Where Will These 2022 Florida Football Recruits End Up?
The state of Florida has always been known as a hotbed for college football recruiting. According to a data set from Bleacher Report, the Sunshine State had the most blue-chip football recruits in 2018 and the third-most in 2019. The state has continued its run in 2020 and 2021. It comes as no surprise that three highly sought after 2022 football recruits are from Florida. Let’s take a look at them and their potential collegiate choices.
Azareyeh Thomas, S/ATH, Class of 2022
Thomas is a talented 4-star safety and athlete from Niceville and recently announced his top eight schools on Twitter. The schools are Florida, Miami, Louisville, Alabama, Georgia Tech, Clemson, LSU and Oklahoma.
Youngin’ chasing dreams reaching for the stars.
Top 8️⃣.
4 you mama❤️. pic.twitter.com/74t1lQbvW6— Azareyeh Thomas (@Azareyehthomas) April 4, 2021
Ranked as the No. 95-overall player in the Class of 2022 by 247Sports, Thomas is 6-foot-3 and also competes in track and field and basketball for Niceville.
In his 2020 football campaign, Thomas played both sides of the ball. He recorded an interception and 27 tackles on defense, while contributing on offense with 695 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
Earl Little Jr., CB, Class of 2022
Little Jr. is a prospect out of American Heritage in Fort Lauderdale and the son of legendary 90s-era Miami safety Earl Little. The 6-foot, 175-pound cornerback is ranked 12th overall in the state by 247Sports.
He announced plans for five official visits to USC, Florida, Alabama, LSU and Florida State. While Miami is considered a top choice, Little Jr. will not be using an official visit on his father’s alma mater, as he has visited the campus many times.
The 4-star prospect had a strong 2020 season, helping his Patriots go 11-2 and win the 5A state title.
Little Jr. also runs track and field.
Marcus Peterson, WR, Class of 2022
Peterson is an impressive wide receiver out of Columbia High in Lake City – 65 miles west of Jacksonville. He has narrowed his list of collegiate choices down to six: Miami, Pittsburgh, Central Florida, Florida State, Kansas, and Cincinnati.
Final 6 ??@ChadSimmons_ @rivalsmike @SWiltfong247 @BrennanMarion4 @KU_EJones @Coach_Norvell @CoachDuzzPittFB @CoachGusMalzahn @TeamKamMartin @CoachRobLikens @Coach_MannyDiaz @GinoGuidugli @CoachFick @r81dugans pic.twitter.com/gTT81muImW
— Marcus Peterson (@MarcusPeterson_) April 4, 2021
The 6-foot-4 prospect is the No. 89-ranked player in the state for the Class of 2022. He is also a multi-dimensional player, as he passed for 637 yards and six touchdowns, rushed for 205 yards and four touchdowns, and added 286 receiving yards and seven touchdown receptions in 2020. He also contributed as the punter.
While it is unclear whether these Floridians will stay in-state as they make the transition into college, it is obvious that their talent has contributed to keeping the Sunshine State in the minds and mouths of college recruiters.
Written by: Reagan Cofield
