- June 26, 2024
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Every year, transfers to local football programs make a massive impact on the field.
It can be a lot of work to keep track of who ends up where, but with spring football now complete and summer workouts and camps underway, there's a better idea of where players have gone — and which stand to make a big impact come fall.
Here's a list of seven players who have the opportunity to do just that when the season begins in August, and why you should remember their names.
Since the end of the 2023 season, Chauncey "Chuck" Kennon's national profile has exploded.
Kennon spent 2023 at Southeast High, which went 0-10. Despite the team's struggles, Kennon managed to stand out. A sophomore in 2023, Kennon showcased sticky hands and an ability to run step for step with opposing receivers off the line, and he threw in elite kick returning skills for good measure.
The result? A four-star rating in the 247Sports Composite, which has him ranked as the No. 93 overall player in the class of 2026, and the No. 9 cornerback. Kennon has received offers from the University of Michigan, the University of Georgia and Florida State University among other power programs.
His presence will level up a Booker defense that was already stingy, and perhaps lead the Tornadoes even deeper into the postseason.
Edwards comes to the Rams from Braden River High, where he broke out playing multiple positions as a junior in 2023.
Edwards had 163 carries for 967 yards and 15 touchdowns as a running back for the Pirates. He also had 37 catches for 443 yards and four touchdowns as a receiver. That's good for 1,410 yards and 19 touchdowns overall, which made him one of the top players in Manatee County.
Edwards also can play on the defensive side of the ball as a defensive back, in case you need more things for him to do.
He'll bring his talents to Riverview High in 2024 for his senior season. Offensive coordinator Brody Wiseman will no doubt create unique ways to get Edwards the ball, keeping opposing defenses on edge. In the Rams' spring jamboree against Bishop Verot High and Columbus High on May 25, fans saw glimpses of that: Edwards had over 100 total yards and two touchdowns.
Chase Polivchak, a rising senior, and Max Polivchak, a rising junior, are brothers who play offensive line. They are also massive: Chase stands 6-foot-5, 295 pounds according to his social media bio, while Max is 6-foot-3, 315 pounds.
In 2023, the brothers started for The Out-of-Door Academy and helped the Thunder run over opponents in the postseason, as ODA captured the Sunshine State Athletic Association Class 4A title. The Thunder ran for 2,238 yards at a 6.0 yards per carry clip.
That run game dominance was partially thanks to the Polivchak brothers opening the way, and they will bring that ability to Cardinal Mooney High in 2024.
One person who will be happy about that? The next player on the list.
If Yahshua Edwards was a thunderous presence at Braden River last season, Marcus Galloway was his lightning. The two split carries, with Galloway, then a junior, receiving 134 carries for 627 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and three touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 104 yards and a touchdown.
With Cardinal Mooney running back Carson Beach graduating this spring, the Cougars presented Galloway with an opportunity for a lot of carries in his senior season. And like with Edwards at Riverview, expect the Cougars to get creative in how they get the ball to the speedy Galloway.
Wester, a rising junior, comes to Booker from Palmetto High, where he was used mostly as a wide receiver — but perhaps underutilized. In 2023, as a sophomore, Wester caught 26 passes for 433 yards (16.7 yards per catch) and one touchdown. He also had eight carries for 33 yards and even attempted six passes, completing three of them for 49 yards.
Based on his talent, Wester seems to be capable of more. Colleges certainly think so. Wester has offers from the University of South Florida, the University of Toledo and Marshall University. With Booker losing 5-foot-8 superstar wideout Josiah Booker to Central Michigan University, the 5-foot-10 Wester appears to be an ideal replacement. Expect Wester to show all that he can do in 2024.
Like Wester, Davis comes from Palmetto High. The 5-foot-10 Davis does not have the national recognition of someone like Chuck Kennon, but he's a strong cornerback in his own right and holds offers from the University of Mississippi and the University of Nebraska among other schools according to 247Sports.
Davis will combine with returning cornerback Chris McCorkle, a University of Indiana commit, to give the Cougars a lockdown pairing on the outside of its secondary.
