NSD--This Year It IS "Never Say Die"

[DRU2012]

@Escambia94
Well, there's a REALLY important day in the world of football coming up--No, AFTER the weekend...
Of course I'm referring to NSD, "National Signing Day"--and this one goes to Escambia94:
We're lookin' to YOU to size all this up and boil it down, E-. First what's likely to happen Gator-wise, then following up with "What it all MEANS". No pressure or anything, tho', man...

 

[Escambia94]

Here is my take on the 22 signees:

1. Will Grier, QB, 6'3", 185, 4*, Davidson, NC EE
2. Duke Dawson, CB, 5'11", 184, 4* Cross City, FL EE
3. Travaris Dorsey, OG, 6'3", 280, 3* Jacksonville, FL
4. C'yontai Lewis, TE, 6'5", 208, 3* Tuscaloosa, AL
5. JC Jackson, CB, 5'11", 185, 4* Immokalee, FL
6. Taven Bryan, SDE, 6'5", 250, 3* Casper, WY EE
7. Khairi Clark, DT, 6'2", 325, 4* Hollywood, FL
8. Dontae Angus, OL/DL, 6'6", 330, 3* Philadelphia, PA (issues with academic qualification)
9. Justus Reed, DE, 6'4", 235, 3* Clearwater, FL
10. Nolan Kelleher, OT, 6'5", 296, 4* Mt Pleasant, SC EE
11. Quincy Wilson, S, 6'2", 195, 4* Ft Lauderdale, FL
12. DeAndre Goolsby, TE, 6'5", 235, 3* Derby, KS EE
13. Ryan Sousa, WR, 6'1", 175, 3* Orlando, FL
14. Moral Stephens, TE, 6'3", 215, 4* Perry, FL
15. David Sharpe, OT, 6'8", 275, 4* Jacksonville, FL
16. Gerald Willis, SDE, 6'4", 247, 4* New Orleans, LA EE
17. Kavaris Harkless, OT, 6'5", 269, 6-5, 269, Jacksonville, FL EE
18. Jalen Tabor, CB, 6'1", 182, 4* Washington, DC EE
19. Drew Sarvary, OL, 6'7", 310, Tyler JC transfer EE
20. Brandon Powell, RB, 5'10" 171, Deerfield Beach, FL
21. Thomas Holley, DT, 6'4", 303, 4* Brookyln, NY
22. Deiondre Porter, ATH, 6'1", 185, 3* Tampa, FL

Here are some of the projected flips. I think the Gators will get ATH/QB Treon Harris and CB Adoree Jackson, as well as a couple surprises not listed here.

• KR/WR Isaiah McKenzie, 4* Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (American Heritage)
  • McKenzie is torn between Florida and Notre Dame. He would be a nice kick returner, should Andre Debose not be at his regular 100%.
• ATH/QB Treon Harris, 4* Miami, Fla. (Booker T. Washington)
  • Harris is currently committed to FSU, but has been taking OVs to Florida and Miami. Given Florida's penchant for losing QBs to injury, Harris would be a nice backup option and challenger to Will Grier.
• OT Damian Prince, 5* District Heights, Md. (Bishop McNamara)
  
  • FSU, Maryland, and Florida are all in the mix for the #2 OT in the country. I call Prince the key player to flip. If he goes to FSU, consider that a sign that FSU really is back.
• WDE Lorenzo Carter 5* Norcross, Ga. (Norcross)
  
  • Carter was a solid commitment to Florida until the season fell apart.
• CB Adoree’ Jackson 5* Gardena, Calif. (Junipero Serra)
  • Jackson wants to follow in Jeff Demps' footsteps and do both football and track, and make it to the Olympics. This could be a good sales pitch for the electric cornerback.
• S Jamal Adams, 4* Lewisville, TX
  • More than likely he will stick with his LSU commitment, considering how crowded Florida is in its No Fly Zone.
• SDE Da'Shawn Hand 5* Woodbridge, VA
  • More than likely this Alabama commit will stick with the Tide, but he has shown interest in Florida.
• WR Eric Lauderdale 4* Mission Viejo, CA
  • More than likely this JUCO transfer will stick with his Arizona State commitment.

 

[Leakfan12]

If McKenzie comes to UF he should be the kick returner (I put freshmen and/or backups on kick and punt returns on NCAA football games). I hope Carter can reconsider though 4-8 is a hard sell (then again Emmitt Smith picked Florida over teams that did better in 1986). Jackson would be a nice pickup if they could get him because they need cornerbacks.

 

[DRU2012]

Pretty heartening list, in a crucial, "turning point" year for us recruiting-wise. I'm gonna say a few things about the "questionmarks", tho':
McKensie would be huge--we NEED a one-man "flip-the-field/jump start-the-offense"-guy (re Dubose, you mean not "his usual disappointment, lackadaisical rather than not 100%"-self, E-?)
Harris HAS to be just about the longest of long shots, given penchant nowadays for most young QBs' (and just about every OTHER position) to want something close to a guarantee that they'll "be The Guy" ('Course, we actually saw that happen here a couple of years back--Brisset left when he WASN'T named starter in his 2nd year, but WOULD have been the main guy by mid season-just-past, and quite possibly the leader of the offense going into 2014, had he stayed when Driskel, chosen over him, went down--so who knows, lightning COULD strike twice, I s'pose...)
Carter's the current poster-boy for kids who don't believe, maybe weren't Gator-material to begin with and maybe we don't WANT if one bad year chases them cross-state to the winner-of-the-moment--I mean, you're either a Gator or a 'Nole (we ALL faced and well-understand that one--and obviously MADE our choices from-the-heart: Personally, I want players who feel the same way)
Jackson should tip our way--for the very reason E- notes, in the end
Sources tell me that though it's far from certain, Lauderdale has become REALLY enamored of UF and our staff here
Extra NOTE (as per E-'s side-comment): There WILL likely be "a couple of surprises", and if so, they'll make the diff 'tween "top-five or so" and "Wow, what a haul" this time around.

 

[Escambia94]

The Gators have room for five or six more beyond the 22 current projections. Coach Muschamp's has been hitting the recruiting trail hard.