Tackles and Takeaways: Meet the All-Gainesville Area Big School Football Defensive Team
Everything lined up to perfection for Myles Graham prior to this season.
The linebacker signed with Florida in August 2022 while at Atlanta’s Woodward Academy. He intended to early enroll at UF, which meant he needed to find a new home.
He landed at Buchholz, and Graham easily could have coasted through the fall before donning the orange and blue.
Drifting along isn’t an option, though, for Graham.
![Buchholz Bobcats middle linebacker Myles Graham (2) gestures after a defensive stop during the first half against the Lakeland Dreadnaughts in the Semifinals of the 2023 FHSAA Football State Championships at Citizens Field in Gainesville, FL on Friday, December 1, 2023. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YQiYn3PWdUCV_TBsyJww2Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-gainesville-sun/27f22e8cb1daf8c10221b273533aca61)
The senior excelled for the Bobcats at both linebacker and running back, at times carrying both sides of the ball for the ‘Cats.
In his only season in the black and gold, he led the team to arguably their best season since the state championship in 1990.
A perfect regular season and a No. 1 ranking in Class 4S before it concluded in heartbreak, a 21-20 loss to eventual champion Lakeland in the state semifinals.
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![The Gainesville Sun Big School Defense Player of the Year is linebacker Myles Graham of Buchholz High School. Graham will be a linebacker for the Florida Gators. [Doug Engle/Ocala Star Banner]2024](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/TNiOjNhtWgOMMoM.zKCLSA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTEyNjI-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-gainesville-sun/bf647e1d32c261c2a80b7574adb5fa3a)
The five-star recruit received just about every local accolade this season. Graham can now add one more as he was named the Gainesville Sun’s 2023 Big School Defensive Player of the Year.
The son of legendary Gators RB and NFL veteran Earnest Graham, Myles officially signed with the Gators on December 19. Two weeks later, he starred in the Under Armour All-American Game with five tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack.
As one of the leaders of Florida’s highly ranked Class of 2024, Graham expects to receive ample playing time in the Swamp next season.
Below is the full All-Gainesville Area Big School Defensive Team. The team of 12 players hail from five programs across Alachua, Bradford and Columbia Counties.
Big schools are classified as Classes 2S and above. Class 1S and 1R are considered small schools. The team will be released on Friday.
All-Gainesville Area Big School Football Defensive Team
Amari Sheppard (Buchholz LB): Team leading 90 total tackles (39 solo and 51 assisted), seven tackles for loss; team leading three interceptions
Caleb Young (Gainesville LB): Sophomore and top defensive starter for the 1-9 Hurricanes this season
Devon McBride (Bradford LB): 118 total tackles (61 solo and 57 assisted), ranked 69th in Florida and 12th in Class 2S; 12 TFL; three sacks
DJ Anderson (Eastside SS): Team leading 56 tackles (34 solo and 22 assisted), three interceptions and 6.5 tackles for loss
Duke Lewis (Bradford LB): 104 total tackles (54 solo and 50 assisted); 22 tackles for loss; 12 sacks; seven fumbles caused and three fumble recoveries
![Bradford Jeremiah Mckenzie (16) gets slowed down by Lecanto guard Connor Bornschein (57) as Bradford takes on Lecanto at Bradford High School in Starke, FL on Friday, October 20, 2023. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Vrsh6WtcB26lCCU1oH6kqg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTg3NQ--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-gainesville-sun/3a49b939b00218621786f9f42f4eb271)
Jeremiah McKenzie (Bradford SS): 101 total tackles (49 solo and 52 assisted); seven tackles for loss; three fumbles caused; 332 rush yards and six TDs on 44 carries
Jerome Carter III (Columbia FS): Old Dominion commit; 42 total tackles (21 solo and 21 assisted); seven tackles per game; two interceptions
Kani Fulton (Columbia CB): Team-leading 51 total tackles (21 solo and 30 assisted) in just seven games; two interceptions
Kendall Jackson (Buchholz DL): Texas A&M commit; 50 total tackles (15 solo and 35 assisted); three sacks; four tackles for loss
Myles Graham (Buchholz LB): Florida commit; 82 total tackles (36 solo and 46 assisted), nine tackles for loss, three sacks; 600 yards rushing and 17 TDs on 62 carries; advanced to Class 4S Final Four
![Lakeland Dreadnaughts quarterback Zander Smith (15) throws the ball under pressure from Buchholz Bobcats outside linebacker Thomas Weinhardt (15) during the first half in the Semifinals of the 2023 FHSAA Football State Championships at Citizens Field in Gainesville, FL on Friday, December 1, 2023. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/A449S66b7Dat1ISjIpUWeg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-gainesville-sun/d5d7e140ef757195460d327e93ed299a)
Thomas Weinhardt (Buchholz LB): 81 total tackles (30 solo and 51 assisted); team leading 13 tackles for loss; team leading nine sacks
Torin Brazell (Bradford DE): 62 total tackles (41 solo and 21 assisted); 31 tackles for loss; 17 sacks, which ranks 20th in Florida and No. 1 in Class 2S
Victor White (Eastside FS): 40 total tackles (22 solo and 18 assisted); three interceptions; two fumble recoveries
The Coach of the Year will be named when the Big School Offensive Team is released next week.
Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun. Contact him at Nram@gannett.com and follow him @Noah_ram1 on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Buchholz's Myles Graham headlines the All-Gainesville Area Big School Defensive Team
