Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
11 S. Florida players in Under Armour game
The recruitment of St. Thomas Aquinas edge rusher Nik Bonitto will be settled today at the Under Armour All-America Game in Orlando.
One of three Raiders and eight players from Broward and Palm Beach counties participating, Bonitto is set to announce a commitment — either Oklahoma, Texas or Louisville — during the exhibition that features more than 100 of the nation’s top high school football seniors and kicks off at 6 p.m. on ESPN2 from Camping World Stadium.
Bonitto, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound four-star prospect, is the Sun Sentinel’s reigning Broward large schools Defensive Player of the Year. Playing both defensive end and outside linebacker, he had 73 tackles, 11 for loss, nine sacks, two interceptions — one for a touchdown — a fumble forced and a fumble recovered.
The Sooners got Bonitto’s most recent visit after the season on Dec. 15. During his senior season, he visited the Longhorns in October and Cardinals in September.
Bonitto is one of two local prospects at the All-America Game with recruitments yet to be finalized. The other being speedy American Heritage receiver Anthony Schwartz, who has stated on multiple occasions his list is down to Auburn and Florida.
St. Thomas Aquinas is also sending cornerback and Miami signee Al Blades Jr., FSU-bound cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. and Ole Miss-signed receiver Elijah Moore. The two other Broward prospects to round out the county’s contingent of seven at the game are Chaminade-Madonna receiver Xavier Williams (signed to Alabama) and Deerfield Beach linebacker Rosendo Louis (South Carolina). Palm Beach is sending one player in safety and UM signee Gurvan Hall.
All eight Broward and Palm Beach players will be on Team Spotlight, which also contains the three Miami-Dade County players in the game — Southridge offensive lineman Delone Sciafe, a UM signee and Central linebacker Robert Hicks and cornerback Chandler Jones (both Louisville signees).
Team Spotlight is coached by former NFL coach Steve Mariucci, and Team Highlight, which also has Dwyer coach Jack Daniels as defensive coordinator, is led by Hall-of-Famer Deion Sanders.
In addition to Blades, Hall and Scaife, other Hurricanes signees in the exhibition are tight end Brevin Jordan from Nevada and lineman Cleveland Reed of Fort Meade.
Florida is sending signed prospects in quarterback Emory Jones, safety Trey Dean — both from Georgia — and tight end Kyle Pitts from Pennsylvania.
FSU’s 2018 class will have defensive tackle Robert Cooper from Georgia and cornerback A.J. Lytton of Maryland in the game along with Samuel.
More Broward prospects will play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday. American Heritage is sending three in cornerbacks Patrick Surtain II and Tyson Campbell and defensive tackle Nesta Silvera, who has committed to UM. Hurricanes signees in receivers Mark Pope and Brian Hightower, quarterback Jarren Williams and running back Lorenzo Lingard will also participate.