PNJ-area products dot FBS rosters across the country

Tony Adame | Pensacola News Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption PNJ-area players shine in Division I football We have a long history of big-time college football players coming from the area, including NFL Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith and Derrick Brooks. There are 38 players from our 13 area high schools on FBS Division I rosters this season, stretching all across the country.

You don’t have to look much further than the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, to understand the impact the Pensacola area has had on the game.

That’s where the busts of Booker T. Washington linebacker Derrick Brooks and Escambia running back Emmitt Smith reside along the other, greatest football players of all time.

But they had to start somewhere, and they had to make the leap to college football in time – which is where this latest group of area stars find themselves this season. In total, there are at least 38 players from the 13 PNJ-area schools that play football on Division I FBS rosters from coast-to-coast.

At the top is Washington product Alex Leatherwood, who won a national championship with Alabama in February and found himself as one of the key players in a second-half rally to beat Georgia in the CFP championship game.

From Escambia, Florida wide receiver Jacob Copeland could make a big impact as a freshman after being one of the most sought-after recruits in the country as a senior. Also for the Gators, Utah State do-it-all running back Gerold Bright could be poised for a breakout season in the Mountain West Conference.

Milton High’s Corliss Waitman is one of the top punters in the country, was named All-Sun Belt Conference in 2017 and is a preseason All-American.

North Carolina running back and Navarre product Michael Carter was one of the top freshman running backs in the country last season, leading the Tar Heels with eight rushing touchdowns. Another Navarre product, wide receiver Gatlin Casey, will spend his last season of eligibility as a graduate transfer for Middle Tennessee after playing his first three seasons at Lehigh.

Also from Navarre, junior-college transfer Thomas Leggett will play for Texas Tech this season.

More: Vilona: Leatherwood's impact in Alabama win came as no surprise to those who know him best

From Pensacola High, a pair of freshmen are on the roster for Central Florida in highly-touted defensive end Davonchae Bryant and freshman linebacker Isaiah Brown, while defensive back Darryl Randolph gets ready for his senior season at Middle Tennessee.

Purdue sophomore defensive back Simeon Smiley could be ready to burst onto the scene in the Big Ten after playing in all 13 games as a freshman in 2017. At Troy, former Tate quarterback Sawyer Smith could be a candidate for the starting spot.

West Florida leads the way for area schools with 11 players currently on FBS Division I rosters, although the impact could be seen more down the road as eight of those players are freshmen or sophomores.

Perhaps the biggest (literally) impact could be made by West Florida product Noah Banks, a highly-touted, 6-foot-6, 314-pound offensive lineman who was one of the top junior college recruits in the country last season for Iowa Western and could see the field right away at Florida.

PNJ-area to Division I FBS

School, Name, Year, Pos., Jersey #

Booker T. Washington (4)

Alabama: Alex Leatherwood, Soph., OL (70)

Florida State: Caleb Ward, Fr., WR (13)

UNLV: Tyree Jackson, Soph., RB (36)

Southern Miss: Raymond Smith Jr., Jr., WR (30)

Escambia (5)

Florida: Jacob Copeland, Fr., WR (15)

Louisiana: Terik Miller, Jr., DB (38)

South Alabama: Reggie Smith, Fr., DL (58)

Troy: Jabir Daughtry-Frye, Soph., RB (5)

Utah State: Gerold Bright, Jr., RB (8)

Milton (1)

South Alabama: Corliss Waitman, P/PK, Sr. (87)

Navarre (4)

Auburn: Nick Brahms, RS-Fr., OL (52)

Middle Tennessee: Gatlin Casey, Gr.-Sr., WR (87)

North Carolina: Michael Carter, Soph., RB (8)

Texas Tech: Thomas Leggett, Soph., DB (16)

Pensacola (5)

UCF: Davonchae Bryant, Fr., DE (46)

UCF: Isaiah Brown, Fr., LB (52)

Louisiana: Calif Gossett, Soph., WR (85)

Middle Tennessee: Darryl Randolph, Sr., DB (29)

South Alabama: Roy Albritton, Jr., OL (71)

Pensacola Catholic (4)

Louisiana: Rico Robinson, Jr., OL (66)

Purdue: Simeon Smiley, Soph., CB (29)

South Florida: Ethan Watson, Fr., OL

Troy: Antione Barker, Jr., DT (40)

Pine Forest (1)

Florida: Robert Clay, Jr., ATH (36)

Tate (3)

Appalachian State: Jake Henry, RS-Fr., WR (83)

Troy: Sawyer Smith, Soph., QB (3)

Troy: Evan Legassey, RS-Fr., P/PK (99)

Mississippi State, Raymond Freeman, RS-Fr. (23)

West Florida (11)

Air Force: Valentino Espinosa Jr., Soph., DB (14)

UAB: Adarius “Fish” McWilliams, Fr., DL (91)

UAB: Antonio Moultrie, Soph., DL (92)

Appalachian State: A’Darius Purifoy, Soph. WR (20)

UCF: Kalia Davis, Soph., LB (22)

Duke: Damond Philyaw-Johnson, RS-Fr., WR (85)

Florida: Noah Banks, Jr., OL (55)

Florida State: Keyshawn Helton, Fr., ATH (20)

South Alabama: Rocel McWilliams, Sr., DL (98)

South Florida: Keyon Helton, Fr., S

Troy: Jarvis Bryant, Sr., DT (96)

Who’d we miss? E-mail PNJ Sports Editor Tony Adame (aadame@pnj.com) with any updates.