Five players from Top Gun, including 2 from Naples, selected for All-American Bowl

With the conclusion of the FBU Top Gun Showcase in Naples at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex came some good news for five athletes.

After three days of high-level competition, with some of the top high school prospects from across the country, Jordan Hall (Jacksonville Westside), Jonas Duclona (Naples), Olsen Patt Henry (First Baptist Academy), Kenric Lainer (Decatur), and TJ McWilliams (North Central, Indianapolis) all secured their spots in the All-American Bowl on January 7, 2023, in San Antonio. The game will air live on NBC.

Recruiting: Top performers from the first two days of FBU Top Gun Showcase

“I feel blessed, words can’t explain how I feel right now man it's just unbelievable,” Henry said. “Everything I work towards is actually paying off right now. I just want to thank Jesus for everything he has done for me it’s just unexplainable.”

The First Baptist Academy tight end and the University of Clemson commit showed off his wide catch radius throughout the individual and 7-on-7 drills, hauling in touchdown passes left and right. 

Hall, a four-star recruit and the No. 2 defensive lineman in the state on the USA TODAY Florida Network top 100 from Jacksonville knew entering the Top Gun Showcase what his goal was.

And that was to earn an invite to the All-American Bowl.

The 6-foot-4, 300-pound defensive lineman who holds offers from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and many more power programs was a force all weekend long recking havoc in the trenches.

“It’s a dream come true,” Hall said. “As a kid watching the Under Armor game and watching the Adidas game looking at that and watching everyone commit in those games, it's something everybody wants to do.”

In addition to the All-American Bowl invites being presented, 11 athletes were invited to The National Combine which takes place during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Week in Texas and features the nation’s top 600 underclassmen.

Among the 11 underclassmen invited were IMG standout receiver Winston Watkins Jr. from Fort Myers and Naples quarterback Niko Boyce.

“I’m just feeling really good,” Boyce said. “Definitely learned some new things that are going to help a lot during the season and I just feel very happy and humble for The National Combine invite.”

Boyce and Watkins connected multiple times throughout the weekend competing against older competitors. Both were named to the all-camp team in their respective positions.  

“It's going to better me,” Watkins said about playing against rising juniors and seniors. “When I get to my senior year and my final year of high school, I know I’m going to dominate my class.”

A Texas A&M verbal commit, Watkins announced his commitment to the Aggies at the FBU freshman All-American game in December.

“They treat me like family, I love them,” said Watkins about his relationship with FBU. “Ever since I came the first day, they treated me like a family member. I'm just proud of the hard work I put in for them and just coming out to the camps and showing them love just like how they showed me.”