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Thursday, July 9, 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.

Five things to know about Nunn:

1. Nunn played in only three games last season due to a hyperextended knee. He caught six passes for 107 yards and also returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown in the opener against Hillsborough. “I am looking forward to getting my name back since my injury. I need to work hard and play aggressive,” Nunn said.

2. Nunn did not get to work much with quarterback Cade Weldon last season. But they have played together this summer in 7-on-7 and should know each other well by the start of the season. “My goal is to get over 1,000 yards receiving,” he said.

3. The player Nunn most tries to pattern his game after is Atlanta Falcons receiver Julio Jones. “I think the things I do best are jumping and catching the ball,” Nunn said.

4. Despite playing in only three games, Nunn has the third-highest receiving yards of all returning receivers (junior Terrell Jackson had 304 yards and fellow senior Mondreas Lofton had 200). Jefferson graduated six senior receivers.

5. Nunn is still waiting for his first Division I offer, mainly because of his reduced playing time in 2014. So far Georgia State has shown interest.

Why we ranked him:

A two-sport athlete, Allen has become more of a college prospect in football rather than basketball, especially after a breakout performance last season when he led the Packers in receiving yards (574) and tackles (73). His height, as well as his versatility, has helped him land eight offers from schools such as Alcorn State, Charleston Southern and Liberty. This season, Allen could become more of a focal point of the offense. “My goal this season is to get bigger and better every day and try to help my teammates get to states,” Allen said.

Five things to know about Chiaramonte:

1. Chiaramonte played at Calvary Christian last year and was third on the team in tackles (75). He also helped shore up a defense that was key to the Warriors’ making the playoffs for the first time.

2. The switch to Clearwater Central Catholic was made in January because he said it offered him a better opportunity of getting into college. He had to sit out the spring game against Clearwater because he transferred during the semester.

3. Chiaramonte also played baseball growing up. He gave up the sport last season to concentrate on getting a football scholarship. But this season, he plans to play baseball again.

4. The biggest thing Chiaramonte did in the offseason was bulk up in the weight room. He has gone from 225 pounds to 238. His bench press has increased from 245 to 315. There was some speed work mixed in, too. Chiaramonte’s time in the 40-yard dash has gone from a 4.9 to a 4.66.

5. Last month, Chiaramonte committed to Air Force. He comes from a military background. Four of Chiaramonte’s uncles have served in the Army, Air Force or Navy, with one still active.

Why we ranked him:

Fullwood, who transferred to East Bay from Sickles this summer, has the size to be a successful wide receiver, but he’s also got the moves. Though the Gryphons were led by Ray Ray McCloud III and a run-first offense last season, Fullwood was the spotlight of the receiving corps, totaling 577 yards on 17 receptions while scoring a touchdown (nine) more than half the times he touched the ball. Fullwood was also big for Sickles on defense, recording 34 tackles and a blocked field goal. The former Gryphon will be a huge asset to an East Bay squad that had just 306 yards receiving last season.

What NFL player do you most model your game after?

“It’d probably be (New York Jets receiver) Brandon Marshall. We’re actually the same height and he gets those catches that nobody thinks that he would, so that’s why I try to model myself after him.”

What were you able to learn from former Wharton WR Auden Tate (Florida State signee)?

“As soon as I got there we hit it off pretty good, and after that we’ve just been chilling ever since. When I first got here I learned a lot of stuff. I wasn’t as fast getting in and out of my breaks, but he taught me a few things, a few cheats just to get in and out of my breaks and stuff like that.”

What is something about yourself your teammates would be surprised to learn?

“Sometimes I collect quarters, from different states. I have this board at home where I just collect quarters. Right now I just need two more, and I’m good.”

How old were you when you started playing football?

“I was 9 or 10. My first team, I was in North Carolina at the time, was the Vikings.”

What brought you to Florida?

“Both of my parents are in the military, and they love Florida. My mom’s in the Air Force and my dad’s in the Army. …I was excited to move. I was just ready to get out of the cold, to be honest.”

What are you looking for in a college football program?

“I’m just looking for a school where I feel at home. The coaches, they’re going to act like they embrace you. But once you actually get there, they’re like, ‘Okay, who are you?’ I don’t like that. I just want to make sure if I choose a college, I’m going to stick with it for the next four years.”

By the numbers:

1,801 - Yards passing last season, which set a school record

16 - Touchdown passes in his career

2 - Older siblings who played for the Cougars — Jimbo and Cody

1 - Sibling who is now on the coaching staff. Jimbo, the signal caller at the school from 2008-09, is now the quarterbacks coach

0 - Playoff appearances in Chmelik’s career

Why we ranked him:

Hampton’s numbers say it all. Last year as a junior, he led the Gryphons with 133 tackles, 38 more than the next-best defender, while recording 10 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles. He’s also got speed, evidenced by his 52-yard interception return last season. The three-year starter, who has offers from Gardner-Webb and Bryant, should again be the focal point of the Gryphon defense.

Carlson grew up around football. His father, Jeff, was a quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots in the early 1990s. He remembers throwing with his dad for countless hours prior to attending Tampa Catholic.

“Growing up I was a quarterback so my dad and I trained and threw a lot together,” Carlson said. “But coming into high school, I made the switch to wide receiver/tight end.”

Carlson played sparingly as a sophomore and caught only three passes in seven games last season. But with his size, he is expected to be an offensive threat when the Crusaders aren’t handing off to Nate Craig-Myers. He said his future is likely as a tight end and he has picked up an offer from Jacksonville State.

Carlson will get more offers, but he’s focused on having team success in his final season.

“Our team has every aspect of a state champion,” Carlson said. “The coaches and players are together. If we can come together this offseason, we can be one of the toughest teams out there.”

Keaton-Baldwin has spent most of his two years on varsity on the defensive side, accruing 126 tackles while taking handoffs here and there on offense.

In his final year with the Panthers, though, Keaton-Baldwin is looking forward to an increased role in the run game, an area he hopes will lead to more exposure to colleges.

Keaton-Baldwin will help fill the shoes of Patrick Brooks, the Panthers’ go-to running back who accounted for 2,331 rushing yards over two seasons. Keaton-Baldwin said he’s learned a few tricks of the trade from his older teammate, a Southern Miss signee.

“Patrick taught me a lot. I’ve been with him a lot and everything,” said Keaton-Baldwin, who is aiming for 20 touchdowns and 2,000 yards rushing this season. “Just seeing how he was really explosive in the run game, I learned a lot of things. He coached me up pretty nice.”

Quarterback Rex Culpepper, who has added 15 pounds in the offseason to make himself more durable for the run game, should also help carry the load. Still, Culpepper is excited about the prospect of having someone like Keaton-Baldwin to hand off to.

“There’s a couple plays in the spring game where Tykese got the ball, and there wasn’t anybody that was going to tackle him,” Culpepper said. “The difference between him and Patrick is Tykese has that speed. He runs a 4.4, so once he breaks away, he’s going to go.”

By the numbers:

95 - Tackles as a junior

14.5 - Sacks in 2014, most in the state for Class 7A

25 Career tackles for loss

79 - Tackles as a sophomore

3 - Forced fumbles last season

All photos: Times files