While there are many lists that come out throughout the course of a year, giving fans and high school football followers a sampling of the athletes to keep an eye on, keep in mind that rankings will always be subjective at best.

Our lists are annually compiled from watching thousands of athletes perform with full gear on in football arenas, giving them the opportunity to showcase their football skills and not just a combine performance or a 7-on-7 event, which are helpful, but in no way definitive, and in no way what college coaches want to hear when seeking information.

The names you will see here, and in the many lists to come throughout the year, are based on a number of people giving us input along with the countless hours spent in the spring and summer, physically attending events, talking with youngsters and their coaches.

n the coming months, names will be added and moved around to give you a working list for the start of the 2009 regular season, and then updated again at the completion of the year, giving us the advantage of seeing football games and practices from Key West to Pensacola and everywhere in between. In addition, keep in mind that this coming year, like every year, the state of Florida will produce over 400 Division 1A prospects, so being a top 100 player isn’t the only indicator of being a top-flight major college football player. Also, 265 of the 400 plus last year came from Palm Beach to Key West!



During a recent Golden Panthers 7-on-7 workout at FIU Stadium, a football highlights video from the the 2008 season continuously played on the stadium monitor.Several times throughout the practice, FIU's 2009 freshman class got a glimpse of the ''Hilton Heave'' -- a last-minute touchdown pass by receiver T.Y. Hilton that lifted FIU over Arkansas State in November.It was one of numerous plays Hilton made last season en route to garnering Freshman All-American honors and leading FIU to its biggest improvement in program history.

Tony Romo played all kinds of sports as a child, especially basketball, and figures he never would have become the Dallas Cowboys' quarterback if he had concentrated on just one sport as many youths do today. "People sometimes today are predominantly putting their kids into one sport," said Romo

With his federal dogfighting sentence scheduled to end Monday, Michael Vick begins another tough challenge. He must resurrect his football career and put in order the finances he ruined as a result of running a dogfighting ring. Vick spent 18 months in prison in Leavenworth, Kan., and the past two months under home confinement in Hampton, Va. Federal Judge Henry Hudson prohibited him from giving interviews or speaking publicly. Vick worked a construction job, trained for a possible NFL return and shuttled back and forth to a bankruptcy court to try to set up plans to pay off his many creditors.

So you want to know how to get sponsored skateboarding? You want to be the next big thing on the skateboarding scene, getting free skateboarding gear and having your name plastered across your own pair of pro-model shoes and skate decks? Becoming a sponsored skateboarder isn't too tricky, as long as you have the heart and the skill. Here are some hints and tips on how to get sponsored in skateboarding. Becoming a Sponsored Skateboarder - Step One: Live to Skate First off, you need to ride your skateboard. A lot. In fact, the more you skateboard, the better your chances are at getting sponsored. Skateboarding companies want to sponsor people who can do a lot of different tricks, and ride a variety of spots, so get out there. Skate to and from school, skate to the store, hit everything you see. Skate at your local skatepark, and try and hit skateparks in other towns, too. You are going to need to be a great skateboarder in order to get sponsored, and no one becomes great without practice. Once you feel like you've got some pretty solid skateboarding down, move on to Step Two...

Step 1 Practice. Skate to work or school and back again, at skateboard parks, anywhere where skateboarding is allowed. Step 2 Always wear a helmet. If you're going to experiment and learn new tricks, keep your head protected. Step 3 Make a video, and make it short and snappy. All pro skateboarders have videos. Capture your best moves and make the video eye-catching. Make more than one video as your skills improve. Hire a competent camera operator and editor. Consider posting clips of your best moves online. Step 4 Pick a company that you'd like to represent. Check out their websites and find out what the companies require for sponsorship. Step 5 Have fun. Skateboard because you love it, not because you want a sponsor. That joy in what you do will be infectious, and make you more attractive to sponsors. Step 6 Be cool and be yourself. Being grounded will help you in the long run. Acting arrogant and rude will only alienate others, no matter how great your skateboarding skills are.