Halfway through the 2019 recruiting season, the Gators have the #22 class in the nation, #11 in the SEC. The Gators have 15 hard commitments, with 8 of them being 4-star athletes:
- DB Trent Whittemore 6-3 185. Bucholz High School. Gainesville FL. NR yet. 5.28.2017 commitment.
- OT Wardrick Wilson 6-4 295. Norland High School. Miami FL. 3 * 7.21.2017 Commitment.
- ATH Ja'Markis Weston 6-3 195. Clewiston High School. Clewiston, Florida. NR Yet. 7.28.2017 commitment.
- WR Dionte Marks 5-11 178. Deland High School. Deland, Florida. 3 *
2.24.2018 commitment.
- OT Ethan White 6-5 315. Superior Collegiate Academy. Clearwater, Florida. 4 *. 3.23.2018 commitment.
- QB Jalon Jones 6-3 180. Saint Frances Academy, Baltimore, Maryland. 4*. 4.7.2017 commitment.
- OLB Tyron Hopper 6-2 205. Roswell High School. Roswell, Georgia. 4*. 4.26.2018 commitment.
- DT Jaelin Humphries 6-3 303. Mountainview High School. Lawrenceville, Georgia. 4*. 6.5.2018 commitment.
- OG Riley Simonds 6-4 324. Buford High School. Buford, Georgia. 3*. 6.20.2018 commitment.
- OLB Jesiah Pierre 6-2 220. Christian Home and Bible School. Mount Dora, Florida. 3*. 7.2.2018 commitment.
- ILB Diwun Black 6-4 216. Forest High School. Forest, Mississippi. 4*.
8.2.2018. Commitment.
- CB Chester Kimbrough 5-11 170. Warren Easton High School. New Orleans, Louisiana. 4*.
8.13.2018. Commitment.
- OLB Mohamoud Diabate 6-4 215. Auburn High School. Auburn, Alabama. 4*.
8.22.2018. Commitment.
- OT William Harrod 6-5 315. National Christian Academy. Fort Washington, Maryland. 4*
9.3.2018. Commitment.
- CB Jaydon Hill 6-0 174. Bob Jones High School. Madison, Alabama. 4*
9.6.2018. Commitment.
There have been 6 de-commitments, with 3 of them being 4-star athletes:
- DT Jaquaze Sorrels 6-3 240. Largo High School, Largo FL. . 4 * 6.16.2016 commitment. 12.31.2017 de-commitment.
- WR John Dunmore 6-3 180. American Heritage High School. Delray Beach FL. 4 * 4.8.2017 Commitment.
- OT Andrew Coker 6-7 335. James Taylor High School. Katy TX. 4 * 6.5.2017 Commitment.
- OLB Marcus Tillman Jr. 6-1 204. Jones High School. Dr. Phillips High School. Orlando FL. 3 * 6.14.2017 Commitment.
- DE TE Cameron Williams 6-5 220. Nova High School. Davie, Florida. NR yet. 7.22.2017 Commitment.
- LB Jammal Abrams 6-3 224. Jackson-Olin High School. Birmingham, Alabama. 3 *.
2.24.2018 commitment. 9.6.2018 commitment withdrawal.
The hottest prospects to watch for:
- RB Trey Sanders, 6-0 214 IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) 5* - uncommitted, Alabama lean
- RB Nay'Quan Wright 5-8 188 Miami Carol City HS (Opa Locka, FL) 4* - uncommitted, 8.31.2018 visit to UF
- SDE Byron Young 6-4 285 West Jones HS (Laurel, MS) 4* - Alabama commit, 10.5.2018 visit to UF
- WR Elijah Higgins 6-3 214 Bowie HS (Austin, TX) 4* - uncommitted, Stanford lean, 10.5.2018 visit to UF
- CB Jaydon Hill 6-0 174 Bob Jones HS (Madison, AL) 4* - Florida commit, 10.5.2018 visit to UF
- S Lewis Cine 6-2 180 Trinity Christian School (Cedar Hill, TX) 4* - Georgia commit, 10.5.2018 visit to UF
- SDE Justin Eboigbe 6-5 263 Forest Park HS (Forest Park, GA) 4* - Alabama commit, 9.8.2018 visit to UF
Random names to talk about at the office water cooler:
- CB Chris Steele 6-1 187 St John Bosco (Bellflower, CA) 4* - uncommitted, USCw lean
- CB Kaiir Elam 6-0 190 The Benjamin School (North Palm Beach, FL) 4* - uncommitted, [rumor 50/50 Florida or Georgia], 3.28.2018 unofficial visit to Florida, many unofficial visits to other schools since
- TE Keon Zipperer 6-2 240 Lakeland HS (Lakeland, FL) 4* - uncommitted [rumor 50/50 Florida or Miami], 10.6.2018 and 7.27.2018 unofficial visits to Florida, 7.28.2018 unofficial visit to Miami, 9.7.2018 Miami visits Keon
- WDE Lloyd Summerall 6-6 218 Lakeland HS (Lakeland, FL) 4* - uncommitted, Florida lean, 10.6.2018 and 7.27.2018 unofficial visits to Florida, one each September unofficial visits to FSU and Miami in between
Top 10 athletes to argue about at the office water cooler (all 5-star):
- WDE Kayvon Thibodeaux - uncommitted, FSU lean
- WDE Nolan Smith - Georgia commit
- WR Jadon Haselwood - uncommitted, Miami lean
- CB Derek Stingley - LSU commit
- WDE Zach Harrison - uncommitted, OSU lean
- DT Ishmael Sopsher - uncommitted, LSU lean
- OT Wanya Morris - Tennessee commit
- RB Trey Sanders - uncommitted, Alabama lean with Florida in the mix
- ATH Bru McCoy - uncommitted, USCw lean
- OT Darnell Wright - uncommitted, Tennessee lean
Top 100 athletes with interest in Florida:
- #42 CB Chris Steele
- #67 CB Kaiir Elam
- #81 WR Elija Higgins
If you asked me what I think will happen next, I think the following will happen (note that I have absolutely zero insight or inside information compared to other sites):
- Either CB Chris Steele or Kaiir Elam, but not both will commit to Florida at some point
- CB Jaydon Jones will remain committed even if Florida grabs Steele or Elam
- Either RB Nay'quan Wright or Trey Sanders will commit, but not both
- WR Elijah Higgins will commit
- WDE Lloyd Summerall will commit
- TE Keon Zipperer is a possibility
- 2 blue chip players will flip to Florida if Florida finishes with 10 wins
- 1 player will de-commit from Florida for various reasons (recruit "replacement", academics, or girlfriend attending a different school)
That puts Florida at 21 players in this class of 2019, and possibly a top-10 class. Florida needs to upgrade the offensive line somehow, so I would imagine Mullen will dip into the JUCO ranks for some offensive linemen. Todd Grantham will need to get aggressive with finding a NT, DT, DE, and some LBs to fully suit his hybrid 3-4/3-3-5 defense.
Another possibility is that with 5-star RB John Emery withdrawing his commitment from Georgia, that will start a domino effect with Trey Sanders and Nay'Quan Wright. That would likely mean Florida, LSU, and Alabama each get one of those running backs.
In response to all of the above--and expecially both thanks AND overall reply to all your effort to respond to MY specific questions and concerns regarding recruiting, I suppose what brought all THAT on, more than anything else, are more than anything else twofold:
(1) It sure has seemed a rising rush of indicators over the course of just this first half-SEASON since Mullen's return that have more and more put the whole topic of Gator-ascension, what's missing in terms of general talent and depth, and what this brilliant Head Coach in particular needs to move us into elite status--the specific parts he is after and might be able to get SOON--that has made all this much more immediate, and
(2) That series of "hints" my friend back in Gainesville started dropping when I called and questioned HIM about it for the first time.
I'm normally not one to turn my attention to this stuff mid-season either--and neither do I generally pay too much attention to the vaguaries of the various rumor mills--nor the manner in which these "prospective classes" are ranked in the first place--especially this early in the process.
But I guess all the rest just got me thinking about it now, and as soon as I turned my attention to it I was faced with contradiction between the public "common wisdom" (and resulting "media scuttlebutt"), and the private "back channel word". So I turned to YOU to help me find some balance, E--: At the very least, a mix of facts and accurate details, informed overview, and some suggestion as to "logical outcomes"...and you didn't disappoint. I think you drew about as much order from the (at this point) inevitable chaos as was possible: Thankyou for that!
In addition to everything else, and contributing to the whole argument regarding RANKING incoming classes even once we really KNOW what a team is actually GETTING come next spring, are all the "new rules" governing transfers and so on and the still growing and clearing picture of its IMPORTANCE, how THOSE factors (where from one season to the next experienced, highly talented players are suddenly able to pick where they wanna go, then basically just go there and PLAY) can materially affect IMMEDIATE improvement on a squad OUTSIDE THE FRESHMAN RECRUITING CLASS alone. A Coach's "likeability", his and his program's high profile, and sudden, onrushing excitement of success to an unexpected degree can all come together to create a kind of "feedback loop" of self-fulfilling prophecy, where more and more talent accrues where the "fire of excitement" like a gathering wave is intensifying and spreading. But it's a fragile thing, and sports is the one area where I truly believe emotion, good fortune and superstition actually DO come together and apply--so I'M gonna shut UP about it right here and now.)
