The Florida Atlantic football team has begun beefing up the defensive line in the Class of 2025, landing their first player at the position in Nimari Brantley. Nimari Brantley Defensive Line 6-2, 270 lbs Pompano Beach, FL Coconut Creek High School Brantley announced his commitment to the Owls on Thursday afternoon, weeks after making his official visit on the weekend of June 7th. He has played two seasons at Coconut Creek High School, making up to 32 tackles (13 solo), 7 TFLs, and a sack in 11 games. This past season saw him become a force in preventing opponents from advancing, recording 17 tackles (3 solo) and 7 TFLs. He’s also gotten involved with the offense on occasion. Brantley ran the ball three times, scoring a pair of touchdowns in his sophomore campaign. Brantley is a very talented player and athlete who can make huge plays happen, whether he’s on the defensive line or at middle linebacker. He is known for his power and loves to make hard hits in the middle. He is a versatile player, adept at dropping back into pass coverage, reading plays and quarterbacks, and showcasing his defensive IQ against opposing offenses. “Has an opportunity to be one of the most dominant players in the state. Too many people have never watched him, but by the start of the year, they will,” said Florida high school football insider Larry Blustein. Brantley already has a connection with FAU, thanks to his head coach Johnnie Sloan. Sloan is one of the first players to have donned an FAU jersey during the program’s inaugural season under head coach Howard Schnellenberger in 2001. He spent three years with the team, finishing with 99 tackles (44 solo), 20 TFLs, six sacks, three fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, and a touchdown in 27 games. Sloan said that FAU was a good place for Brantley to go to, happy that he chose the school he was most comfortable with, which happened to be Sloan’s alma mater. “He’s a leader, no matter what situation you put him in…he’s striving to get better, he’s a workaholic, and he’s dog. So with that, he gonna do everything he needs to excel at FAU. FAU got another one,” Sloan said. Brantley’s senior year will be important for him to capitalize on, something that Sloan emphasized to him as he gets ready to enter the next chapter of his football career after high school. “I tell him he already has the spotlight on him. If you watch the film, you’ll see he’s always getting double-teamed because he’s one of the best on the team,” Sloan said. “He needs to understand that adversity will come, and he has to be prepared for tough times, whether it’s during this season in a state game or at the next level. It won’t be easy at FAU, and he needs to be ready to work through hard times and fight adversity.” Brantley chose the Owls over offers from multiple FBS schools such as Iowa State, Liberty, and Temple, among others. He is the 15th member of the Owls’ 2025 class, becoming the eighth defensive recruit after Seth Chestnut, Nigel Nelson, Hector Chavez, Damon Allen, and Robert Lee among others. His versatility and strength make him a perfect fit for FAU’s defensive strategy, where his ability to disrupt plays and read the offense will be invaluable. His junior season highlights can be viewed below:
