Nature Coast LB/TE Brady Nowlan – 6’2” 205 pounds
If you watched Nature Coast play this year, you know who this young man is and what he brings to the table. Brady rarely came off of the field for the Sharks. While playing inside linebacker this season, he accumulated 118 total tackles, 64 solo, 9 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, 4 pass break-ups, 4 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery. He is a very intelligent kid and it shows through in his play. He reads plays quickly and finds the football in a hurry. He is physical and a sound tackler. As a tight end, he had 462 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. Nature Coast was a run-heavy offense as usual, but Brady proved to be a very reliable target when they went to the air as he averaged 16 yards per catch. We should be seeing his name pop up quite a bit this off-season.
Brady Nowlan’s Junior Highlights
Lakeland DB Dontay Joyner – 6’ 170 pounds
Joyner was an impact player on defense for the Dreadnaughts this season. He finished his junior year with 79 total tackles, 40 solo, 7 tackles for loss, 4 pass break-ups, and 7 interceptions with 1 being returned for a touchdown. He also pitched in on special teams with 1 blocked punt and 1 blocked field goal. He is an active and instinctive player who moves really well. His ball-skills are solid and he isn’t afraid to come up and hit ball carriers. His effort on special teams is excellent also, which is invaluable. I love seeing guys get after it on special teams. Lakeland has a good one here.
Dontay Joyner’s Junior Highlights
Land O’Lakes WR/CB Kennen Ayala – 5’10” 165 pounds
Ayala was a big-play machine for the Gators this season. The speedy receiver caught 42 passes for 1,170 yards and 16 touchdowns. He averaged 27.9 yards per catch. He has great hands and knows how to find the end zone. Defensively, he had 17 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 1 fumble recovery. Ayala is a multiple sport athlete, so he will be busy this off-season. Playing basketball and running track will keep him in shape and build on his athleticism and speed. It is also important to note that Land O’Lakes quarterback Kyle Horvath is only a sophomore, so this explosive combination will be back again next fall. Ayala will have an opportunity to improve on these numbers significantly.