Category: Football Recruiting

Florida Gators hold steady in latest ESPN football recruiting rankings

The ESPN released their latest 2021 recruiting class rankings on August 5 with the Florida Gators remaining in the No. 8 position.

The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) released their latest 2021 recruiting class rankings on August 5 (subscription required), with the Florida Gators remaining at No. 8.

Ryan Day’s Ohio State Buckeyes occupied the No. 1 spot, followed by Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide, Jeremy Pruitt’s Tennessee Volunteers, Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers, and Mack Brown’s North Carolina Tar Heels to complete the top-five.

Earning a grade of 86 from the service, Loganville, Georgia pro-style quarterback Carlos Del Rio is the highest-rated of the Gators’ 22 commits in the cycle.

Fort Lauderdale defensive end Tyreak Sapp (84) is Florida’s top defensive pledge.

Nine of the program’s commits earned ESPN 300 status, including, in addition to Del Rio and Sapp, Powder Springs, Georgia outside linebacker Chief Borders, Ocala wide receiver Trevonte Rucker, and Jacksonville tight end Nick Elksnis.

All told, seven Southeastern Conference (SEC) schools made the network’s top-25; Ed Orgeron’s LSU Tigers, the reigning College Football Playoff national champions, slotted in at No. 6, Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs at No. 12, Jimbo Fisher’s Texas A&M Aggies at No. 16, and Gus Malzahn’s Auburn Tigers at No. 18.

Other notables include Manny Diaz’ Miami Hurricanes at No. 10, Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines at No. 11, Tom Herman’s Texas Longhorns at No. 13, and Mike Norvell’s Florida State Seminoles at No. 20.

This No. 8 ranking from ESPN is three spots higher than 247Sports’ opinion of the Gators’ class, which lists the Gainesville-based program at No. 11.

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Four-star DB Kamar Wilcoxson reclassifies, joins 2020 class

Courted by Todd Grantham and Torrian Gray, Wilcoxson’s recruitment was one of the most eventful in recent Gators history.

The Florida Gators’ 2020 class already ranked No. 9 nationally, per the 247Sports Composite, but this collection of prospects became even stronger on Monday with four-star cornerback Kamar Wilcoxson’s decision to forgo his senior year of high school football and join the cycle.

Wilcoxson hinted at the choice to reclassify on his Twitter account, @KamarWilcoxson4.

While listed as a safety by the major recruiting services, many around the program project Wilcoxson to play cornerback in Gainesville. He spent his first three prep seasons at Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia and had planned to play his senior campaign at Bradenton’s IMG Academy, one of America’s premier talent-producing programs.

Courted by defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and position coach Torrian Gray, Wilcoxson’s recruitment was one of the most eventful in recent Gators history.

He initially committed to Florida on November 3, 2018 but backed off that pledge on April 27, 2019. One year to the day of his decommitment, April 27, 2020, he verbally agreed to play for Jeremy Pruitt’s Tennessee Volunteers.

His allegiance to Knoxville was short-lived, however, as on June 19, he flipped back to the Gators.

Wilcoxson was rated as the eighth-highest of Florida’s 23 current commits in the 2021 cycle, now, he slots in eleventh of the program’s 22 enrollees in the 2020 class.

He is expected to officially enroll and arrive on-campus later in August.

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Three Florida Gators 2021 football commits receive official offers from program

Three members of Florida’s 2021 class, Diwun Black, Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and Donovan McMillon, received their official offers on Saturday.

Three members of the Florida Gators’ 2021 class, Diwun Black, Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and Donovan McMillon, received their official offers from the coaching staff on Saturday.

All three shared the news on their respective Twitter accounts. Click through below to read about each of the players who received their official offers.

NEXT: Diwun Black – Defensive Back/Linebacker

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Three-star defensive tackle Desmond Watson joins the Florida Gators’ 2021 class

Three-star Armwood (Seffner, Florida) defensive tackle Desmond Watson became the latest member of the Gators’ 2021 class on Thursday.

The program’s fifth commit in July, three-star Armwood (Seffner, Florida) defensive tackle Desmond Watson became the latest member of the Gators’ 2021 class on Thursday.

He broke the news on his Twitter account.

Teammates with fellow Florida pledge Charles Montgomery, the mammoth Watson, listed at 6-foot-5-inches and 350 pounds, has racked up 119 tackles (60 for loss), 18 sacks, and four forced fumbles during his first three years with the Hawks, including 34 TFL and 10 sacks as a junior.

His half-brother, Darrian McNeal, a three-star wide receiver in the 2017 cycle, played one season in Eugene for the Oregon Ducks, catching two passes for 10 yards (five avg.) and adding three rushing attempts for 21 yards (seven avg.).

Unfortunately, McNeal’s story did not have a happy ending as he left the Ducks’ program in April 2018 and was charged with first-degree theft and second-degree robbery on June 26, 2020, following an incident at an apartment two days prior.

Watson originally picked up his offer from defensive line coach David Turner and cornerbacks coach Torrian Gray on January 17, 2019, and attended two Junior Days in Gainesville this year, the first in February and the second the month after.

He chose the Gators over seven other Southeastern Conference (SEC) programs, the Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs, Kentucky Wildcats, LSU Tigers, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Tennessee Volunteers, and Texas A&M Aggies.

Andrew Ivins, a Miami Hurricanes insider for 247Sports, compared Watson to former Alabama standout Terrence Cody, who garnered first-team All-SEC and unanimous All-American honors in 2008 and 2009.

Overall, he is the twelfth-highest rated of Florida’s 23 commits and the sixth-highest on the defensive side of the football. Joining Fort Lauderdale’s Tyreak Sapp and Sumter, South Carolina’s Justus Boone, both four-stars, and Fort Myers’ Christopher Thomas, a three-star, Watson is the fourth defensive lineman in the group.

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One of the top long snappers in the 2021 class Rocco Underwood commits to Florida

The Rubio Long Snapping Camp, the nation’s longest-running long snapping camp rates Underwood as a five-star prospect at the position.

The program’s fourth commit in a one-week span and their second of the day, the Florida Gators added Lake Mary long snapper Rocco Underwood to their 2021 class on July 24.

Underwood broke the news on his Twitter account.

The Rubio Long Snapping Camp, the nation’s longest-running long snapping camp, run by former UCLA Bruin Chris Rubio, rates Underwood as a five-star prospect at the position.

“Underwood was on fire at the Rubio Long Snapping Fall Camp in Georgia on November 24, 2019,” the camp’s website, rubiolongsnapping.com, began in their prospect breakdown.

“He ended up winning the whole camp and left no doubt he is the top long snapper (in) his class. His size is fantastic, he moves well on his feet and his snapping motion is so smooth that it doesn’t even look like he is doing anything.

“The more he continues his follow through, the more he simply will not miss his target. Ball is ready right now for the next level. Underwood is a flat out stud.”

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, the long snapper also held offers from two other Southeastern Conference (SEC) programs, the Alabama Crimson Tide and Arkansas Razorbacks, but chose to pledge his allegiance to running backs coach Greg Knox, tight ends coach Tim Brewster and the Gators.

Using the 247Sports Composite, which lists Underwood as a tight end, he is the lowest-rated of Florida’s 22 current commits in the upcoming class. Given he does not project to contribute in the receiving game in Gainesville, not much stock should be put in this ranking.

Head coach Dan Mullen’s staff has placed an emphasis on securing in-state talent in the 2021 cycle, as 14 (64-percent) of the commits hail from the Sunshine State.

While sometimes overlooked by fans, games are often won and lost on special teams. By snagging one of, if not the top, long snapper in the class, the Gators took a step toward improving this third of the game moving forward on Friday.

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Gators flip 2021 three-star center Jake Slaughter from Florida State

The Florida Gators added their third commit in the 2021 class in the last seven days, flipping 3-star Ocala center Jake Slaughter from FSU.

The Florida Gators added their third commit in the 2021 class in the last seven days, flipping three-star Ocala center Jake Slaughter from the Florida State Seminoles on July 24.

Slaughter announced the change in plans on his Twitter account.

Playing his prep football for Trinity Catholic, the 6-foot-4-inch, 300-pounder played a pivotal role in the Celtics finishing 8-4 in 2019 and advancing to the Region 1-3A Semifinals, earning first-team All-County honors from the Ocala Star-Banner in the process.

He originally committed to Mike Norvell’s Seminoles on April 13 after receiving his offer on July 27, 2019, the same day he attended a camp in Tallahassee.

Primarily recruited by co-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach John Hevesy and linebackers coach Christian Robinson, Slaughter becomes the 21st pledge in the upcoming cycle for the Gators and the fourth offensive lineman, joining Orlando’s Javonte Gardner, Independence (Kansas) Community College’s Deyavie Hammond, and Lynn Haven’s Adrein Strickland, all fellow three-stars.

Stone Mountain, Georgia’s George Jackson, another three-star who committed to Florida way back on November 27, 2018, is no longer listed as a member of the program’s 2021 class on 247Sports, so this story is worth monitoring moving forward.

Slaughter fills a position of need for the program, too. Brett Heggie, a redshirt senior, is the projected starter at center this fall, followed by redshirt freshman Kingsley Eguakun, who saw action in two games a year ago.

Overall, the FSU flip is the 19th-highest-rated member of the Gators’ class and the tenth-highest on the offensive side of the football.

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Gators football drops to No. 8 in latest ESPN 2021 class rankings

ESPN unveiled their latest 2021 recruiting class rankings on July 23, and for the second-straight update, the Gators fell down the list.

ESPN unveiled their latest 2021 recruiting class rankings on July 23 (subscription required), and for the second-straight update, the Florida Gators fell down the list.

While the July 6 rankings saw the Gators drop two spots, the latest assessment was only a one-spot fall, resulting in the program slotting in at No. 8.

The Ohio State Buckeyes occupied the top spot, followed by the Alabama Crimson Tide, who moved up 11 spots, the largest jump of any program to make the network’s top-25.

Mack Brown’s North Carolina Tar Heels, Jeremy Pruitt’s Tennessee Volunteers, and Ed Orgeron’s LSU Tigers, the reigning College Football Playoff national champions, completed the top-five.

“Dan Mullen’s third consecutive top-10 class in Gainesville is a near lock coming off back-to-back 10-win seasons and top-10 Associated Press Poll finishes, as well as the hiring of ace recruiter (tight ends coach) Tim Brewster,” ESPN began in their breakdown.

“Brewster immediately addressed the need at tight end with ESPN 300s Gage Wilcox and Nick Elksnis. There are two quarterbacks in the class in ESPN 300 Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and four-star Texan Jalen Kitna.

“A pair of ESPN 300 wide receivers are in the fold in Trevonte Rucker from an hour’s drive away and Georgia playmaker Daejon Reynolds. A third ESPN 300 wide receiver is Marcus Burke from Jacksonville powerhouse Trinity Christian.

“ESPN 300 in-state athlete Charles Montgomery could play on either side of the football. ESPN 300 Chief Borders is a versatile jumbo athlete who projects as an outside linebacker. A talented secondary group is made up of ESPN 300 and Tennessee flip Kamar Wilcoxson, LSU flip Dakota Mitchell, and four-star safety Donovan McMillon.

“ESPN 300 defensive end Tyreak Sapp will likely move to defensive tackle long-term. Four-star defensive end Justus Boone was a high-ceiling win out of the Palmetto State.”

The largest reason for Florida’s drop was four-star Baltimore, Maryland cornerback Clinton Burton, Jr.’s flip to the Boston College Eagles on July 17. Burton, Jr. was the second-highest rated commit in the cycle for the program, garnering a rating of 85 from ESPN, trailing only Sapp’s 86.

To make up for this loss, the Gators secured McMillon’s pledge the day after Burton, Jr.’s departure, and added Burke two days after that.

Overall, seven Southeastern Conference (SEC) schools made ESPN’s cut, representing over one-quarter of the list. Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs are No. 13, followed by Jimbo Fisher’s Texas A&M Aggies at No. 18, and Gus Malzahn’s Auburn Tigers at No. 22.

Other notables include Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines at No. 10, Manny Diaz’ Miami Hurricanes at No. 11, Kirk Ferentz’ Iowa Hawkeyes at No. 21, and Mike Norvell’s Florida State Seminoles at No. 23.

This No. 8 rating from ESPN is two spots higher than 247Sports’ view of Florida’s collection of prospects, which pegs the program at No. 10 nationally.

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Gators on a recruiting streak, land commitment from four-star WR Marcus Burke

Tthe Florida Gators’ 2021 recruiting class grew to 21 on Monday with the addition of Jacksonville four-star wide receiver Marcus Burke.

Just two days after adding their 20th member, the Florida Gators’ 2021 recruiting class grew to 21 on Monday with the addition of Jacksonville four-star wide receiver Marcus Burke.

A product of the private Trinity Christian Academy, Burke chose the Gators over the Georgia Bulldogs and Penn State Nittany Lions. Despite his verbal pledge, he does plan to visit Athens and State College once the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) lifts their coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions.

Kirby Smart’s program is worth keeping on eye here, as the Bulldogs have made Burke one of their top targets in the cycle, having position coach Cortez Hankton and tight ends coach Todd Hartley speak with him regularly.

His high school teammate, 2023 athlete Treyaun Webb, is a Georgia commit, as well. Webb has three more years of prep football to play, but profiles to play running back at the collegiate level.

The No. 40 wideout in the class and a top-35 player in the state, per the 247Sports Composite, Burke totaled 37 receptions for 831 yards (22.4 avg.) and nine touchdowns for the Conquerors as a junior, including a 99-yard score against the Venice Indians on September 6.

Standing 6-foot-3 and tipping the scales at 180 pounds, he has shown versatility in his game, strong enough to play on the perimeter, but quick enough to work in the slot, too.

Burke becomes the third four-star wide receiver in Florida’s upcoming class – the fourth if you count Seffner athlete Charles Montgomery, who projects to play a hybrid receiver/running back role – joining Ocala’s Trevonte Rucker and Loganville, Georgia’s Daejon Reynolds.

Overall, Burke is the sixth-highest rated pledge in the program’s 2021 collection and the fourth-highest on the offensive side of the football, trailing only Rucker, quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, and Reynolds.

Co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales, who served as Burke’s primary recruiter, is tasked with replacing four of his top-five wide receivers from 2019 this fall but has secured the commitment of some strong reinforcements on the recruiting trail moving forward.

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Florida Gators add three-star safety Donovan McMillon to 2021 class

One day after losing defensive back Clinton Burton Jr UF added another with Canonsburg, Pennsylvania three-star safety Donovan McMillon.

One day after losing a defensive back in the 2021 class, Clinton Burton, Jr., the Florida Gators added another, with Canonsburg, Pennsylvania three-star safety Donovan McMillon pledging on July 18.

McMillon shared the news of his commitment on his Twitter account.

The No. 26 player at his position in the cycle and a top-dozen player in the state, per the 247Sports Composite, he had previously trimmed his list of schools to five on June 1.

Along with Florida, the Oklahoma Sooners, Oregon Ducks, Texas A&M Aggies, and Virginia Tech Hokies made the cut for his services.

Primarily recruited by position coach Ron English, McMillon, listed at 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds, is a physical safety, who is also a standout wrestler for the Peters Township Mighty Indians, owning a 101-18 career record on the mat.

The Gators offered McMillon on April 18 and he took a trip to Gainesville in June, although the coaching staff was unable to interact with him, in accordance with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) guidelines regarding the recruiting dead period.

“This is one of the only schools in the country that’s ranked in the top-ten academically and athletically,” he told 247Sports’ Brian Dohn.

“Coach (Dan) Mullen and his staff have continued to be outstanding during this recruiting process.”

The addition of McMillon brings Florida’s upcoming class back up to an even 20 members. The lone commit from the Keystone State, he is the twelfth-highest rated player in the group and the six-highest on the defensive side of the football.

McMillon becomes the Gators’ fourth defensive back in the cycle, joining fellow safety Dakota Mitchell, a three-star from Winter Park, and cornerbacks Kamar Wilcoxson and Jordan Young, a four-star from Bradenton’s IMG Academy and a three-star from Tampa, respectively.

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18 Florida Gators commits named to Sports Illustrated’s All-American watch list

Featuring recruits in the 2021 class from all 50 United States, Sports Illustrated released their first annual All-American watch list.

Featuring recruits in the 2021 class from all 50 United States, Sports Illustrated released their first annual All-American watch list on July 15.

John Garcia, Jr., SI’s Director of Recruiting, spearheaded this project and AllGators’ Demetrius Harvey composed the initial list of the 18 Florida Gators commits to make the cut.

A total of 1,000 prospects earned this preseason recognition, with more than 700 of them having already announced their collegiate destination.

10 of the future Gators to receive this honor project to contribute on the offensive side of the football in Gainesville, led by Ocala four-star wide receiver Trevonte Rucker.

The No. 33 wideout in the class, per the 247Sports Composite, Rucker stands just under six feet and tips the scales at a reported 157 pounds. He will need to add some muscle to withstand the physicality of the Southeastern Conference, but strength and conditioning coach Nick Savage should have little trouble accomplishing that.

Each of the other two other receiver commits, Seffner’s Charles Montgomery and Loganville, Georgia’s Daejon Reynolds, both fellow four-stars, made the cut, as well. While listed as a wideout in this exercise, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Montgomery will likely line up in the backfield and see some carries at the collegiate level, too.

Both quarterback pledges, four-star Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and Burleson, Texas three-star Jalen Kitna, also earned the nod from SI.

Set to play his senior season at Grayson High School, where he will be teammates with Reynolds, Del Rio-Wilson has been steadily rising in the recruiting ranks after a strong showing at the Elite 11 Finals in Nashville, Tennessee from June 29-to-July 1.

Other offensive commits to receive this recognition were Tampa four-star tight end Gage Wilcox, and four three-stars, Jacksonville tight end Nick Elksnis, and Orlando’s Javonte Gardner, Stone Mountain, Georgia’s George Jackson, and Lynn Haven’s Adrein Strickland, all offensive tackle prospects.

On the defensive side of the football, Fort Lauderdale four-star defensive end Tyreak Sapp, Florida’s highest-rated player in the class, led the charge. He was joined by future linemates Justus Boone, another four-star from Sumter, South Carolina, and Fort Myers three-star Christopher Thomas.

Carrollton, Georgia four-star Chief Borders was the lone linebacker pledge to make the list, with the other four future defensive Gators, Baltimore, Maryland’s Clinton Burton, Jr. and Bradenton’s Kamar Wilcoxson, both four-stars, and Winter Park’s Dakota Mitchell and Tampa’s Jordan Young, each three-stars, all residing in the secondary.

This means all 18 of Florida’s current high school commits made the list, with the two other players in the cycle, four-star outside linebacker Diwun Black and three-star guard Deyavie Hammond, both being junior college transfers.

247Sports ranks the program’s 2021 class as the ninth-best in the nation, while ESPN is slightly higher on the group, pegging them at No. 7.

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