21-30

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Our fourth annual countdown of the top 100 football players in Tampa Bay — consisting of athletes who attend a public or private school in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco or Hernando counties. Past performances — spanning the fall, spring and summer — and promise of big things to come are all taken into consideration. Today: players 21 through 30.

Why we ranked him:

Stover has started on the offensive line since the second game of his freshman season. He has steadily improved and enjoyed a meteoric rise this spring with 18 offers from colleges, including Indiana, Iowa State and Rutgers. Last month, he committed to Virginia. Stover was part of a massive offensive line that allowed the Cobras to have three backs each rush for more than 700 yards last season. Three of those graduated, which means Stover is asked to be a leader on what will be a rebuilt line. “Grayson is football smart and he plays with a chip on his shoulder. His size and length is a great benefit of course,” Hudson coach Rob Mahler said. “He was an additional coach on the field this spring. He helped the youngsters as they got their feet wet.”

Why we ranked him:

Marcellus has been pushing defenders around since his freshman year. That’s when he discovered football and started playing for Jefferson. “I loved playing on the line immediately,” Marcellus said. “Something about playing on the line was awesome. What I like now is that the intensity level is so high when you have your hands on that dirt. It just gets me pumped up for the next play.” That intensity has moved Marcellus to the top of the list of area offensive linemen. Marcellus, who tries to pattern his game after Dallas Cowboys lineman Tyron Smith, has offers from schools like Miami, Virginia Tech, South Carolina and Wake Forest. More are sure to come. With a talented cast around him, Marcellus will be relied on in the running game as well as pass protection for fellow junior Cade Weldon.

Five things to know about Laurent:

1. A year after leading the Hawks in receiving as a sophomore (580 yards, five TDs), Laurent was dismissed from Armwood for disciplinary reasons and played at Charlotte High School in Punta Gorda. There he led the Fightin’ Tarpons with 881 yards and six touchdowns. The biggest thing he learned about his year away? “Things are different at Armwood,” he said. “People don’t appreciate what Coach Cal does, but he does a lot for us compared to other schools.”

2. Coach Sean Callahan is thrilled by Laurent’s return, because the veteran coach believes Laurent is the best football player on the team, high praise coming from a program usually stacked with talent. “He has all the things you would look for except size,” Callahan said. “So he plays with a chip on his shoulder. And he needs to keep that chip right on that shoulder, too.”

3. At 5-foot-8, Laurent is a bit undersized for a college receiver. He has five offers, mostly from Division I-AA schools.

4. The Hawks have already felt Laurent’s return, as the rising senior had a big day at the Battle of the Bay 7-on-7 tournament June 27. Laurent scored the winning touchdown in both the semifinal and championship game for the Hawks. “I saw the cornerback just came from offense. I was like, ‘Hey, Coach, the stop and go’s going to kill him,’ because I’ve been running stop routes the whole time,” Laurent said of his winning touchdown in the final against Jefferson. “I just called it. I knew I was going to catch it. They call me clutch man.”

5. Laurent will likely be leaned on more than usual this season after last year’s leading receiver, Cordell Pimienta (466 yards, 12 TDs), transferred to Lennard in the offseason. Laurent said filling the shoes of his former teammate is just another challenge he’s ready to take on.

Why we ranked him:

Hampton is a solid receiver who was third on the team last season in receptions (30) and receiving yards (591). He is even better as a defensive back, where his speed, coverage skills and tackling ability make him the total package. When he’s on his game, his half of the field might as well be roped off, because no quarterback will risk throwing over there. And when a quarterback does throw his way, watch out. Hampton picked off four passes to go along with 51 tackles last season. He has 13 offers according to 247Sports, including Iowa, Pittsburgh, USF and Virginia. This season, Hampton said his goal is to record 10 interceptions and return four of them for touchdowns.

For the past three seasons, Lofton has showcased an assortment of moves as he wriggled his way past defenders on big plays.

Last year, though, Lofton put up modest numbers with just 227 yards rushing and 200 receiving. That was due to an ankle injury that left him hobbled most of the season.

“I could have been way better last year,” Lofton said. “I missed a couple of games and when I played, it was only about a quarter or so. It was real frustrating.”

Lofton vowed to come back this season stronger, focused and injury-free.

“I’ve just been training harder,” Lofton said. “I did beach workouts to strengthen my ankles. I did speed drills, acceleration drills. I went to Clearwater Beach and did cone drills by myself. It helped a lot.”

In the spring, Lofton was back in form, scoring two touchdowns in a jamboree against Plant and Robinson.

“It’s a big year for me,” Lofton said. “I don’t have any offers and that’s probably because I was hurt. I want to rush for 1,000 yards this season. That’s probably my biggest goal.”

Why we ranked him:

Oladokun, a USF commit, has shown flashes of brilliance in the past couple years, recording 2,003 yards and 23 touchdowns (with just three interceptions) as a starter for Alonso his sophomore season. Last year he saw a dip in his numbers playing alongside an inexperienced offensive line, but time will tell if Oladokun’s transfer to the Gryphons — who boast an offensive line that helped Ray Ray McCloud III become Hillsborough County’s all-time leading rusher last season — will help him return to dominance. Oladokun’s presence could mean a lot for the rest of the Gryphons’ skill players, who are eager to link up with the Division I recruit. “We have about four kids right now that are 6-foot-3 and over that are all fast,” coach Brian Turner said of Oladokun’s transfer. “They’re definitely excited to have a guy of his caliber who has done what he’s done.”

You recently committed to Syracuse. What did you like about it?

“When I went up there it was fun and great. I love the coaches. It’s a great school. I think it’ll be a great place for me to go.”

Where does the nickname Scoop come from?

“It comes from my dad. He’s called Scoop, too. My younger brother, he has the same name, Johayward Bradshaw. Me, my dad and my younger brother are all Johayward Bradshaw. My little brother, he goes by Malik.”

What has been your favorite memory at Plant?

“Back to when I played my sophomore year at Sandy Creek, Ga. (a tie in overtime). It was just fun. I miss playing with those guys that year. That was my best game at Sandy Creek, because it was fun and we had a comeback that game.”

What’s your favorite movie?

“Don’t be a Menace to South Central. That’s the best movie ever. I think people should go watch that movie.”

What are you most looking forward to about going to Syracuse?

“I’m most excited about a different weather change. I just want to see snow for the first time. I’ve never seen snow before. I want to go up there and see snow. I’m ready to be cold. I’ve always been hot down here in Florida.”

Why we ranked him:

One of the most versatile athletes in the bay area, Whetzel can do a little bit of everything. Last season, he had 341 rushing yards and 102 receiving. Those numbers could have been higher but Whetzel was stuck in a logjam behind several senior skill players. He made a bigger impact on defense with 59 tackles and a team-high 10.5 sacks. Now Whetzel will hardly take a play off. Besides starting on both sides of the ball, Whetzel also is the holder and is on kickoff and punt coverage teams. In the offseason, he worked on building up his stamina, and he shed his anonymity after an impressive performance in the spring game against Citrus. He caught four passes for 91 yards, threw a 5-yard touchdown pass off a fake field goal and recorded two sacks. He has 13 offers from schools, including Iowa State, Louisville and USF.

By the numbers:

7 - Sacks as a defensive back last season

9 - Offers from Division I schools, including West Virginia, UCF, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Temple

19 - Touchdowns as a junior (16 rushing, three receiving)

44 - Career touchdowns

35 - Games played on the IRC varsity

2,283 - Total yards gained in three seasons at IRC

1,090 - Yards gained as a sophomore, tops on the team

Five things to know about Ryan:

1. In his first varsity season last year, Ryan came out with a bang, racking up 144 tackles, 52 for loss. Ryan admits his number surpassed his own expectations. “Going into the season, I just kind of wanted to get my shot and make the most of the shot that I got,” he said. “That shot came in the first game, the Armwood game, and I just kept going from there.”

2. Ryan is no stranger to Panther football. He grew up going to Plant games with his family, throwing the football around as a kid behind the bleachers. “Just being one of those guys that I looked up to as a little kid, it’s special,” he said.

3. Ryan has offers from Toledo, Western Michigan, Air Force, Southern Miss, Duquesne and Georgia State. His father, who was recruited as a linebacker before playing center, played at Western Michigan, giving Ryan an affinity for the Mid-American Conference. “I’d love to go play in the MAC,” he said. “That’s great football, and everyone I’ve met is just good people.”

4. Ryan said the biggest things he’s been working on are his speed and being more of a two-dimensional player. Ryan was pleased with his play against the run, but hopes to be more of a threat against the pass come August.

5. Unlike many defenders, Ryan said he doesn’t have a specific numbers of tackles or sacks he hopes to record this season. As long as the Panthers get a ring, he said, none of that matters. “The goal is a state championship. If my numbers get us there, then I’m there,” he said.

All photos: Times files