The Chinese Calendar says 2022 is the Year of the Tiger, but for recruiting purposes this most definitely is the Year of the Wide Receiver.
Twenty three wide receivers are listed on the USA Today Florida Network pre-spring Top 100 — a list of the state’s top college prospects in the class of 2023. That number doesn’t include hybrid tight ends or athletes who could play multiple positions in college such as Eau Gallie’s Robert Stafford, Miami Killian’s Robby Washington and Gaither’s Eugene Wilson III.
By comparison, 13 wide receivers and pass-catching tight ends made the top 100 in 2022 and only two cracked the top 20.
A trio of wide receivers are in the top 10 in the class of 2023: IMG’s Carnell Tate (No. 4), Plantation-American Heritage standout Brandon Inniss (No. 7) and Gulliver Prep’s Jalen Brown (No. 10).
Lake Gibson cornerback Cormani McClain holds down the No. 1 spot on the list.
The 6-foot-1, 165-pounder has won the Lakeland Ledger’s Big School Defensive Player of the Year award the past two seasons. He recorded 29 tackles and 10 interceptions last fall. The interceptions set a new school record — breaking McClain’s previous best of nine in 2020.
McClain has narrowed his list to eight schools: Alabama, BYU, Florida, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon.
This is the second consecutive year that a Lakeland-area player is ranked No. 1 on the USA Today list. Lakeland defensive lineman Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, who signed with Texas A&M, was the top…
