PrepNation 101 Preseason FB Countdown: No. 38 Deerfield Beach

38. Deerfield Beach (Fla.)

Last season’s record: 11-3, lost in Class 6A semifinals

Coach: Art Taylor

Key players: QB Denard Robinson (5-11, 180, Sr.), DB/WR Adrian Witty (5-11, 185, Sr.), RB Cassius McDowell (5-9, 165, Jr.), OT Amos Dewey (6-4, 285, Sr.), DT/OT Jordan Miller (6-2, 240, Sr.), LB Fernando Dorrius (5-10, 210, Sr.), WR Travis McDonald (6-2, 185, Sr.), DT Johnny Seays (6-1, 235, Sr.)

Biggest strength: Team speed

Question mark: Inexperience at DE and WR

Outlook: Twelve starters are back from a team that defeated 5A champion St. Thomas Aquinas in the regular season and went down to the wire before losing, 19-14, to 6A titlist Miami Northwestern in the playoffs. The Bucks’ offense has a chance to be explosive with Robinson at the controls. He passed for nearly 2,000 yards and ran for 500 yards as a junior and has legitimate 4.4 speed. Witty is a standout at receiver and in the secondary. McDonald has great hands and leaping ability. McDowell will get most of the team’s carries out of the backfield. He ran for over 900 yards and scored 15 touchdowns as a sophomore. Miller and Seays bring a lot of athleticism to the interior of the Bucks’ defensive line.

Toughest games: Oct. 17 at St. Thomas Aquinas, Nov. 1 vs. Boyd Anderson