100 Greatest Players of the First 100 Years

The list of the 100 greatest players in the state's history was released this afternoon.

As a member of the selection committee, I take great pride in this list. I'm sure there will be those who challenge individual members or ask why someone was not selected.

Trust me, this was an exhaustive process and there was great discussion on every person selected and on many who were bypassed. There were hours of conference calls, e-mails, research, etc. that went into this.

Please read over the list and comment on what you think.

QB: Danny Wuerffel, Fort Walton Beach; Daunte Culpepper Ocala Vanguard; David Bowden, Lakeland Kathleen; Eddie McAshan, Gainesville; George Mira, Key West; Jimmy Jordan, Tallahassee Leon; John Reaves, Tampa Robinson; Tim Tebow, Ponte Vedra Beach Nease.

RB: Antone Smith, Pahokee; C.J. Spiller, Lake Butler Union County; Edgerrin James, Immokalee; Emmitt Smith, Pensacola Escambia; Earnest Graham, Cape Coral Mariner; Frank Gore, Coral Gables; Fred Taylor, Belle Glade Glades Central; James Massey, Jefferson County; John L. Williams, Palatka; Larry Smith, Tampa Robinson; Marquette Smith, Winter Park Lake Howell; Ottis Anderson, West Palm Beach Forest Hills; Rick Casares, Tampa Jefferson; Travis Henry, Frostproof; Tucker Frederickson, Hollywood South Broward; Tyrone Moss, Pompano Beach Blanche Ely; Willie Galimore, St. Augustine Murray.

WR: Andre Johnson, Miami Senior; Anthony Carter, Riviera Beach Suncoast; Darrell Jackson, Tampa Catholic; Harold Carmichael, Jacksonville Northwestern/Raines; Jesse Hester, Glades Central; Joe Goldsmith, Lakeland Kathleen; Kenny Burrough, Jacksonville Raines; Matt Frier, Live Oak Suwannee; Michael Irvin, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas; Ron Sellers, Jacksonville Paxon. TE Claude Moorman, Miami Senior.

OL: Burton Lawless, Punta Gorda Charlotte County; David Williams, Lakeland; Forest Blue, Tampa Chamberlain; Henry Lawrence, Palmetto Lincoln; Jeff Faine, Sanford Seminole; Larry Brown, Starke Bradford County; Larry Gagner, Daytona Beach Seabreeze; Larry Little, Miami Washington; Lomas Brown, Miami Norland; Noah Jackson, Jacksonville Beach Fletcher; Stefan Humphries, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas; Steve Hutchinson, Coral Springs; Williams Roberts, Miami Carol City.

DL: Corey Simon, Pompano Beach Blanche Ely; David "Deacon" Jones, Eatonville Hungerford; Don Latimer, Fort Pierce Central; Eddie Edwards, Fort Pierce Central; Eddie Weaver, Haines City; Gerard Warren, Lake Butler Union County; Jack Youngblood, Monticello Jefferson County; Jerome Brown, Brooksville Hernando County; Jim Osborne, Fort Lauderdale Dillard; Marty Lyons, St. Petersburg Catholic; Ted Hendricks, Hialeah; Ted Washington, Tampa Bay Tech; Vince Wilfork, Lantana Santaluces.

LB: Barry Krauss, Pompano Beach; Derrick Brooks, Pensacola Washington; Lamont Green, Miami Southridge; Marvin Jones, Miami Northwestern; Ralph Ortega, Coral Gables; Ray Lewis, Lakeland Kathleen; Ricky Jackson, Pahokee; Scot Brantley, Ocala Forest; Steve Kiner, Tampa Hillsborough; Wilber Marshall, Titusville Astronaut.

DB: Barry Hill, Delray Beach Carver; Bennie Blades, Sunrise Piper; Bobby Butler, Delray Beach Atlantic; Brian Dawkins, Jacksonville Raines; Deion Sanders, North Fort Myers; Ken Riley, Bartow Union Academy; Lemar Parrish, Riviera Beach Kennedy; Leroy Butler, Jacksonville Lee; Lito Sheppard, Jacksonville Raines; Reggie Nelson, Palm Bay; Sam Madison, Tallahassee FAMU; Samari Rolle, Miami Beach; Sean Taylor, Miami Gulliver Prep; Steve Tannen, Southwest Miami.

KS/ATH: Pat Summerall, Lake CityColumbia; John Carney, West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman.

ATH: Anquan Boldin, Pahokee (QB/WR/DB); Arnold Tucker, Miami Senior (QB/DB); Cyril Pinder, Hollywood Crispus Attucks; Devin Hester, Riviera Beach Suncoast; James Jones, Pompano Beach Blanche Ely (TE/LB/KR); Jammi German, Fort Myers (WR/DB/KR); Leon Bright, Merritt Island; Michael Timpson, Hialeah Miami Lakes (RB/WR/KR); Tommie Frazier, Bradenton Manatee (QB/KR); Warren Sapp, Apopka (TE/LB/DL); Wes Chandler, New Smyrna Beach (RB/WR/KR); Dale Van Sickel, Gainesville.

Bios on each player

Comments

[ANTHONY]

How could you for Running Back from Carol City High, Robert"scrap iron"Sanford the toughest powerful running back to come out of Dade County in the 90's.Then you forget Ethnic"J-Boy"Sands the best option quarterback in Florida. Willie Jones the former sack record holder for a single season.

[RAIDACANE]

TO RICK C.
TED HENDRICKS WAS A SECOND ROUND PICK BY THE BALTIMORE COLTS
1969 - Baltimore Colts
Rd Sel # Player Position School
1 25 Eddie Hinton WR Oklahoma
2 33 Ted Hendricks LB Miami (Fla.)

[BEAU]

I THINK HE DID A VERY DECENT JOB ON THE LIST. HOW EVER YOU DID OVER SEE BRACKIE BRYANT DL FROM SOUTHWEST MIAMI HIGH. MORE TACKLES THAN ANY DL IN THE STATE FROM 94-97 FROM A SMALL SCHOOL NOT KNOW FOR FOOTBALL PROGRAM. ALSO HAD 22 TACKLES VERSUS MIAMI SOUTHRIDGE IN A PLAYOFF LOSS. NOT TO MENTION 30 TACKLES VERSUS BRADDOCK IN 96. WHILE HE WAS ON THE SAME TEAM AS ARIEL LIMA AND ALEX SANTEIRTO WHO WHO LEAD THE STATE IN TACKLES FOR 2 YEARS. THIS WAS A DL MAKING IT HAPPEN!

[Bob Emanuel Jr.]

Beau,

Thank you for the rare compliment...

The funny thing is I was part of a committee. It seems like everyone forgets that. They all assume I produced the entire list.

[jim fisher]

This list is heavily skewed toward the current or the recent past. The segregation era of high school football with some exceptions is underrepresented. The list is also biased toward Fla. H.S. players who had professional careers. A good addition to the list would be Anthony Penn who played QB at Delray Carver H.S. and held the playoff TD record for many years.

[JhnCue]

Duane Starks of Beach High! If I'm not mistaking he was a first rounder also. You named Samari Rolle without knowing this. You didn't named DeJuan Pringle or Tutu Atwell from Miami High real deal iron men. How about Markeith Cooper from Palmetto High every spit of 145 LBs led Dade in rushing. Snoop Minnis,Nate Webster just to name a few tighten up. James Stewart and Kenny Holmes come on I could go on for eva.

Tighten up

[edward wilder]

I guess you people didn't keep any informations on black football players before intergration are maybe you didn't keep any period. You left off so many outstanding players off that list I throught we were back in the fifties and sixties. Let me name a few for you Eugene white and Horace Bain BTW; jAMES tULLIS MNSH; tHE Cambridge brothers from GWC; the kirby boys from Dillard last but not least a little white boy from miami high LIndy Infante. Remember if you don't know something ask somebody. a true follower of south fla high school football. 444 nw 12th st miami 36, fl.

[Mike Ford]

What about the great Brian Piccolo of Central Catholic High School, Fort Lauderdale?

[Adrian]

hey bob i just have a question..i know the list was hard but if tebow made it for his high school acheivements, how come robert marve or jacory harris didnt kae it?? marve broke tebows records the next season and i dont even have to stress how good harris is...did they atleast come up for question to be on the list???

[Bob Emanuel Jr.]

Jacory is still playing in high school, therefore he was not eligible.

Robert Marve was a difficult choice. Tebow was having a great second season. Marve had yet to take a collegiate snap. That's how that one played out.

[Adrian]

has yet to take a collegiate snap, i thought this was about HIGH SCHOOL, this list is in the high school sports section! so what would it matter if he hasnt taken a snap in college, he balled in high school

[Subber56]

Mitch Greene RB Miami Springs (89?-92?)

[rick]

where's antrel rolle?

[Bob Emanuel Jr.]

Playing for Arizona.

[spaceshuttlegirl]

yeah this for best high school players in state and college and pro shouldb\n't be given an afterthought its for the best players who balled in fla h.s. and there r alot millions and millions we r just loaded to the gills..............lol so alot would be left off but anyways it should be for h.s. accompl. like u said 100 best highschoolers in fla, but it is better to do by decades best 100 of teens 20's 30's 40's 50's 60's 70's 80's 90's 00's who balled the best in high school college and pros should n't be included now if could another seprate from just best players in high school by decade but also do one of best hfla highschoolers who s starr in college and pros by decades too

[spaceshuttlegirl]

and some who should make best 100 for 70's qb joe brodsky jr. rb james love rb grady mclendon wr paul kelley jack kelley lb david jefferson dt kenny parker db wellington williams rb johnny thomas wr larry brodsky qb reggie ogburn rb terry daniels rb james gilbert dt lester williams rb frediie miles wr anthony frederick qb carl sheffield rb tony smith rb elliott walker rb elvis peacock rb joe mcall qb kenny johnson wr larry cain etc..............

[alex]

what about LB derrick thomas(chiefs) although deceased he was a great player.the RB was Freddie Miles of Miami Springs who was screwed by his coach Buddy Goins who never asked his players to go to class so the kid never qualified.

[alex]

In the '70's there was no better rivalry than RB's Elvis Peacock(Central) & Elliot Walker(Jackson). In in the '80's it was Buster Rhymes(Northwestern), Freddie Miles(Miami Springs) & Tony Smith(Southridge). Didn't see any of those on this list.

[Dre]

You guys must be don't know football.....what happen to chris clemons, deandre macdaniel, and chris chancellor. chancellor hold FLA record with 24int. he was a parade american. Deandre is balling at clemson. Chris Clemons is consider the number 5 safety on the nfl scout boards. come on you guys.

[alan]

How about Joe Brodski jr. QB at HML in '75. Took 'em unbeaten to the state championship and won it. Joe Brady the running back was awesome too. John Fenton OL was a wall of a man.

[alan]

How about Joe Brodski jr. QB at HML in '75. Took 'em unbeaten to the state championship and won it. Joe Brady the running back was awesome too. John Fenton OL was a wall of a man.

[Vincent Fawcett]

There have been and always will be great Florida High School Football players. To pick the Top 100 is an impossible task. I think you guys did a decent Job. Being an alumni and former Football player at Miami Southridge, I know you have already heard about the Davis Brothers, And Sed Irvin From Class of 93, But there was also Tony Smith South Ridge & Florida state, Winston Moss South Ridge UNV Of Miami, Tampabay Bucks & LA Raiders These where GREAT PLAYERS as well.

[Vincent Fawcett]

There have been and always will be great Florida High School Football players. To pick the Top 100 is an impossible task. I think you guys did a decent Job. Being an alumni and former Football player at Miami Southridge, I know you have already heard about the Davis Brothers, And Sed Irvin From Class of 93, But there was also Tony Smith South Ridge & Florida state, Winston Moss South Ridge UNV Of Miami, Tampabay Bucks & LA Raiders These where GREAT PLAYERS as well.

[rick]

What about Pete Athas?

Miami Edison and NY Giants

[chaz]

Wat about antonio bryant and roscoe parrish

[jon barry]

Orlando Iglesias WR coral park???

[jon barry]

I want to see the stats for these player. Numbers talk and some of the names on this list didn't put up big numbers at all. PLEASE SHOW ME

[KSmith Fan]

Where is Kevin Smith he is alot better than some of the backs you named that is BULL!

[tyrone jr.]

what about my dad he was a line backer for miami springs high school nickname TIMBER

[Fla561]

Mike Moore and Dexter Davidson may not have thrived on the collegiate level thus far , but its a fact that no QB,WR duo dominated statistics like those two did for three years.

[Alan]

My favorite was Gary Pope from the Ft. Lauderdale High School Flying L's 1964. A scholarship to Auburn University isn't a hand out

[Curt]

Freddy Miles!!! awesome player at miami spings (79-80) back when the 'U' wasn't the 'U' yet.... given this day and age a player with his abilities would be starting in front of coop and james easily!!
Oh and by the way LOMAS BROWN (OL) went to Miami Springs and graduated in 1980 so why do you list him going to Norland!!!!!!!
Give props to other scho;;s not just those you choose to give props to bonehead!!

[Jimmie Wilson]

Guys,In 1977 The best two inside linebackers in the state of florida were David Little and Jimmie Wilson(Jackson)Both were all americans,all dade and all county selections.Hell they were the first two players from the same highschool that played the same position,to be selected to play in the highschool all star game.Take a look back at the Miami news and hearld paper
from 1976-77these two guys were HELL!!!!

[win]

Cleveland Gary South Fork 1984

[jon]

freedie miles best running back ever in the state of florida. If he made good choices in his life he would have been in the nfl

[lester j]

you are way off what happen to hall of fame lb derrick thomas out of south miami high.

[lester j]

also what happen to ol bruce armstrong of miami edison high and new england.

[King Ken]

Marvin Pope and Kenneth Singleton late 80's two sports.

[patrick]

Larry Rentz was the greatest High School player I have ever seen,still.he could win no matter what. Was not big, nor strong nor fast but he had the heart of a lion.he was a winner beyond comparrison. "the No Defense for Larry Rentz" in the herald was there for a reason. National Champs for a reason. heplayed all sports and was great at everything. The Orange Bowl game against MMH was unreal. But norm for him. many greats from the sunshine stae but he should be on any list rather top 100 or top ten.

[gm]

1965 Miami High Stings

Joey Fernandez
Jack Massey
George Mekras
Richard Hormel

[Reggie]

Anyone remember ELVIS PEACOCK Miami Central 1973-74

[Jimmie Wilson]

Two of the best Linebackers in the state of Fla in 1977 David Little and Jimmie Wilson.
If this is base on Highschool performance these two guys were the best inside linebacker to come out of Fla.Other teams prepaired just for them.Great run stoppers

[Andy]

I understand that people will be upset if you leave certain players off. By and large the list looks good....

Remember, do even more research and you'd probably see that Freddie Miles (MSSH) was probably better than everyone of these guys. He was higher rated than Herschel Walker. Benched over 400lbs - approx. 4 times.
Ran over people, ran around people, ran past people...

Nice list, but Freddie Miles might have been better than every single person on this list. Again, different times produce different superstars, however, he could play now (bad life choices) and still have been a star, without question.

[Rashard]

I think a lot of the Miami and South Florida player got left off the list. A lot of times football player from south florida get forgotten simply because they beat up on each other some much. Players like Najeh Davenport, Santana Moss, OJ Jackson, Nate Webster, Shedrick Irving, the Davis brothers, Willie William (the best HS linbacker I've seen play period), Kenny Phillips, Standford Sammuels, Quin Grey, Chad Ochocinco Johnson, Bradley Jennings, and etc... I could go on for days. Anyone of these guys would have been the best players in their town had they lived anywhere else in Florida. However because they lived in the big city, we tend to overlook them.

By the way, although it been pretty recent, the Lakeland team from 04-06 deserve to be mentioned. The Pouncey twins, John Brown, and Chris Rainey, did wim three state championships in a row, and two national championships.

[cooke84]

yeah there is alot of south florida bias on here!!! How bout a few North Florida Ballers!!!

Pat Watkins - lincoln high
Antonio Cromartie - Lincoln High
Fred Rouse - Lincoln High
Gavin Dickey - Lincoln High
Seddrick Holloway - Lincoln High
Ernie Sims - North Florida Christian
Marcus Sims - North Florida Christian
Geno Hayes - Madison
Chris Thompson - Madison
Thaddeus Bullard - Suwannee
Matt Frier - Suwannee
Waymon Ford - Suwannee
Lynn Gross - Suwannee
Kelly Jennings - Suwannee
Kyler Hall - Suwannee
Andra Davis - Suwannee
Tywin Kalandyk - Suwannee
"Magic" Matt Jackson - Suwannee
Nigel Bradham - Wakulla

Those are just a few off the top of my head!!!

[isiah paul]

All I will say is Willie Green from Osceola High in Kissimmee, Fl. Check his stats, one of the best to ever come out of this state.

[Tony]

What about Tony L Smith LB/TE Miami Northwestern , Mark Irvin LB Miami Northwestern , Brett Perriman WR Miami Northwestern , Melvin Bratton RB Miami Northwestern ,Tommy Streeter S Miami Northwestern

[Merid Lehrman]

Why didnt Coral Gables high have at least one more good running back helping Tommy Warren, the best QB Gables ever had? Why wasnt the 1965 football team the best team ever? Why wasnt the 16 year old jr. fullback Merid Lehrman 6'0"176 lbs.who averaged 10.0 yds. per carry in the 1964 season(2 carries for 20yds.)back at about 190 lbs. and with the fastest start of any of the other backs running all over miami high? Lehrman never fumbled or missed a block in a game or practice!What happened was Nick Kotys wouldnt give Lehrman a pair of shoes that he coud possibly wear in order to force him off the team! Upon turning 17,Lehrman enlisted in the military to serve his country and earned a high school diploma through the united states armed forces institute at Bainbrige,MD.in Dec 1965.Nick Kotys didnt want a Lehrman at running back,so he got no Lehrman ,no win over Miami High,no state championship and no national championship! This wasnt fair to all of the players on the 1965 team who should have been national champs!

[jerry]

Mike Blatt and Cory Sawyer Key West boys Blatt held all records in s miami on offense