Spring Football Preview: Pensacola’s Rising Talent
The Pensacola area is buzzing as high school football teams gear up for a slate of spring games that will serve as a showcase for offseason progress and a magnet for college recruiters.
At Pensacola Catholic, the focus is on building physical strength after a regional final loss, with senior quarterback Jaylen Brown and safety Jayden Coleman returning to lead the charge.
Meanwhile, Pine Forest’s Otha Thomas and Navarre’s Ezekial Burgess are among the state’s most coveted senior prospects, each having attracted multiple offers from Power 4 programs.
Pace running back Makael Williams recently earned his first Power 4 offer from Cincinnati, while defensive standouts Tristain Henderson and Kamarion Jordan are also drawing attention from top programs.
The transfer portal has already moved four all‑area players, including Charles Benson, who left West Florida for Booker T. Washington, and Pace, which added three impact transfers such as offensive lineman Beau Browder and athletes Char’son Floyd and Tyler Floyd.
Coaches are also in the spotlight, with seven heads entering their second year, including Doug Vickery at Northview, who is trying to sustain momentum after back‑to‑back wins, and Milton’s Ronnie Douglas, who is laying a foundation despite graduating 24 seniors.
The spring schedule, running from May 14 to May 22, will feature marquee matchups like Pensacola Catholic at Niceville and Pace hosting Gulf Breeze, promising plenty of drama before the fall season kicks off.