Category: Football Recruiting

Gators take the lead in this 2022 4-star running back’s recruitment

The Gators hosted 2022 running back Terrance Gibbs over the weekend and came out as the clear leader in his recruitment.

The running backs room is one of the strongest position groups on the Florida Gators football team right now. It includes a blend of players with experience and upside. In a world post-Kyle Trask, running backs will be important to head coach Dan Mullen‘s offensive plan built around Emory Jones as the spearhead.

There’s no rest for the wicked, though, and virtually nothing is set in stone even one season in the future. Therefore, the team has to approach the 2022 recruiting cycle with all angles in mind. The Gators’ plan for the is to snag commitments from two running backs. In pursuit of that goal, they have offers out to 19 of the yet-uncommitted running backs in the class.

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One from that group who the team has been tied to routinely, Terrance Gibbs, visited the Swamp this weekend.

“We watched some film and got to see what I can do out of the backfield. What the NFL looks at and what they would implement here for me to be successful in the NFL,” said Gibbs to 247Sports after his visit. “[They like] the fact that I can catch and they like to move their running backs out to one-on-one coverages and stuff like that. They want to take that to their advantage.”

After suffering a torn ACL in late 2020, he’s fully healthy again but it won’t be clear if he was able to fully regain his game speed until he plays competitively again. Fortunately, he’s a well-rounded back who can also make a difference in the passing game and plays tough up the middle.

The Gators were considered strong contenders for Gibbs’ commitment all along, but he confirmed that they’re the leading school after his visit to the campus went well. He’s targeting a late June commitment date, and everything seems to be pointing toward him donning the Orange and Blue.

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This Florida commit took a ride with Nick Saban during his Alabama visit

The Gators are in danger of losing speedy wideout Isaiah Bond from their 2022 class after a visit to the Alabama Crimson Tide this weekend.

The Alabama Crimson Tide made a major move to flip 4-star Florida commit Isaiah Bond this weekend. Their coach Nick Saban gave Bond and his family the VIP treatment. Saban and his wife Terry showed them around Tuscaloosa, Alabama in his Mercedes-Benz.

He told 247Sports that the ride with Saban was the highlight of his trip to see the Crimson Tide.

“The atmosphere was amazing down here, some highlights were seeing campus in person, meeting with the players and them showing us around town and also riding with Nick Saban in his car,” Bond told 247Sports.

Bond added that he’ll have to sit down at the table and talk to his family about his June visits.

That news doesn’t sound promising to Florida fans.

Bond originally committed to Florida on May 9 and took his official visit to see the Gators the first weekend after the dead period was lifted.

He said after the visit that it confirmed his decision to commit to coach Dan Mullen’s program.

“It really just put the icing on top coming here.” Bond said, according to AllGators. “I couldn’t have made a better decision.”

This wasn’t the only official visit Bond has taken to another program. He visited Miami the weekend and prior and is scheduled to see Texas before June wraps up.

Most programs like Penn State, Clemson and FSU don’t permit their commits to visit other schools once they commit. Bond said that coach Dan Mullen gave him his blessing to see other programs during his Gators visit because prospects haven’t had the chance to see other places due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’ll be interesting to see if Florida can hang on to its speedster.

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Florida football steals talented linebacker from Alabama and Nick Saban

Florida accomplished the near impossible. They grabbed a talented prospect from the state of Alabama that head coach Nick Saban wanted.

Florida linebackers coach Christian Robinson and head coach Dan Mullen did it again. They grabbed a star player from Alabama coach Nick Saban’s backyard.

Four-star linebacker Shemar James committed to Florida Sunday fresh off his official visit to Gainesville. This is the third time Robinson snagged a highly ranked linebacker from Alabama. He landed Mohamoud Diabate and Jeremiah Williams in previous cycles.

James is rated as the 118th best player in the class of 2022 and the 12th best at his position, according to 247Sports.

One of the main pitches Florida sold to James that he could play multiple spots in defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s defense.

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“In order for me to play in the NFL, I need to show people that I can do multiple things besides stop the run,” James said, according to Swamp247. “Florida is going to put me in the position to make plays and show that I can run stop and cover”

Robinson and assistant director of player personnel Chase Clark deserve the most credit for this latest addition. James said his bond with them played a large role in his decision.

The Gators 2022 class has now grown to seven players. Before James’ commitment, Florida’s class ranked 28th in the country, according to 247Sports. His commitment should help Florida rise several spots in the class of 2022 rankings.

However, James’ recruitment is far from over. He was a top target for the Crimson Tide and Saban, and they will likely push for a flip until he signs his letter of intent.

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Florida football adds one last official transfer portal visitor for this weekend

Elijah Blades, a former 2017 UF commit, entered the NCAA transfer portal after one season at Texas A&M. He will be a graduate transfer.

Former Texas A&M defensive back Elijah Blades entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal earlier this month after he opted out of the 2020 season. He will be a last-minute addition to the five other official visitors making the trek to Florida this weekend.

Blades is a familiar name to Florida fans who have followed recruiting closely for the last several years. He originally committed to the Gators in 2017 under head coach Jim McElwain. The former 4-star corner then backed off his pledge and signed with Nebraska on National Signing Day. However, he was forced to go to junior college for two years. Blades signed and enrolled with the Aggies after two years at Arizona Western Junior College. In 2019, he started six games for them and registered 19 tackles, 1.5 sacks and three pass breakups.

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The Gators seem like the team to beat for Blades currently because of the program’s connection to him. He enjoyed Gainesville and UF’s campus as a high school prospect. Coach Dan Mullen and his coaching staff also recruited him out of junior college. He will also be a graduate transfer.

If Florida lands Blades, it’ll be the second defensive back it has snagged from the transfer portal this offseason who joins former Missouri cornerback Jadarrius Perkins.

This move doesn’t make that much sense for Florida because the coaching staff would add another body in a defensive back room with lots of bodies and young talent. The Gators just signed 5-star cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. this last cycle. In 2020, they grabbed 4-star corners Ethan Pouncey and Avery Helm. UF also has former 4-star Jaydon Hill from the 2019 cycle.

It’s likely one of these players besides Marshall will feel the need to transfer if they sign Blades because of the lack of playing time available. It’s also not likely that the former Texas A&M defensive back will slot into a starting position because Marshall, who signed in spring practice, will likely grab the spot opposite of star corner Kaiir Elam.

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LSU, Texas and Alabama are chasing Florida for this 4-star wide receiver

Wideout Evan Stewart told media at the Under Armour Future 50 workout that Florida is the standard to top when it comes to official visits.

It’s always difficult for Florida to pull top-ranked prospects from California, Texas and Georgia. But four-star Frisco, Texas, wideout Evan Stewart told media at the Under Armour Future 50 workout that the Gators sit in the driver’s seat in his recruitment.

Stewart is ranked the fifth-best receiver nationally and the 37th best player in the country.

“Florida most definitely; they set the bar very high,” Stewart said, according to 247Sports. “I really enjoyed my time there. I loved it there. Really, it’s what can beat Florida?”

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Stewart visited Gainesville the first weekend of June with current seven on seven teammate and Florida quarterback commit Nick Evers. He mentioned after his visit that made UF an appealing option for him

He said the Gators stand out because they are a championship-winning program.

Stewart mentioned LSU, Texas and Alabama as some teams that could challenge Florida for his pledge. However, the Longhorns may have the biggest advantage because they are considered his home school.

The four-star wide receiver said he plans to take visits to Texas A&M, Texas, USC and LSU before June wraps up.

Coach Dan Mullen and Florida will have to keep pressing for Stewart because he hopes to have a decision before the start of his senior season.

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Florida official visit reassured cornerback this recruit’s decision to commit to the Gators

Defensive back Julian Humphrey finally made the trek to UF after he took several visits to other schools after the dead period was lifted.

Four-star cornerback Julian Humphrey committed to Florida in late May, but it didn’t stop him from visiting other schools once the NCAA dead period was lifted this month. He made trips to Ohio State, Alabama and Texas A&M before seeing Gainesville.

247Sports ranked him as the 15th best cornerback and the 128th best player in the class of 2022.

He officially visited the Gators the second weekend of June. This visit went so well for Humphrey and Florida that it confirmed his decision to originally commit.

Humphrey said one of his favorite aspects of seeing the Gators program was hanging out with the coaches and players.

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One of the main reasons he originally committed to UF was because of its knack when it comes to producing talented defensive backs. Cornerbacks coach Jules Montinar emphasized this point to the 4-star Houston, Texas, native.

“They were telling me at first that committing to Florida was the best thing I could have done to be the best,” Humphrey said, according to Swamp247. “I committed to Florida because I know Florida is great with DB’s. They put out at least two DB’s every year, and I know I can be one of those DB’s. I came here a long time ago as a kid and I kind of remember it. It’s DBU right here in Florida.”

While a prospect officially visits a program, the coaching staff usually designates one of its players to host the recruit. Star defensive back Kaiir Elam hosted him last weekend. Humphrey said that Elam’s message to him was to avoid distractions once you get on campus and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

He added that his commitment to the Gators is still strong. However, he still wants to take visits to other schools in the future because he missed out on these experiences during the dead period due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Humphrey said he plans to take official visits to Alabama, LSU and the Aggies.

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Gators host high schoolers for unofficial visits on first day of in-person recruiting

Here’s a non-comprehensive list of players who were spotted on campus or posted on social media about a visit to the Swamp.

The world of college sports recruiting exploded on Tuesday. The NCAA’s restrictions on face-to-face recruiting visits to campus or the homes of recruiting targets were lifted and naturally players swarmed to take a look at the brick and mortar of the colleges who have been trying to bring them into the program.

For the Gators, that meant unofficial visits to Gainesville were in order, as their scheduled slate of official visits begins on Friday, June 4th. Florida brought a group largely comprised of 2022 grads to look around the campus, which lead to a number of positive reviews from the players involved.

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The fact that these visits are unofficial is an important distinction. Players are only allowed to accept five official visits, which are financed by the school, and are therefore a major indicator of which programs have caught a player’s attention. On the other hand, while unofficial visits are certainly a step in the right direction, they’re not nearly as instructive.

Here’s a non-comprehensive list of players who were spotted on campus or posted on social media about a visit to the Swamp. Players who are already committed to the Gators at the time of publication are listed in bold.

  • DB Jaquise Alexander (2022)
  • RB Damari Alston (2022)
  • DL Brandon Cleveland (2022)
  • ATH Nick Cull (2022)
  • DB Sharif Denson (2023)
  • DB Jonas Duclona (2023)
  • QB Nick Evers (2022)
  • WR Jayden Gibson (2022)
  • TE CJ Hawkins (2022)
  • WR Isaiah Horton (2022)
  • LB Ej Lightsey (2022)
  • OT Tony Livingston (2022)
  • DB Devin Moore (2022)
  • OL Qae’shon Sapp (2022)
  • WR Chandler Smith (2022)
  • ATH DJ Pickett (2025)
  • DB Elliot Washington (2023)
  • ATH Treyaun Webb (2023)
  • DE Mykel Williams (2023)
  • LB Jaron Willis (2022)

This group includes some predictable names, players like Jayden Gibson or Chandler Smith, who the Gators are rumored to feel are close to biting on a commitment. However, the team did take some less obvious swings with this first recruiting effort post-COVID restrictions.

One of the more interesting inclusions on this list is linebacker Jaron Willis, who is already committed to Georgia Tech but was willing to visit the Gators regardless. Florida has been trying to exert their influence in the Peach State in recent years to mixed results, and it seems they’re not giving up the hunt.

Another invitee that jumps off the page is DJ Pickett, who is from the graduating class of 2025. In other words, he’s an 8th grader. The Gators must see some massive potential in the youngster to be pulling out all the stops and bringing him to campus at their first possible chance.

There’s lots of recruiting news ahead, and the tsunami of interviews and reported campus visits Tuesday brought is just a taste. Keep your eyes peeled, because the ride is just getting started, and we’ll be doing our best to keep you up to date with the best free content possible here at Gators Wire.

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This five-star defensive lineman visited Florida Tuesday

Many experts have Georgia leading for 5-star Mykel Williams, but UF was able to get him on campus the first day visits are allowed again.

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The Gators have pulled out all the bells and whistles to welcome recruits back on campus for the first time in over a year. The NCAA dead period ended June 1.

Florida has 31 class of 2022 recruits slated to arrive in Gainesville, including its four commits, according to Sports Illustrated All Gators. UF will also welcome 10 players from the class of 2023. Thirteen of those 31 prospects are scheduled to take an official visit to the Gators.

One of the highest-rated players to visit the Swamp is 5-star Mykel Williams from Columbus, Georgia. He’s the 23rd overall recruit and the sixth-best defensive lineman in the class of 2022, according to 247Sports.com.

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In 2020, Williams recorded 69 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for Hardaway High School.

Recruiting experts on Rivals and 247Sports have him pegged to be another 5-star defensive lineman for UGA head coach Kirby Smart. It’ll be difficult for Florida to steal a top prospect from the Bulldogs.

However, it’s a good omen that coach Dan Mullen and defensive line coach were able to have him visit Florida first after the dead period was lifted.

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This five-star defensive lineman visited Florida Tuesday

Many experts have Georgia leading for 5-star Mykel Williams, but UF was able to get him on campus the first day visits are allowed again.

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The Gators have pulled out all the bells and whistles to welcome recruits back on campus for the first time in over a year. The NCAA dead period ended June 1.

Florida has 31 class of 2022 recruits slated to arrive in Gainesville, including its four commits, according to Sports Illustrated All Gators. UF will also welcome 10 players from the class of 2023. Thirteen of those 31 prospects are scheduled to take an official visit to the Gators.

One of the highest-rated players to visit the Swamp is 5-star Mykel Williams from Columbus, Georgia. He’s the 23rd overall recruit and the sixth-best defensive lineman in the class of 2022, according to 247Sports.com.

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In 2020, Williams recorded 69 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for Hardaway High School.

Recruiting experts on Rivals and 247Sports have him pegged to be another 5-star defensive lineman for UGA head coach Kirby Smart. It’ll be difficult for Florida to steal a top prospect from the Bulldogs.

However, it’s a good omen that coach Dan Mullen and defensive line coach were able to have him visit Florida first after the dead period was lifted.

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Gators recruiting set to pick up after the NCAA dead period is lifted

The Gators hold five recruits in their class of 2022. But they aren’t the only program to only have a handful of commits.

It has been 445 days since high school football players have been allowed to visit college programs.

The dead period placed by the NCAA at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic will be lifted June 1. Because of the hold on visits, many college football powerhouses have only a handful of prospects committed. Alabama, the defending national champion, has six players in its fold.

Most of these schools, including Florida, have organized a massive visitors’ list for the weekend after the dead period concludes. Sports Illustrated All-American wrote an article about some of the top recruits making the trip to see some of the top powerhouses.

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Here is a blurb of what Sports Illustrated All-American’s John Garcia Jr. said about Florida.

Following a pair of first-round NFL draft picks, another 10-win season and ahead of perception in the all-important Sunshine State relative to the rivals, the Gators’ handful of pledges may be seen as a slight surprise. But compared to FSU and Miami, UF is in best position to see a boom on the commitment list in the coming weeks given expected visitors. Top pass catchers Stewart and South Carolina’s Jaleel Skinner are headlining the slate on offense while (Walter) Nolen will give the Gators their shot to kick off the slate.

He added that the Gators have scheduled more than 30 official visits before the 2022 college football season kicks off. Among the best prospects who have Florida penciled for an official visit are four-star offensive tackle Tyler Booker, four-star defensive end Jihaad Campbell and four-star running back Kaytron Allen. All three play for nearby IMG Academy.

Compared to other top programs on the list, Florida sits near the bottom in total commits (5). Its class consists of four-star offensive tackle Tony Livingston, four-star defensive lineman Francois Nolton, four-star quarterback Nick Evers, three-star athlete Isaiah Bond and three-star tight end CJ Hawkins, according to 247sports.com.

The Gators need to make strong impressions with the first round of official visitors if they hope to keep up with heavy hitters Alabama, Clemson and Georgia.

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