Latest news with #JusticeFitzpatrick
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
He refused to wait his turn. Now Aquinas' Fitzpatrick is one of nation's best
Justice Fitzpatrick arrived at St. Thomas Aquinas in 2022 with high—but still measured—expectations about how his freshman season in Fort Lauderdale would go. He heeded warnings before he enrolled about how hard it was for freshmen to get on the field and was ready to be patient if he needed to be. At the same time, Fitzpatrick had no plan to wait his turn. 'I chose myself to be the one to step up,' said Fitzpatrick, now a senior, a three-time state champion and one of the best players in all of Florida. Fitzpatrick originally planned to keep playing wide receiver for the Raiders, but he saw a need in the secondary and stepped up. He was ready to be patient, but played so well that St. Thomas Aquinas couldn't keep him off of the field. He was always pegged as a potential future star, but his play as a freshman quickly solidified him as something truly special. Now, Fitzpatrick is a top-50 prospect in the Class of 2026, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, and the highest ranked pure defender in South Florida for the 2026 recruiting class. The four-star cornerback—and younger brother of star Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick—orally committed to Georgia in June and boasts more than 40 scholarship offers, with Miami, Florida and Texas all still pushing to flip Fitzpatrick's commitment away from the Bulldogs. As he gets set to begin his senior season with the Raiders, Fitzpatrick has a chance to finish off a historic career by guiding St. Thomas Aquinas to a record seventh straight state title and doing it as the undisputed leader of the state's most storied program. 'It's definitely been great,' said Fitzpatrick, who relocated with his family to the Miami metropolitan area after the Dolphins picked his older brother in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. 'I haven't had the traditional experience, I guess you'd say.' Playing for the Raiders, especially as an underclassmen, is different than playing at most other high schools. In any given season, St. Thomas Aquinas will feature at least a dozen future FBS-level players in their starting lineup - there just isn't room for most freshmen and sophomores to get significant playing time, even if those freshmen and sophomores are future D-I players, too. Fitzpatrick knew this—and embraced it. He quickly realized he wouldn't get on to the field as a receiver, but saw openings in the secondary. Finally, he decided to make the shift and the Raiders rewarded him—Fitzpatrick never played a single game on junior varsity. Although playing time was sporadic as a freshman, Fitzpatrick still made a mark. In the Class 3M championship, Fitzpatrick grabbed his first interception and helped St. Thomas Aquinas beat Homestead for a fourth straight state title. 'First play of the game, they saw me, a little freshman,' the 6-foot-1, 185-pound corner said. 'They tried to throw it deep.' Since then, Fitzpatrick has consistently been one of the best defensive backs in the country, earning first-team Junior All-American honors from MaxPreps last season. His final season with the Raiders could be his best yet, with his older brother now just a short drive away after he returned to the Dolphins in the offseason. Fitzpatrick has always leaned on his brother, despite the roughly 10-year age gap between the two. When Minkah was playing in high school in New Jersey and going through his recruitment, Justice got a front-row seat to learn what the process would be like. When Minkah landed with the Dolphins and the family moved to the Miami metro area, Justice got to lean on his older brother for advice and some coaching, just as he was starting to figure himself out as a football player, too. After the Dolphins traded Minkah to the Steelers in 2019, Justice had to save his training seasons with his older brother for the offseason, and move all their conversations to phone calls and FaceTime's. No more. With his brother's help and three years of championship experience already behind him, Fitzpatrick is ready to be even better in his final year of high school. 'NFL players, they've got a lot of weight on them. I've got a lot of weight on me,' Fitzpatrick said. 'It's a lot easier to talk to someone face to face.'
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Top Georgia commit Justice Fitzpatrick shuts down his recruitment
Top Georgia commit Justice Fitzpatrick shuts down his recruitment Georgia Bulldogs football cornerback commit Justice Fitzpatrick announced that he will be shutting down his recruitment after recently committing to the University of Georgia. Fitzpatrick was expected to take more visits, but those appear to no longer be happening. Fitzpatrick is highly regarded and is ranked as the 47th-best player in the country. He's the third-best cornerback in the class of 2026 and the fifth-best player in Florida. He's close to being ranked as a five-star recruit. His commitment is particularly notable due to his connection to NFL All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, his older brother. This familial link likely played a role, as Georgia head coach Kirby Smart previously recruited and coach Minkah Fitzpatrick at Alabama before taking the Georgia job, which fostered a pre-existing relationship. Fitzpatrick had a scheduled official visit to Ohio State this weekend but Georgia quickly moved to make sure that Fitzpatrick is going to solidified in this recruiting class. Expect him to be one of the core players in this class and help Georgia to secure a top three signing class. Georgia has finished with a top three recruiting class every year since 2017. Although Fitzpatrick is shutting down his recruitment, things are never truly over until early signing day in December. Follow UGAWire on Instagram!
Reuters
04-06-2025
- General
- Reuters
Minkah Fitzpatrick's brother, No. 3 CB prospect, commits to Georgia
June 4 - Justice Fitzpatrick, a four-star cornerback in the Class of 2026 and the younger brother of NFL star Minkah Fitzpatrick, committed to play for Georgia on Tuesday. The younger Fitzpatrick is considered the No. 3 cornerback in his class and No. 47 overall prospect by the 247Sports composite rankings. Justice Fitzpatrick, who attends St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., chose the Bulldogs over finalists Florida, Texas, Miami and Ohio State. He is 6 feet, 0 1/2 inches and 185 pounds. Before leading Georgia to back-to-back national championships, Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart was the defensive coordinator at Alabama, where he overlapped with Minkah Fitzpatrick. Minkah Fitzpatrick played three seasons for the Crimson Tide and won two national championships in Tuscaloosa before the Miami Dolphins made him the 11th pick of the 2018 draft. The safety is currently with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is a five-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time first-team All-Pro. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Blue-chip CB names Texas in top five schools
Texas has eight commitments in its 2026 recruiting class. They have one cornerback in four-star Hayward Howard Jr. who committed earlier this month. The Longhorns are also heavily in play for another cornerback in four-star Justice Fitzpatrick as he named them in his top five schools this week. Fitzpatrick plays at powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and has 43 total offers. He's the nation's No. 62 overall player and the No. 7 cornerback per On3's industry rankings. They have him as the No. 11 prospect in the state of Florida as well. Advertisement It was a very productive junior campaign for Fitzpatrick in 2024. He racked up 34 tackles, two interceptions, and seven pass breakups as he aided St. Thomas Aquinas when the Florida 5A state championship. He also received Junior All-American honors from MaxPreps. Fitzpatrick hasn't spent a lot time in Austin with just an unofficial visit taken this April. However, he has an official visit locked in for June 13, which gives the Longhorns and opportunity to separate themselves from the pack. Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on X (Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Longhorns Football: Texas lands in top five for CB Justice Fitzpatrick
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Longhorns assistant coach hits the road to visit cornerback Justice Fitzpatrick
Longhorns assistant coach hits the road to visit cornerback Justice Fitzpatrick Longhorns go the extra mile to connect with cornerback Justice Fitzpatrick Justice Fitzpatrick, brother of NFL Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is going to be one to WATCH👀 — Rivals (@Rivals) September 14, 2024 With recruiting season heating up, programs nationwide are doing what they can to form relationships with potential future stars. That includes the Longhorns who are having their coaches hit the road. Assistant Coach Mark Orphey visited cornerback Justice Fitzpatrick last week, according to On3 Recruits. Fitzpatrick is ranked as the eighth-best cornerback in the country and the 87th-best overall recruit in the 2026 class by 247sports. He is also being pursued by Florida and Georgia. Having Fitzpatrick in the secondary would be a major boost for any of programs still in the mix. While playing for St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Fitzpatrick has made headlines with his speed. The Florida native also shows a remarkable ability to read plays and react to what is happening around him. That will be key at the next level and in a conference like the SEC. Unlike some of the other recruits in his class, Fitzpatrick can rely on his brother Minkah, who has become a star in the NFL, for advice. After winning two National Championships at Alabama, he also knows what it takes to succeed at the college level. His brother is now looking to follow in his footsteps. In less than two weeks, Fitzpatrick will be at Forty Acres to visit Texas on June 13th. It will mark his second trip to campus after taking an unofficial visit on April 22nd. The Longhorns will look to build on their relationship with the talented cornerback. As the recruitment process continues, Fitzpatrick will be a player to watch. After his visits in June, a decision could be on the horizon regarding which school he will call home. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @LonghornsWire.
