5 Florida high school football 7A preseason player of the year candidates

Class 7A features a bevy of talent on both offense and defense

Vero Beach linebacker T.J. Alford is on TCPalm's Super 11 list of top senior recruits across the Treasure Coast. / CRYSTAL VANDER WEIT/TCPALM / USA TODAY NETWORK

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.

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Follow SBLive Florida throughout the 2024 high school football season for Live Updates, the most up to date Schedules & Scores and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships!

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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 7A features a handful of the state's top programs, including state powerhouse Columbus, Lake Mary, Palm BeachCentral Sanford Seminole, Vero Beach, Venice and Western.

Based on returning accolades, production potential and team success, here are the five most viable preseason candidates for Class 7A player of the year in 2024:

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Noah Grubbs, Lake Mary

Anytime you flirt with the all-time record for touchdowns in a season, you've got to think there's a chance it could happen the following campaign. Grubbs, a Notre Dame commitment, made a bid for the record books before an injury derailed him during the postseason. The signal caller finished the season throwing 49 touchdowns, completed 208-of-354 passes for 3,670 yards in 2023 and this fall will aim for 50-plus scoring passes. If that happens, there might be no argument in this classification.

Jamarice Wilder, Venice

Wilder left Venice for a hot minute to Sarasota Booker before heading back to the Indians and now is a viable POY candidate. Once committed to Colorado at one time, Wilder is committed to James Madison and there's a reason many schools are after the tailback. As a junior, the runner rushed for 1,271 yards on 149 carries and scored 25 touchdowns. Venice head coach John Peacock loves to run the football and Wilder will see plenty of carries this fall.

Michael Clayton II, Sanford Seminole

Playing for a different program last year, Clayton looked pretty good. This season, may are expecting the gunslinger to have his best season yet. Leading Edgewater in the 2023 season had been Clayton, who had taken on more as the team’s starter last fall. Clayton threw for 1,902 yards and 18 touchdowns. He is now at Sanford Seminole after transferring this offseason and should be among the best in the state.

Bryce Fitzpatrick, Columbus

Doesn't matter where Fitzpatrick is lining up at, he's expected to make plays for Explorers. He will be leaned upoin to do even more for Dave Dunn's ball club, as the 2-way standout put up some impressive numbers from 2023. Fitzpatrick made 20 tackles and intercepted five passes last fall and if the spring jamboree told us anything, the dynamo will be playing plenty on offense.

Tarvos 'TJ' Alford, Vero Beach

Yes, we are putting a defensive-only player in as a player of the year candidate and for plenty of good reasons. Alford, a Ohio State commitment, had a stellar 2023 season that helped lead the Indians to a 9-3 record and is arguably the state's top returning linebacker. A year ago, Alford tallied 114 tackles, 12 of them went for a loss, four sacks and an interception. Expect the hard hitter to eclipse those numbers this fall.

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FIVE OTHERS TO WATCH

RB DJ Johnson, Sarasota Riverview

QB Grant Conner, Winter Park

QB Sebastian Circo, Western

WR Kamare Williams, Palm Beach Central

WR Isaiah Mizell, Boone

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