ORANGE PARK - With a plethora of top notch running backs, quarterbacks and offensive line (as previewed in Clay Today sports pages) spread around the county, the flip side of the offensive question is Who is going to catch the passes?
"The key is to keep the defenses guessing," said Oakleaf offensive coordinator Bubba Horne, in a recent ClayRadio.com with Clay Today Sports Editor Randy Lefko and ClayRadio.com commentator Tim Mooney. "We have pretty good running backs, a pretty good quarterback, a rebuilt offensive line and stable of returning wide receivers that will all want to be in the mix for passes. It's a pretty good dilemma for a coach."
For Horne, who lost senior Carlos Witherup to graduation last year and recalled that Witherup became one of the key position players for Oakleaf's region final finish with big play producing catch and runs that kept the chains moving for the Knights.
For 2025, Horne and 3,000 yard quarterback Jack McKissock return with not only two of the three key pass players of last year (minus Witherup), but with the addition of a former rival gamechanger in Fleming Island High transfer Trace Burney.
"Trace is officially with us and he adds another element of talent to our depth chart and that is going to be a thorn for opposing defenses," said Horne. "He adds an element of catch and run to our returning pair of Michael Connor and Jordin Price, both outstanding last year, that gives Jack so many options."

Burney, who has committed to James Madison University, according to one recruitment website, comes in with 69 catches for 1158 yards with 17 touchdowns for Fleming Island's region semifinal finish last year, will combine with Connor, a junior, who had 50 catches for 933 yards with six touchdowns and Price, a senior, who had 23 catches for 415 yards with five touchdowns with Price a double player as Oakleaf's lockdown defensive back.
Price, on defense, had 54 tackles with two interceptions and 12 pass breakups.
"Both of them are classified as athletes for our roster as both will play on defense and offense," said Horne. "Having Trace Burney come in creates a situation where we don't lose any firepower if either Michael or Jordin have a big defensive series and need a break."
Ironically, at Fleming Island, amidst yet a fourth coaching turnover in the past four years, new head coach Tom Macpherson, who knew how to find and use speed at Orange Park; Alex Collier, Kadin Elmore, Diego Soto; and at Ridgeview; Mitch Galloway, Stanley Dye, Skyler Humphrey enters as the new coach for the Golden Eagles minus Burney, but with his own slew of double-sided athletes with trackster Sebastian Cruz, a senior and primarily a defensive back, able to cross over and burn a defensive back; Oliver Piechota, a junior, returning with 26 catches second to Burney and the possibility of Chase Donaldson, a junior and defensive standout, possibly getting some reps on offense and Tristan Stevenson, a junior, coming in with hands and speed to bolster the lineup.
Fleming Island also has a Trinity Christian Academy transfer, running back Cedrick McNeil, a junior, that has both running speed and has shown versatility out of the backfield. McNeil comes to Fleming Island with 10 games on Trinity's Class 1A Final Four season (10-4) with 53 rushes for 224 yards and two scores.


Clay High, who loses Antonio Thomas's 49 catches and gamebreaking instincts, has shown off with three receivers getting lots of reps with quarterback Landon Martin with junior Daylen Brown, who has interest already from Florida State University, positioning himself as the Blue Devil gamebreaker and his two compadres; senior Landon Chadwick, maybe freshman Wyatt Rapoza, and senior Parker Dykus all Martin's targets over the summer for new coach Jeff Gierke's quick-action pass game. Brown was number two behind Thomas last year with 32 catches and six scores.
"Landon Martin has become better and better at reading the defenses with the scheme and making good decisions," said Gierkes, after a Jaguars PREP 7 v 7 tournament in July. "Daylen is a prime target downfield because of his speed and hands."
Gierkes also has defensive specialist Mekeise Battle and J'Vian Cobbert as two quick, athletic players that can switch to offense.


In Orange Park's spring game, it was quickly apparent that Raider quarterback Gabe Taylor found a favorite target in wide receiver Brock Afllege, also the Raiders' kicker, with Afllege three times taking short route slants and out patterns for additional yardage.
Raider coach Marcus Wimberly likes his tackle to tackle run game with Aflege snagging just 10 passes and team leader Quinton Moore get just 13 passes.
Ridgeview quarterback Jordan Mesa had a few targets that got catches in the Panthers solid spring game against an athletic secondary from Ribault with senior Landon Kleiber a main target.
Panther coach Merlin Smith has a strong run game and that may open up more opportunity for passes downfield.


At Middleburg, with a strong arm coming from Nease transfer, Mason Bacus, coach Ryan Wolfe has a solid mix of run and pass options with another transfer, Bradford County running back Gino Addison, and that should open up his main downfield threat, senior Deshun Green; 23 catches, 4TDs, who has lit up defenses in summer passing scrimmages, and senior Jordan Williams; 30 catches, 3TDs, both capable of breaking games open. Williams lit up district foe Beachside in a rainstorm last year with six catches and 140 yards.
Linebacker Kadin Hanifen saw some H-Back, tight end reps over the summer and could be a Gronk-like target in the Red Zone.
Keystone Heights has had some bad luck with quarterbacks over the summer with spring game starter Ryder Trull, who suffered head injuries in a car accident, likely not to play and 2024 quarterback Baylor Ford slated for wide receiver and defense leaving coach Steven Reynolds in a bit of a quandrum for his signal caller and, thus, a bit of anxiety for a passing game.
Senior Cole Crabtree stepped in in the second half of the Indians spring scrimmage and was effective running and passing and may get the nod.
That being hypothesized, and understanding that, at Keystone Heights, guys play more than one position most times, Ford is a track fast player with quarterback instincts downfield to get open with Jamari Turner, another trackster, that can get downfield. Keystone Heights used to be a big tight end passing team and Luke Bacorn is as big a tight end as you could expect as is Pete Bostic, one of Reynolds big guys with plenty of athleticism.
Ryder Thomas, a region track miler and primarily a punter, is also available as a fast guy downfield.