total touchdowns, total offense and quarterback rushing yards.
Running Back
Frank Gore Jr (Killian): The offensive MVP of the East-West Shrine Bowl, Gore earned All-Sun Belt conference honors all three years of college and finished his career with 4.022 rushing yards and 30 total touchdowns. His father, Frank Gore Sr., ranks third in NFL career rushing yards.
Wide Receiver
Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint (St. Thomas Aquinas): Georgia’s third-leading receiver in 2023 caught 34 passes for 535 yards and four touchdowns. He won two national titles in his career.
Xavier Weaver (Orlando Christian Prep): Orlando Christian Prep’s first FBS signee was an All-AAC selection at USF in 2022. He caught 68 passes for 908 yards and four touchdowns at Colorado in 2023.
Offensive Line
Kingsley Eguakun (Sandalwood): The Florida center started 30 games for the Gators the past three seasons.
JC Latham (IMG): The offensive tackle started every Alabama game the past two seasons and earned All-American and All-SEC honors in 2023.
Matt Lee (Hagerty): A three-year starter and two-time All-AAC selection at UCF, Lee started every game for Miami and earned All-ACC honors in 2023.
Charles Turner (IMG) III: The LSU center started all 13 games in 2023, helped block for Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels and allowed just one sack in 763 snaps.
Defensive Line
Tyler Davis (Wekiva): The Clemson defensive lineman recorded 144 tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss and 16 sacks in his career and was a four-time All-ACC selection.
Brandon Dorlus (Deerfield Beach): The Oregon defensive lineman had with 106 tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in his career and was named 2023 Pac-12 Defensive Interior Player of the Year.
Jaylen Harrell (Berkeley Prep): The Michigan edge rusher/linebacker had 31 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 2023 and earned All-Big 10 honors for the second consecutive year.
Jaylx Hunt (Orange City-University): The Houston Christian edge rusher/linebacker, who started his college career at Cornell, had 46 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 2023.
Jordan Jefferson (Navarre): The LSU defensive lineman, who started his college career at West Virginia, had 21.5 tackles for loss and six sacks in his college career.
Jer’Zhan Newton (Clearwater Central Catholic): The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, consensus All-American and Nagurski Trophy finalist recorded 28.5 tackles for loss and 18 sacks in his career at Illinois.
Javon Solomon (Godby): The Troy defensive end had 56 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 16 sacks and earned All-Sun Belt Conference honors for the fourth consecutive season.
Leonard Taylor III (Miami Palmetto): The Miami defensive tackle had 3.5 tackles for loss in 2023 and earned All-ACC honors the past two years.
Xavier Thomas (IMG): The Clemson defensive end had 133 tackles, 34 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles and twice earned All-ACC honors during his career.
Linebacker
Tatum Bethune (Miami Central): Bethune, who transferred to Florida State from UCF, had 84 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and earned All-ACC honors in 2023.
Jontrey Hunter (Sickles): The Georgia State linebacker had 96 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and earned All-Sun Belt Conference honors in 2023.
Tyrice Knight (Lake Gibson): The UTEP linebacker earned All-Conference USA honors the past two seasons and ranks 9th in program history with 392 career tackles.
Dallas Turner (St. Thomas Aquinas): Alabama’s consensus first-team All-American had 53 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and was tied for the SEC lead with 10 sacks in 2023.
Defensive Back
Terrion Arnold (Pope John Paul II): The All-American cornerback tied for the SEC lead with five interceptions at Alabama in 2023.
Jarvis Browlee Jr. (Carol City): The Louisville cornerback, who started his college career at Florida State, had 30 tackles, an interception and six pass breakups in 2023.
Jaylon Carlies (West Orange): Carlies led Missouri with 64 tackles to go along with two interceptions, five pass break ups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Johnny Dixon (Chamberlain): The Penn State cornerback, who started his college career at South Carolina, had 26 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss and an interception in 2023.
Renardo Green (Wekiva): Green had 43 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and an interception for Florida State in 2023.
Myles Harden (Miramar): South Dakota’s All-American cornerback had 58 tackles, four tackles for loss, an interception and six passes broken up in 2023.
Jaylen Key (Godby): Key, who earned All-C-USA honors at UAB before to Alabama, had 60 tackles, an interception and a pass defended in 2023.
Kamren Kinchens (Northwestern): The Miami safety had 162 tackles and 11 interceptions in his career and was an All-American in 2022.
Quinyon Mitchell (Williston): The Toledo cornerback is the program’s all-time record holder with 46 pass breakups and is a two-time All-American.
T.J. Tampa (Lakewood): The Iowa State cornerback had 44 tackles and two interceptions, earning first team All-Big 12 and All-American honors in 2023.
James Williams (Plantation-American Heritage): The Miami safety — and top-ranked safety in the nation in 2021 — had 73 tackles, two forced fumbles and an interception last year.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: NFL Draft: 37 players from Florida high schools invited to NFL Combine
