High School Football: Vanguard Knights showcase national prospects during spring practice

It’s been more than 140 days since high school football played its last game. Spring football has been here to break the streak as football teams around Marion County have been strapping on the pads and running drills.

We’ll follow two teams weekly to chronicle the offseason action. Our third week of coverage belongs to Dunnellon and Vanguard.

Both were on different spectrums of success last year but came back retooled and ready to leave their mark in 2023.

Let’s look at a pair of storylines to follow for the Knights.

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The Knights' latest national prospects

Marion County is a talent factory, and few schools have produced more high-level guys than Vanguard. The Knights’ Wall of Honor consists of first-round NFL draft picks, all-conference college football players and household names. Now it’s time for the next generation to make their mark.

Fred Gaskin Jr., the highest rated prospect in the area, has carried the torch, but players such as Cameron Powell, Teriyan Morman, Jamil Watkins and Tillman King are beside him. Morman, Powell and several other Knights showed they could compete with anyone in the nation during the US Army National Underclassmen Game in San Antonio, Texas. Soon after, Morman, Powell and Watkins earned 3-star ratings and offers and accolades followed.

“When you have that kind of talent, it motivates the rest of the kids to work twice as hard,” Vanguard head coach Edwin Farmer said. “We’ve got a lot of young kids that can help this program.”

College coaches recognized their talent and came in droves during spring football. Sixty-two programs visited Vanguard during May, several offering Knights right on the spot.

Weapons all over the field

Spring football has its ups and downs as teams return to the field. Timing mistakes are more common and have an impact on what we saw on the field during spring games.

However, there’s enough talent on Vanguard’s roster to make up for the rust. If there’s anything we can bank on from the Knights' recent spring game is how productive the defensive backs can be.

“We played very well defensively,” Farmer said. “Jamil Watkins had two or three picks. Defensively, we’re going to be strong. You can definitely see it.”

Defensive backs made big plays all game against Bradenton Manatee. Watkins and Powell had interceptions and several PBUs. Gaskin showed us why he’s considered one of the best defensive prospects in the state while also giving us a show at quarterback.

After losing double-digit college prospects, what may be more impressive is there wasn’t a shortage of names to remember from Thursday night’s spring game. Guys like Jermaine White, Markell Davis and Jeremiah Ewing are projected to have big roles and big-play potential when the season starts in August.