Four more TFA football players commit to P4 college programs

Since the end of the 2023 season, The First Academy football has been on a mission not only to build one of the most dynamic and talented programs in Florida but also to become a perennial national powerhouse. 

This pursuit has seen the Royals construct a roster full of high-level players and put together a schedule that pits them against some of the best programs Florida has to offer — such as IMG Academy, Lakeland High and Venice High — and top competition from five different states. 

As a natural byproduct, the talent accumulated on its roster have become highly coveted college football recruits. That is why the past few weeks have been a historic moment for Royals football, as four members of its rising senior class announced commitments to Power 4 programs; bringing TFA’s current total number of Division I college football commits to 10.

Kicking off the Royals’ run of college commitments was three-star defensive lineman prospect Lex Willis, who announced he will play his college ball at Georgia Tech. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound rising senior chose the Yellow Jackets over NC State, Boston College and a heap of other P4 offers.

“Georgia Tech is an amazing school, from the city to the quality of education and the coaching staff — that have a lot of experience — it’s just a great situation overall,” Willis said. “It’s a place I want to be and a program that’s not just chasing a conference title but are building toward competing for national championship. … That’s the type of program I want to be a part of.”

With his length, speed and aggression, Willis has the ability to be a versatile player at the next level, playing both on the edge and tucked inside, that could allow him to see the field early on in his time with the program.

Following Willis’ commitment, TFA’s four-star defensive back prospect Danny Odem III announced his decision to play college ball for Nebraska — choosing the Cornhuskers over Ohio State, Penn State, Clemson and Oklahoma. The 6-foot-1 cornerback originally was committed to North Carolina but chose to reopen his recruitment following the firing of coach Mack Brown.

Odem III will add length, athleticism and elite ball-skills to the Nebraska defensive back room. As a junior, he racked up 45 total tackles, two for a loss, three pass defenses, two interceptions and two forced fumbles in 10 games for the Royals.

Three-star wide receiver Brian Williams Jr., one of the newest members of the Royals football team, was the next TFA player to make his college commitment decision, choosing the Alabama Crimson Tide over Penn State, Florida and a load of other offers. 

The 6-foot-4, 185-pound pass-catcher was a key playmaker for the state runner-up Lake Mary Rams last season, catching 23 passes for 359 yards with five touchdowns. This season as a member of the Royals receiving corps, expect the big-bodied Williams Jr. to be featured often, opposite fellow Power 4 football commit Demetrice McCray — who announced his decision to play for the Pitt Panthers in May.

To round out TFA’s quartet of commitments in a three-week span — from June 20 to July 3 — was one its highest-rated and sought-after prospects. Devin Jackson, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound safety, chose to continue his academic and athletic careers on the other side of the country as a member of the Oregon Ducks football team. The four-star defensive back recruit chose the Ducks over Nebraska, LSU, Miami and Florida — Jackson was previously committed to the Gators but re-opened his recruitment in April.

“Having a head coach that knows the defensive side of the ball is big to me, it’s like having a second defensive coordinator,” Jackson said about why he chose Oregon. “Coach Lanning just showed me and my family a lot of hospitality and showed how much he cares about his players. All the players I spoke to about coach only have good things to say about him and how he develops his players on and off the field. And as a program, Coach Lanning has made Oregon a winning program. Ever since he got there, they’ve been trending up each year to the point that the expectation now is to win a national championship. I feel like I’m going to join the program at the right time and during my time there we’ll have a legitimate chance to win a national championship. I’m just excited to come in and compete for starting spot.”

In 10 games as a junior, Jackson led the Royals with 80 total tackles, four interceptions and seven passes defended. He also picked up a forced fumble and two recovered fumbles in his first season at TFA, after transferring from West Orange High.

These four Royals join McCray, Clemson commit Chancellor Barclay, Illinois commit Kingston Shaw, FIU commit Sean Kentish, Air Force commit Blaze Jones and Colgate commit Gerard Gearity as TFA football’s current D-I commits.