Tag: 2023 football recruiting

NEW: LSU lands 2023 JUCO tight end Connor Gilbreath

LSU has added a very talented tight end as a late addition to its 2023 recruiting class.

LSU added a very talented tight end to its 2023 recruiting class. [autotag]Connor Gilbreath[/autotag] announced his commitment on Twitter late Saturday night.

LSU’s 2023 recruiting class was ranked fifth in the country by 247Sports prior to this announcement. That class already included three tight ends: [autotag]Ka’Morreun Pimpton[/autotag], [autotag]Mac Markway[/autotag] and [autotag]Jackson McGohan[/autotag].

All three have already enrolled.

Gilbreath brings more of a veteran presence since he has played at the collegiate level for the past two seasons at [autotag]Butte Community College[/autotag] in California.

The Tigers were thin at tight end last season, and [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] has done a masterful job on the recruiting trail of filling that need and other needs as well.

LSU will kick off its 2023 season on Sunday, Sept. 3 as the Tigers look to avenge last season’s loss to the Florida State Seminoles.

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Florida still planning to add 4th QB, but not through transfer portal

Could Florida get 2025 quarterback Austin Simmons on campus two years early? Gators Nation is patiently waiting for any official word on his potential reclassification.

Back in April, Florida quarterback commit Austin Simmons was noncommittal when the topic of reclassifying came up. He had just committed to the Gators and was only starting to look into the reclassification process.

Nearly two months later, Gators Online is reporting that Simmons has begun going through the admissions process at UF and is hopeful to move up to classes from 2025 to 2023. That would put him on campus this fall and satisfy the fourth quarterback spot Billy Napier has talked about filling since the spring game.

Napier can’t speak too much on those moves since NCAA bylaws prohibit coaches from talking directly about an unsigned player, but he remains firm that Florida will have four quarterbacks on its roster this fall and the transfer portal is all but out of the question this late in the game.

Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz and second-year Gator Jack Miller (formerly of Ohio State) are set to compete for a the starting job with redshirt freshman Max Brown behind them as a reserve. Simmons joining the team would add some competition for that third-string spot.

Next year’s room would feature Brown, Simmons and five-star commit DJ Lagway, all of whom were recruited out of high school by Napier.

Simmons is ranked No. 72 overall on the On3 industry ranking, which uses a weighted average of all four major recruiting services. He’s also No. 4 among quarterbacks in the class of 2025, but those numbers would change as a 2023 signee.

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LOOK: Final members of LSU’s 2023 signing class arrive on campus

The Tigers added their remaining 12 signees on Monday.

The LSU football team welcomed the final remaining members of its 2023 signing class to campus on Monday.

Many players who inked their letters of intent during the early signing period were already on campus as the Tigers had 13 early enrollees this spring. However, that still left 12 signees to enroll, including several of the top prospects in the recruiting class.

Now, the rest of those players have matriculated in Baton Rouge.

The official LSU football Twitter account made a video about the players arriving, including top signees like offensive tackle [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag] — a five-star prospect who ranks in the top-15 nationally — in addition to receiver [autotag]Shelton Sampson[/autotag], interior offensive lineman [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag], tight end [autotag]Ka’Morreun Pimpton[/autotag] and others.

LSU had one of the nation’s best signing classes in 2023, ranking sixth nationally per 247Sports and fifth according to On3. Many of these players could make an immediate impact, and one thing is certain: The Tigers’ roster got a lot better on Monday.

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Florida football legacy linebacker sets March return visit date

Here’s when Myles Graham plans on making his next stop in Gainesville.

College football recruiting season is back in full swing which is great news for the Gator Nation as [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. look to build on a disappointing debut campaign. Mostly hamstrung by the roster left in the cupboard by departing head coach [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] in 2022, the new administration is laser-focused on bringing top talent to Gainesville in an attempt to restore the Swamp as a top destination for aspiring gridiron warriors.

While a lion’s share of this month’s visitors are high school prospects who have yet to make verbal commitments with their preferred programs, one 2023 recruit has already given his word to Florida and is planning another trip to Gainesville. Four-star linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag], who is the son of Gator great running back [autotag]Earnest Graham[/autotag], is set to return on March 11 to watch some spring practices while also getting some additional time around the coaching staff, according to Swamp247.

Insider linebackers coach [autotag]Jay Bateman[/autotag] has been at the forefront of the legacy athlete’s recruitment. While the loss of former co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] to the NFL shook things up a bit, his connection with Bateman remains strong.

“He’s a great coach, and a really constructive coach,” he previously told 247Sports of Bateman. “I love the way he coaches and he’s a great recruiter as well. He didn’t just recruit me, he made sure he was like another role model for me in my life. He’s a great dude and a great man.”

The 6-foot-1-inch, 212-pound defender has made plenty of previous stops on campus, including a recent one back on Jan. 21.

Graham is ranked No. 43 overall and No. 4 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 42 and 5, respectively.

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Here are On3’s 5 ‘hidden gems’ among Florida’s 2023 recruiting class

Here’s a look at five incoming freshmen On3 thinks will be something special in the Swamp.

The 2023 recruiting cycle is over, and after the dust settled, Florida football found itself just outside of the top 10 programs in the country in a majority of the class rankings. A tumultuous two months dealing with constant drama at the quarterback position left the Gators a bit short of their lofty expectations, but [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s first full recruiting class can still be considered a success.

The Orange and Blue failed to sign a consensus five-star prospect out of the prep ranks this time around but made up for it with a bumper crop of four-star standouts. Of course, everyone wants their team to get a top prospect to lead the way, but there is something to be said for acquiring quality across the board.

Below is a look at the five incoming freshmen that On3’s Nick del la Torre feels will be big-time contributors despite being overlooked by many. Included in the list are each player’s physical attributes as well as their high school rankings according to both the 247Sports composite and On3 consensus.

This LSU football signee is set to make an instant impact for the Tigers

Dashawn Womack is one of two composite five stars in LSU’s class, per 247Sports.

LSU returns a lot of production on offense in 2023, but that isn’t exactly the case on defense.

The edge on the defensive line is an area of concern, especially. Both starters from 2022 in [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] are gone, and while LSU added some talent in the portal with experienced players like [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag], there could be an opportunity for freshmen to see some reps.

That’s where [autotag]Dashawn Womack[/autotag] comes in. The Baltimore prospect was one of two composite five stars in LSU’s 2023 class, per 247Sports, and he was listed by On3 as one of several blue-chip prospects who could be poised to make an immediate impact.

Dashawn Womack has a case as the most ready to play EDGE prospect in the class. At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, Womack is not a projection physically. He registers as a top athlete in the combine setting and carries that athleticism over to the field. Womack was dominant as a senior, tallying 15 sacks while playing a national schedule at Baltimore St. Frances Academy. The LSU signee has some technical refinement with quick hands and pass rush moves. The ability to create pressure off the edge and finish with violence puts him in a good position to fill BJ Ojulari‘s role in LSU’s defense. We also wouldn’t be surprised to see Womack’s fellow LSU signee Zalance Heard lock down the right tackle spot in Baton Rouge as a freshman and start opposite his former high school teammate, Will Campbell.

Womack ranks as a five-star prospect and checks in at No. 12 overall in the On300.

LSU saw a true freshman make a lot of plays off the edge this fall in [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag], who will likely shift more into an off-ball role once he becomes a better run defender. Womack could have a chance to be the Tigers’ next true freshman breakout player.

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Where does LSU’s 2023 recruiting class stand in the final 247Sports Composite Rankings?

The Tigers sit just outside the top five in the final rankings.

Signing day is done and dusted, and LSU’s 2023 recruiting class is officially in the books.

It was a bit anti-climactic for the Tigers — as is the case at many programs since the proliferation of the early signing period. LSU signed 25 high school players back in December while also adding 11 transfers already this offseason, and the program has largely turned its attention to 2024 since then.

It was a great bump class for coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag]. It didn’t quite crack the top five, but it featured a pair of five-stars in offensive tackle [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag] — a top 15 overall player — and edge rusher [autotag]DaShawn Womack[/autotag]. LSU also added two top-100 receivers in [autotag]Jalen Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag] and a stable of blue-chip players in the secondary.

Here’s where LSU’s promising haul stacks up against the rest of the country, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Final 247Sports composite team recruiting rankings following NSD

National signing day is officially in the rearview mirror for the 2023 recruiting cycle. Take a look at where Florida landed among the top 25 teams.

The end of college football’s 2023 recruiting cycle has come and gone with Wednesday’s national signing day, bringing a crazy year of flips and failed NIL deals that have turned the collegiate gridiron into a new wild west for incoming prep prospects. Unfortunately for Florida football, the Gators spent a great deal of time at ground zero as the sport continues to work through its growing pains.

Now that the cycle is officially over, it is time to take a look at where all of the programs landed after the dust settled. Among the many publications tracking the progress of each respective team is 247Sports, which updated its recruiting rankings accordingly now that all is said and done.

Take a look below at the 247Sports composite top 25 following national signing day. There were quite a few shakeups in comparison to our previous update in mid-January, especially in the wake of the [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag] saga. Note that the changes in rankings are in comparison to our last list.

Florida signs 4-star OT commit on national signing day

Florida officially added one more piece to the 2023 recruiting class on Wednesday with the signing of offensive tackle Caden Jones.

Florida signed all 20 of its commits at the time during the early signing period, but the class has undergone a few changes since then.

As many Gators fans know, blue-chip quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag] never made it to campus after signing his letter of intent and eventually asked for his release from the program. He signed with Arizona State on national signing day, but Florida brought in a four-star offensive lineman to keep the class at 20 signees.

Four-star De La Salle (New Orleans, Louisiana) offensive tackle [autotag]Caden Jones[/autotag] was the lone unsigned commit heading into 2023. He committed in January after taking an official visit to the Swamp a month prior. Jones’ letter of intent came in just after 3 p.m. on Wednesday as he officially joined Billy Napier’s program.

“We had Caden at camp, so we had an opportunity to work with him at 6-foot-7-and-a-half,” Napier said regarding Jones at his national signing day press conference. “You know, he’s got a 36 (-inch) arm. I mean, it’s probably the longest arm we’ve measured since we’ve been doing it, and (he’s) really a young man too. A guy that I think is going to continue to grow.”

Jones is a four-star recruit, according to the On3 consensus and 247Sports composite. He’s ranked No. 364 overall and No. 24 among offensive tackles on the composite and No. 385 nationally and No. 23 at his position on the consensus.

Florida also added five walk-ons on national signing day: quarterbacks [autotag]Jordan Gile[/autotag] and [autotag]Parker Leise[/autotag], running back and son of Sen. Marco Rubio, [autotag]Anthony Rubio[/autotag], and edge rusher [autotag]Layne Swafford[/autotag].

As the 2023 cycle comes to a close, Florida sits at No. 11 overall on the On3 consensus team rankings and No. 13 on the 247Sports composite team rankings.

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Marshall EDGE commit flips to UF after picking up PWO offer

Florida added another preferred walk-on today, an in-state edge rusher that recently backed off a commitment to Marshall.

The Gators added another edge rusher to the 2023 recruiting class on Wednesday as Ponte Vedra’s [autotag]Layne Swafford[/autotag] committed to the program as a preferred walk-on.

He’s one of a few PWO additions [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has made over the past few weeks, including running back and son of Senator Marco Rubio, [autotag]Anthony Rubio[/autotag], and quarterbacks [autotag]Jordan Gile[/autotag] and [autotag]Parker Leise[/autotag].

Swafford, a three-star recruit, was previously committed to Marshall University, but he backed off that pledge after visiting Florida. Playing in the SEC was too good to pass up, and Swafford quickly completed the flip after just two days. He projects as a stand-up edge for the Gators, according to 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins.

During his senior year, Swafford recorded 53 total tackles (26 solo) and four sacks as the Sharks finished the season 5-5, according to MaxPreps. His best game of the year came against Florida State University High School on Sept. 2 when he made five solo tackles and nine overall, including a sack. His only multi-sack game of the year game against Bishop Kenny in October.

He checks in at 6-foot-3-inches tall and 245 pounds, so he’s got the right frame to compete in the SEC. Developing Swafford over the first few years of his collegiate career will be key to his success.

Swafford is ranked No. 143 among edge rushers in the class on the 247Sports composite and is No. 141 nationally on the On3 consensus.

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