The biggest question mark still surrounding Florida coach Dan Mullen in terms of his aptitude for winning a title is recruiting. Though the on-field product has been a great success over the last three years, the recruiting has not.
It seems the team could be heading toward rock bottom during the Mullen tenure in 2022, as the class currently only contains 10 commits and ranks just 31st in the nation, per the 247Sports Composite. Florida’s star average is higher than other schools that rank above it, so this low rating will likely change as the class fills out.
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But at this rate, it seems the class is heading for a top-15 finish, at the absolute best. With no players ranking in the top 100 of the ESPN 300 currently committed, things are looking a bit bleak, though there’s still time.
ESPN’s team rankings are kinder to Florida than 247’s are, but it’s still not ideal, UF remains ranked No. 18, the same spot it landed in the last update.
Dan Mullen and staff have quality out of the gate in the 2022 cycle, headlined by ESPN 300 Lone Star State signal-caller Nick Evers, who won positional MVP at the Dallas Under Armour camp this spring. They also pulled Julian Humphrey, a smooth cornerback with good size, out of Texas. Tony Livingston, who is converting from tight end, has a high ceiling for development at offensive tackle. Smith gives the Gators a target with a nice blend of height and speed, and four-star commits TE C.J. Hawkins and DE Francois Nolton are also strong in-state additions.
Florida has some high-profile targets that would give the class a boost, such as five-star defensive tackle Walter Nolen. But the Gators also whiffed on their top target, five-star offensive tackle Florida football recruiting: Gators whiff on top OT target, who committed to Alabama this week.
UF also missed the cut for top tight end prospect Jaleel Skinner and saw running back Kaytron Allen commit to Penn State. All of these losses have come in the last two days.
Florida has an entire fall season to solidify its class, but the team is undoubtedly lagging behind. With the Gators’ roster now largely one of Mullen’s own construction, he can’t afford for the 2022 class to finish outside the top 15.