Florida's Myles Graham, Legacy Recruit CJ Ingram Highlight Area Accolades
Photo: Florida linebacker Myles Graham; Credit: Alex Shepherd
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Although Myles Graham's time in Gainesville as a high school athlete was short, he may go down as one of the best athletes to ever play in the area.
After transferring from Atlanta (Ga.) Woodward Academy to local Buchholz High School, the now-UF early enrollee dominated the gridiron in his lone season with the Bobcats. A two-way player, Graham rushed for 600 yards and 17 touchdowns offensively and added 82 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss and three sacks defensively.
As a result, Graham has reeled in postseason accolades from local media outlets. In December, the early enrollee was named as the Gainesville Quarterback Club's 2023 defensive player of the year and the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 4S Player of the Year.
On January 17, the Gainesville Sun named Graham as the Big School Defensive Player of the Year. He was later named to Mainstreet Daily News' all-area big school defense and was an honorable mention offensively.
Graham's leadership on and off the field played a large role in his success and Buchholz's as a whole. UF head coach Billy Napier sees those skills in his new linebacker.
"He cares about this place. I think he's an exceptional football player, but this guy's a leader, man," Napier said of Graham on Dec. 20, during the Early Signing Period. "He's got presence. He's articulate. This guy is going to do a lot more than just be a great football player for the Gators."
Outside of Graham, David Schmidt, a UF preferred walk-on at receiver, was an honorable mention on Mainstreet's small school offense after accounting for 860 all-purpose yards and eight total touchdowns for Newberry High School.
A two-time national champion player becomes a two-time state champion head coach
Former UF tight end Cornelius Ingram continues to make his mark at his alma mater Hawthorne High School as the varsity head football coach. The two-time national champion Gator continues to add championship rings with back-to-back state titles with the Hornets.
As a result, he was also named Mainstreet's Small School Coach of the Year for the fourth year in a row and as the Sun's Small School Coach of the Year.
Since taking over the Hawthorne football program in December of 2014, Ingram has led the Hornets to an 83-19 record, five state semifinal appearances, four state championship appearances and two state titles.
The Hornets have never finished a season below .500 under Ingram's leadership and have only finished at exactly .500 once in his career, to conclude his first season in 2015.
Gators recruiting targets in local all-area teams
UF targets in the 2025 recruiting cycle also made appearances on local all-area teams.
Newberry (Fla.) defensive lineman Jarquez Carter, who received an offer from Florida following a visit on Jan. 13, was named to the Gainesville Sun's Small School Defensive Team and Mainstreet Daily News' Small School First-Team Defense.
Additionally, Hawthorne (Fla.) quarterback C.J. Ingram, the son of Cornelius, earned all-area accolades from both local publications, namely the Sun's Small School Offensive Player of the Year, after leading the Hornets to their second-straight state championship.
Ingram is 25-0 as Hawthorne's starting quarterback and earned an offer from UF on Jan. 22, a month after also being named the Florida Dairy Farmer's Class 1R Player of the Year.
As Florida turns its attention from the 2024 class to the 2025 class, Carter and Ingram will be two players to keep an eye on.
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