JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s still a year away, but the Class of 2025 is officially on the recruiting clock.
And that class is positioned to be one of the most loaded we’ve seen in years.
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Led by Mandarin receiver Jaime Ffrench Jr., who is a 247 Sports Composite five-star and the area’s top-rated recruit next year, the Class of 2025 is bustling with stars and plenty of depth. So, how does next year’s class stack up to two of the best in area history? There’s still a long way for the 2025s to go to catch the two best in area history — 2013 and 2015. We’ll get to that in a moment.
But, the 2025s are out to a good start.
First, two major stars headline the locals. Ffrench is rated as high as the No. 13 player in the country (On3 industry combined rankings), followed by Camden County tight end Elyiss Williams (high of No. 13 in the general On3 rankings). Ffrench is an Alabama commit and Williams is a pledge to Georgia.
Raines offensive tackle Solomon Thomas is a consensus top 60 national recruit. Mandarin safety Drake Stubbs (high of No. 43 by Rivals) and Mustangs quarterback Tramell Jones is a high of 157 by Rivals. Players like Jones, Raines defensive lineman Jyon Simon, Riverside receiver Tae-Shaun Gelsey, St. Augustine receiver Carl Jenkins Jr. and quarterback Locklan Hewlett should see their stock rise after excellent junior seasons and a full offseason of camps and recruiting trips ahead.
In the area annals of recent recruiting history, two classes stand at the forefront. The 2013 class was jacked with stars and stands at the top in terms of the sheer number of top national prospects. Seven were ranked in the top 154 of the ESPN recruiting rankings.
Columbia tackle Laremy Tunsil (No. 5), Yulee running back Derrick Henry, then branded an athlete, was ninth. First Coast linebacker Daniel McMillian was No. 31 and Sandalwood defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker was 40th. Going down the list, receiver Ahmad Fulwood of Bishop Kenny was 110th, Camden County quarterback Brice Ramsey was No. 115 and Trinity Christian safety Nick Washington was 154. That class remains the gold standard in area recruiting.
Tunsil was a first-round pick of the Dolphins. Henry went on to win a Heisman Trophy and has developed into a borderline Pro Football Hall of Famer. Walker was a second-round selection. Those three players remain in the NFL.
In 2015, the area had two top 10 players — Baker County edge CeCe Jefferson (ESPN No. 9) and Trinity Christian corner Kevin Toliver II (ESPN No. 10). The depth outside of a pair of top 10s was ridiculous. Trinity linebacker Jeffery Holland (46th) and First Coast receiver Tristan Payton (95th) both cracked the top 100. And what made that class special were the number of players after that.
Bishop Kenny center Tyler Jordan (No. 158), Trinity guard Kendrick Norton (168) were also in the mix. Stretch it out further and Trinity safety Ben Edwards (No. 208), First Coast linebacker Sherrod Pittman (222), Conquerors safety Deontai Williams (231) and Buccaneers quarterback and eventual Mr. Football winner De’Andre Johnson (No. 259) gave the area one of its deepest classes ever. Unlike the 2013 class, however, none of those top recruits in the Class of 2015, made an impact in the NFL.
Class of 2025 recruits of note
Position, Player, Ht, Wt, High school, Commitment
QB, Sean Ashenfelder, 6-1, 165, Creekside, Rutgers
QB, Cibastian Broughton, 5-10, 160, Fleming Island, Uncommitted
ATH, Davion Dean, 6-1, 185, Baker County, Uncommitted
WR, Jaime Ffrench, 6-1, 190, Mandarin, Alabama
WR, Tae-Shaun Gelsey, 6-4, 210, Riverside, Uncommitted
EDGE, Sam Hayward, 6-3, 205, Providence, Uncommitted
QB, Locklan Hewlett, 6-1, 180, St. Augustine, Wake Forest
WE, Carl Jenkins, 6-3, 175, St. Augustine, Uncommitted
QB, Tramell Jones, 6-0, 190, Mandarin, FSU
WR, Trenton Jones, 5-9, 160, St. Augustine, Uncommitted
OL, Takaylen Muex, 6-4, 315, Fletcher, Uncommitted
CB, Joshua Patterson, 6-1, 180, White, Uncommitted
DT, Jyon Simon, 6-3, 280, Raines, Uncommitted
CB, Kaylib Singleton, 6-1, 175, Fleming Island, Uncommitted
S, Drake Stubbs, 6-1, 180, Mandarin, Uncommitted
OL, Solomon Thomas, 6-3, 280, Raines, Uncommitted
TE, Elyiss Williams, 6-7, 235, Camden County, Georgia