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  • TCPalm | Treasure Coast Newspapers

    Florida high school football Week 2: What are the best individual recruiting matchups?

    By Jon Santucci, Treasure Coast Newspapers,

    10 hours ago

    The second week of the high school football season features several big-time recruiting matchups, highlighted by some of the top players in the class of 2026.

    The list includes Vero Beach offensive lineman Micah "Champ" Smith going up against Buchholz edge rusher Nicolas Clayton (Wisconsin commit), Pace offensive lineman Grant Wise against Pensacola Catholic edge rusher Trenton Henderson and Benjamin linebacker Adam Balogoun-Ali taking on Jesuit and Notre Dame running back commit Justin Thurman.

    Other top matchups include new Florida commit Naeshaun Montgomery against Maryland commit Jett White, and Winston Watkins Jr. against Penn State commit Antonito Branch Jr. in the highly anticipated matchup of Miami Northwestern at Venice.

    Here's a look at some of the best potential matchups of elite recruits going head-to-head to watch in Week 2.

    (Note: All rankings are 247Sports composite rankings unless otherwise noted.)

    Watch the best high school football games in Florida

    IMG 2025 WR Donovan Olugbode vs. Bergen Catholic 2026 DB Jordan Thomas

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0uWHF4_0vDrEiOA00

    Olugbode, a four-star recruit, is No. 14 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 12 wide receiver in the nation. He is committed to Missouri. Thomas, a four-star recruit, is the No. 3 recruit in New Jersey and the No. 19 cornerback in the class of 2026. Thomas’ offers include Florida, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame and Ohio State.

    Palm Beach Central 2025 WR Waden Charles vs. West Boca 2026 CB Jaydin Broadnax

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2t5PpL_0vDrEiOA00

    Charles , a four-star recruit, is No. 41 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 16 athlete in the nation. He is committed to UCF. Broadnax , a four-star recruit, is the No. 23 cornerback in the nation and No. 286 overall recruit in the class of 2026. His offers include Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Michigan and Penn State.

    Venice 2025 WR Winston Watkins Jr. vs. Miami Northwestern 2025 S Antonio Branch Jr.

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3bNUqZ_0vDrEiOA00

    Watkins , a four-star recruit, is No. 34 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 29 wide receiver in the nation. His offers include Indiana, Ole Miss and South Carolina. Branch, a three-star recruit, is No. 69 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 39 safety in the nation. He is committed to Penn State.

    Vero Beach 2026 OT Micah Smith vs. Buchholz 2025 EDGE Nicolas Clayton

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0vWV8P_0vDrEiOA00

    Smith , a four-star recruit, is the No. 6 interior offensive lineman in the nation and the No. 106 overall player in the nation in the 2026 class. His offers include Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Ohio State. Clayton , a three-star recruit, is No. 74 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 43 edge rusher in the nation. He is committed to Wisconsin.

    Pace 2026 OL Grant Wise vs. Pensacola Catholic 2026 EDGE Trenton Henderson

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0qQmjy_0vDrEiOA00

    Wise , a four-star recruit, is the No. 12 interior offensive lineman and the No. 165 overall recruit in the nation in the 2026 class. His offers include Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Miami and Ohio State. Henderson , a four-star recruit, is the No. 14 edge rusher and No 183 overall recruit in the nation in the 2026 class.

    Watch Pace OL Grant Wise vs. Pensacola Catholic EDGE Trenton Henderson

    Seminole 2026 QB Michael Clayton II vs. Heritage 2025 S Demetres Samuel Jr.

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0hgqcP_0vDrEiOA00

    Clayton, a three-star recruit, is the No. 26 quarterback and No. 385 overall recruit in the nation in the class of 2026. His offers include Auburn, Louisville, Miami, Michigan State and Nebraska. Samuel , a four-star recruit, is the No. 20 safety and No. 238 overall recruit in the nation. He is committed to Florida.

    Watch Seminole QB Michael Clayton vs. Heritage S Demetres Samuel

    Central 2025 WR Naeshaun Montgomery vs. Edison 2025 CB Jett White

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=31MV4i_0vDrEiOA00

    Montgomery , a four-star recruit, is No. 35 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 18 wide receiver in the nation. He is committed to Florida. White, a three-star recruit, is No. 60 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 45 cornerback in the nation. He is committed to Maryland.

    Jesuit 2025 RB Justin Thurman vs. Benjamin 2026 LB Adam Balogoun-Ali

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4Qr5SF_0vDrEiOA00

    Thurman, a four-star recruit, is No. 58 on the USA Today Florida Network top 100 and the No. 28 running back in the nation. Balogoun-Ali , a four-star recruit, is the No. 7 linebacker and No. 113 overall recruit in the 2026 class. His offers include Florida, Florida State, Kentucky, Miami and Penn State.

    Berkeley Prep 2025 ATH Dallas Golden vs. Booker 2026 ATH Chauncey Kennon

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3yjWKf_0vDrEiOA00

    Golden (No. 13 USA Today Florida Network top 100) is committed to Notre Dame; Kennon ’s offers include Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Michigan.

    Miami Palmetto 2025 WR Cameron Sapp vs. Booker T. Washington 2025 CB Ben Hanks Jr.

    Sapp’s offers include Georgia Tech, Maryland, Pitt, SMU and South Carolina; Hanks (No. 20 USA Today Florida Network top 100) is committed to Florida.

    Atlantic 2025 WR Teddy Hoffman vs. Jonesboro (Georgia) 2026 DB Jontavius Wyman

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3qwRnX_0vDrEiOA00

    Hoffman (No. 99 USA Today Florida Network top 100) is committed to Appalachian State; Wyman is committed to Georgia.

    Cocoa 2025 IOL Chavez Thompson vs. Mainland 2025 DL Christian Hudson

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4CkGj3_0vDrEiOA00

    Thompson’s offers include Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky, Tennessee and UCF; Hudson (No. 73 USA Today Florida Network top 100) is committed to UCF.

    Plant 2025 RB Waltez Clark vs. Gaither 2025 DL Antonio Henley

    Clark (No. 49 USA Today Florida Network top 100) is committed to Florida; Henley’s offers include Louisville, Maryland, Penn State, Syracuse and USF.

    Watch Plant RB Waltez Clark vs. Gaither DL Antonio Henley

    Community School 2025 ATH Jayce Cora vs. Cardinal Mooney 2025 CB Chris McCorkle

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2qqeNl_0vDrEiOA00

    Cora ’s offers include Boston College, Illinois, Louisville, Pitt and West Virginia; McCorkle (No. 51 USA Today Florida Network top 100) is committed to Kansas.

    Watch Community School ATH Jayce Cora vs. Cardinal Mooney CB Chris McCorkle

    Edgewater 2026 QB Carter Emanuel vs. The First Academy 2026 DB Devin Jackson

    Emanuel’s offers include Arkansas, UCF, USF and West Virginia; Jackson is committed to Florida.

    Watch Edgewater QB Carter Emanuel vs. The First Academy DB Devin Jackson

    Our Lady of Good Counsel 2025 WR Damarion Fowlkes vs. Columbus 2025 CB Bryce Fitzgerald

    Fowlkes is committed to Pitt; Fitzgerald (No. 50 USA Today Florida Network top 100) is committed to Miami.

    We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

    This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida high school football Week 2: What are the best individual recruiting matchups?

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