We are blessed along the Emerald Coast to have some of the best prep sports anywhere in the nation, and football is no exception. We all know the names of the legends that have emerged from the Emerald Coast. In our 2016 survey of schools for this preview edition of In the Game Magazine we asked the coaches to identify the best players in the area going into the season. There was no shortage of names. Here are just a few of the many talented players for fans be on the watch for as you are out this fall catching a game. Who knows, we may see these guys playing on Saturdays in the coming years.
| Quarterback | Running Back |
| Erik Antwaun – West Florida | Justin Bice – Holmes County |
| Jake Henry – Tate | Michael Carter – Navarre |
| Rusty Moorer – Crestview | Jalen Ciurleo – Baker |
| Tyler Phelps – Gulf Breeze | Destin Coates – Mosely |
| Xavier Saulsberry- Pine Forest | Chris Decker – Freeport |
| Jeff Toney – Niceville | Jaden Gardner – Pine Forest |
| Anthony Johnson – Pace | |
| Tight End | Marquise Kane – Choctawhatchee |
| Caleb Womack – Fort Walton | Donte Sheffield – Niceville |
| Abram Smiley – Catholic | |
| Wide Receiver | |
| Andrew Adkins – Crestview | Offensive Line |
| Jacob Copeland – Pine Forest | Nick Brahms – Navarre |
| Tre Diggs – Niceville | Martavious Hardrick – Mosely |
| Daymond Johnson – West Florida | Alex Leatherwood – Washington |
| Cole Sheppard – Gulf Breeze | Adarryl LeGrant – Pine Forest |
| Jayvion Wilson – Bay | Joseph Pearson – Fort Walton |
| Keyshawn Woodfaulk – Bay | Keith Waitman – Milton |
| Defensive Line | Linebacker |
| Jamaal Henderson – Mosely | Kalia Davis – West Florida |
| Sam Johnson – Crestview | Chandler Marshall – Arnold |
| Videll Scott – West Florida | Dre Matthews – Walton |
| Demond Ross – Bay | |
| Jacob Weaver – Northview | |
| Defensive Back | Athlete |
| Jireh Crittenden – South Walton | Austin Garofalo – South Walton |
| Trenton Gibbens- Mosley | Zach Seay – Freeport |
| EJ Foster- Rutherford | Luke Ward- Northview |
| Malik Gibson – Rutherford | |
| Chuck Taylor- Arnold | |
| Juanyeh Thomas- Niceville |
ITG Web Content
Top Talent To Watch – Emerald Coast
