The Gators were one of six schools to make the cut, along with Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide, Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers, Ed Orgeron’s LSU Tigers, Ryan Day’s Ohio State Buckeyes, and Lincoln Riley’s Oklahoma Sooners.
While VanHaaren gave Florida the edge over LSU for Langston, the Tigers received the nod here.
“LSU has been a favorite, but Leigh recently participated in the Sooners Summit, which was a recruiting visit organized by quarterback prospect Caleb Williams to bring Oklahoma targets to campus,” the ESPN writer began.
“Coaches couldn’t facilitate the visit or talk to the recruits, but the trip was a success for the Sooners. That was the last school on Leigh’s list that he hadn’t visited, so now each school is on the same playing field.
“Leigh said he doesn’t know yet if he’ll announce a commitment before December and sign early or if he’ll wait, so that could impact where he ends up. For now, though, it seems LSU has a good shot at landing him, but Oklahoma is making a push.”
The top player in the state and the No. 4 offensive tackle in the cycle, Orgeron’s program holds four of Leigh’s eight Crystal Balls, with Clemson owning two and Oklahoma and James Franklin’s Penn State Nittany Lions each possessing one.
Lastly, the Gators were mentioned among four programs competing for Westlake (Atlanta, Georgia) four-star cornerback Nathaniel Wiggins, joining Alabama, Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs, and LSU.
Like with Leigh, VanHaaren leaned toward the Baton Rouge outfit to seal the deal in this case.
“Wiggins is a tall corner who fits the mold of what most programs are looking for at the position,” he said.
“He is expected to announce his commitment on Friday (August 28). He has been linked pretty heavily to LSU, and it seems as though the Tigers have a good shot at landing Wiggins. LSU’s success at corner could be too much for the other schools on his list, but we’ll find out soon enough.”
This one seems to be the most cut-and-dried recruitment on VanHaaren’s list as the Tigers have received all 10 of Wiggins’ Crystal Balls.
Presently, two Miami Palmetto teammates, five-star cornerback Jason Marshall and four-star safety Corey Collier, are the highest-rated members of Florida’s upcoming class, followed by Fort Lauderdale strong-side defensive end Tyreak Sapp and Loganville, Georgia pro-style quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, both four-stars, as well.
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