There are many talented specialists in the Sarasota-Manatee area to pick from entering the 2026 high school football season. Here's the Herald-Tribune's selection of the 12 best specialists in the area. Get discount to watch HS football on NFHS Network And now is your chance to have a say. Vote in our poll today for the player you think is the best quarterback in the area. Scroll to the bottom or click here to make your pick. The poll closes at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. The nominees for the best specialists in Sarasota and Manatee counties are: Alex Blades Blades is a kicker/punter entering his junior season at Lakewood Ranch. Jack Campbell Campbell is a 5-foot-8 sophomore at Sarasota Christian. In 2025, he recorded 1,757 yards on 42 kickoffs, averaging 41.8 yards per kickoff. He also had four touchbacks. Lachlan Delfau
Delfau is a 5-foot-7 kicker/punter entering his sophomore year at Riverview. Carter Eurice
Eurice is a 6-foot-2 kicker who is entering his junior season. In 2025, he returned two kickoffs for 114 yards. He also returned eight punts for 205 yards, averaging 25.6 yards per punt. Brandin Gallaway
Gallaway is a senior kicker/punter entering his senior season at Palmetto. He's ranked the No. 1 punter in the 2027 class, receiving 20 offers, including from Auburn, Tennessee, Ole Miss, North Carolina, Colorado, Baylor and Cincinnati. The Clemson commit is the No. 1 punter and the No. 4 kicker nationally, according to Kohl's Kicking. During his junior campaign, Gallaway had 19 kickoffs for 1,309 yards, making all of his 18 extra-point attempts. He also punted eight times for 311 yards. Jok Harris
Harris is a three-star wideout entering his senior season at Palmetto. In 2025, he returned two kickoffs for two touchdowns on 70-yard and 67-yard runs, respectively. AJ Heater
Heater is a 5-foot-8 receiver entering his junior season at Sarasota. Last season, he returned 10 kickoffs for 238 yards, averaging 23.8 yards per return. He also added two punt returns for 25 yards. Simeon McBride
McBride is a 5-foot-10 kicker who also plays quarterback and free safety, entering his sophomore season at Saint Stephen's. James Reynolds
Reynolds is a 6-foot-4, 235-pound punter entering his senior season at Venice. He's listed as the No. 3 best punter nationally, according to Kohl's Kicking. Last season, he averaged 42.1 yards per punt. He recorded 60 kickoffs and 47 touchbacks. Connor Samblis Samblis is a 5-foot-11 junior at Parrish Community. In 2025, he had recorded 2,221 yards on 50 kickoff returns, averaging 44.4 yards per kickoff. He also had 12 touchbacks. Samblis added 636 yards on 20 punt returns, with his longest being 60 yards. Patrick Schaefer
Schaefer is a 6-foot-1 sophomore kicker/punter at Bayshore. Javen Stevens
Steens is a senior kicker/punter at North Port. In four games last season, he made all nine of his extra point attempts.
Editor's Note: We reserve the right to disqualify a candidate or declare a vote "no contest" if tampering such as bots or offering to pay for voting is evident. Please respect the integrity of the vote the way these athletes respect the integrity of the game. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: The top 12 Sarasota, Manatee area specialists entering 2026. Vote for No. 1