ESPN presents the 2014 GEICO ESPN High School Football Kickoff launching its 2014-2015 high school football television coverage with nine games Friday, August 22, through Sunday, August 24. No. 8 Miami Central (FL) vs. No. 7 Hoover (AL) on Saturday, August 23, (12 p.m., ESPN) highlights a slate which features nine state champions and four nationally ranked reams. No. 1 Josh Sweat (DE) on Oscar Smith (VA) headlines the 28 participating recruits on the ESPN 300 and 10 verbal commitments to Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt. Six states will be represented and nine teams will make their ESPN debut.
The 2014 ESPN High School Football Kickoff preludes the 2014 GEICO ESPN High School Football Showcase, which begins on Friday, August 29, and continues through Thursday, October 23.
2014 High School Football Kickoff
ESPN 300 Participants (Seniors)
Rank and Player | Position | High School | Verbal Commitment |
No. 1 Josh Sweat | DE | Oscar Smith (VA) | |
No. 5 Kevin Toliver II | CB | Trinity Christian Academy (FL) | LSU |
No. 6 Trenton Thompson | DT | Westover (GA) | Georgia |
No. 12 Torrance Gibson | ATH | American Heritage (FL) | |
No. 29 Kerryon Johnson | ATH | Madison Academy (AL) | Auburn |
No. 41 Jeffery Holland | OLB | Trinity Christian Academy (FL) | |
No. 44 Tarvarus McFadden | CB | American Heritage (FL) | |
No. 49 Da’Vante Phillips | WR | Miami Central (FL) | |
No. 78 Kendrick Norton | OG | Trinity Christian Academy (FL) | |
No. 110 Jack Jones | OG | Oakland (TN) | Tennessee |
No. 157 Ben Edwards | S | Trinity Christian Academy (FL) | |
No. 184 Jauan Jennings | ATH | Blackman (TN) | Tennessee |
No. 196 Deontai Williams | S | Trinity Christian Academy (FL) | Georgia |
No. 212 Josh Smith | OLB | Oakland (TN) | Vanderbilt |
No. 219 Christian Bell | DE | Hoover (AL) | Alabama |
No. 254 Bradrick Shaw | RB | Hoover (AL) | |
No. 290 Tavares Martin | WR | Dwyer (FL) |
ESPN 300 Participants (Juniors)
Rank and Player | Position | High School |
No. 11 Dredrick Snelson** | Wide Receiver | American Heritage (FL) |
No. 42 Isaac Nauta | Tight End | Buford (GA) |
No. 76 Eli Stove | Wide Receiver | Niceville (FL) |
No. 86 Romeo Finley | Safety | Niceville (FL) |
No. 131 Mark Walton** | Running Back | Booker T. Washington (FL) |
No. 146 Keyvone Bruton | Safety | Oscar Smith (VA) |
No. 158 Malik Miller | Running Back | Madison Academy (AL) |
No. 180 Jeremiah Moon | Outside Linebacker | Hoover (AL) |
No. 208 Brandon Johnson | Wide Receiver | American Heritage (FL) |
No. 231 Shug Frazier | Defensive Tackle | Buford (GA) |
No. 269 Chris Barnes | Offensive Tackle | Lee County (GA) |
** Denotes verbal commitment to Miami
ESPN 300 Rankings last updated July 31, 2014
Matchup and Programming Schedule:
Note: Team rankings are from USA Today
Date | Time (ET) | Matchup and Commentators | Location | Network |
Fri. Aug. 22 | 6 p.m. | Byrnes (SC) vs. Northwestern (SC) Dave Neal, Craig Haubert |
Rock Hill, S.C. | ESPNU |
9 p.m. | Leeds (AL) vs. Madison Academy (AL) Adam Amin, John Congemi |
Madison, Ala. | ESPNU | |
Sat. Aug. 23 | 12 p.m. | No. 8 Miami Central (FL) vs. No. 7 Hoover (AL) Eamon McAnaney, Dan Hawkins |
Hoover, Ala. | ESPN |
1 p.m. | Westover (GA) vs. Lee County (GA) Clay Matvick, Anthony Becht |
Leesburg, Ga | ESPNU | |
4 p.m. | Niceville (FL) vs. Clay-Chalkville (AL) Eamon McAnaney, Dan Hawkins |
Hoover, Ala. | ESPNU | |
9 p.m. | No. 11 Booker T. Washington (FL) vs. Oscar Smith (VA) Mike Corey, Rene Ingoglia |
Chesapeake, Va. | ESPNU | |
9 p.m. | Trinity Christian (FL) vs. No. 24 Buford (GA) Tom Hart, Matt Stinchcomb |
Buford, Ga. | ESPN2 | |
Sun. Aug. 24 | 12 p.m. | Oakland (TN) vs. Blackman (TN) Dave Lamont, David Diaz-Infante |
Murfreesboro, Tenn. | ESPN2 |
3 p.m. | Dwyer (FL) vs. American Heritage (FL) Jason Benetti, Craig Haubert |
Plantation, Fla. | ESPN |
Schedule subject to change
Previously announced Nixa (MO) vs. Helias (MO) game will not be televised as result of a schedule change due to weather