Category: Football Recruiting

Georgia is beating out Florida for one of the Gators’ priority recruits

The Gators best efforts were not enough to land in Delp’s top two, instead being beaten out by the most hated Georgia Bulldogs.

The Gators are one of the most intelligently-coached teams in the SEC, if not the whole of college football. Under the triumvirate of head coach Dan Mullen, wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales and offensive line coach John Hevesy, offensive players thrive in the program. The staff consistently produces NFL players, and Kyle Pitts‘ record-breaking contract adds yet another bullet to their recruiting arsenal.

It’s still not enough to pry tight end Oscar Delp away from the Georgia Bulldogs.

Entering the month of June, we reported Delp was one of the Gators’ priority recruiting targets in the 2022 graduating class. He’s a native of Georgia, a state Mullen has been trying to gain a solid foothold in over the last few recruiting cycles. Delp is a unique talent in the mold of a Pitts-esque ultra-physical receiving role. Here’s some clips highlighting what he brings to the field at showcase this spring:

“I love how UF moves their tight ends around and lines them up in different spots giving them mismatches and making them very versatile,” he said after visiting the program in mid-June.

An update on his recruiting from 247Sports’ Tony Morrell indicates his feeling for the program has faded, and only one SEC team will be seriously considered for his final decision – the Bulldogs.

“While Delp has a ton of offers to his credit, his recruitment is expected to come down to South Carolina and Georgia as things stand today,” wrote Morrell on Tuesday. “Delp has taken four official visits now as he has been to South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Michigan. He currently plans to take a step back and re-evaluate each program to determine which is the best fit for him and his family long term.”

If Delp commits to play for Georgia, it would certainly be a stinging blow for the team. Losing a recruit to your most hated rival never feels good, but that’s doubly the case for one who the Gators are especially well-positioned to utilize well.

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Gators the frontrunner for this 5-star defensive tackle

If UF signed Nolen, it would be the third-straight class with a consensus five-star recruit after a gap from 2015-19.

Florida’s 2022 recruiting class is in major need of a boost. With only 10 players currently committed, there’s certainly time for things to change, but the class ranks just 18th in the nation and seventh among SEC schools, as things stand right now.

If the Gators want to see a major jump in that ranking, there’s one clear way to do it: secure the commitment of five-star defensive tackle Walter Nolen. The No. 3 recruit in the country (per the 247Sports Composite) and Tennessee product officially visited Florida on June 4, and two days later, he tweeted that he would be making a decision soon.

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According to 247Sports director of recruiting Steve Wiltfong, the Gators are currently in the lead to win the services of the 6-foot-4-inch, 300-pound defensive lineman.

“Florida looked like the team to beat, coming out of the official visit to start the month, and Florida’s really recruiting at an exciting level right now, beating Alabama for one of the more coveted linebackers in the country, Shemar James, last week,” Wiltfong said on the “247Sports Football Recruiting Podcast.” “To add Walter Nolen to a player like that would be a tremendous coup within their front seven on defense,” he continued. “And so, I still like where Florida’s at with Walter Nolen, in addition to his official. He returned shortly after that on the way down to Future 50 to do a photoshoot with his mom on the Gators’ campus.”

According to 247Sports’ Gabe Brooks, Nolen already possesses college-ready size, and he’s a physical player with a high motor who is great off the snap. He’d be an elite defensive player the likes of which UF hasn’t landed in quite some time, and his commitment could be a game-changer for the Gators’ class.

But they won’t secure his pledge unchallenged. The school considered most competitive with Florida in the battle for Nolen is Michigan. Nolen’s grandmother lives in the Ann Arbor area, and he took a visit to the Wolverines’ campus on June 18, which Wiltfong said went quite well.

“Well, this was Walter’s second time in Ann Arbor,” Wiltfong said. “Took a self-guided deal earlier in the spring. His grandmother lives in the area. If he chose Michigan, that would be one of the coolest things. He said, at the Future 50 event a couple weekends ago, he doesn’t get to see his grandma that much. So it would be awesome to play at Michigan and be around her. I think his dad talked about how they really like the scheme, talked about Jim Harbaugh and company being straight shooters and his dad mentioned to me in the past that they will be back for the Michigan-Ohio State game at the end of the year to soak in that atmosphere in Ann Arbor over Thanksgiving.”

Wiltfong added that other schools, like Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, are also squarely in the mix. If UF signed Nolen, it would be the third-straight class with a consensus five-star recruit after a gap from 2015-19.

The Gators still have a ways to go and some challengers to fend off if they hope to land Nolen, but it seems that as things currently stand, they’re the leader in the clubhouse.

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Gators 7-on-7 camp leads to a local 3-star commitment

The Forest High School receiver/defensive back will likely be developed to play in the secondary for the Gators.

Thursday afternoon, three-star athlete Jamarrien Burt announced via his Twitter account that he has committed to play for the Gators. The tenth member of Florida’s 2022 recruiting class, Burt wasn’t on the media radar prior to his commitment and was listed as 829th player in the class by 247Sports.

Despite his low ranking, it’s not as though the Gators were his only good option. He had scholarship offers on the table from a number of quality programs, including Georgia, Arkansas, Penn State, Mississippi State, and others. It seems what pushed Florida over the top was a pair of trips to campus – once for a camp on June 16 and once for an unofficial visit on June 22.

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As a high schooler, Burt is a two-way player, but the Gators are more interested in him as a defensive back. It makes sense; he doesn’t fit their preferred mold as a pass-catcher and the coach who recruited him was cornerbacks coach Jules Montinar.

Interestingly, the Georgia Bulldogs were more interested in Burt as a wide receiver. They were also a finalist in his recruitment and their interest was evidently piqued by his field-stretching speed. They were one of the earliest teams to offer on Burst, but it seems that they let off the gas pedal when it came to his recruitment this spring, allowing the Gators to eventually snag a commitment.

“We went up to UF last week on Monday or Tuesday, and after the 7-on-7, they told me they liked how I played on defense, not just on offense, and then I met with all the defensive coaches because I already kind of had the offer from Florida,” Burt said to GatorsTerritory.

“They’re very genuine and showed me they want me and that I’m a perfect pick for their program,” he added, talking to Swamp247. “I feel like I’ll fit right into the football team.”

With the pieces coming together for the Gators’ 2022 recruiting class, Burt projects as a developmental player for the team and could be in line to redshirt his freshman season. Without much more information on him due to his unheralded national status, it’s tough to tell exactly how much of an impact he’ll have on the team’s plans for the rest of the recruiting cycle.

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This 4-star OL lists Florida as a finalist for his commitment

The Gators haven’t landed many blue-chip offensive linemen under Mullen, but they’re a finalist for this Georgia four-star.

Florida offensive line coach John Hevesy has struggled to bring blue-chip talent to his room since head coach Dan Mullen brought him to UF in 2018. But Hevesy and the Gators are in the mix for several talented offensive linemen this cycle like Tyler Booker, Qae’shon Sapp, Drew Shelton and Addison Nichols.

On Wednesday, Sapp announced his four finalists and a commitment date of July 3. The programs that made the cut were Florida, Georgia, Cincinnati and FSU.

The Gators and coach Hevesy were able to get Sapp on campus back the weekend of June 11. He told Swamp247 after his visit that it went well and that Florida is moving to the top of his leaderboard. Coach Hevesy pitched to Sapp that he could come in and immediately make an impact because of his versatility.

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However, Florida still lags behind FSU for his services, according to the recruiting experts at 247Sports. Sapp visited the Seminoles during their spring game and is expected to take two trips to Tallahassee in the month of June.

One of his finalists will get to experience early fireworks in July if Sapp chooses them.

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LSU poised to steal this coveted Florida football recruit

Thomas plans to make his commitment in August, so there’s still time for the Gators to reclaim their lead with him, but it looks like they need to brace for the news that he’s going to be playing in the Yellow and Purple instead of the Orange and Blue.

The main criticism levied against Florida head coach Dan Mullen is his underwhelming results in recruiting. It appears another piece of kindling is going to be added to that fire. One of the Gators’ highest priority recruiting targets, four-star wide receiver/defensive back Azareyeh Thomas, is on the verge of a commitment to LSU after a sparkling official visit with the team.

The Gators put on a good show for Thomas on his official visit in the Swamp in early June. He even named the program among his early leaders and said Florida had set the bar for future visits. Evidently, LSU cleared the bar, leading 247Sports to predict he will commit to play in Death Valley.

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“The time cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond spent with Thomas and his family all weekend spoke volumes,” wrote Shea Dixon of 247Sports. “Toss in that guys like Eli Ricks and Derek Stingley Jr. were asked to be around for the visit, and it’s clear the red carpet was rolled out. Now, we’re ready to make our predictions for LSU to reel him in. … He’s someone they liked a ton before the visit, and even more after having him in town.”

As for the reviews of LSU from Thomas himself, there was nary a pessimistic word in sight.

“The coaches showed real genuine love and really I felt it. I could just feel it. They were always checking in on me, making sure I was enjoying my time. (Ed Orgeron is) a very energetic coach, and I can tell he loves all his players from walk-ons to star players,” said Thomas.

This is very bad news for the Gators, who were making the multi-talented Floridian a priority in their recruiting and had impressed him early. Cornerbacks coach Jules Montinar has been giving him a lot of love, but it’s possible the team’s efforts were not enough.

It’s not the end of the world for Florida if Thomas lands with the Tigers. They are still involved with Kamari Wilson and Evan Stewart, who constitute the class of 2022’s top uncommitted recruits at each position Thomas plays.

Nothing can quite take away the sting of missing the mark after giving it your all, though, and a loss of momentum can be deadly in the world of recruiting. Thomas plans to make his commitment in August, so there’s still time for the Gators to reclaim their lead with him, but it looks like they need to brace for the news that he’s going to be playing in the Yellow and Purple instead of the Orange and Blue.

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This 2022 football target reopened his recruitment and could interest the Gators

The Colorado recruit recently decommitted from the Buffaloes. He’s eyeing an SEC destination for his re-commitment, potentially Florida.

Monday afternoon, 2022 linebacker Carlton Madden Jr. announced on his Twitter account that he has chosen to back away from his commitment to the Colorado Buffaloes.

A bit of a late bloomer in the cycle, there were no SEC offers on the table when the Buffaloes received a verbal commitment from Madden Jr. After attending the Georgia Bulldogs’ camp on June 4 and being offered a scholarship, other schools have taken an interest. Now, he has offers from Ole Miss and Georgia Tech, as well.

The news may be of interest to the Gators’ recruiting staff, who have been involved with Madden Jr. during his recruiting process. They brought him to Gainesville for an unofficial visit in March 2020. At the time, he tweeted that he had a “great visit” and reposted several pictures from the trip throughout the following fall.

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Madden Jr.’s choice to distance himself from his commitment to Colorado is not a surprising one, considering the opportunity before him to compete in the nation’s premier football conference. However, he was even-keeled in his statement, saying he needed to “make sure” he was making the right choice and asking for people to respect his decision.

“A lot of things have changed,” the linebacker added after the decommitment announcement. “You know a lot of new schools have been hollering at me, so I just want to make sure that I’m making the right choice.”

Madden plays as both an outside linebacker and edge rusher. He plays with 235 pounds on his 6-foot-3-inch frame. He’s usually able to simply outmuscle high school competition, so it’s hard to tell from his highlight reel what his best role is, but college scouts can get a better idea of his skillset at school camps.

At the moment, Georgia is considered the leader for Madden Jr., and Florida has not extended an offer yet, but that hardly means it’s out of the question. The interest from programs of the Gators’ caliber has only sprung up in the last month, and there’s still time for the team to assert themselves more prominently if they want to bring him in-house.

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Florida football could target this recent Colorado decommit

The Colorado recruit recently decommitted from the Buffaloes. He’s eyeing an SEC destination for his re-commitment, potentially Florida.

Monday afternoon, 2022 linebacker Carlton Madden Jr. announced on his Twitter account that he has chosen to back away from his commitment to the Colorado Buffaloes.

A bit of a late bloomer in the cycle, there were no SEC offers on the table when the Buffaloes received a verbal commitment from Madden Jr. After attending the Georgia Bulldogs’ camp on June 4 and being offered a scholarship, other schools have taken an interest. Now, he has offers from Ole Miss and Georgia Tech, as well.

The news may be of interest to the Gators’ recruiting staff, who have been involved with Madden Jr. during his recruiting process. They brought him to Gainesville for an unofficial visit in March 2020. At the time, he tweeted that he had a “great visit” and reposted several pictures from the trip throughout the following fall.

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Madden Jr.’s choice to distance himself from his commitment to Colorado is not a surprising one, considering the opportunity before him to compete in the nation’s premier football conference. However, he was even-keeled in his statement, saying he needed to “make sure” he was making the right choice and asking for people to respect his decision.

“A lot of things have changed,” the linebacker added after the decommitment announcement. “You know a lot of new schools have been hollering at me, so I just want to make sure that I’m making the right choice.”

Madden plays as both an outside linebacker and edge rusher. He plays with 235 pounds on his 6-foot-3-inch frame. He’s usually able to simply outmuscle high school competition, so it’s hard to tell from his highlight reel what his best role is, but college scouts can get a better idea of his skillset at school camps.

At the moment, Georgia is considered the leader for Madden Jr., and Florida has not extended an offer yet, but that hardly means it’s out of the question. The interest from programs of the Gators’ caliber has only sprung up in the last month, and there’s still time for the team to assert themselves more prominently if they want to bring him in-house.

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This 2022 football target reopened his recruitment and could interest the Gators

The Colorado recruit recently decommitted from the Buffaloes. He’s eyeing an SEC destination for his re-commitment, potentially Florida.

Monday afternoon, 2022 linebacker Carlton Madden Jr. announced on his Twitter account that he has chosen to back away from his commitment to the Colorado Buffaloes.

A bit of a late bloomer in the cycle, there were no SEC offers on the table when the Buffaloes received a verbal commitment from Madden Jr. After attending the Georgia Bulldogs’ camp on June 4 and being offered a scholarship, other schools have taken an interest. Now, he has offers from Ole Miss and Georgia Tech, as well.

The news may be of interest to the Gators’ recruiting staff, who have been involved with Madden Jr. during his recruiting process. They brought him to Gainesville for an unofficial visit in March 2020. At the time, he tweeted that he had a “great visit” and reposted several pictures from the trip throughout the following fall.

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Madden Jr.’s choice to distance himself from his commitment to Colorado is not a surprising one, considering the opportunity before him to compete in the nation’s premier football conference. However, he was even-keeled in his statement, saying he needed to “make sure” he was making the right choice and asking for people to respect his decision.

“A lot of things have changed,” the linebacker added after the decommitment announcement. “You know a lot of new schools have been hollering at me, so I just want to make sure that I’m making the right choice.”

Madden plays as both an outside linebacker and edge rusher. He plays with 235 pounds on his 6-foot-3-inch frame. He’s usually able to simply outmuscle high school competition, so it’s hard to tell from his highlight reel what his best role is, but college scouts can get a better idea of his skillset at school camps.

At the moment, Georgia is considered the leader for Madden Jr., and Florida has not extended an offer yet, but that hardly means it’s out of the question. The interest from programs of the Gators’ caliber has only sprung up in the last month, and there’s still time for the team to assert themselves more prominently if they want to bring him in-house.

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This wide receiver commit is still solid to Florida after visits to other schools

Alabama appeared to be in prime position to wide receiver Isaiah Bond after a strong visit. He said Monday his commitment is still solid.

Isaiah Bond’s commitment to Florida appeared to be shaky this weekend when he officially visited Alabama. The highlight of his visit was when coach Nick Saban and his wife took him and his family for a spin in his Mercedes-Benz around Tuscaloosa.

He spoke to Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports and told him that his visit to Alabama was great and that he will need to sit down with his family and reflect on his June visits.

However, after his visit to the Crimson Tide and Miami, he spoke to Swamp247‘s Blake Alderman to update his recruitment. Bond said his commitment to the Gators was solid.

“They treat me like family, and I am still committed there,” he said, according to Swamp247. “It’s just the culture there and how they want me to impact the program. It’s just a dream school for me.”

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Bond added that he feels that his relationship with the coaching staff has become stronger than ever before. They texted him throughout his other visits.

Florida and coach Dan Mullen are in good shape to keep one of their fastest recruits in the fold after they survived Bond’s visits to Alabama and Miami.

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Gators in the mix for two of ESPN’s top remaining offensive recruits

Florida has been working the recruiting trail hard in June. That hard work could soon pay off with one of Evan Stewart or Jaleel Skinner.

The flurry of official visits and other recruiting activities that have taken place in the month of June in order to take advantage of the available time to meet face to face has led to a number of wanted players in the 2022 class coming off the board. The Gators themselves have landed recruitments from CJ Smith and Shemar James following visits to the school, and Julian Humphrey and Isaiah Bond have used the opportunities to strengthen their conviction in Florida’s coaching.

There are still a number of high-impact players in the 2022 recruiting class still undecided on a destination, though. On Monday, ESPN detailed the best available 2022 college football recruits by offensive position, according to their rankings. The Gators have been tied to the recruitment of two of those players.

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The higher-rated of the pair is Evan Stewart, a wide receiver from the state of Texas. He snagged five stars from the ESPN staff and the eighth spot on their top 300 board. The Gators hosted him for an official visit, and he got the red carpet treatment from the team and a fellow 2022 recruit quarterback Nick Evers, another Texan and UF commit who has taken it upon himself to help in any way possible with Gators recruiting.

“It was fun; it was actually amazing. I loved it and enjoyed it. It was really fun,” he said to Rivals after his visit. “I mean, me and Nick, we were everywhere together. We were just talking about everything, what we liked, what was going on, and what our futures would be like if we were both to end up here.”

The other player who Florida has been making overtures toward included in the ESPN writeup is tight end Jaleel Skinner, a 4-star prospect ranked 68th on their board. While he’s slowplaying his recruitment, Florida is definitely in the mix to land a commitment from Skinner in the fall.

What stood out to Skinner on his official visit to Florida was how well he was treated by the coaches.

“I had all the coaches there with me doing the photoshoot,” he told Rivals after his visit. “They’re not going to change something from one player (to the next) to make it sound good. I really like that. They’re real genuine and they tell you how it is. They have great coaches and are great people all around.”

While the Gators’ 2022 recruiting class doesn’t have that star commit just yet, they’re hot on the trail of a handful of potentially high-end players. Whether their cornerstone recruit winds up being Skinner, Stewart, or someone else, it’s refreshing to know that they’re not pulling punches and are consistently making a good impression on good players.

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