'08 Florida Linebackers

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Linebackers going strong

Bill Buchalter |
Special to the Sentinel July 21, 2007


A year ago, 18 Florida linebackers signed scholarships with Bowl Championship Series teams. Thirty-three signed with NCAA Division I-A programs.

Surprisingly, 14 already have committed to BCS programs this year and we're still weeks away from the official start of late summer football practice.

Half of the 14 have commited to Miami and Florida State.

The 14th to pledge is a surprise of sorts. Mike Lanaris (6 feet 1/228) of Lake Mary committed to South Florida this week.

Miami's foursome may be the nation's best class at the position and Marcus Robinson of Homestead described the secret to Hurricanes success when he pointed out his long-term friendship with new Miami LB coach Micheal Barrow. Unquestionably Barrow has played a major role in attracting Robinson, Dunnellon's Lerentee McCray, Palm Bay's Ramon Buchanon and Chaminade's Jordan Futch.

FSU's trio of star-studded athletes includes Wakulla County's Nigel Bradham, a candidate for state prospect and player-of-the-year honors, and Jacksonville First Coast's Nigel Carr and Davenport Ridge Community's Vince Williams, both considered top 10 in the state at their position.

There are a ton of nationally-coveted linebackers still out there, including Miami Krop's Etienne Sabino and Northwestern's Sean Spence.

Lanaris was in the right place at the right time.

When he attended USF's camp and ran his 40-yard dash for the coaches, Bulls Coach Jim Leavitt was in shouting distance and heard the timers call out 4.67 for Lanaris. Leavitt took a good look at him and thought of Ben Moffitt and Kawika Mitchell, a pair of former Bulls middle linebackers who weren't ranked high by the recruiting community. They became stars for Leavitt.

Lanaris, a member of the Orlando Sentinel's All-Seminole County first defensive team as a junior, is the first Seminole County player to pledge to a BCS team. Some other area players to watch who could follow include Leesburg's Danny Trevanthan, South Sumter's Yourhighness Morgan, Oviedo's Dwight Tucker, Apopka's Danny White and West Orange's Nate Keller.