As someone who has covered prep sports since 1991 with stops in Atlanta, Ocala, Gainesville, New York City and Tampa Bay, I’ve been very fortunate to cover a number of fantastically gifted football players. And for that, I’m incredibly thankful. Today, I salute these incredible athletes with my first -- and only -- All-Thankful Team. Who made the squad? It’s simple: I picked the players I believe were the best I’ve covered as a reporter at each position. Even though I’ve seen single-game performances from players such as Tim Tebow (Florida’s Heisman-winning QB) and Andre Johnson (NFL WR stud), I didn’t include them. Instead, I picked only the kids I saw on a regular basis.

OFFENSE 

QB: Aaron Murray, Plant: One season, he threw 51 touchdowns; the next, he returned from what many thought was a season-ending knee injury to lead the Panthers to a state championship. Today, he’s playing at the University of Georgia.

RB: Clinton Portis, Gainesville Senior: Probably the coolest cat I’ve ever covered. Before Clinton became a superstar at Miami and later in the NFL, he was a fun-loving kid playing for a very good Purple Hurricanes squad. Once, when a co-worker of mine said Clinton wasn’t good enough to play for the Gators, I called Portis up and told him what the writer said. “Put him on the phone,” Clinton insisted. I did, and he proceeded to tell the writer what an idiot he was.

RB: Terry Jackson, Gainesville P.K. Yonge: Gator fans remember Jackson as a key member of the 1996 national championship squad. But before he arrived on campus, he was a smooth tailback for the Blue Wave -- and the best I’ve seen at the high school level at patiently waiting for his blocks. Jackson later spent seven years in the NFL.

TE: Ian Scott, Gainesville Senior: Today, he’s a defensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers. But when I knew Ian, he was playing for the Purple Hurricanes. Until I came across Gulf’s Leon Orr this year, Scott was the most athletically gifted big man I had ever seen. At 6-foot-3, 315 pounds, he was a starter at both nose guard and tight end. Not only that, be he started at first base for the school's baseball team -- and started at center on a state championship basketball squad that was nationally ranked.

OL: Jeff Backus, Norcross (Ga.): Before he was an All-American at Michigan, before he became a stalwart with the Detroit Lions, the 6-foot-5, 305-pound Backus was arguably the top player in the metro-Atlanta area during the 1996 season. In 2001, he went 18th overall in the NFL Draft.

OL: Jarret Johnson, Chiefland: If you’ve watched the Baltimore Ravens play at all, you know all about Johnson, a standout defensive lineman. In high school, Johnson, later a star for Alabama, was the proverbial man among boys, shining at both DL and OL. He was so good at both, I just as easily could have put him on defense for this squad.

OL: Matt Patchan, Armwood: Currently a Gator, Patchan played with attitude, which got him penalized at least once a week. But other than that, his game really had no flaws. Quite simply, he was the perfect left tackle, and I have no doubt he’ll be in the NFL someday as a starter. I’ve never seen an OL with better footwork.

OL: Daron Rose, Jefferson: Rose had a baby face, but once he put that helmet on he was one big-time intimidating force. Like Patchan, he had tremendous feet. Rose has struggled somewhat in college (on and off the field), but it wouldn’t be a shock to see him finish strong at USF. There’s no denying he’s a tremendous talent.

OL: Chaz Green, Tampa Catholic: The only active prep player on my squad, Green has a terrific upside and will likely someday soon be starting for either Florida, Southern California or Tennessee. In other words, he’s awesome. Green is a pretty reserved kid, but he plays both with passion and poise. It will be fun watching him develop in the coming years.

WR: Orson Charles, Plant: Now playing a significant role at Georgia as a true freshman tight end, Charles’ one year at Plant was one to remember. He caught everything in sight, made big play after big play, and even contributed as a pass rush extraordinaire on defense from time to time. At 17, he already had an NFL body.

WR: Robert Baker, Gainesville P.K. Yonge: A gifted athlete, Baker had everything -- size, speed, great hands. In high school, he couldn’t be stopped. At Auburn, he was poised to have a great career. But Baker got in trouble with the law and was never the same. He spent a few years in the NFL, but never had much success at that level.

K/P: Nick Cattoi, Gaither: I only saw Cattoi play a few times, but he never disappointed, more often than not sending his kickoffs deep into the enzone -- or through it entirely. Now at UCF, the sophomore starter with the big leg appears to have a bright future.

UTIL: Andre Caldwell, Jefferson: There was nothing this future NFL standout couldn’t do in high school. Greet speed. Great hands. Breathtaking moves. A ridiculously talented player, Caldwell was named to practically every high school all-american team -- and deservedly so.

DEFENSE

DL: Reggie McGrew, Mayo-Lafayette: In 1999, McGrew was the 24th overall draft pick. In high school, he manhandled his overmatched opponents to the point where sometimes it was laughable. In college, he became one of the best tackles the Gators have ever had.

DL: Gerard Warren, Union County: Warren arguably was among the best five or so defensive players the state produced in the 1990s. Don’t believe me? Well, consider this: The Browns selected him with the third pick in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Nicknamed “Big Money,” Warren never shortchanged anyone who saw him play a high school game.

DL: Torrey Davis, Armwood: Last season, Davis’ fourth-down stop helped the Gators beat Oklahoma for the national title. In high school, he dominated opposing offensive lines each and every Friday. The knock on Davis was always that he didn’t try hard all the time. He was so talented that even if that were true, it didn’t really matter.

DL: Demonte McAllister, Alonso: A redshirt this fall at FSU, McAllister might be the best defensive lineman I’ve been able to see at the high school level. Most of the time, not even two blockers were enough to stop this guy.

DL: Ryne Giddins, Armwood: Watching Giddins dominate opposing linemen was something you don’t forget. If he didn’t run right past them, he’d simply go through them or over them. What I liked most about Giddins, who is now at USF, is that he went all out on every single play. If you don’t believe me, ask Aaron Murray, whom Giddins put a hurting on a couple of times.

LB: Mike Peterson, Alachua Santa Fe: In the early 1990s, this future NFL star LB was a beast for the Raiders. On defense, he was a hard-hitting player. On offense, he ran over people, not around them. Later, he was an all-conference performer for the Gators.

LB: A.J. Jones, Middleton: Those who watched this year’s Florida-Georgia game saw Jones make two huge interceptions. Those who knew Jones back in high school probably weren’t surprised to see him make them. At Middleton, Jones displayed a freakish type of athleticism that made him a star at LB and RB.

LB: Petey Smith, Armwood: Smith, who will join the Alabama football team in January if all goes as planned, was the hardest-hitting LB I’ve seen. Deceptively quick, he covered a lot of ground and was as sure a tackler as you’ll find. This guy was the heart and soul of some memorable defensive units.

DB: Tim Wansley, Buford (Ga.): At Buford, a small-school power just northeast of Atlanta, Wansley was a phenomenal player who shined at both DB and QB. Only 5-foot-8, Wansley, who would later star at Georgia and play in the NFL briefly with the Bucs, could throw the ball well, run for big yards if a play broke down and was terrific in coverage as a cornerback.

DB: Drayton Florence, Ocala Vanguard: Now a standout in the NFL, Florence was a second-round pick (the 46th player taken overall) in 2003, making him the highest-drafted player ever from Tuskegee. In high school, he was a standout at both DB and RB.

DB: Javier Arenas, Robinson: This was one of the easiest picks to make. Now at Alabama, Arenas is arguably the top return man in college football (if not a close second to Clemson’s C.J. Spiller). And he’s also a darn good cornerback, who likely will go high in the draft. While at Robinson, Arenas was a joy to watch. I personally saw him return two kicks for touchdowns in a single game against Blake. Afterward, Arenas told me this: "It's just instinct.”