Florida Gators 2017 Recruiting Class

[Escambia94]

The Gators finished #19 in recruiting class rankings in Jim McElwain's final year as head coach.

This class had 15 four-star, 7 three-star, and 1 two-star athletes.

First	Last	Pos	Ht	Wt	High School	Rating	Notes
Tedarell​	Slaton​	OL​	6-6​	360​	Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / American Heritage​	0.9677​	2021 (5th, Green Bay Packers)​
James​	Robinson​	WR​	6-4​	205​	Lakeland, Fla. / Lakeland​	0.9458​	Medically disqualified, graduated 2022​
Zach​	Carter​	DL​	6-4​	285​	Tampa, Fla. / Hillsborough​	0.9404​	2022 (3rd, Cincinatti Bengals)​
CJ​	Henderson​	CB​	6-1​	175​	Miami, Fla. / Columbus​	0.9378​	2021 (1st, Jacksonville Jaguars)​
Brad​	Stewart​	LB​	6-0​	194​	New Orleans, La. / McDonogh 35​	0.9354​	n/a​
Marco​	Wilson​	CB​	6-0​	180​	Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / American Heritage​	0.9249​	2021 (4th, Arizona Cardinals)​
Daquon​	Green​	WR​	6-1​	185​	Tampa Bay, Fla. / Tampa Bay Tech​	0.9102​	Transferred to Murray State 2019​
Kadeem​	Telfort​	OL​	6-7​	300​	Miami, Fla. / Booker T. Washington​	0.9095​	Suspended 2017, transferred​
TJ​	Moore​	OL​	6-5.5​	290​	Charlotte, NC / Mallard Creek​	0.9054​	Transferred to Charlotte 2021​
Kemore​	Gamble​	TE​	6-4​	216​	Miami, Fla. / Southridge​	0.8987​	TBD​
Elijah​	Conliffe​	DL​	6-4​	305​	Hampton, Va. / Hampton​	0.8937​	Medically retired 2020​
Shawn​	Davis​	CB​	5-11​	190​	Miami, Fla. / Southridge​	0.8875​	2021 (5th round)​
Adarius​	Lemons​	RB​	6.-0.5​	195​	Clearwater, Fla. / Clearwater​	0.8796​	Released from team 2018 after suspension​
Malik​	Davis​	RB​	5-11​	190​	Tampa, Fla. / Jesuit​	0.8765​	2022 UFA​
Kyree​	Campbell​	DL​	6-4​	220​	Woodbridge, Va. / Woodbridge​	0.8708​	n/a​
Jake​	Allen​	QB​	6-3​	200​	Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / St. Thomas Aquinas​	0.8646​	Transferred to Dartmouth, medically retired​
Ventrell​	Miller​	LB​	6-1​	228​	Lakeland, Fla. / Kathleen​	0.8640​	TBD​
Brian​	Edwards​	CB​	6-3​	195​	Hollywood, Fla. / Miramar​	0.8631​	Transferred to Central Michigan 2019 after arrest at Florida​
James​	Houston​	LB​	6-1​	225​	Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / American Heritage​	0.8590​	Transferred to Jackson State 2021, 2022 (6th round, Detroit Lions)​
Donovan​	Stiner​	S​	6-2​	185​	Bellaire, Tx. / Bellaire​	0.8527​	2021 (UFA)​
Nick​	Smith​	LB​	6-3​	220​	Orlando, Fla. / Dr. Phillipes​	0.8372​	Medically disqualified 2019​
Lacedrick​	Brunson​	LB​	6-2​	210​	Miami Fla. / Jackson​	0.7917​	n/a​

• Transfers: QB Malik Zaire 6'0" 225 4-star Dayton, OH via University of Notre Dame

 

[Leakfan12]

Is there a unsigned or uncommitted student athletes the Gators are targeting? I see a number on the rivals list in the Southeast/Texas area open.

 

[Escambia94]

Is there a unsigned or uncommitted student athletes the Gators are targeting? I see a number on the rivals list in the Southeast/Texas area open.

I do not track those, since I have discovered that those sites are not usually accurate. Those sites are only good for tracking verbal commitments, but not soft commitments, potential flips, targets, and unofficial visits. I used to track that data on this site, but Coach Mac's staff is quite secretive when it comes to recruiting and it throws off the listings.

That being said, the Gators only have 15 commitments listed. Somehow they need to sign about 10 recruits. A good number of them will not be on the top of the recruiting service listings.

 

[Escambia94]

Here are the targets that have social media content confirming visits from the Gator staff:

• 4-star defensive tackle and U.S. Army All-American Tedarrell “T.J.” Slaton
  • US Army All American Bowl. Visited Florida January 20. Visiting Georgia January 27.
• 4-star wide receiver James Robinson (Lakeland, Fla.)
  • Visited Florida January 14 and Ohio State January 20. Visiting Ole Miss January 27.
• 4-star cornerback C.J. Henderson (Miami)
  • Visited Florida January 20.
• 4-star cornerback Brad Stewart (New Orleans)
  • Visited Arkansas January 20, plans visit to Florida January 27.
• 4-star defensive end LaBryan Ray (Madison, Ala.)
  • Visited Tennessee January 13, Alabama January 20. Plans on visit to Florida January 27.

There is no guarantee that all 5 of these kids will choose Florida. The Gators have room for 24 recruits total in this class. Assuming all 15 commitments academically qualify (which has been a problem in the past), and most of the 5 here choose Florida, we still have another dozen dark horses or a very small class.

 

[Leakfan12]

We hoping at least 2 or 3 come here.

 

[Escambia94]

Here is the final list of official visits. This will be the last opportunity to flip recruits or confirm silent commitments (if any). The Gators need 8 more recruits to round out the class, based on latest estimates from recruit service sites.

• 4-star WR Oliver Martin, West Senior (Iowa City, IA)
• 4-star ATH Charleston Rambo, Cedar Hill (Cedar Hill, TX)
• 3-star TE Zech Byrd, Stanhope Elmore (Millbrook, AL)
• 4-star OT Kai-Leon Herbert, American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
  • Cancelled official visit and will likely commit elsewhere (Miami?)
• 3-star OT Zalontae Hillery, Glynn Academy (Brunswick, GA)
• 3-star DT Tyrone Truesdell, Laney (Augusta, GA)
• 4-star DT Breyon Gaddy, Bishop Sullivan (Virginia Beach, VA)
• 3-star DT Brandon Gaddy, Bishop Sullivan (Virginia Beach, VA)
• 3-star DT Devonte Wyatt, Towers (Decatur, GA)
• 4-star DE LaBryan Ray, James Clemens (Madison, AL)
• 5-star DE K'Lavon Chaisson, North Shore (Houston, TX)
• 4-star CB Brad Stewart, McDonogh 35 (New Orleans, LA)
• 3-star CB Brian Edwards, Miramar (Hollywood, FL)
• 3-star CB Donovan Stiner, Bellaire (Bellaire, TX)
• 3-star DE Abule Abadi Victory (Lakeland, FL)

 

[Escambia94]

The class is down to 14 commitments now that Elijah Blades has withdrawn his commitment, which caused recruiting rankings to drop from 21 to 31. Kai Leon Hebert cancelled his visit this weekend, which is obviously not a good sign. Throw in rumors from rival recruiting, and we have ourselves a mess this year unless the Gator staff pulls off a minor miracle and gets 10 recruits.

 

[Escambia94]

Brad Stewart and Nick Smith are the two newest commitments.

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/nsmith2017/status/825482443947917312[/TWEET]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/b_stew5/status/825512866191122432[/TWEET]

DE Abule Abadi (Lakeland, Fla.) and LB Lacedrick Brunson (Miami) received late offers this week, but have remained silent.

 

[Escambia94]

Donovan Stiner is the third recruit to commit over the weekend.

 

[Leakfan12]

What was the rating of Nick Smith?

 

[Escambia94]

What was the rating of Nick Smith?

3*. He has a bit of bulking up to do before he can play LB in the SEC. With his frame, he might move to safety if he cannot bulk up and drive through his tackles.

 

[Escambia94]

4-star DE Elijah Conliffe had the best commitment announcement. He put together a video and had his high school help him announce his pick amongst Tennessee, Florida, and Penn State.

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/ElijahPrime/status/826554598676635649[/TWEET]

Elijah Conliffe SDE 4-star 6'4" 305 Hampton Hampton VA 1/31/17

 

[Escambia94]

4-star WR James Robinson is off the table due to his arrest in Ohio for possession of marijuana, and the UF athletic director and staff directing Coach Mac to not extend an offer to the kid.

RUMOR has it that Coach Mac is still trying to help the kid land a scholarship offer elsewhere in a school that is more tolerant of marijuana arrests.

 

[Escambia94]

Here is the final board the night before NSD (based on the past two weeks of in-home visits and official visits as an indicators, listed in order of approximate firmness of commitment):

• 3-star TE Zech Byrd, Stanhope Elmore (Millbrook, AL) --> Florida
• 4-star CB Brad Stewart, McDonogh 35 (New Orleans, LA) --> Florida
• 3-star CB Donovan Stiner, Bellaire (Bellaire, TX) --> Florida
• 3-star CB Brian Edwards, Miramar (Hollywood, FL) [UF, Miami]
• 4-star RB Adarius Lemons Clearwater (Clearwater, FL) [UF, UK]
• 4-star OG Tedarrell "TJ" Slaton American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, FL) [UF, FSU, Michigan]
• 4-star CB CJ Henderson Columbus (Miami, FL) [UF, Miami]
• 4-star LB Levi Jones Westlake (Austin, TX) [FSU, USCw, UF]
• 2-star LB Lacedrick Brunson Jackson (Miami, FL) --> Florida
• 3-star DT Malik Young Eastern Arizona Junior College
• 3-star DT Tyrone Truesdell, Laney (Augusta, GA) [Auburn, UF]
• 5-star DE K'Lavon Chaisson, North Shore (Houston, TX) [UTx, LSU, UF]
• 4-star WDE Jarez Parks Sebastian River (Sebastian, FL) [Alabama, UF, FSU]
• 5-star DE LaBryan Ray, James Clemens (Madison, AL) [Alabama, UF, UTenn]
• 4-star WR Oliver Martin, West Senior (Iowa City, IA) --> Michigan
• 4-star ATH Charleston Rambo, Cedar Hill (Cedar Hill, TX) --> tOSU
• 4-star OT Kai-Leon Herbert, American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, FL) --> Miami
• 3-star OT Zalontae Hillery, Glynn Academy (Brunswick, GA) --> Miami
• 4-star DT Breyon Gaddy, Bishop Sullivan (Virginia Beach, VA) --> Maryland
• 3-star DT Brandon Gaddy, Bishop Sullivan (Virginia Beach, VA) --> Maryland
• 3-star DT Devonte Wyatt, Towers (Decatur, GA) --> Georgia
• 3-star DE Abule Abadi Victory (Lakeland, FL) --> Kentucky
• 4-star CB Elijah Blades Muir (Pasadena, CA) [tOSU, Nebraska, UF]

My guess is that half of the following list, plus a dark horse will round out the 2017 class as a fairly pedestrian class ranked around #20:

• 3-star CB Brian Edwards, Miramar (Hollywood, FL) [UF, Miami] - My prediction: Florida
• 4-star RB Adarius Lemons Clearwater (Clearwater, FL) [UF, UK] - My prediction: Florida
• 4-star OG Tedarrell "TJ" Slaton American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, FL) [UF, FSU, Michigan] - My prediction: Florida
• 4-star CB CJ Henderson Columbus (Miami, FL) [UF, Miami] - My prediction: Florida
• 4-star LB Levi Jones Westlake (Austin, TX) [FSU, USCe, UF] - My prediction: Florida
• 2-star LB Lacedrick Brunson Jackson (Miami, FL) - My prediction: Florida
• 3-star DT Malik Young Eastern Arizona Junior College - My prediction: Florida

• 3-star DT Tyrone Truesdell, Laney (Augusta, GA) [Auburn, UF] - My prediction: Auburn

• 5-star DE K'Lavon Chaisson, North Shore (Houston, TX) [UTx, LSU, UF] - My prediction: flip to UTx

• 4-star WDE Jarez Parks Sebastian River (Sebastian, FL) [Alabama, UF, FSU] - My prediction: Alabama

• 5-star DE LaBryan Ray, James Clemens (Madison, AL) [Alabama, UF, UTenn] - My prediction: Alabama

 

[Leakfan12]

No on Levi Jones, that punk picked USC.

 

[Escambia94]

Somehow James Robinson signed with Florida. The UFAA staff must have changed their minds about preventing Coach Mac from offering Robinson.

 

[Leakfan12]

Somehow James Robinson signed with Florida. The UFAA staff must have changed their minds about preventing Coach Mac from offering Robinson.

I hope this Robinson kid doesn't blow up on the Gators like Aaron Hernandez did (granted it was later on when he was with the Patriots when he was busted)

 

[Escambia94]

I hope this Robinson kid doesn't blow up on the Gators like Aaron Hernandez did (granted it was later on when he was with the Patriots when he was busted)

My guess is that the kid's issues are all with marijuana. Mac will need to make sure the kid gets into a drug treatment program at UF, because history tells us that Robinson is going to get arrested or suspended at least two more times for marijuana.

 

[Leakfan12]

They got a top 10 class according to most of the sites.