Which Florida high school football team is poised for a playoff breakthrough?

We can forgive you if you didn't see Nease coming last fall.

After all, the Panthers won just two games in 2019 and 2020. Total.

But Nease beat rival Ponte Vedra to open the season, won five of their first six and advanced to the postseason. And they didn't just get into the playoffs, the Panthers stunned Spruce Creek and Niceville on the road before falling in the regional championship game.

Given the major shakeup with metro and suburban classes, this season could see even more teams bounce back from a tough season to make the postseason.

USA Today Florida Network reporters picked teams from around the state who missed the postseason in 2021 but could be playoff teams this fall.

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Big Bend

Last season, Chiles was a team that was in the mix for making the playoffs but needed a lot of help in order to get over that hump. They went 4-6 but could've easily gone 6-4 if they had held onto halftime leads in two games. This fall, the Timberwolves in not only return 95 percent of last year's team but nearly all of its top-end talent. In addition to a strong offensive line and experienced defense, senior running back Tre'avis Jones is back, having the chance to push for 2,000 rushing yards. This is a team that has made the quick switch from young to old very quickly and may be the most experienced team returning this fall in the Big Bend.  — Jack Williams, Tallahassee Democrat 

Bradenton-Sarasota

Port Charlotte High missed the playoffs last season by 2/100th of a percentage point (5.19 to 5.21 for Hudson High) in the FHSAA power rankings. This year the Pirates will have what it takes to crack the regionals, possibly as district champion. In a district with Braden River High, Southeast High and Parrish Community High, Port Charlotte returns its starting quarterback Bryce Eaton for his senior season. Eaton has a number of solid weapons, including junior running back Edd Guerrier and junior wide receiver Jamal Streeter. — Dennis Maffezzoli, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Daytona Beach

DeLand made a gigantic splash by hiring former Apopka head coach Rick Darlington, a three-time FHSAA state champion, and luring him back from Enterprise High in Alabama. Few people know how to get a team to the tournament quite like Darlington. He won 30 playoff games and seven regional titles in 17 years in charge of the Blue Darters. But it's more than just who's in charge that makes DeLand an attractive playoff pick. QB TJ Moore, ATH Javon Ross and DL MJ Smokes earned All-Area honors as sophomores, and they should all fit seamlessly into new schemes. On paper, District 9-4S should come down to the Bulldogs and Spruce Creek. — Chris Boyle, Daytona Beach News-Journal

Fort Lauderdale

Blanche Ely coach Mike Bailey has done an absolute wonderful job this offseason building a team to win the district and make a possible playoff run. Ely went 1-9 last fall, but after adding multiple pieces including Harlem Howard, a three-star safety with multiple FBS offers the Tigers have big aspirations to make playoff run. Harlem leads the defense this year coming off an insane junior campaign where he recorded 10 interceptions. The defense also has two ferocious senior defensive tackles in Kamari Frederick and Raquan Pericles. Offensively, they are led by elusive senior quarterback Nahcoy Daniels, senior receiver Marcus Williams and rising junior receiver Marcel Williams. The offensive line is anchored by massive Alabama State commit Jayvin James  and Lebron Peete. Ely is coming off a preseason scrimmage win against reigning state champion Cardinal Gibbons, putting the entire state on alert that something in brewing down in Pompano Beach. — Quinten Lambert, Special to the USA Today Network

Fort Myers

The Metro-Suburban change has put North Fort Myers in prime position to contend in the postseason again after a down year. Despite finishing 5-5 last season, North Fort Myers will compete against three teams that finished with losing records in Cape Coral, Mariner and Island Coast. Florida A&M commit Bo Summersett will return for his senior year and could be a brutal combination on the Red Knight offense with Andre Devine, Noel Devine's son who averaged 82 yards a game last season. Head coach Dwayne Mack, who led the team to an undefeated regular season two years ago, expressed that a healthier roster will go a long way for North this year. — Dustin Levy, Fort Myers News-Press

Gainesville

Gonna go awfully bold here, but Williston — yes, the team that won one game last season — is gearing up for a big fall after bringing Robbie Pruitt to the sideline. Pruitt, who has seven state titles in Florida and one in Georgia, arrived to Williston and brought an army of quality assistants with him. Williston's freshly hired staff proved the saying "build it and they will come" true. Since the staff's arrival, Williston has been on the receiving end of a number of quality transfers like Shooby Coleman, who was Gainesville's starting quarterback last season, and Kyree Edwards, who was Gainesville's bell cow running back. The Red Devils compete in the ever competitive rural classification, but Williston is piecing together a strong roster and now has leadership that knows how to win. — Ainslie Lee, The Gainesville Sun

Jacksonville

As first-year head coach Toby Bullock takes over, there’s a bit of a culture change at Mandarin. If they can put the pieces together on defense, their offense should be able to win them enough games to make it to the postseason this year. Bolstered by a talented receiving core including Liberty commit Jeremiah Shack and Class of 2025 standout Jaime French, Mandarin has the talent to be one of the top schools in Jacksonville. Quarterback Tramell Jones enters his sophomore year with offers from Florida and Florida State coming in over the summer and could take a big step to establish himself as a top-rated gunslinger in the state. Mandarin’s schedule features almost a weekly tough, traditional playoff team. If the Mustangs can make it through the gauntlet, they’ll be the playoff favorite from District 1-4M. — Juston Lewis, Florida Times-Union

Miami

Producing elite talent is no stranger to Miami Norland. They’ve had historical greats like Antonio Brown, Xavier Rhodes and Duke Johnson just to a name a few. With the area being filled with talent year in and year out like these players, Norland is always in the mix when you hear “playoffs,” but that also was the story last year. Norland went 5-5 and fell short  which is extremely disappointing for the team itself and community around Miami Norland. This year, the program is hoping for a different outcome. A roster that has legitimate Power 5 players and a favorable schedule, and this is a team that will sneak into the Class 2A metro playoffs. Norland is led by transfer 2025 quarterback Ennio Yapoor, who is looked at as one the top underclassmen quarterbacks in the area. The offense also has two high-powered athletes in Javin Simpkins, a four-star Georgia Tech commit, and explosive junior athlete Isaiah Scott . Defensively they are led by Colorado commit DB Jamari Holliman and fiery edge rusher Jeremiah Marcellin. Keep a close eye on this very underrated roster down in Miami. — Quinten Lambert, Special to the USA Today Network

Naples

Look, you can likely sharpie in Gulf Coast for a playoff spot here. Their three-team district in Class 4S-District 16 features Immokalee and Palmetto Ridge, who both have first-year head coaches and are rebuilding. Gulf Coast quarterback Konner Barrett has his top two receivers back in Joseph Miller and Jack Griffith, both of whom should be building off solid junior seasons. The defense features Henry Takacs, younger brother of former Notre Dame and current Boston College tight end George Takacs. There's little room for the Sharks to come up short after a 4-6 campaign last year. – Alex Martin, Naples Daily News

Northeast Florida

Middleburg has recorded a grand total of one winning season in the last 30 years and went winless just two years ago — not a traditional playoff resume. But the Broncos jumped from 0-10 in 2020 to 5-5 in 2021 under head coach Ryan Wolfe, and they return one of the state's fastest-rising prospects in Times-Union Super 11 running back Mike Mitchell. The Utah commit, who packs 10.8 speed in the 100-meter dash, rushed for 1,378 yards and 18 touchdowns in an injury-shortened eight-game junior season. Several other units, notably the linebackers, appear solid as well. Columbia's Tigers are the big cats in District 3-3S, but for the first time in a while, postseason football feels within reach for Middleburg. —Clayton Freeman, Florida Times-Union

Northwest Florida

In 2014, a 19-15 loss to national powerhouse Armwood is all that separated Choctawhatchee from playing for a state title. They've won just one playoff game since. 2020's 0-8 campaign was a low point, but the Big Green emerged last year reinvigorated under Frank Beasley to finish 6-4. This year, Power 5 tailback Cole Tabb returns on a mission to top 2,000 rushing yards, Jesse Winslette looks the part of a D1 QB, Jayce Brown (offered by Kansas State) is the area's best wideout and the defense has a slew of playmakers led by Jashawn Armstrong and David Pettway. The shift to District 1-3S will only help what appears to be a deep playoff run for the Big Green. — Seth Stringer, NWF Daily News

Orlando

With the move to Metro, quite a few teams in Orange and Seminole counties face daunting tasks to crack the postseason. For example, Seminole, Lake Mary, Lake Brantley and Apopka are all grouped together in a brutally difficult District 2-4M. Then there's Oviedo, which could not have dreamed a better draw and returns 15 of its 22 offensive and defensive starters. The Lions have four offensive linemen back, including highly touted, 6-foot-4, 270-pound junior Tye Hylton, as well as 1,000-yard rusher DJ Scott. He will share the running load with fellow senior Omari Muhammad-Wyatt. Oviedo pummeled three of its new district rivals — Winter Springs, Lake Howell and Lyman — last season by a combined score of 137-13. — Chris Boyle, Daytona Beach News-Journal

Palm Beach

Returning lead running back David Duong and offering a strong arm in Quincy Rowe opposite sophomore receiver Waden Charles, Somerset Academy-Canyons can maximize the offense it started to develop in four late season wins againstthe four-game losing streak that opened the 2021 cycle.

Charles' freshman campaign – including one rushing touchdown, six receiving, and another on defense – signaled to Palm Beach County that despite only being established six seasons ago, Somerset-Canyons is closer than ever to the 'finished' phase of rebuild.  Yes, the Cougars lost some key seniors, but the core of what they brought to the table last year was underclassmen talent and good young guys at that.

Being reclassified into a Class 2M-District 10 – Palm Beach's lone district where it's truly anyone's title to win – local athletes are starting to believe Somerset-Canyons' could post their second winning record in program history, making depth and a bad attitude far less of a concern for the Cougars than years past. — Emilee Smarr, The Palm Beach Post

Pasco

River Ridge was no stranger to the playoffs during their time under the watch Ryan Benjamin, but he’s now out as head coach and former Lake Brantley defensive coordinator Greg Miller is in. River Ridge had qualified for the playoffs six out of the last eight seasons and have the talent to get back to the dance. With Miller guiding the way and some talent at the skill positions, they are primed to compete for a district title in Class 3A-Suburban, District 6. — Andy Villamarzo, Special to the USA Today Network 

Pensacola

This is an easy one. Compiling a 45-11 record during the five previous seasons under head coach Mike Bennett, Escambia High has only missed the playoffs once. Following a slow start in 2021, the Gators ripped off wins in their last four contests to finish the year at 6-3. However, when it came to the postseason, they were just on the outside looking in after placing ninth in Region 1-6A with an RPI rating of .569, just .01 points behind Rickards for the region's final at-large bid. This season, Escambia has added reinforcements in the name of senior quarterback Ammiel Steele and junior athlete TyQwan Stabler, each transferring over the offseason. Speedy senior wide receiver Akeem Stokes is the team's top offensive weapon while senior offensive lineman Alfred Washington, junior defensive back Trevion Killette and senior defensive lineman Jiquez Minor are other impact players to watch. — Patrick Bernadeau, Pensacola News Journal 

St. Augustine

St. Johns County has at least two legitimate options — St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra. St. Aug missed the playoffs last fall for the first time since 1997, but head coach Brian Braddock is excited about a huge, talented crop of 2024 and '25 grads. If the Jackets can survive a grueling opening month, they should give Gainesville a run for its money in District 4-3S. Ponte Vedra enters its second year under head coach Steve Price, and the Sharks are physically imposing in the trenches. They hit their stride in the second half of last year and are part of a wide-open, three-time District 4-4S with rival Nease and Flagler Palm Coast. — Chris Boyle, St. Augustine Record

Space Coast

Eau Gallie suffered through a “down” season last year after its best year in history in 2020. The Commodores won just three games in 2021, having won seven and reaching the regional final the previous year. Top talent returns this year, including Miami-bound defensive back Robert Stafford. Other Division I offers have gone to defensive lineman Jude Tinor and defensive back Curlie Spencer. - Brian McCallum, Florida Today

Tampa-St. Petersburg

Remember those Bob Weiner-led Plant teams? Yeah, we do too and the Panthers are a ways from being the perennial state championship level type program they used to be. The silver lining here, though, is Plant went 6-4 last year and in a new District 7-4M and only one team (Plant City) made the playoffs last year. In one of the more wide open districts around, the Panthers have a viable shot to get themselves back to the playoffs for the first time since 2018. — Andy Villamarzo, Special to the USA Today Network

Treasure Coast

Consistency is what Jensen Beach head coach Tim Caffey is hopeful he'll see out of his Falcons in 2022 after a 3-6 season last year in which all six opponents they lost to made the state playoffs. Many young players earned valuable experience last season going up against the likes of teams including Plantation American Heritage, Boynton Beach and Benjamin and this year Jensen Beach has a much more manageable district with its competition and the travel to and from on its schedule. With Port St. Lucie, a district champion last season, and county rival South Fork in a three-team District 12-3S, the Falcons have skill position players and depth they've lacked in recent seasons to out-man most teams on its schedule. Seniors Nick Venezia and Ryland Hauser will be downfield threats on offense and junior running back Dennis Palmer, Jr. is bound for a breakout season. On defense, seniors Jamari Marshall in the secondary and linebacker Malachi Harriel bring experience and physicality to the table and sophomore defensive end Julius Puryear has a chance to one of the Treasure Coast's budding stars by year's end. — Bryan Cooney, TCPalm

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida high school football: Which teams are poised for playoffs?