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HomeTeam 25: Top football players in class of 2018

Here are the Tampa Bay athletes that should do big things at the next level.
Berkeley Prep senior Nicholas Petit-Frere will decide on his future college on national signing day, Feb. 7. (Times file)
Berkeley Prep senior Nicholas Petit-Frere will decide on his future college on national signing day, Feb. 7. (Times file)
Published Jan. 25, 2018

Befitting a team that was nationally ranked and reached the Class 6A state title game, Armwood is well-represented on the area's list of top prospects for the class of 2018. The Hawks, who could end up with as many as 12 seniors signing Feb. 7, have five of the top 10 players in this year's class. Berkeley Prep's Nicholas Petit-Frere, rated the fifth-best player nationally by 247Sports, is the headliner of the group. Petit-Frere and Cambridge Christian's Richard Gouraige are both offensive linemen, a position that has featured some of the area's best players in the past five years.

1. OL Nicholas Petit-Frere, Berkeley Prep (6-6, 272): Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State

RELATED: Football's a slam dunk for Petit-Frere

2. RB Brian Snead, Armwood (5-11, 200): Signed with Ohio State

RELATED: Unfinished business in Orlando for Snead

3. OL Richard Gouraige, Cambridge Christian (6-5, 271): Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Mississippi

RELATED: Gouraige soaks up Under Armour experience

4. ATH Jerome Ford, Armwood (5-11, 195): Signed with Alabama

5. WR Warren Thompson, Armwood (6-3, 200): FSU, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee

6. DB Amari Burney, Calvary Christian (6-1, 215): Early enrollee at Florida

RELATED: Different coach, same commitment for Burney

7. DL Malcolm Lamar, Armwood (6-5, 250): Alabama, Florida, FSU, Oregon

8. DB Isaiah Bolden, Wesley Chapel (6-2, 175): Signed with FSU

9. DB Jordan Miner, Wiregrass Ranch (6-1, 183): Signed with Penn State

RELATED: Penn State getting quality player

10. LB James Miller, Armwood (6-1, 225): FSU, Miami, Oregon, USF

RELATED: One little brother, one tough disease bond rivals

11. DL Judge Culpepper, Plant (6-5, 256): Signed with Penn State

12. QB Michael Penix, Tampa Bay Tech (6-2, 195): Signed with Indiana

RELATED: Penix chooses Indiana

13. DB Ken Montgomery, Hillsborough (6-1, 155): Louisville, Maryland, Nebraska, Penn State

14. DL Jonathan King, Tampa Bay Tech (6-2, 240): Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Oregon

15. ATH Patrick Jolly, Newsome (6-1, 177): Committed to UCLA

RELATED: Jolly juggles football, track with aplomb

16. LB Micah McFadden, Plant (6-1, 220): Signed with Indiana

RELATED: McFadden continues bay area recruits' love of Indiana 

17. DB Anthony Johnson, St. Petersburg (6-0, 170): Signed with Iowa State

18. DL Mayan Ahanotu, Berkeley Prep (6-3, 246): Signed with Minnesota

19. WR Zion Roland, Admiral Farragut (5-11, 184): Signed with USF

20. LB Khalan Tolson, Admiral Farragut (6-0, 200): Signed with Illinois

21. TE Justin McGriff, Jefferson (6-5, 210): Signed with Nebraska

22. DB Kendrick Torain, Jesuit (6-2, 195): Louisville, Maryland, Nebraska, USF

23. RB Andrew Cunningham (6-1, 215): Alabama, LSU, Louisville, Oklahoma

24. WR Calvin Lockett, Largo (6-2, 160): Signed with Iowa

25. DL Habakkuk Baldonado, Clearwater Academy (6-5, 230): Illinois, Michigan State, Nebraska, Pittsburgh