Tag: 2022 football recruiting

2022 Gators tight end signee to attend South Carolina game

In addition to a group of prospects, this 2022 signee will attend the Gators’ final home game of the season against South Carolina.

The Florida Gators host the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Orange and Blue’s final home game of the season. Along with a large number of high school recruits 2022 tight end signee [autotag]Tony Livingston[/autotag] will also be in attendance, according to Gators Online.

That’s not a typo. Livingston was a part of [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s transition recruiting class, but despite signing early, he was declared academically ineligible and was unable to graduate in time to qualify for the 2022 season. He also suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery and has been recovering over the last few months.

Per the On3 consensus, he was the No. 20 overall tight-end prospect in the 2022 class and is also a two-sport athlete. He was named the Class 5A player of the year in basketball last season, and Napier has praised his athletic abilities when talking about him.

The 6-foot-4-inch, 225-pound athlete is expected to join the program in the foreseeable future and is a candidate to grey-shirt when he enrolls. A gray shirt is when an athlete postpones his enrollment by a semester. This would push his eligibility by an additional semester, allowing him to play for an additional football season compared to his 2022 classmates.

Saturday’s South Carolina game will serve as the program’s Senior Night, where they will honor players that will depart the program after the season. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=none image=https://gatorswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[lawrence-related id=95575,95570,95562,95551,95447]

[listicle id=95579]

[listicle id=95554]

[listicle id=95395]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

LSU true freshman linebacker inks NIL deal

Harold Perkins has signed what should be the first of many NIL deals.

True freshman LSU linebacker [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] announced recently that he has signed an NIL deal with getGordon. GetGordon is a law firm that specializes in personal injury suits in Louisiana.

Perkins was a five-star recruit coming out of high school in Cypress, Texas, the only one in Brian Kelly’s transitional 2022 recruiting class. He was a summer enrollee and is primed to make a big impact for the Tigers, even as a freshman.

“Everyone is talking about Harold Perkins,” attorney Gordon McKernan said, per On3. “The extent of his defensive talent as a freshman is a sure sign that he’s destined for success. I’m thankful that the Tigers brought him back to Louisiana. It’s a win for Perkins, a win for the Tigers, and a win for me to be able to partner with such a talented young player.”

This is the first NIL deal Perkins has signed, but I highly doubt it will be his last. There are some players that have gotten seven figures out of NIL deal. If he has an amazing season this fall, he could find himself with that kind of money as well.

[mm-video type=video id=01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06 playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06-be23944232a282f50b095d1d49716cbe.jpg]

[listicle id=48525]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Florida football adds this JUCO wide receiver to 2022 class

Florida adds to its wide receiver room with this JUCO addition.

Florida football added another player to its wide receiver room on Sunday when JUCO wide receiver [autotag]Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman[/autotag] both committed and signed with the program, joining transfer portal arrival [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] as the latest additions to the 2022 class.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 190-pound pass-catcher from Minneapolis, Minnesota, spent the past year at Independence Community College (Kansas) and will have the full five years available for him to get his four seasons of play in. He chose his Sunshine State destination over Illinois, Ole Miss and Nebraska, despite his desire early on to remain in the realm of the Big Ten.

Chiaokhiao-Bowman’s primary recruiter was wide receivers coach [autotag]Keary Colbert[/autotag], who was one of many who went out of their way to make Gainesville feel like “home”.

“He and I just had a lot of ties,” he said of Florida’s assistant coach, according to Swamp247. “He played with Dominique Byrd at USC, who is a homie of mine and my brother’s. He also knows Larry Fitzgerald and played in the league so he’s gone places that I want to go. He’s a family guy and he’s really down to earth.

“They need a guy with my skill set to come do big things, even play special teams,” he added in regards to his fit on the current roster. “They plan to move me around between slot and outside. They like my releases, separation at the top of the route, he said he can tell I have good ball skills, I look seasoned and I work hard.”

The JUCO transfer will hopefully hit the ground running this upcoming season for Billy Napier’s squad, especially given how thin the team is at some positions, including the receiver corps.

[mm-video type=video id=01g4v2v8jgxzgz28jt00 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g4v2v8jgxzgz28jt00/01g4v2v8jgxzgz28jt00-a4cd98a8b02ed9f6750b9d0522cc3ed1.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=85109,85054,85031,84935,84925]

[listicle id=85023]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

4-star DT recruit has potential to make a difference as a freshman

This 4-star defensive line recruit could be a big presence for the Gators in 2022.

The Gators’ 2022 recruiting class, the first of head coach Billy Napier’s career, was an understandably low-rated one. The team started from behind the eight ball thanks to Dan Mullen’s poor showing on the recruiting trail and Napier’s unwillingness to sign players who didn’t fit the culture or scheme he’s trying to construct.

Nevertheless, the batch of players who will be joining Gator nation this year do have a few gems. Turning Kamari Wilson from his Georgia lean and re-earning Shemar James’ commit are the highest-profile wins, but another player deserves more attention than he’s gotten. Defensive lineman Jamari Lyons could be a real contributor for the Gators in his freshman season.

The former coaching staff didn’t create a defensive line group that was built for sustainability, making it one of the priorities heading into the 2022 season. Gervon Dexter is set to be the hearthstone of the line, but there’s not much clarity about who will be flanking him once the season begins. Power hates a vacuum, though. Now that the attitude that seniority should be weighted in deciding playing time has left the Swamp, that job is open for the taking.

Lyons has largely flown under the radar in discussions of the Gators’ incoming freshman. He was one of the final four-star players listed in the  247Sports composite — only eight of the 350 four-star recruits were ranked lower than him — and he didn’t make a big spectacle of his commitment. He still continues to hold significant potential under the new scheme.

As a defensive tackle, Lyons’ best role is as a three-tech. At 6-foot-4-inches and carrying just shy of 300 pounds, he has just the right size and explosion to threaten offensive lines with both mass force and athletic disruptiveness. In other words, he’s versatile enough to make an impact in both early downs and short-yardage situations.

The strategy that most modernized teams have adapted values getting the most production possible out of the smallest presence at the line of scrimmage possible in order to keep plenty of coverage options available. That means Lyons’ versatility is an important part of modern defensive line construction.

The ability to rush the passer from the interior becomes even more valuable for the Gators when considering the lack of depth the team has at defensive end. Brenton Cox is obviously a star, but losing both Zach Carter and Khris Bogle hurts a lot. Adding someone like Lyons to the mix allows the Gators to be more creative when scheming up ways to disrupt the passer if now one emerges as a good running mate for Cox on the edges.

Of course, there’s always the chance that Lyons won’t be able to stand up the physicality of the SEC in his first season. Nevertheless, he hasn’t been getting nearly as much attention as he deserves as an important member of this recruiting class. Even if he doesn’t get much playing time as a freshman, he’ll be in a good spot to start as a sophomore after a year with coach Chaos Spencer and building his physique in a top-flight strength and conditioning program.

[lawrence-related id=78463,78458,78454,78450,78429]

[listicle id=69643]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Coach Billy Napier breaks down the addition of tight end Arlis Boardingham

The Gators got themselves a stud at the end of the 2022 class recruiting period.

It may have taken Florida longer to put the finishing touches on its 2022 signing class than most schools, but it’s finally wrapped up. Gators coach Billy Napier concluded his first recruiting class with four-star athlete Arlis Boardingham who selected UF over Oregon. Last Friday when he met with media, Napier explained why he coveted the West Coast prospect.

“Arlis is a unique athlete,” he said. “If you watch the tape closely, he’s really playing receiver, playing inside ‘backer and outside ‘backer. He was 6-3 and quarter, 235 on the visit and really has some growth potential.”

The Gators project him to be a tight end where they loaded up this cycle with other tight ends like Tony Livingston and Hayden Hansen. Napier signed three players at this position because he likes to utilize 12 personnel on offense.

He also believes Boardingham is a potential mismatch for defenses. Napier pointed out his ability on the track. He ran an 11.4 in the 100-meter dash as a junior and thinks he can better that mark this spring.

Either way, Napier and his staff are high on Boardingham’s potential.

“He can run the full route tree as a receiver if you watch the tape,” Napier said. “He has some play strength and physicality on defense, so my experience would say those equate to a mismatch-type of player that we’ll be able to use him a lot of different ways on offense. He’s a very intelligent kid.”

[lawrence-related id=77703,77700,77692,77641,77586]

[listicle id=76773]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Billy Napier’s efforts out west pay off for Florida football

Florida’s 2022 recruiting class features players from all over the country, including two from the West Coast.

Florida’s new head coach Billy Napier traveled all over the country to put together his 2022 recruiting class in just two months.

While plenty of time was spent on the areas closest to Florida, Napier made sure to get out west and talk to some of the top undecided talents on the other side of the country. Those efforts appear to have paid off for Florida as Napier added Van Nuys, California athlete Arlis Boardingham to the class a week after national signing day.

“Arlis is a unique athlete,” Napier said at his Friday press conference. “If you watch the tape closely, he’s really playing receiver, inside backer and outside backer. He was 6-foot-3-and-a-quarter, 235 pounds on the visit and really has some grow potential.

“He can go run the full route tree as a receiver, and he has some play strength and physicality on defense. I think my experience would say that equate to a mismatch type of player.”

As Napier rattled off more positives about Boardingham, including an 11.4-second 100-meter time as a junior, it became obvious why the coach was willing to pursue someone on the other side of the country so intensely.  Boardingham has a chance to make a difference on this roster, and Napier wasn’t willing to let him slip away to Oregon over proximity.

The same can be said about Napier’s other west coast signee, Andrew Savaiinaea. The three-star defensive lineman out of Washington held offers from Cal, Oregon and Kentucky before Florida got into the mix. At 6-foot-3-inches tall and 259 pounds, Savaiinaea has the kind of size needed to make it in the Southeastern Conference.

Napier considers Boardingham and Savaiinaea to both be high-character players with a ton of upside.

It’s not easy to put together a class of 18 recruits, especially when a coach is given just two months to evaluate, recruit and sign them. Florida may have had to go out of its comfort zone a bit, but the returns appear to be well worth the effort.

[lawrence-related id=77355,77314,77302,77300,77187]

[listicle id=69643]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Final commitment helps Gators’ 2022 class rise in the rankings

Arlis Boardingham’s pledge bumped the Gators up from 19th to 16th in the final recruiting rankings.

Florida capped off the 2022 recruiting class on a high note with one final addition on Wednesday, as four-star Van Nuys (California) Birmingham athlete Arlis Boardingham, who didn’t announce a decision on national signing day, pledged to the Gators over Oregon.

The Ducks made a late push for Boardingham, who is listed as an athlete but projects as a tight end at the college level. They had him on campus the weekend before signing day, but UF was considered his leader and that visit wasn’t able to sway him.

Now, Florida has seen one last rise in the recruiting rankings from 247Sports. It ranked 19th after national signing day, but it’s now up to No. 16 following Boardingham’s commitment. That ranks in the middle of the pack of the SEC at seventh in the league.

Though this isn’t exactly where Florida wants to be, it’s impressive nonetheless. This class was already struggling before coach Dan Mullen was fired, and when he left, it tumbled all the way to No. 76. It took a lot of work to salvage this class, and that should give fans optimism as Billy Napier enters his first full recruiting cycle in 2023.

Florida’s class finishes with 18 signees, three of which are already enrolled on campus including top recruit Kamari Wilson. The safety from IMG Academy is the No. 44 player in the nation.

[lawrence-related id=77294,77187,77188,77182,77175]

[listicle id=69643]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Gators add final touch to 2022 recruiting class with this 4-star athlete

Add one more name to the list! Florida’s recruiting class of 2022 just got bigger.

National signing day may be in the rearview mirror, but it’s not too late to add to the class of 2022.

Billy Napier did just that on Wednesday by earning the commitment of four-star athlete Arlis Boardingham. It came down to the wire between Florida and Oregon. After visiting both schools late in the cycle, the Van Nuys, California athlete decided to delay his announcement until a week after national signing day.

The big moment came just after 6:30 p.m. EST on CBS Sports HQ. Boardingham teased both schools before placing the orange cap on his head and giving a celebratory chomp.

“It was a tough decision,” Boardingham said, according to 247Sports. “That’s why I couldn’t decide last week when the signing period started up. I wanted to give myself a few extra days but late last week, probably around Thursday is when I felt good about it.”

Despite being across the country from his high school, Boardingham said he felt more comfortable at Florida than anywhere else. Wide receivers coach Keary Colbert and tight ends coach William Peagler were his main contacts at the university along with head coach Napier.

The 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pounder played on both sides of the ball as a senior and could do the same at the college level. He’s most likely to contribute on offense at tight end, but he can also play defensive end and linebacker.

Boardingham is the No. 31 athlete in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite. Florida’s 2022 recruiting class jumped up to No. 16 overall and No. 7 in the Southeastern Conference by adding him.

[lawrence-related id=77182,77159,77154,77145,76989]

[listicle id=69643]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

How Florida football fared in 2022 recruiting cycle, according to ‘Blue-Chip Ratio’

Here’s where the Gators stand in 247Sports’ Blue-Chip Ratio assessment.

The 2022 college football recruiting season is effectively over with the passing of the national signing day period, which means it is time to look back and reflect on the success of our favorite schools. 247Sports’ Bud Elliot recently undertook the task of putting together his Blue-Chip Ratio assessment, in which he listed the 16 Blue-Chip Ratio qualifying teams from 2021 and compared the results with those from this past year.

Florida football made the cut, meaning that they inked more four- and five-star recruits than two- and three-star prospects over the previous four recruiting classes, and put up a 66% Blue-Chip Ratio in 2021. However, the Gators’ performance on the recruiting trail during the tumultuous transition from the Dan Mullen to Billy Napier era resulted in a bit of a slip, not unpredictably. Here is what Elliot has to say in his 2022 evaluation.

Florida: 41% (No. 19 recruiting class)

New coach Billy Napier did not go all-in on high school recruiting, preferring to save spots for the 2023 class while attacking the portal. But 7 of the 17 signees are rated as four-stars. Florida addressed the defensive side of the ball heavily with defensive backs Kamari Wilson and Devin Moore, linebacker Shemar James, and defensive linemen Chris McClellan and Jamari Lyons. Like USC, LSU, Miami, and others, look for Florida to have a big 2023 class from the high school ranks.

There is certainly no cause for alarm here, but the recruiting ratio, as well as the national rankings, suggest that there is a bit of an uphill climb for the Gators to get back to prominence among prep prospects. Napier and his new army of staffers are certainly aware of this and have already started wooing its 2023 targets. Fans of the Orange and Blue should have much to look forward to in the years ahead if all goes well.

[lawrence-related id=77145,76972,76968,76961,75767]

[listicle id=69643]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Final Florida recruiting target set to announce college decision on Wednesday

Athlete Arlis Boardingham will choose between Florida and Oregon next week.

National signing day is in the books for the Gators, but coach Billy Napier isn’t quite done yet. There was one uncommitted target who didn’t announce a decision on Wednesday: Van Nuys (California) Birmingham athlete Arlis Boardingham.

The west coast player has been one of Florida’s priority players over the last couple of months, and his mother, Kim Boardingham, told 247Sports Blake Alderman that her son has come to a decision and will announce it on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound player is the No. 490 player in the 2022 class and No. 31 athlete, per the 247Sports Composite. Though considered an athlete, he is being recruited by Florida as a tight end with the versatility to line up on the outside and as an H-back, as well.

Florida got in on Boardingham’s recruitment fairly late, offering him on Dec. 22, but it is currently considered the favorite to land him. However, Oregon also made a late push, offering him on Jan. 2 and getting him on campus the final weekend before signing day for an official visit.

The Gators will hope to get Boardingham and see one last boost for their 2022 class, which currently ranks 19th in the nation and ninth in the SEC.

[lawrence-related id=73961,73917,73850,72289,72141]

[listicle id=69643]

[listicle id=67186]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.