5 Florida high school football 2A preseason player of the year candidates

Class 2A is stocked full of talented offensive skill players galore

Carter Smith. Bishop Verot, Junior is a News-Press All area finalist for Football Offense. / Andrew West/The News-Press / USA TODAY

The Florida high school football season is right around the corner and the opening weekend of games are set to kickoff through Aug. 21-23.

Sunshine State has flipped from the Metro-Suburban-Rural series back to state classifications, making for preseason player of the year candidates across the board. Class 2A features a handful of the state's top programs, including state powerhouse Berkeley Prep, Bishop Verot and Cocoa.

Based on returning accolades, production potential and team success, here are the five most viable preseason candidates for Class 2A player of the year in 2024:

---

Brady Hart, Cocoa

Winning his first state championship as a sophomore last season easily gives Hart the confidence to do it again this fall. Hart was undoubtedly been not only one of the top sophomores, but best quarterbacks regardless of class. The Class 2S champion signal caller completed 288-of-437 passes for 3,759 yards and 41 touchdowns. The 6-foot-5 passer has committed to University of Michigan. With Missouri commitment Jayvan Boggs back as the No. 1 option, look for a MVP-type season from Hart.

Carter Smith, Bishop Verot

No quarterback arguably was better passing the ball than Smith down in Southwest Florida. The Michigan commitment completed 133-of-213 passes for 2,223 yards and 29 touchdowns. That's just what Smith can do through the air. The quarterback is all too capable of also running the rock just as well as throwing it. Smith could easily go for 2,000-plus passing and 1,000-plus rushing.

Dallas Golden, Berkeley Prep

There might not be a player more versatile on this list than Golden. Last season, Golden was the workhorse at Wildcat quarterback and running back for the Buccaneers, rushing for 1,467 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. Defensively, the junior dynamo made nine tackles and intercepted nine passes for the Buccaneers. When looking at the totality of Golden's work, the 2-way star gets it done in anyway possible and badly wants to win coach Dominik Ciao another state title.

Chris McCorkle, Cardinal Mooney

Whether the athlete is playing in the defensive backfield or at wide receiver, McCorkle is certainly a difference maker. McCorkle, an Indiana commit, made impacts on both sides of the ball for the Cougars last season, as the junior hauled in 13 passes for 366 yards and seven touchdowns offensively. Defensively, the 6-foot-1, 173-pound defensive back made 24 tackles, intercepted eight passes and batted away 18. Look for the 2-way star to throw up some big numbers this season.

Nigel Nelson, Pensacola Catholic

What didn't Nelson do for the Crusaders in their run to the Class 2S state semifinals last season? If the 2-way dynamo puts up the same kinda numbers, he'll be right in the middle of the player of the year discussions this fall. In 2023 at running back, Nelson rushed for 1,371 yards on 180 carries and scored 25 touchdowns. At linebacker, Nelsn tallied over 50 tackles, five for a loss and picked off five passes. Don't sleep on Nelson this season as a darkhorse player of the year candidate.

FIVE OTHERS TO WATCH

WR Jayvan Boggs, Cocoa

DL JarQuez Carter, Newberry

QB Ethan Drumm, Bolles

QB Joaquin Kavouklis, Tarpon Springs

RB De'Shon Jenkins, Bishop Verot

---

Download the SBLive App

To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App

-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivefl