Florida high school football recruiting sees a trend of local players staying at their original schools despite transfer opportunities. The 2027 Top 100 list highlights these 'hometown heroes' who have chosen to finish their prep careers where they started.
Key points
Florida high school football recruits are increasingly transferring.
The 2027 Top 100 list honors players who stay at their original schools.
School choice has made transfers easier in Florida.
NIL opportunities attract athletes to different programs.
It can be easy for a recruit in today's landscape to leave for greener pastures.
High school prospects have always transferred in Florida, but it has never been easier to do so in 2026. The chance at more exposure, better facilities, tougher competition and even NIL opportunities make for an alluring pitch for athletes, and school choice has made the FHSAA's ability to police these transfers nonexistent.
Florida has a number of talent factories that pull in prospects from all over the state (some nationally), and we see many of the state's top players make the transfer year over year, even in the latest USA TODAY Florida Top 100 for 2027.
But not every player jumps at the opportunity to leave their local program. Today, it's almost an honorable decision to stay home, so we're honoring some of the top players in our Top 100 list that have done just that. We're calling them hometown heroes — recruits who are finishing their prep career at the same school they started at before blossoming into nationally ranked prospects.
Simmons appeared in a handful of games as a freshman at Godby before a standout sophomore campaign that saw him go for 996 yards and eight scores on 49 catches. As a junior, he caught 59 passes for 932 yards and 14 touchdowns. He tacked on 25 tackles, six PBU, and three picks on the other side of the ball. He enters his senior year as a top-10 player in the state with programs like Clemson, Auburn and his hometown Seminoles in hot pursuit.
Godby WR Jamarin Simmons (1)
Godby WR Jamarin Simmons (1)
Tramond Collins
Q&A
What is the significance of the 2027 Florida football recruiting Top 100 list?
The 2027 Florida football recruiting Top 100 list highlights local players who have chosen to remain at their original schools, showcasing a trend against the backdrop of increasing transfers.
Who are the 'hometown heroes' in Florida football recruiting?
'Hometown heroes' refers to recruits in the Top 100 list who have decided to finish their high school careers at the same school they started, emphasizing loyalty amidst transfer trends.
How has the transfer landscape changed for Florida high school football in 2026?
The transfer landscape has become more accessible due to school choice, allowing athletes to seek better opportunities, facilities, and NIL deals, leading to an increase in transfers.
What factors influence Florida high school football players to transfer?
Factors influencing transfers include the pursuit of more exposure, improved facilities, tougher competition, and potential NIL opportunities.
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Collins has done it all for Cottondale as soon as he made it to varsity. He started his freshman year with 655 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 30 catches with a pair of PBU and a forced fumble on the other side of the ball. As a sophomore, he carried the rock 31 times for 661 yards and nine scores, and added 402 yards and six more touchdowns on 13 catches. On defense, he tallied 33 tackles, an interception, and two fumble recoveries in the same year. His dominant junior campaign saw him post 600 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 14.6 yards per touch with another 613 yards and five touchdowns on 36 catches, plus 50 tackles and an interception to boot. He also has been a key piece of the Hornet's basketball team since his freshman year. Collins committed to Florida in March over his hometown Seminoles, Georgia, Alabama, and others.
Kyren Caldwell
Columbia WR
USA TODAY Florida Top 100 rank: No. 27 overall, No. 7 wide receiver
Caldwell caught 32 passes for 547 yards and five touchdowns in his sophomore year, earning offers from the likes of Florida, Wisconsin, USF and others in the following summer. A stellar junior campaign that saw him catch 48 passes for 701 yards and eight scores has had schools like Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and more come calling — but he remains with the Hornets.
Columbia WR Kyren Caldwell evades a tackle after a catch during their District 4A Regional semifinal football game at Choctaw. The Indians advanced to the regional final with a 27-20 win.
Columbia WR Kyren Caldwell evades a tackle after a catch during their District 4A Regional semifinal football game at Choctaw. The Indians advanced to the regional final with a 27-20 win.
Elias Pearl
Port Charlotte WR
USA TODAY Florida Top 100 rank: No. 32 overall, No. 8 wide receiver
Few have seen their recruitments explode like Pearl's who entered his senior offseason unranked by most major recruiting services, but is now a consensus 4-star that has been offered by Florida, Florida State, Auburn, LSU and others since being named Receiver MVP at the Rivals Miami camp. Despite the increased attention and opportunity, Pearl remains at Port Charlotte, where he earned varsity playing time as a freshman. He's appeared on both sides of the ball for the Pirates since his sophomore year, and he was foundational in his junior season where he caught 69 passes for 1,053 yards and 13 touchdowns with another 253 yards and 11 touchdowns on 40 carries.
Elias Pearl , #6, of Port Charlotte celebrates a touchdown during a game against Dunbar at Dunbar on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. Port Charlotte won.
Elias Pearl , #6, of Port Charlotte celebrates a touchdown during a game against Dunbar at Dunbar on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. Port Charlotte won.
Kaden Robinson-Vickers
Dunnellon DL
USA TODAY Florida Top 100 rank: No. 37 overall, No. 2 defensive lineman
Robinson-Vickers got 1.5 sacks in the books as a freshman, then followed it up with 6.0 sacks and 62 tackles as a sophomore. The offers began rolling in the following spring, and he went on to post 19.5 TFL with 7.5 sacks and 55 tackles as a junior. Georgia, Florida, Nebraska and Miami are among the schools to offer Robinson-Vickers since the end of his junior season.
