The 2015 GEICO ESPN High School Football Kickoff Concludes Summer of Next
- ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU: Ten Games on August 28, 29 and 30
- 33 Ranked Players in the ESPN 300
- 10 States, Nine 2014 State Champions, Including Three Matchups of State Champion vs. State Champion
- Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan State, Ohio State, Ole Miss, and Penn State Commits to Participate
ESPNU will conclude Summer of Next with the 2015 GEICO ESPN High School Football Kickoff on August 28, 29, and 30. The 10-game slate on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will feature 33 players ranked in the ESPN 300, including No. 3 Nick Bosa (defensive end from St. Thomas Aquinas, Fla.), and commits from Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan State, LSU, Ohio State, Penn State and Ole Miss. Additionally, the Kickoff will feature teams from ten states, including nine 2014 state champions. Three matchups will feature state champions going head-to-head. The 2015 GEICO ESPN High School Football Kickoff precedes the season-long 2015 GEICO ESPN High School Football Showcase
2015 ESPN GEICO High School Football Kickoff Schedule:
Notes: All times ET, team rankings are from USA Today and player rankings from ESPN 300. All ranked players are seniors.
Friday, August 28
Booker T. Washington (Fla.) vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.)
8 p.m. on ESPN from Brian Piccolo Stadium, St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
- Matchup of 2014 state champions.
- Booker T. Washington finished 15-0 last season and No. 2, and enters the game on a 41-game winning streak
- Thomas Aquinas went 14-1 in ’14, finishing No. 25.
- Defensive end Nick Bosa and WR Sam Bruce return for St. Thomas. Bosa and Bruce are ranked No. 3 and No. 75, respectively, and Bruce has committed to University of Miami.
Oxford (Miss.) vs. Starkville (Miss.)
9 p.m. on ESPNU from Yellow Jacket Stadium, Starkville High School in Starkville, Miss
- The Little Egg Bowl features a high school football in-state rivalry.
- Oxford went to the ’14 state championship and finished 13-2. Wide receiver DeKaylin Metcalf, an Ole Miss commit, is ranked No. 280 and returns for Oxford.
- Starkville finished 2014 with a 13-1 record, advancing to the state semifinals. Wide receiver AJ Brown (No. 66) and DT Kobe Jones (No. 167) suit up for Starkville.
Saturday, August 29
Miami Central (Fla.) vs. DeMatha (Md.)
Noon on ESPN from Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex in Landover, Md.
- Miami Central won the state title and then the inaugural State Champion Bowl Series, finishing 14-1 and No. 5.
- Miami Central has three ranked players: WR Darnell Salomon (No. 63), S Jamel Cook (No. 161), and DE Keir Thomas (No. 222). Cook and Thomas have committed to Florida State.
- DeMatha went 9-3 last season, and returns two ranked players: DE Shane Simmons (No. 16), a Penn State commit, and OG Terrance Davis (No. 137).
Spartanburg (S.C.) vs. Wakulla (Fla.)
1 p.m. on ESPNU from JD Jones Stadium at Reynolds Memorial Field, Wakulla High School in Crawfordville, Fla.
- Spartanburg won the 2014 state championship, finishing 12-3 and returns RB Tavien Feaster (No. 31) who has committed to Clemson.
- Wakulla went 8-3 last season and will be led by QB Feleipe’ Franks (No. 57) who has committed to LSU. Wakulla WR Keith Gavin (No. 77) has committed to Florida State.
Benedictine (Ohio) vs. Central Catholic (Ohio)
4 p.m. on ESPNU from Gallagher Stadium, Central Catholic High School in Toledo, Ohio
- A matchup of defending state champions.
- Benedictine went 14-1 last season and returns WR Justin Layne (No. 247) who has committed to Michigan State.
- Central Catholic finished 13-2.
Arlington Martin (Texas) vs. DeSoto (Texas)
5 p.m. on ESPN2 from Vernon Newsom Stadium in Mansfield, Texas.
- First game of a doubleheader at Vernon Newsom Stadium.
- DeSoto finished last year 10-2 and returns QB Tristen Wallace (No. 129) who has committed to Ohio State and WR Dee Anderson (No. 175), an LSU commit.
- Arlington Martin is coming off a 10-3 season.
Peachtree Ridge (Ga.) vs. Archer (Ga.)
7 p.m. on ESPNU from Archer County Stadium, Archer High School in Lawrenceville, Ga.
- A rematch from 2014, which Peachtree won.
- Peachtree finished 7-4 and returns two ranked players: S Nigel Warrior (No. 205) and CB Chad Clay (No. 244). Clay has committed to Georgia.
- Archer finished 11-4, including finishing the season on a 11-1 streak.
- WR Kyle Davis (No. 38), OT EJ Price (No. 92) and S Dylan Singleton (No. 278) return for Archer.
De La Salle (Calif.) vs. Trinity (Texas)
9 p.m. on ESPN2 Vernon Newsom Stadium in Mansfield, Texas.
- Finishing with a perfect 14-0 record, De La Salle’s final ranking was No. 3.
- De La Salle returns two ranked players: TE Devin Asiasi (No. 9) and DT Boss Tagaloa (No. 69).
- Trinity went 12-2, advancing to the fourth round of the State Playoffs and returns DT Chris Daniels (No. 113).
Chandler (Ariz.) vs. Bishop Gorman (Nev.)
10 p.m. on ESPNU from Fertitta Field, Bishop Gorman High School, Las Vegas, Nev.
- Matchup of state champions.
- Chandler finished 13-1 and features two ranked players: WR N’keal Harry (No. 53) and RB Chase Lucas (No. 216).
- Bishop Gorman finished No. 1 last season with a perfect 15-0 record and has won six Nevada state championships in a row.
Sunday, August 30
Miramar (Fla.) vs. IMG Academy (Fla.)
2 p.m. on ESPNU from IMG Academy Field, IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
- Miramar finished 8-4 last season.
- Finishing last season 10-1, IMG Academy returns a high-powered roster with seven ranked players: DE Shavar Manuel (No. 13), OLB Rahshaun Smith (No. 24), TE Isaac Nauta (No. 28), CB Saivion Smith (No. 42), OG Tyler Gerald (No. 97), CB Khalil Ladler (No. 187), and WR Tavares Chase (No. 245).
ESPN 300 Participants
| Rank and Player | Position | High School | College Commitment* |
| No. 3 Nick Bosa | DE | St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) | |
| No. 9 Devin Asiasi | TE | De La Salle (Calif.) | |
| No. 13 Shavar Manuel | DE | IMG Academy (Fla.) | |
| No. 16 Shane Simmons | DE | DeMatha (Md.) | Penn State |
| No. 24 Rahshaun Smith | OLB | IMG Academy (Fla.) | Clemson |
| No. 28 Isaac Nauta | TE | IMG Academy (Fla.) | Florida State |
| No. 31 Tavien Feaster | RB | Spartanburg (S.C.) | Clemson |
| No. 38 Kyle Davis | WR | Archer (Ga.) | |
| No. 42 Saivion Smith | CB | IMG Academy (Fla.) | LSU |
| No. 53 N’keal Harry | WR | Chandler (Ariz.) | |
| No. 57 Feleipe’ Franks | QB | Wakulla (Fla.) | LSU |
| No. 63 Darnell Salomon | WR | Miami Central (Fla.) | |
| No. 66 A.J. Brown | WR | Starkville (Miss.) | |
| No. 69 Boss Tagaloa | DT | De La Salle (Calif.) | |
| No. 75 Sam Bruce | WR | St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) | Miami |
| No. 77 Keith Gavin | WR | Wakulla (Fla.) | Florida State |
| No. 92 E.J. Price | OT | Archer (Ga.) | |
| No. 97 Tyler Gerald | OG | IMG Academy (Fla.) | Ohio State |
| No. 113 Chris Daniels | DT | Trinity (Texas) | |
| No. 129 Tristen Wallace | QB | DeSoto (Texas) | Ohio State |
| No. 137 Terrance Davis | OG | DeMatha (Md.) | |
| No. 161 Jamel Cook | S | Miami Central (Fla.) | Florida State |
| No. 167 Dee Anderson | WR | DeSoto (Texas) | LSU |
| No. 175 Kobe Jones | DT | Starkville (Miss.) | |
| No. 187 Khalil Ladler | CB | IMG Academy (Fla.) | |
| No. 205 Nigel Warrior | S | Peachtree Ridge (Ga.) | |
| No. 216 Chase Lucas | RB | Chandler (Ariz.) | |
| No. 222 Keir Thomas | DE | Miami Central (Fla.) | Florida State |
| No. 244 Chad Clay | CB | Peachtree Ridge (Ga.) | Georgia |
| No. 245 Tavares Chase | WR | IMG Academy (Fla.) | Clemson |
| No. 247 Justin Layne | WR | Benedictine (Ohio) | Michigan State |
| No. 278 Dylan Singleton | S | Archer (Ga.) | |
| No. 280 DeKaylin Metcalf | WR | Oxford (Miss.) | Ole Miss |
*Please note: No player has signed with a school
All ESPN 300 Rankings are per June 22, 2015
Recruiting Nation
ESPN’s recruiting site will provide fans with in-depth analysis of the entire 2015 GEICO ESPN High School Football Kickoff, including features on teams and recruits, as well as updated player profiles. Additionally, interact with Recruiting Nation’s reporters and analysts by following @ESPNRNFball.
2015 GEICO ESPN High School Football Showcase
ESPN will once again televise the 2015 GEICO ESPN High School Football Showcase, featuring premier high school football games throughout the 2015 football season. The Showcase schedule will be announced later this summer.
The 2015 GEICO ESPN High School Football Kickoff and 2015 GEICO ESPN High School Football Showcase are produced in conjunction with Paragon Marketing Group.
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Media contact: Derek Volner at 860-384-9986; [email protected] and @DerekVolner
