2014 High School Football Preseason Top 25 Early Contenders presented by Eastbay: No. 15 Miami Central

If not for a 28-17 loss to neighborhood rival Booker T. Washington in September, Miami Central might have been national champion a year ago.

The Rockets were the nation's best one-loss team, outscoring opponents by an average of 30 points each week, gashing opposing defenses with an unmatched running back tandem of Dalvin Cook and Joseph Yearby. They beat American Heritage by 21 points, Don Bosco Prep by 29 and Armwood by 45.

If there's some dropoff following the graduation of Cook, Yearby, Trevor Darling and others, the team's plummet would originate from a stratosphere so far above almost every other football team in the country that the Rockets would just land back in the thick of the country's top 25 teams.

Not that a dropoff is guaranteed, given that head coach Roland Smith returns nine starters on a defense that should be lights-out.

Fermin Silva, a returning first team all-Dade selection, notched 15 sacks a year ago. Joining him at linebacker is 6-foot-2, 210-pound Marshall commit Marquis Couch, who earned second team all-county honors a year ago.

The secondary is loaded, led by Calvin Brewton. Brewton, the nation's No. 15 safety in the 247Composite, is committed to Florida State.



He's flanked by cornerback Olin Cushion, another one of the area's top defensive backs. Malik Adelson, a transfer from Miami Springs, should be a big addition to the unit. His former teammate and fellow defensive back Sean Lee also joined the Rockets.

The strength of the team's offense will undoubtedly be its wide receivers, highlighted by Da'vante Phillips. The senior defines playmaker, and is worth the price of admission. He should top his 872 yards and 10 touchdowns from a year ago.



Fellow senior Anthony Jones provides a trustworthy target for Malik Atkins, who returns to Central after spending last season backing up Treon Harris at Booker T. Washington.

The running back spot will be a committee system, featuring Cedric Miller, who comes over from Norland, and Clifford Cooper, who took over for Yearby and Cook late in games last year. Several other running backs could see time.

The offensive line will be almost entirely new, certainly something that Smith will be keeping an eye on this summer. However, Smith believes his offensive line coach, Michael Ross, is the nation's best. It may take a few weeks, but the unit should come together without major issue.

Central opens its season Aug. 23 against Alabama's defending 6A state champion Hoover, a team with a defense that will be among the nation's best. In a game with explosive athletes all over the field, the titanic matchup between high school football superpowers could be won and lost in the trenches.

"Obviously, any time you lose two special players like Joe Yearby and Dalvin Cook you will have a drop-off. Even Roland Smith acknowledged the fact that you just don't 'replace' guys like that. But Central will still be among the best in the country because of its defense. Fermin Silva and Olin Cushion to name just a couple are examples of the playmakers they had already last season and will again this year. Donovan Thompson, Carlton Davis, Jamel Cook and Calvin Brewton will be one of the best groups of linebacker/secondary guys in the nation."
- Andre Fernandez, Miami Herald (@AndreMHsports)