Vote Now: Who is the top returning linebacker in South Florida is for 2023?

Here are 12 players for your consideration

Let’s take a closer look at some of the best-returning linebackers in high school football for the 2023 season in South Florida are.

Our list includes some of the best in the suburban region and players who proved to be invaluable to their teams last season in making key tackles at the end of the game, delivering big hits or helping lead the defense as the top tackler in the area.

There are plenty of worthy names on this list, so be sure to vote in our poll for who you think will be the top returning linebackers for the upcoming season. Voting will close on August 31st, just in time for the start of the regular season. 

Editor’s note: Our corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. This poll is specifically for fans to vote on the players that have been nominated and in no way discredits any other player that may not be mentioned in our poll.

Willis McGahee IV, Columbus

2022 statistics: 55 tackles, 16 for loss, 10 sacks, one fumble recover, four fumbles forced 

College choice: Nebraska 

Nicholas Rodriguez, St. Thomas Aquinas

2022 statistics: 93 tackles, 10 for loss, five sacks, one interception, two fumble recoveries, two fumbles forced

College choice: N/A

Ezekiel Marcelin, Miami Central

2022 statistics: 79 tackles, 15 for loss, seven sacks, two fumbles forced 

College choice: N/A

Hector Chavez, Columbus 

2022 statistics: 54 tackles, three for loss, two sacks, three fumble recoveries 

College choice: N/A

Julian Mendez, Western 

2022 statistics: 56 tackles, 16 for loss, 10 sacks

College choice: N/A

Cleveland Gary, Norland 

2022 statistics: 40 tackles, five for loss, 3.5 sacks, fumble recovery 

College choice: N/A

Carlos Dales, Western 

2022 statistics: 81 tackles, nine for loss, three sacks, interception

College choice: N/A

Charquez Lee, Palmetto 

2022 statistics: 100 tackles, 32 for loss, three sacks

College choice: N/A

Vincent Shavers, Miami Central 

2022 statistics: 56 tackles, 17 for loss, eight sacks, one interception, two fumble recoveries 

College choice: Miami (FL)

Remington Roberts, Fort Lauderdale 

2022 statistics: N/A

College choice: Florida Atlantic 

Kaleb Stewart, Chaminade-Madonna 

2022 statistics: 79 tackles, 16.5 for a loss, nine sacks, fumble recovery 

College choice: UConn 

Kendrick Burley, Santaluces

2022 statistics: N/A

College choice: N/A

Andy Villamarzo can be reached at andyvillamarzo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @Andy_Villamarzo.


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Andy Villamarzo
ANDY VILLAMARZO

Andy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007, writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times, The Tampa Tribune, The Suncoast News, Tampa Beacon, Hernando Sun to name a few. Andy resides out of the Tarpon Springs, FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area. He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports, appearing frequently on podcasts, radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings, recruiting and much more.