St. Joseph’s Prep football players to watch as they open against St. Thomas Aquinas on ESPN

When St. Joseph’s Prep squares off against St. Thomas Aquinas in the ESPN High School Football Kickoff on Saturday, the Hawks might be without one of their most potent defensive weapons.

Omillio Agard, a four-star cornerback in the class of 2024, is currently questionable for Saturday’s contest, which will take place at Brian Piccolo Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The 5-foot-10 cornerback is nursing an injury in the area of his groin and hip flexor. He rested the injury over the summer, staying away from intense practice for most of the offseason.

Instead, Agard went on a plethora of college visits as he looked to trim down his list of schools ahead of his junior season. Over the summer, Agard attended camps at Clemson and Alabama and also took unofficial visits to Tennessee, Michigan, and Notre Dame.

For Agard, the summer provided a perfect opportunity to visit Southern and Midwestern schools that are tougher to visit during the season.

“It was great because I really can’t get down to the South that much and go to Michigan,” Agard said. “I only can really get to Penn State any day I want because I live in PA, and it’s a really far drive from all the schools that are in my top 10.

“It was good going down there to see those schools, see the coaches in person, see how the energy feels [with] players, and just see everything in person.”

That summer of visits helped Agard lock in his top 10 ahead of this season. Earlier this month, Agard released the following: Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas A&M.

Several names stand out from Agard’s list, including in-state power Penn State and SEC recruiting blue bloods Texas A&M and Alabama. A surprise addition to the list was Notre Dame, a school in Indiana that Agard was not originally considering. After a June 24 visit to South Bend, however, Agard added the Fighting Irish to his list.

With his junior season kicking off this weekend, Agard doesn’t plan on trimming or adjusting his list until after the season.

“I’m locked in for the season,” Agard said. “I haven’t really been even talking to anybody right now. Just focused on my body and focused on my teammates and my team and coaches and just winning. After the season, we’ll talk about recruitment.

“I’m definitely going to watch all my schools that I have in my top 10. Me and my dad and family are looking to go to a couple games because I have three bye weeks. Alabama-Tennessee, I’ll definitely be down there hopefully.”

The first trip Agard is taking is with his St. Joe’s Prep team. The Hawks currently sit at No. 30 in the national high school rankings, while opponent St. Thomas Aquinas sits at No. 5. Agard is looking forward to the high stakes of the game, which will be broadcast live at noon on ESPN.

“First game of the season, ESPN, nothing can get better than that,” Agard said. “My teammates are ready; I’m ready if I can go. I just want to prove to everybody that we’re a top team in the country, if not the best. … I still have got something to prove because all their receivers are ranked higher than me, so I still have a chip on my shoulder.”

St. Thomas Aquinas has a talented secondary as well, including Penn State commits Conrad Hussey and King Mack. Even if Agard can’t suit up Saturday and show his cover skills, he still plans on supporting his teammates and doing what he can to help.

“I’m the energized coach, that’s what you can call me,” Agard said. “I help out with everybody, and I’m the one who’s going to be jumping around on the sideline and getting hype when my teammates make a play.”

With the level of talent on St. Joe’s Prep’s roster, Agard should have opportunities to celebrate big plays on Saturday. Ahead of the Hawks’ season opener, here’s a look at some of the other top recruits that will be in action.

The son of former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, Josiah Trotter has a football pedigree: His brother Jeremiah Jr. is a linebacker at Clemson.

The 6-foot-2 linebacker committed to West Virginia in April. He chose the Mountaineers over the likes of Clemson, South Carolina, and Penn State. The three-star senior figures to serve as the leader for the St. Joe’s Prep defense this year and should be busy against a potent St. Thomas Aquinas offense.

A top dual-threat quarterback in his class, Jones has the ability to punish defenses both through the air and on the ground. The 6-foot-1 quarterback has collected offers from several Power 5 programs, including Penn State, Tennessee, and Louisville.

The three-star recruit will look to continue to boost his recruiting profile this fall while under center for the Hawks. He’ll have no shortage of offensive weapons, with St. Joe’s Prep boasting several top recruits at wide receiver.

Washington will likely serve as the favorite target for Jones this fall. The 5-foot-10 wideout does much of his damage at the line of scrimmage, and his polished technique is what has attracted attention on the recruiting trail. He has offers from Power 5 schools up and down the East Coast, including Maryland, Penn State, and Kentucky.

Whereas Washington’s technique has turned him into a top recruit, it has been Rehmann’s speed that has helped him break out from the pack. The 6-foot-1 wideout has established himself as a player with the kind of speed that can take the top off a defense. Rehmann has offers from Penn State, Pitt, Michigan State, Kentucky, and Tennessee. That list figures to grow into this fall as he continues to showcase his athleticism.

Rounding out the receiver trio is Elijah Jones. The 5-foot-11 wideout has offers from a trio of ACC schools in Boston College, Pitt, and Duke, as well as two AAC programs in Temple and Connecticut.

Like Trotter, Sacca comes from a football family. His father, Tony, was the quarterback at Penn State from 1988 to 1991 and later was a second-round NFL draft pick by the Phoenix Cardinals. Sacca’s uncle, Ralph, was a quarterback at Rutgers.

As a freshman at St. Joe’s Prep, Sacca broke out and became one of the Hawks biggest contributors on defense. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound safety recorded the most interceptions on the team. That breakout campaign, as well as Sacca’s athletic profile, helped put him on the recruiting map. The four-star has offers from numerous major Power 5 programs, including Georgia, Michigan, and Penn State.