Florida High School Football: How to watch No. 6 IMG Academy vs. The First Academy

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The debate when the No. 6 IMG Academy Ascenders make the relatively short trip from Bradenton to Orlando to face The First Academy Royals is how will both teams play the game.

More like a preseason classic or a regular season clash?

Regardless of however either side decides to go about it, what seems to be agreed upon is this kickoff classic means a little bit more than just your usual tuneup.

Both Sunshine State powers enter the contest looking to break the ice on the 2025 season and looking at both rosters, this game will see well over 30 Power 4 level recruits taking the field. That’s ingredients for some high-level football as IMG Ascenders head coach Greg Studrawa makes his debut against a bolstered-TFA team, which has seen its fair share of newbies trickle in over the off-season.

The First Academy Royals Players to Watch

The First Academy Royals have seven players that have verbally committed to Power Four programs, with three of those players pledged to Big Ten Conference teams.

S Devin Jackson: Jackson after his high school days looks set to play for Danny Lanning and the Oregon Ducks. The safety is ranked No. 20 in Florida and the No. 13 safety overall via the Rivals Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all three of the major recruiting networks.

ATH Brian Dillard: The athlete is a Swiss Army knife when it comes to the offensive side of the ball. Whether Dillard is lining up at quarterback or wide receiver, the fleet-footed athlete can hurt opposing defenses in a multitude of ways. Dillard transferred over from West Orange during the off-season.

EDGE Kingston Shaw: Another player that transferred over is the Illinois commitment. Shaw is ranked No. 120 in the state and came to the Royals after playing most of his high school career at Apopka. Last season Shaw totaled 42 tackles, 11 for loss and 2.5 sacks.

QB Landen Holley: Though Holley may not have the stardom that the players ahead of him may have, the quarterback is surely on his way to such. The signal caller led the way in a rout of Lake Mary back in the spring, throwing five touchdowns.

IMG Academy Ascenders Players to Watch

The IMG Academy Ascenders boast one of the most talented rosters in the country, with a myriad of players that have received offers to play FBS college football.

QB Jayden Wade: We start with the Class of 2028 quarterback because he’s got some big shoes to fill following up last year’s starter, Ty Hawkins. Regarded as one of the top sophomore passers in the country, Wade will be thrown into the proverbial fire against a TFA secondary that’s filled with Power 4 talent.

EDGE Jake Kreul: The 6-foot-3, 240-pound edge rusher became the newest Oklahoma Sooners commitment this past week. Kreul is currently the nation’s No. 8 edge rusher and No. 41 prospect overall per the Rivals Industry Rankings.

WR Eric McFarland: Don’t let his diminutive size at the the wide receiver position fool you, as McFarland can flat out beat defensive backs and mostly any coverage you throw at him. In 2024, the wideout caught 36 passes for 574 yards and nine touchdowns.

EDGE Zyron Forstall: The edge rusher is ranked No. 2 amongst the Class of 2027 prospects. Forstall currently holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas A&M and USC, among others.