Recruiting: Top individual matchups to watch during spring football games

From a fan’s perspective, spring games and jamborees can be a mixed bag.

Sure, you get to see your favorite team play a real opponent for the first time in six months. But the games obviously don’t count in the standings and there’s not much value in reading into the results.

Most teams spend the spring focused on themselves and not too worried about their opponent, so game plans and matchups aren’t what they’ll look like in the fall.

More: USA Today Top 100: Welcome to the Year of the Wide Receiver

More: Recruiting: Killian LB Stanquan Clark headlines top performers from Gardens jamboree

But there will be times that top recruits line up against each other and those should be a lot of fun to watch.

Here’s a look at some of the top individual matchups to keep an eye on this spring:

Headliners

Edgewater 2023 RB Cedric Baxter Jr. vs. Osceola 2023 DLs John Walker and Derrick LeBlanc (May 19)

Talk about star power. Baxter is the No. 1 ranked running back in the state on the USA Today Florida Network top 100. Walker and LeBlanc are the No. 1 and No. 3 interior linemen, respectively, on the list. This matchup doesn’t need a whole lot of analysis. Just grab some popcorn, get your camera ready and enjoy the show.

Lakeland 2023 WR Tyler Williams vs. Venice 2023 DB Elliot Washington (May 19)

These are two of the top rising seniors in the state from two of the premier programs in the state. The 6-foot-4 Williams (No. 27 top 100) recently announced his top 10 schools. Washington (No. 25 top 100) is an Alabama commit and anchors the talented Venice secondary.

More: Exclusive: Lakeland 4-star WR Tyler Williams announces his Top 10 schools

Rockledge 2023 OL Bryce Lovett vs. Jones 2023 EDGE/LB Malik Bryant (May 27)

Lovett (No. 86 top 100) announced his commitment to Florida on Monday. The 6-foot-6, 330-pounder has good mobility for someone his size and can line up at tackle or guard. Jones (No. 9) is one of the premier linebackers/edge rushers in the nation and will be playing his first game at Jones since leaving IMG.

More: Exclusive: Jones 4-star LB Malik Bryant announces his Top 5 schools

Tampa Bay Tech 2025 WR Santonyo Isaac vs. Wharton 2023 DB Dijon Johnson (May 19)

Isaac had a breakout freshman season in 2021, finishing second in receiving yards on a Titans team that reached the Class 7A state championship game. He’s seen his recruitment take off the past six months. Johnson (No. 18 top 100) committed to Ohio State on Easter. He’s a long, physical defensive back who has good ball skills and can line up at cornerback or safety.

Wiregrass Ranch 2023 WR Bryson Rodgers vs. Berkeley Prep 2025 ATH Dallas Golden

Rodgers (No. 53 top 100) also verbally committed to Ohio State on Easter. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound receiver was used both in the slot and outside last season, when he caught 42 passes for 645 yards and 17 touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound Golden has picked up offers from Florida State, Pitt and others this spring. He had 23 tackles, broke up four passes and recovered a fumble in 12 games in 2021.

Maybe it will happen …

Buchholz 2023 ATH Creed Whittemore vs. Vanguard 2024 ATH Fred Gaskin III (May 19)

This will be a fun matchup to watch. Well, it could be. If it happens. Here’s the thing. Whittemore (No. 88 top 100, Florida commit) is going to play wide receiver for the Gators but he’s a quarterback now. Gaskin, who likely projects as a defensive back in college, also plays quarterback in high school. You never know how much coaches will dabble with trying players – especially quarterbacks – at different positions in the spring. But there is a chance we see these two line up across from each other in the spring game.

Other matchups to watch

Bartram Trail 2024 QB Riley Trujilo vs. Columbia 2023 DB Amare Ferrell (May 20)

Trujilio has a half-dozen Power 5 offers; Ferrell is No. 94 on the top 100

Orange Park OT Roderick Kearney vs. Ocoee 2023 EDGE Calvin Smith (May 19)

Kearney is No. 33 on the top 100; Smith has more than a dozen Power 5 offers

Nease 2023 QB Marcus Stokes vs. Ed White 2023 DB Davaugn Patterson (May 20)

Stokes (No. 57 top 100) is committed to Penn State; Patterson is committed to Wake Forest

Jesuit 2023 RB Joquez Smith vs. Palmetto 2023 DL Andrew Rumph (May 20)

Smith has three Power 5 offers; Rumph has four Power 5 offers

Bayside 2023 WR Michael Parkes vs. Mainland 2024 S Zavier Mincey (May 20)

Parkes is an Iowa State commit; Mincey has eight Power 5 offers

Choctawhatchee 2023 WR Jayce Brown vs. Niceville 2023 CB Jayden Sheppard (May 19)

Brown’s offers include Air Force and Army; Sheppard has a handful of Power 5 offers

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Recruiting: The best individual matchups to watch in spring games