Top Players Series: Football defensive line, Fred Ards, Jones High

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This is the second of a seven-part series that will take a look at the top players at each position among the Orlando area’s high school football teams ahead of spring practice. Today we focus on the defensive line:

Fred Ards, senior, Jones High

When Fred Ards, all 6-foot-5, 235 pounds of him, walks onto a football field, his presence is immediately realized. The big defensive end looks the part. He’s big and muscular … cut from the cloth of a football-sculpted pattern.

But the boy’s actions did not always match the appearance.

“When he first came to us, in the middle of his ninth-grade year (from Oak Ridge), he was just a big kid. Really immature,” said Billy Daniels, the Jones defensive coordinator. “He thought he was a receiver. His travels have matured him.

“He’s seen what’s possible, and he uses that as a source of motivation to change who he is, whether that’s in the classroom, in the weight room or on the field. He was a kid when we got him. He’s a man now.”

Offensive opponents are well aware. When Ards, who is ranked as the No. 1 player in the Sentinel’s 2027 Central Florida Super60, comes with his full force of aggression, there aren’t many offensive linemen who can stop him. He’s big, quick around the edge and fast to the quarterback.

Daniels loves Ards and will talk about his star edge rusher all day. And he’s well aware that sometimes he loses focus.

Ards did not play well in this past year’s Class 4A state championship game, which Jones lost 33-28 to Plantation American Heritage, for the second straight season. He knew he didn’t play well.

“He knows he has to improve, and he’s a sponge and wants to listen and learn,” Daniels said. “He disappeared in the state championship. We have no idea why he was hesitant. That was one of the hardest things to watch.

“But he understands the process. His work ethic has never been a problem, but now instead of doing what’s required of him, he’s taking it to another level and wants to go above and beyond.”

The scary thing about Ards, at least for opponents, is that he hasn’t even come close to realizing his full potential. Ards, however, is already impressive. Daniels has seen athletic potential. He coached future NFL star Kenard Lang, now the head coach at Leesburg, at Evans back in 1991.

“Fred is further along, as an explosive edge defender, than Kenard was at this stage,” Daniels said. “Kenard was a special talent, and led us to a state co-championship his junior year. Fred is further along in his understanding and physical development.”

The potential is there, and Daniels can’t wait to see Ards blossom further. Last season he had 80 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.

“As he continues to grow and add weight and add strength, that is going to really separate him from anybody else,” Daniels said. “He can beat you with his speed, but he’s rounding out his technique to be able to play run, and play in space.

“He’s really improved his footwork. He’s got multiple pass-rush moves. He’s improved his strength and understanding of how blockers are trying to take him on. … What I’m looking forward to is to see him be able to beat you physically and mentally, simultaneously.”

Off the field, he’s a genuine person with a terrific personality.

“Any kid on Jones’ campus, it doesn’t even have to be within the football program, Fred will talk to them,” Daniels said. “He treats everybody from the standpoint that you are a friend. It’s not what you can do for me.

“He’s a four- or five-star athlete who is humble. Kids look up to him. Just because of how he treats everybody.”

Ards can see the future, and he’s doing what he can now to pave the road ahead.

“He’s very mature, he knows what he wants, he knows this game is a business, and he knows what it can provide for him,” Daniels said. “It’s exciting to watch his progression from where he was when he got to us to where he is currently.”

Other Orlando defensive linemen

Matheus Kaminski Cordeiro, junior, West Orange

There aren’t many players who have the passion and motor like that of Kaminski Cordeiro (6-3, 212). He’s incredibly active at the line of scrimmage, almost hyper, and he wreaks havoc on offenses with his get-off and quickness. He had 53 tackles last season, 19 tackles for loss and nine sacks.

Drew Follet, senior, Bishop Moore

Follet is big, like Ards, at 6-4, 235, and he is equally athletic. He has the ability to slip in at tight end and plays both ways. He had a great junior year after coming over from Winter Park and helped the Hornets replace the loss of All-American Jake Kreul, who had left for IMG and is now at Oklahoma. Follet had 13 tackles, three tackles for loss and on offense had 17 catches for 306 yards and two touchdowns.

Jeau-Pierre Furtado, senior, The First Academy

Furtado is a perfect example of undersized talent. He’s 6-2, 280, so college coaches will balk at him due to his height, but he’s a menace at the line of scrimmage. He does an impressive job of using his leg power and upper-body strength to move bigger offensive linemen and has an active motor, even for a D-tackle.

Jason Lewis, senior, Kissimmee Osceola

Lewis, at 6-3, 265, has mega-star potential, but he played injured last season. This kid has college coaches drooling. Perhaps overshadowed last season by the play of stellar defensive tackle Amier Clarke, Lewis’ stats were a bit lower for what might have been expected. Yet, he  still played well and missed three games. He finished with 37 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks.

Chris Hays can be found on X.com@OS_ChrisHays.

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