Florida Gators 2019 Recruiting Class

[DRU2012]

The good: This is a top 20 recruiting class with a good number of blue chip players (62%, 4th in SEC, 10th in the nation).

The bad: The Gators have zero 5 star athletes.

The ugly: We do have limited knowledge of Mullen's independent recruit assessment capabilities, although he did take a team at Mississippi State with a couple blue chip players and led them to the first #1 CFP ranking. Still, he missed on 5* RB Trey Sanders (Alabama), 5* DE Derick Hunter (TAMU) and 5* DT Siaki Ika (LSU).

Yes: "The Bad" AND "The Ugly" refer to the seemingly "glaring omissions" thus far--and for now we can only go back to consideration of our Head Coach's theoretically "unique approach", as noted and delineated above (in the post directly above THIS one).
I don't KNOW if this fully answers ANYTHING--anymore than I know if we'll gain any further info (OR "5-star PLAYERS") in the course of the rest of THIS cycle, or in recruiting classes ahead, but these same thoughts, considerations and realities presumably will continue to be in play and hold sway in months and years ahead...and as the Coach himself somewhat humorously and sardonically answers regarding such questions about the choices made and the overall quality and success of such efforts and outcomes, "Ask me in 2 or 3 years and I'll be able to give you a better answer!".

 

[Escambia94]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/AllAmericaGame/status/1081000887223496704?s=19
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4* WR Arjei Henderson commits to the Gators at the Under Armour All American Game! Henderson is a surprise commit who has not yet visited Gainesville. He hails from Richmond, Texas, and he joins Diwun Black as the last two verbal commitments before NSD.

 

[Escambia94]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/CoachDanMullen/status/1081643505355759617?s=19
[/TWEET]
Chris Steele, the No. 40 overall prospect and No. 5 cornerback has announced his commitment to Florida at today's All-American Bowl in San Antonio. The 6-foot-1.5, 187-pound prospect from Bellflower (California) St. John Bosco is regarded as a four-star recruit. Predictions had him choosing between Florida and USC.

The addition of Steele moves Florida up from #15 to #11 in class rankings.

 

[Escambia94]

The following early enrollees should be starting class this week:

• OLB Mohamoud Diabate
• OLB Jesiah Pierre
  
• DL Lloyd Summerall
• CB Jaydon Hill
• OL Michael Tarquin
• OT William Harrod
• OT Wardrick Wilson
• OT Ethan White
• OL Kingsley Eguakun
• QB Jalon Jones

 

[Escambia94]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/leewdavis17/status/1082275591703937025?s=19
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[Escambia94]

The Gators currently have 21 players signed and 1 verbally committed, leaving room for 3 to 6 more recruits depending on Mullen's counting strategy.

6-foot-1, 190-pound Kaiir Elam is a 4* cornerback out of The Benjamin School in North Palm Beach, Florida, is the nephew of Matt Elam. Oregon is leaning heavily on Kaiir after losing Chris Steele to the Gators.

6-6 250 pound Smith Vilbert of St. Joseph Regional in Montvale, New Jersey is a 3* weak-side defensive end. Smith will choose from Penn State, Oregon, and Florida.

6-4 268 pound Charles Moore initially pledged to Dan Mullen at Mississippi State as a 4* strong-side defensive end, but he will be in town to finalize his decision amongst Mississippi State, Auburn, and Florida.

6-5 320 pound Ira Henry of Trinity Catholic, St Louis, Missouri, is a 3* offensive lineman would be a nice steal from FSU.

6-1 195 pound Mark Antony Richard of Wellington High School, West Palm Beach, Florida, is a 4* athlete currently looking at alternatives to Miami after the sudden retirement of Mark Richt.

 

[Escambia94]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/T_Waxman1027/status/1089598357197201408?s=19
[/TWEET]
K Tyler Waxman is a 6-1 165 kicker from
West Broward High School, Pembroke Pines, FL. His kicking profile shows he can hit kickoffs up to 75 yards. It is hard to gage his field goal distance, but I would put it at 50 yards. He will join as a preferred walk-on.

Note: Tyler is listed as 4.5* by Kohl's Kicking, but he is not rated by the major recruiting services.

 

[Escambia94]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/Chasew_11/status/1090362578046541826?s=19
[/TWEET]
LS Chase Whitfield is a 6-1 235 special teams player from Harmony High School, Harmony, Florida. He is rated 4.5 stars by Kohl's Kicking .

 

[Escambia94]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/lucasalonso451/status/1091024101974728705?s=19
[/TWEET]

Lucas Alonso is a 6-3, 285-pound Defensive Tackle from Westminster Christian High School, Miami, FL. He will be a preferred walk-on.

 

[Escambia94]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/CoachDanMullen/status/1093162599468851201?s=19
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[Escambia94]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/CoachDanMullen/status/1093146767904960512?s=19
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[Escambia94]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/JustinPelic/status/1093176965186707457?s=19
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[Escambia94]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/CoachDanMullen/status/1093136690552754177?s=19
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[Escambia94]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/LukeStampini/status/1093210078268833794?s=19
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[Escambia94]

As of May 2024 there are only 2 of the 24 members of the class of 2019 on the roster--Kahleil Jackson and Keon Zipperer. 4 members transferred out in 2022, 4 in 2023, and 1 in 2024. 2 players retired. 3 players were drafted, but only 2 were drafted as Gators. Ty'Ron Hopper was drafted after transferring to Missouri. 2 Gators were undrafted free agents. Note that 2 players failed to academically qualify, and 2 transferred before the 2019 season started. The most successful players: Kaiir Elam, Ty'Ron Hopper (transfer to Missouri), and Jonathan Greenard.

PLAYER​	POS​	GRADE​	ORIG CLASS​	NFL​	NFL 24​	TR OUT YR​	RET/ SUS​
Kaiir Elam​	S​	85​	​	2022​	BUF​	​	​
Keon Zipperer​	TE​	85​	​	​	​	​	​
Arjei Henderson​	WR​	84​	​	​	​	​	​
Chris Steele ​	CB​	84​	​	​	​	2020​	​
Deyavie Hammond​	OG​	84​	​	​	​	​	​
Khris Bogle ​	LB​	83​	​	​	​	2022​	​
Lloyd Summerall ​	DE​	83​	​	​	​	2022​	​
Michael Tarquin ​	OT​	83​	​	​	​	2023​	​
Mohamoud Diabate ​	LB​	83​	​	2023​	CLE​	2022​	​
Jaelin Humphries​	DE/ DL/ DT​	82​	​	​	​	​	​
Jalon Jones​	QB​	82​	​	​	​	2020​	​
Tyron Hopper​	LB​	82​	​	2024​	​	2022​	​
Jonathan Greenard​	LB​	81​	2015​	2020​	HOU​	​	​
Will Harrod​	OT​	81​	​	​	​	2023​	2023​
Dionte Marks​	WR​	80​	​	​	​	2023​	​
Ethan White​	OG​	80​	​	​	​	2023​	2023​
Jaydon Hill​	DB​	80​	​	​	​	2024​	​
Jesiah Pierre​	LB​	80​	​	​	​	​	​
Nayquan Wright​	RB​	80​	​	​	​	2023​	​
Trent Whittemore​	WR​	80​	​	​	​	2023​	​
Ja'Markis Weston​	DE/ DL/ DT/ EDGE​	79​	​	​	​	​	​
Kingsley Eguakun​	OL​	79​	​	2024​	2024 TBD​	​	​
Chester Kimbrough​	CB​	78​	​	​	​	2021​	​
Riley Simonds​	OL​	78​	​	​	​	​	​
Wardrick Wilson​	OT​	78​	​	​	​	​	​
Justin Pelic​	ILB​	70​	​	​	​	​	​
Kahleil Jackson​	WR​	70​	​	​	​	​	​