Category: Football Recruiting

Offensive line target decommits from Pitt, turns eyes to Florida

An offer from the Florida Gators can change everything for some recruits.

A few days ago, the Gators’ offensive line class of 2022 had a murky future with only one lineman committed. Then, three-star offensive tackle David Conner committed to the team, and three-star Ja’Kavion Nonar de-committed from Pittsburgh.

Florida offered Nonar in early August even though he was verbally committed to the Panthers. Ole Miss followed suit days later and Nonar has now reopened his recruiting. It starts with some love for Florida too.

Measuring at 6-feet-7-inches and 275 pounds, Nonar is the No. 124 offensive tackle in the 247Sports rankings. He burst onto the recruiting scene in June and could rise up the list as the season goes on.

Nonar’s decision may take a bit as the young tackle has laid out plans to visit schools before potentially deciding in late October or early November. Miami, FSU and Missouri have reached out to him recently and more could join the race.

It seems that the Gators have a good chance at landing Nonar and getting back on track with their offensive line recruiting, but the Hurricanes and Seminoles could provide some in-state recruiting competition.

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This in-state 3-star offensive lineman just committed to Florida

The Gators have struggled to recruit offensive linemen lately but they nabbed this 3-star OT to get back on track.

David Conner, a three-star offensive tackle out of South Florida, committed to the University of Florida on Tuesday.

“It was a home,” Conner said. “It was a family experience from the first time I got there. The coaches really tried to help and instilled a lot of knowledge in me and I just knew that was where I was goingā€”that was home.”

The Gators beat out Arizona, FAU and Maryland for Conner’s services as he joins Tony Livingston in the 2022 offensive line class. His senior year of high school will be his first full year at offensive tackle, though. He spent most of his junior year in high school taking defensive snaps at Martin Luther King High School in Georgia.

It’s no secret that Florida has struggled to land offensive line targets for the class of 2022. The Gators missed out on top target Tyler Booker in July to Alabama, and three-star Leyton Nelson chose UCF over UF at the beginning of August.

“Pretty good, we’ll see,” Mullen said about the Gators’ offensive line recruiting on Monday. “That’s always one of the trickier ones.”

Conner is a solid rebound for Mullen and offensive line coach John Hevesy. He received an offer from Florida coach Dan Mullen on Aug. 7 and set a commitment date two days later. 247Sports had Florida as the 80 percent favorite to land the 6-foot-6-inch, 270-pound tackle and was considered the favorite. With his size and some coaching, Conner can become a solid lineman by the time he gets to Gainesville.

“He’s putting the work in,” Deerfield Beach High coach Jevon Glenn told 247Sports. “We’re really excited about his potential and what he’s going to be able to bring to our program. Big, athletic with huge upside. He’s got the demeanor. Obviously, he’s got the size and he’s getting better and better now that he’s fully committed to play offense.”

Conner is the No. 126 offensive tackle in the country, according to 247Sports.

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These four Florida football commits made the newest Rivals250 list

One Gator moved up over 150 spots and into the top 50.

The Gators had four recruits from their class of 2022 named in the new Rivals250 rankings: inside linebacker Shemar James (No.40), cornerback Julian Humphrey (No. 55), athlete Isaiah Bond (No. 90) and quarterback Nick Evers (No. 199).

In addition to being the highest-ranked of the bunch, James was one of the biggest movers on the list overall. He joined the top 40 after moving up 170 spots since the last update. In fact, James was the single biggest mover on the list aside from those who jumped up from outside the top 250.

Humphrey comes in as the seventh-best cornerback nationally and Isaiah Bond is the fourteenth-best athlete in his debut ranking. Evers is the only Gator commit outside of the top 100 but he ranks as Rivals’ No. 9 dual-threat quarterback since they separate them from pro-style quarterbacks.

A pair of elite targets for Florida also placed well on the list. Walter Nolen, was again named the nation’s best defensive linemen at No. 2 on the overall list and defensive back Austin Ausberry jumped up 106 spots to No .95 in the country. Nolen placed Florida in his top three earlier this month and Ausberry has the Gators in his top six.

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Linebacker EJ Lightsey breaks down commitment to Florida

Three-star linebacker EJ Lightsey became the 12th commit of Florida’s 2022 recruiting class. He spoke about why he chose the Gators.

Three-star linebacker EJ Lightsey became Florida’s 12th commit in its 2022 recruiting class when he chose the Gators Monday. He is the second linebacker to team up with Florida this cycle. Four-star linebacker Shemar James gave his pledge to the Orange and Blue back in June. After his commitment, he spoke with Swamp247 to explain his commitment.

He said his recruitment came down to Florida, Georgia Tech, Auburn, LSU and Georgia. The Gators gained an advantage over the others due to their great atmosphere.

“Just the people there made them stand out,” Lightsey said, according to Swamp247. “I feel like if I go there and do what I need to do, I can get on the field. When you talk about academics, they are in the top 10 for that plus a good football team. That is one of the things I really thought about too when I was committing.”

His relationship with linebackers coach Christian Robinson played a significant factor in his decision. Lightsey believes he can help him get to the next level if he heeds his coaching.

“It was a big thing getting there on the visits I took, but the love he showed me was something that helped us bond,” Lightsey said. “Ever since he offered me, he’s been in touch with me and reaching out to me and making sure we are good. He makes sure my family is alright and he gives me more of a family vibe than a coach. He talks to me about life and we talk almost every day. I feel like I can talk to him about anything and he is more than just a coach to me.”

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Lightsey said that he was a silent commit to Florida since June. He committed to the Gators back during Friday Night Lights. Coach Dan Mullen and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham were really excited when he gave them the news.

When projecting where he’ll play when he gets to Florida, Lightsey said the coaches told him that they believe he can play its three linebackers spot because of his versatility.

He added that he’ll come back to the Swamp when the Gators play Alabama.

“I really have seen everything, but now I just want to experience game day and all that,” Lightsey said. “I want to bond with the people and the school and people around the campus. I have seen everything, but just want to see a game day experience. It’s going to be rocking in there too with it being the Alabama game.”

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Gators secure the commitment of this 3-star 2022 linebacker

Florida added its second linebacker commit in the 2022 class with three-star E.J. Lightsey.

Florida football secured a nice commitment for the 2022 class on Monday, as Fitzgerald, Georgia, linebacker E.J. Lightsey announced his pledge to the Gators. Lightsey announced his commitment on social media and in an exclusive interview with AllGators’ Zach Goodall.

A three-star recruit and the No. 426 player in the nation (No. 44 among linebackers), he chose UF over other major Power Five offers like LSU, Auburn, Georgia Tech and Georgia. Lightsey told AllGators his two visits this summer helped set Florida apart.

“Taking those visits, I saw that Florida had a lot of great people. It was a great atmosphere like that,” Lightsey said. “It was good meeting the players, the coaches, everybody was just real genuine. Like they showed a lot of love. As far as all the schools I visited, the most love shown was Florida. It kind of feels like home, a home away from home and I feel like it won’t be hard to adjust to.”

Lightsey is an athletic linebacker with a solid 6-foot, 2-inch, 210-pound frame. According to Goodall, he runs a low 4.6-range 40-yard dash and largely projects as a middle linebacker, though he can play at the weakside position or the pass-rushing “BUCK” position that Florida utilizes.

He was offered by Gators linebackers coach Christian Robinson back in January, with whom Lightsey is close. He said that his relationship with Robinson was one of the main reasons he committed to UF.

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“I’ve got a strong relationship right now with coach Robinson. Since day one, since they first started recruiting me, coach Robinson has been the one that’s recruiting me real hard,” Lightsey said.

“My relationship with coach Robinson, the reason why our relationship is so strong is because I feel like I can trust him. I feel like I can trust him to get me where I want to be as long as I buy into the process.Ā He can help me achieve all the dreams I want to achieve.”

Lightsey is just the second linebacker in Florida’s 2022 class after four-star Navarre, Florida, prospect Shemar James, who was a recruiting victory over Alabama. With the 12th player committed, the Gators’ class still just ranks 30th in the nation, and coach Dan Mullen has a lot of work to do this fall.

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Florida football in top 5 for Trevor Etienne, brother of Jags’ Travis Etienne

Florida is making a play for Travis Etienne’s brother, four-star back Trevor Etienne, and he has them in his top five.

Trevor Etienne, brother of Jacksonville Jaguars first-round pick Travis Etienne, is considering Florida strongly enough to place the Gators in his top five.

The four-star back will remain linked to his brother until he makes a name for himself, but playing nearby family could be a major part of the Gators’ recruiting pitch.

“I like [Greg Knox] and [Dan Mullen]. They just want the best for me and the best for the program,” Etienne said to 247Sport. “I love Florida. I mean, it’s close to the beach. It’s also close to my brother and that would make it easier on my family just for them to get to games and support both of us. That’s a big deal.”

The Gators join Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and LSU in the top five. Many consider Clemson to be the frontrunner considering the Etienne family’s familiarity with Dabo Sweeney’s program. LSU holds the benefit of being in the same state as Jennings High School.

Etienne has visited all of his top five schools unofficially, including Florida back on June 24. He left Gainesville impressed with the university’s academics in addition to its athletics.

ā€œMind-blowing,” Etienne said. “I mean [all the visits] were, honestly. [But] their academics are like through the roof. All the schools are known for academics in some sort of way, but Florida, itā€™s different.”

Etienne says he’ll visit all the schools officially this Fall but wanted to cut down his options heading into the final stretch of his recruitment. He is ranked as the No. 165 recruit nationally, according to the 247 Composite list, and the No. 14 running back in the nation.

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Florida football makes top 10 for No. 1 running back recruit

Richard Young would be a game-changer for Florida. The No. 1 running back for 2023 named the Gators in his top 10.

Richard Young, the No. 1 running back in the class of 2023, named his top 10 on Sunday after receiving over 40 offers so far during recruitment. Florida made the cut along with Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon and USC.

The 6-foot, 190-pound back out of Lehigh Senior (Fla.) received an offer from the Gators before he started high school, according to Chad Simmons of Rivals. Young visited Florida most recently for the Gators’ Friday Night Lights camp at the end of July but has told stories of visits to games where the Gators faced the Seminoles before the COVID-19 pandemic.

FSU is Florida’s biggest in-state competition when it comes to Young after a June visit to Tallahassee that the recruit “loved.” Yet, the larger threat might be Alabama, which Young has described as a dream school.

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Running backs coach Greg Knox and head coach Dan Mullen have led the recruiting effort for Florida. Young knows he could be a major part of the offense for the Gators and Knox seems to be a fan of his skillset.

“He likes my vision, my cuts, my speed, how I read the holes and how I make cut backs,” young said to 247Sports. “He said he just likes how explosive I am and says he loves everything about how I play football. From what I have seen from their team, I think I could go in there and change their whole offense.”

Young has no timetable for his decision, but he’ll have plenty to consider as don’t of the nation’s top athletes. The 247Composite list has him No. 17 overall in the country, No. 5 in Florida and No. 1 at running back.

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Florida football listed in this 4-star defensive back’s top 6

It’s not easy to get a kid out of Baton Rouge, but the Gators are making a play for Lousiana’s second-best cornerback.

Austin Ausberry, a four-star cornerback according to the 247Sports Composite list, has included Florida in his top six schools.

The Gators join Alabama, Notre Dame, Michigan, Auburn and LSU in Ausberry’s top six. He’s ranked as the No. 28 cornerback in the class of 2022 by 247Sports and No. 15 in the state of Louisiana.

LSU offered the Baton Rouge prospect back in March while the others in the top six did so over the Summer. Gators coach Dan Mullen made his bid for Ausberry during an unofficial visit in July but Austin heard “how nice Florida nice is” from his brother Jaiden, a 2023 five-star linebacker Florida is also recruiting, according to Inside the Gators.

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Florida’s late offer shouldn’t be too concerning as Michigan offered days later on June 30 and Auburn did so on Aug. 2. Ausberry also plans to officially visit Gainesville during the Fall but isn’t sure what game yet.

Ausberry plays for University Lab in Baton Rouge, which is where the LSU Tigers are as well. The Tigers have had great success getting players from the area to commit, so it will be a challenge for any of the other top six to sway him out of Louisiana.

Despite not having a decision date set, Ausberry seems to be working through his recruitment in a timely fashion. Ausberry parsed his list down from a top 10 he released on July 17. After visits in the Fall, he could be close to a decision by the early signing period.

Ausberry’s junior season highlight reel can be found below.

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Nation’s top defensive linemen names Florida in top 3

The Gators are going after the best defensive linemen in the class of 2022 and it’s working. Walter Nolen has Florida in his top three.

Walter Nolen, the nation’s top defensive linemen in the class of 2022, listed Florida in his top three schools on Saturday, according to 247Sports.

Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Michigan joined Florida in Nolen’s top five in July but only the Volunteers and Gators made the most recent cut. Texas A&M jumped into the fold with a recent unofficial visit and rounds out the top three.

ESPN has Nolen at the No. 1 spot on its top-300 list and 247Sports has him at No. 2 behind Florida State commit Travis Hunter. Getting a recruit of Nolen’s caliber would turn an already good 2022 Florida recruiting class into a great one.

Nolen made two visits to Gainesville this summer, one official and one unofficial, but Dan Mullen’s team has been recruiting him since 2020. They were hoping to host him for the third time in two months during the Gators’ Friday Night Lights camp at the end of July but Nolen used that weekend to visit Texas A&M instead.

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After a three-day stay in College Station, the Aggies shot up Nolen’s board, so Florida has their work cut out for them. Tennessee will enjoy an in-state advantage as the recruit relocates just outside of Knoxville for his senior year.

Nolen and his father have given hints at a timeline for his decision. The five-star recruit may have to wait past a self-appointed August decision date but he hasn’t wiped it completely off the table. He may need to make a few more visits.

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In-state running back target committed to Utah over Florida

Three-star Jaylon Glover was favored to be Florida’s second running back in its 2022 class. But he shocked the world and chose Utah Friday.

Florida, coach Dan Mullen and running backs coach Greg Knox have been insistent since the start of the 2022 recruiting cycle that they have wanted to sign two backs. The Gators will have to look elsewhere for their second running back after their target three-star Jaylon Glover committed to Utah.

Last weekend, Florida landed its first running back of the cycle in four-star Terrance Gibbs. He announced his commitment to Mullen and Co. in the hours leading up to Friday Night Lights. The coaching staff also had Glover visit that weekend to get him familiar with Gibbs. Florida was seen as the team to beat for the Lakeland, Florida product. But Thursday, many 247Sports recruiting experts changed their crystal ball prediction from the Gators to the Utes.

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Florida will turn its attention to Trevor Etienne, the younger brother of Clemson legacy Travis Etienne. He took an unofficial visit to the Swamp on June 25th. After his visit, he said he liked the prestige of UF academically and had a strong relationship with Mullen and Knox. If they miss with Trevor, they’ll likely turn to the NCAA transfer portal for a second running back.

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