Top 2027 football recruits to watch in the Pensacola area

Football recruiting season is heating up in the Pensacola area.

There’s been three Division I commits in recent weeks, while other recruits were picking up offers and getting more attention throughout spring football and the current summer camp circuit. In just over a month on July 27, teams across the state will head back to the practice field to start officially preparing for the 2026 season.

USA TODAY Florida updated its top 100 2027 recruits in the state on June 9 and now it’s time to reset the board for recruits here in Escambia and Santa Rosa County. Below is a list of 2027 football recruits to watch for the Pensacola area.

Caleb Brown, OL, Tate

The 6-foot-4-inch, 312-pound Brown picked up an offer from Middle Tennessee State on May 19, his first offer to play college football.

Brown played right guard for the Aggies last season and then again in the spring. One of two Tate linemen on this list, he’ll help pave the way for running backs Tanner Clark and Ethan Pittman this fall.

Ezekial Burgess, DB, Navarre

The three-star defensive back is one of two area recruits on the USA TODAY Florida’s Top 100 list, checking in at No. 87. The 6’0, 200 pound three-star defensive back has offers from Auburn, Georgia Tech, Kentucky and Miami among others.

A PNJ second team all-area DB as a junior, Burgess recorded 69 tackles, 4 interceptions, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 2025.

He had a busy spring off the football field, recording top 10 finishes in Olympic and traditional at 199 pounds at the Region 1-3A boys weightlifting championship and helped the Raiders 4×100 relay team finish eighth at the Region 1-3A track and field championship.

Char’son Floyd, ATH, Pace

The 6’2, 175-pound Floyd and his younger brother Tyler transferred from Pine Forest to Pace in January. The older Floyd was an impact player on both sides of the ball and has three Division I offers, most recently picking up one from Florida International in January. He also visited Mercer on June 12-13.

He caught 37 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns, ran for 80 yards and two touchdowns and intercepted two passes a junior at Pine Forest in 2025.

Zion Heard, DB, Pine Forest

The 5’10, 192-pound Heard picked up offers from Air Force and Army this spring. He recorded 27 tackles and four pass deflections for the Eagles in 2025 after transferring from Pensacola Catholic.

Heard also had an excellent track season in the spring, finishing ninth in the 100 meters at the FHSAA 3A state championship.

Kaeden Latten, WR/DB, Booker T. Washington

Just one impact player in a talented group of Wildcats playmakers, Latten picked up an offer from Middle Tennessee State on June 12. The 6’0, 180-pound Latten ran for 315 yards and three touchdowns on 53 carries and caught 12 passes for 101 yards while helping the Wildcats advance to the FHSAA state playoffs for the first time since 2020.

Justus Payne, DL, Escambia

The 6’3, 310-pound Payne picked up Division I offers from Colorado State in February and Florida International in June. He recorded 28 tackles (7 TFL), 2.5 sacks, two hurries and forced a fumble as a junior, and was a PNJ all-area honorable mention.

Korden Randle, WR, Pine Forest

The 6’4, 210-pound Randle oozes potential and has received 12 Division I offers, most recently being offered by Florida’s new coaching staff in December.

He lined up in the backfield and at receiver for the Eagles last season, running 23 times for 180 yards and three touchdowns and catching 11 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. Randle was named a PNJ all-area honorable mention.

Otha Thomas IV, DB, Pine Forest

The 6’2 190-pound three-star is ranked No. 68 in the USA Today Florida Top 100 and holds offers from 10 schools, including Power 4 programs Kansas State, North Carolina and UCF.

He transferred from Pensacola Catholic following the 2024 season but suffered an injury in the spring of 2025 and missed most of the fall season before returning for the FHSAA state playoffs.

Darell Villaneuva, OL, Tate

Towering over many opponents at 6’5, 312 pounds, Villaneuva committed to Florida International on June 14. He also held an offer from Middle Tennessee.

Zach Wassil, OL, Pensacola Catholic

The 6’5, 290-pound Wassil became UWF’s first Division I commit and can play anywhere on the offensive line. He’s mainly played on the left side for the Crusaders, where he was first team PNJ all-area as a junior. Wassil committed to UWF despite holding offers from Army, Air Force and Georgia State.

Makael Williams, RB, Pace

The reigning PNJ Offensive Player of the Year, Williams committed to South Alabama on June 13 and held 21 Division I offers, including from Power 4 schools Boston College and Cincinnati.

 The 5’10, 190-pound Williams ran for 1,529 yards and 30 touchdowns as a junior, ripping off long runs in open space and refusing to go down in short yardage situations.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Top Pensacola area 2027 high school football recruits to watch