In a recent re-rank of the recruiting classes across college football, ESPN gave the 23rd spot to [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s Florida Gators. Previously unranked, UF was able to claim a spot thanks to the recent additions of three notable prospects to the class.
The recruits currently committed to attending Florida are athlete [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag], offensive guard [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag], wide receiver [autotag]Creed Whittemore[/autotag], wide receiver [autotag]Tyree Patterson,[/autotag] and offensive tackle [autotag]Bryce Lovett[/autotag].
Harris is the top player in the group currently committed to the Gators in ESPN’s rankings. They list him as a four-star, ranked as the 155th player in the class. “Harris is a nice addition to the trenches, as he has been a multiyear starter at IMG Academy and should come in ready to compete for playing time,” wrote the ESPN recruiting experts.
Many Gators fans may have expected better results on the recruiting trail a full six months into the Napier era, especially considering he hired so many well-known recruiting powerhouses into his staff. That being the case, seeing Florida just now creep into the top 25 schools on the ESPN list could be disheartening.
However, I’d admonish caution before getting too close to the ledge. A few of the players Florida wanted have spurned them, but most of their top targets are yet to commit anywhere. The Gators’ name is constantly being included in the conversation for notable prospects and literally every week they are included in four-star players’ top lists.
[mm-video type=video id=01g40p9wmm4qsckq519p playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g40p9wmm4qsckq519p/01g40p9wmm4qsckq519p-a32bca445e233d349e4db304468cf6d3.jpg]
[lawrence-related id=84641,84608,84599,84588,84560]
[listicle id=83732]
Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!