2024 Broward County Prep Football and Recruiting Tracker: STA and Monarch Recruits Made College Commitments
Broward County boasts some of the best high school football in the country. Year in and year out, there are teams competing for state titles with top prospects with numerous scholarship offers.
This page will help keep track of key Broward County news like prospects that have made a commitment, a head coach changing jobs, big game information, or any other newsworthy item.
With programs like but not limited to Saint Thomas Aquinas, Chaminade-Madonna, Cardinal Gibbons, American Heritage, Blanche Ely, Dillard, Monarch, and Stranahan, plus the unpredictability of high school football, there will be plenty of news to cover.
June 3
Two of Broward County's top prep football players came off the board this weekend. First, signal caller A.J. Hairston committed to UMass after finally getting some of the recognition he's deserved.
Playing for Coconut Creek (Fla.) Monarch, Hairston threw for over 3,000 yards and 32 touchdowns during the 2022 season. The 6-foot-3 and 215-pound quarterback has also been one of the best young men for All Hurricanes to cover and everyone with this organization was happy to see Hairston found a home to play college football!
Also of note, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Saint Thomas Aquinas safety Allen Bryant picked Pittsburgh. The 6-foot-1 and 175-pound safety now has a college destination and can lock in to help Roger Harriott and the Raiders aim for a fifth consecutive state title.
Congrats to Bryant! Also, props to the #Pitt staff for continuing to mine the talent-rich state of Florida.#BrowardCounty | #Recruiting https://t.co/QFqCv1eDZS
— Brian Smith (@fbscout_florida) June 3, 2023
Look for several more commitments from South Florida recruits over the next couple of weeks.
April 9
One of the least publized, yet talented, Broward County prospects would be Joshua Lloyd from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Dillard.
The class of 2024 edge defender could play outside linebacker and/or defensive end at the college level. Despite playing at Dillard, it's been surprising that he's not been more discussed by recruiting analysts and scouts alike.
Yesterday, he competed in the Battle of the Trenches event in Orlando. It's a one-on-one battle between an offensive linemen and defensive lineman or outside linebacker.
Having seen Lloyd compete multiple times before, it was not surprising that he performed admirably. A couple of points about his performance before discussing his recruitment.
The 6-foot-2 and 225-pound defender showed a good burst. From the outset of the play, or when slowing down and then exploding again to gain an advantage over the offensive tackle, Lloyd had the quickness to beat the opposition.
He’s also proven to be a capable pass rusher by using his quick reflexes to swat away the offensive tackle’s hands and get past his shoulder and onward to a sack. It also didn’t hurt that Lloyd also showed his maturity when talking football and recruiting during the event either.
Always well spoken and honest, Lloyd brought up a June visit to Indiana as something that he has already worked out with the Hoosiers. Pittsburgh, a program that signed seven players from Florida from the 2023 class and four more from the 2021 class, has also been involved with Lloyd. Lloyd admitted that he’s definitely interested in the Panthers.
Another school to watch with Lloyd’s recruitment would be Georgia Tech. He likes what he’s heard so far from the Yellow Jackets staff. As for earning more attention and continuing to improve, Lloyd mentioned camping at schools up North like Notre Dame, Michigan State, and possibly more.
Look for his recruitment to heat up as more and more college coaches gain an opportunity to see him with their own eyes through spring ball and into camp season.
April 3
This year’s Elite 11 Orlando regional was deep with talent. Many of the prospects in attendance were just starting to get their recruitments rolling. The two prospects below certainly fit that profile.
After watching both of them yesterday, here were some thoughts on their performances.
A.J. Hairston, Coconut Creek (Fla.) Monarch
Hairston has a classic quarterback build. He’s 6-foot-3 and will likely weigh 220 in college. His powerful right arm showed him throwing line drives on slants and seam passes all day long at Elite 11.
He also had the ability to hit passes to the flat – and do so with more touch than many other signal callers – which showed his overall understanding of the quarterback position. Here’s an example.
There was a RPO drill that every signal caller went through. Hairston made accurate passes and did so without being herky-jerky with motion or speeding up the fake to the running back prior to making a pass. He was calm.
Sounds easy, but even NFL quarterbacks have shown that they sped up the fake too much and it then tipped off the opposition for what was coming. Hairston showed he can be patient and that was important. He does need refinement, like any other rising senior, however.
If there’s one thing that Hairston needs, it’s more precise balance when throwing. Even being a quarter-inch off (literally) with foot placement, as well as the timing of the lower extremity movements before following through with a pass, can make a difference with where the football ends up going.
That's why playing quarterback has always been hard. It's cumbersome just how detailed the position was and continues to be.
If anyone watches the elite NFL signal callers – Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, et al – when they have the time to throw from the pocket it’s like watching a replay over and over. That same throwing motion has made them future Hall of Fame inductees. When Hairston was on his mark with his footwork, he was tremendously accurate but needs to do that even more often than he already has been.
While still developing and getting better, Hairston has a world of potential. He’s going to tear it up during his senior season at Monarch as he's definitely improved, and that's after he threw for over 3,000 yards as a junior anyways.
Michael Merdinger, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons
Coming into the event, not enough was known about Merdinger’s overall quarterback talents. He did get to play last season, but the volume was not enough to truly know his skill level. Much has changed in the last 24 hours and more information will be needed to gain an even better understanding of what he can do moving forward. For now, here’s what people should know.
After quarterback Dylan Rizk headed to UCF from Cardinal Gibbons, it’s now Merdinger’s turn to lead the Chiefs during the 2023 season. Based on watching Merdinger’s throwing motion and consistency overall, Cardinal Gibbons will make a smooth transition at the always important quarterback position.
Merdinger's efforts even won him an award, as shown below in this tweet:
Thank you @Elite11 and @Stumpf_Brian for the amazing opportunity to compete with the best! I am super grateful and honored! I earned 24/24 total points in the accuracy competition! 100% accuracy! @Redskins32 @BozemanFootball @Andrew_Ivins @TheCribSouthFLA pic.twitter.com/0T5onTT60a
— Michael Merdinger (@michaelm_18) April 2, 2023
To say he’s accurate, that’s an understatement. Just a natural feel for how far to lead his receivers, that’s Merdinger. He has shown a compact and quick delivery that allowed his intended targets to catch the football in front of them.
He was also good with his reaction time when going footwork drills when instructors asked him to slide up, back, or side-to-side, something that’s paramount for evading the pass rush and then delivering a strike.
Finally, Merdinger’s temperament and overall positive attitude stood out. He’s the type of guy that players will gravitate towards. That’s going to help him once he reaches the college level.
April 1
Rising Monarch High School quarterback prospect A.J. Hairston will be attending UCF's practice today. He's heading over to attend the Orlando Elite 11 Regional event tomorrow, so this was a great chance to stop by and see the Knights.
Originally, Hairston had told All Hurricanes that he would trek to the University of Kentucky the day prior to Elite 11. Plans changed according to Monarch quarterback coach Zachery Poole, Hairston will now camp at UK this summer instead.
Hairston has visited the University of Miami multiple times this spring. The Hurricanes have been his lone offer, surprisingly, after he passed for over 3,000 yards last season and was one of South Florida's best overall players.
It will be interesting to see which schools jump in and offer Hairston. With April now here, the recruiting scene has entered a crucial juncture and offers to potential prospects across the country can take place at any moment.
MARCH 24
When now Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith came out of Hollywood (Fla.) Miramar, he was one of the nation’s top recruits.
After a brilliant collegiate career with the West Virginia Mountaineers in which he threw for 11,662 yards and 98 touchdowns, he went on to be drafted into the NFL’s second round, as well as becoming the 39th overall selection, of the New York Jets.
He’s battled to make it to the top. This past season, Smith spun the football all over the gridiron and ended with totals of 4,282 yards, 30 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. He was rewarded for his efforts.
After signing a three-year 75-million dollar contract with the Seahawks, Smith has certainly stayed the course and been a signal caller for young players to look up to.
One of the young admirers was just in Coral Gables checking out the Canes, Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes quarterback Prentiss “Air” Noland. The big-time lefty from the Peach State has offers from programs around the country including Miami, Alabama, Clemson, Ole Miss, Auburn, Colorado, Duke, and Smith’s alma mater West Virginia, among others.
That’s why the following tweet by Smith was all the more sweet.
— Geno (@GenoSmith3) March 24, 2023
Smith was in South Florida working out and had a chance to swing by and see his old coach and now Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson. The timing to meet up with Noland was cool, and this is one of the aspects of recruiting that can be smiled upon.
Perhaps one day Noland will be in the NFL and have a chance to sit down with a young signal caller and talk to him about recruiting, being a quarterback, and all the hard work that goes into it. One can bet that those were at least some of the topics that were discussed between the two quarterbacks pictured above.
MARCH 17
Former Pembroke Pines (Fla.) Flanagan and Michigan Wolverines linebacker Devin Bush, Jr. will sign with the Seattle Seahawks.
As a member of the Steelers, Bush was a quick study and was credited with 109 tackles, 2 interceptions and a sack during his 2019 rookie campaign. He started 15 of 16 games during that year’s regular season.
The former first round NFL Draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers has sometimes been hampered by injury since hurting his ACL in 2020. Still, he’s been productive enough for teams to come after him, with the Seahawks being his landing spot.
Hello and welcome to Seattle, @_Dbush11! 👋#GoHawks x @Delta pic.twitter.com/a0AGbdL06k
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) March 17, 2023
Signing Bush has appeared to be a good move for Seattle.
The Seahawks lost two linebackers of late. One, Jordyn Brooks hurt his ACL during the 16th game of the 2022 season. Prior to injury, Brooks had accounted for 161 tackles and a sack. He may or may not be able to play during the early portion of the Seahawks’ 2023 regular season. There’s also a loss in terms of a roster move.
Free agency saw inside linebacker Cody Barton signing with the Washington Commanders. For Seattle, Barton had 136 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 2 sacks last year.
With Brooks possibly out into next season, and Barton heading to the East Coast, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll needed answers. Based on prior production and fit, Bush will do well in the Great Northwest.
Just this past season, Bush knocked down 81 ball carriers and started 14 of 17 games. As a player that's accustomed to playing his best when going all-out to the ball, Bush will fit into Carroll’s scheme quite well.
As a defensive-minded coach, Carroll has long since been considered one of the NFL’s most creative coaches. Carroll has also been one that utilized speed over size for much of his pro career, as well as during his time in Los Angeles as the head coach of Southern California.
MARCH 13
After throwing for 3,355 yards, completing 70.2% of his passes and throwing 45 touchdowns, 2024 Chaminade-Madonna signal caller Cedric Bailey has come off the board.
Bailey was a part of the Lions' 2022 1M state title run, and has been a mainstay for the South Florida Express 7v7 team as well. A 6-foot-6 and 185-pound prospect that can run the football when a play breaks down or via the run-pass option game, Bailey has been an intriguing prospect.
Arm strength has never been an issue. He's got a gun. Bailey does need to add weight to take on the pounding of the Power 5 level.
Beyond that, the ability to continue to progress as a player that reads defenses properly, like any other young quarterback, will be key.
Congratulations to Bailey on his commitment to NC ST.
MARCH 7
Some of Broward's best will be visiting Miami on Thursday.
Fresh off an impressive Orlando Under Armour combine performance, quarterback prospect A.J. Hairston will trek to Coral Gables, as will some of his teammates like Kevin Powell. Hairston was offered by the Canes on Feb. 15.
It will be the first opportunity for Hairston to meet newly hired quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson.
According to Monarch wide receiver and quarterback coach Zackery Poole, it was Miami head coach Mario Cristobal that offered Hairston. Thus, the visit to Coral Gables is a transition point for Hairston's recruitment with Miami.
To this point, the Canes have surprisingly been the only FBS offer for Hairston, despite the 6-foot-3 and 210-pound signal caller throwing for over 3,000 yards last fall. As for the recruiting process moving forward, Poole said it best.
"I just tell A.J. to let the work speak for itself. Just grind and let it fall into place."
MARCH 1
There's nothing quite like a big-time Friday night matchup in South Florida. With that in mind, ome of the best prospects will go head-to-head in Week 5 Florida high school football action this fall.
Breaking: Chaminade-Madonna to face Miami Central in must-see Week 5 matchup of 2023 season. https://t.co/KKZSjuZLdL @SBLiveSports @SBLiveFL @FlaHSFootball @fbscout_florida @JoeFrisaro @JMarkG1962 @lynnramseywrite @AndrewNemec @LanceSmithTPC @SDPreps @ZachShugan @AndyBuhler #HSFB
— Andy Villamarzo (@Andy_Villamarzo) February 28, 2023
It's always great to see top-notch teams go up against one another. Last season, Chaminade-Madonna won the Metro 1A state title, while Miami Central captured the Metro 2A state title.
Even though top players moved on from both rosters like Edwin Joseph (FSU signee) from Chaminade-Madonna and Rueben Bain (Miami signee) from Central, both rosters will be loaded once again.
For instance, there are players like safety Zaquan Patterson, quarterback Cedric Bailey, running back Davion Gause, and wide receivers Joshisa Trader and Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State commit).
Make no mistake, Central has elite talent as well. Some of the 2024 prospects like quarterback JC Evans, linebackers Lamar Smith and Vincent Shavers, cornerback Earl Kulp, and wide receiver Lawayne McCoy just to name a few of them.
Central has plenty of underclassmen talent as usual, including a recent transfer.
Dillard 2025 DT Anthony Smith transfers to Miami Central
— Frank Tucker (@TheCribSouthFLA) February 28, 2023
Smith is arguably the top interior defensive lineman in South Florida regardless of class. Last season he had 40 tackles, 12 TFL & 7 sacks. He rejoins elite DE Armondo Blount plus two other D1 2025 https://t.co/E61SllijUr… pic.twitter.com/o2CicbPRAG
Anthony Smith is a class of 2025 prospect. The 330-pound defensive tackle has already received several Power 5 offers, including Miami. He joins another former player from Dillard High School that transferred to Central, big-time 2025 edge defender Armondo Blount, another prime target for Mario Cristobal and the Canes.
In fact, several of the above players have offers from Miami and more likely will. When there's that much talent on the same field, and then there's the history of these two programs to add to the equation, it makes for an exciting atmosphere and one heck of a matchup.
FEBRUARY 17
Better late than never. Sometimes it can take a long time for a prospect to receive the recognition that’s been deserved.
That was certainly the case for Coconut Creek (Fla.) Monarch signal caller AJ Hairston. He did not hold a FBS offer heading into 2023, but that’s changed. It was out of the blue, at least for the general public.
Not only did the Broward County standout receive an offer, but it was a Power 5 scholarship offer, and from the hometown Hurricanes.
Pretty cool, huh?
The 6-foot-3 and 210-pound signal caller was First Team All-Broward by the Miami Herald, as well as second team all-state by FloridaHSFootball.com.
Hairston also went off last season for Monarch, having completed 195 of 297 passes, 65.7%, 3,217 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just six interceptions.
Hairston also rushed 53 times for 347 yards, a 6.5 average, and seven touchdowns.
Now that Mario Cristobal and newly hired offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson placed their stamp of approval on Hairston being offered, it begs the question: Will there now be several other offers that come this young man’s way?
That’s often the case. Once the dam breaks, it can be an overload of offers. Recruiting has long since been strange that way. Then again, many of these college coaches not only know one another, they also follow which prospects are being offered.
As an example, it’s common for Florida State to offer a player almost immediately after that same recruit was offered by Miami, and vice versa; that’s been going on for decades.
Do not be surprised if other FBS programs follow Miami’s lead with Hairston. Now, for a brief overview with what’s been seen with Hairston.
While grading quarterbacks can be extremely difficult, Hairston’s size was the first thing that stood out to me when seeing him up close. His natural size should have gained him more recruiting attention by itself.
At any rate, he has been best when throwing deep. That’s a great sign that he’s been able to do that. To win big in college football, an offense cannot just dink and dunk on every drive.
Hairston’s mechanics proved to be traditional, with an over-the-top delivery and sound follow through.
Could he speed up his delivery? Perhaps be quicker with his feet?
Of course. He’s a high school player. That’s always been a part of the process. Heck, even Bryce Young needed improvement coming out of Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei before playing at Bama, and he was an absolute stud.
All prep signal callers have mechanical work to do before truly being ready for the FBS level. That stated, Hairston looked further ahead than some of the quarterbacks with offers; that’s why it was puzzling that he had not been offered prior to Miami stepping up.
As for the young man himself, humble and hard working. That was the other part of the equation that was impressive. A lot of talented quarterbacks have big attitudes, but not Hairston.
Good for him to get that first offer. Do not be surprised if and when he sees plenty more.
FEBRUARRY 9
Broward County has produced many players that came out of high school with a high ceiling. For the class of 2024, edge rusher Eric Morris, Jr., a player that transferred from Coral Springs High School to Stranahan High School for his final year, has fallen into that category.
A long player at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, he's played in a down position along a three-man front, as well as a true outside linebacker that rushed the passer. His talent and on-field production recently earned him a college football scholarship offer.
Bowling Green State University, located in northern Ohio, will undoubtedly not be the last offer that Morris receives. Every college football program needs pass rushers, especially ones with the naturally long limbs that Morris has shown to possess.
His junior film was interesting because of the different ways he not only lined up, but went about his business on the gridiron. Morris would utilize power inside moves, as well as set the edge and chase down the ball carrier.
He's gone somewhat under the radar thus far, but Morris has the frame and type of game that could lead him to receive several more offers. A recent trip to the University of Miami was proof that major Power 5 programs have been well aware of his upside.
JANUARY 31
One of the aspects of recruiting that's often been overlooked would be landing preferred walk-on players. The University of Miami landed a good player with Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons wide receiver Patrick Stepelton.
The 6-foot-1 and 180-pound receiver comes from one of the best programs in Broward County and the entire state of Florida. He will be an asset to the Hurricanes football program.
That's especially the case with Miami's lack of depth not only at wide receiver, but with special teams as well. Congratulations to Stepelton and good luck to him at The U.
JANUARY 24
A top defensive back from Broward County would be Semaj Jackson. He played for Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Saint Thomas Aquinas this past season, but he's decided to make the move to Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage.
Jackson offered the following comment regarding his transfer:
"I will finish my high school academics and athletics at American Heritage Plantation. Keep an eye on me this upcoming season."
Also, here's the tweet he placed on his Twitter profile page:
I'm officially enrolled at American Heritage Plantation for my final year of high school. @D2Dperformance @DP214EVER @PORTERSPLACE @ahspatfootball @larryblustein @TheCribSouthFLA @RWrightRivals @JerryRecruiting @Rivals @On3Recruits @Andrew_Ivins @ChadSimmons_ pic.twitter.com/MpzvPsF1KL
— Semaj Jackson (@Nolimitmaj__) January 24, 2023
Jackson already earned offers from Marshall, Penn State, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Jackson State, among others.
The 5-foot-10 and 170-pound prospect will be a senior this fall.
JANUARY 20
Former Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Dillard running back Chris Johnson was rewarded for his great senior season by the Miami Herald. He was given Offensive Player of the Year for Broward County.
Johnson’s blazing speed, quickness and all-around football talents allowed him to be one of the most versatile and productive players in all of Florida, so the award was well deserved.
Offensive Player of the year 🧡🙌🏾 @coach_cristobal @KevinSmithRB @CoachDondo @CoachPop_Cooney @CanesFootball pic.twitter.com/mAD6O5vjIH
— ²⁴ (@Cjrarri24) January 20, 2023
Johnson began to earn significant recognition from his peers, opposing high school coaches and college recruits during the past couple of seasons. For anyone that saw the young man play live, there was certainly no doubt that he deserved to be labeled a game-changer.
Johnson ended up being ranked the No. 252 prospect in America by the 247 Sports composite. He took official visits to Ole Miss, Clemson and Miami before picking the Hurricanes.
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