Tag: 2023 football recruiting

Blue-chip offensive lineman says Florida is at top of his recruiting list

The Gators are doing everything right when it comes to recruiting 4-star OL Payton Kirkland.

A week after naming the Gators in his top five, four-star offensive lineman [autotag]Payton Kirkland[/autotag] indicated that Florida was on top of his recruitment following a visit to the Swamp.

Kirkland got to Gainesville on March 24 and had a chance to meet with head coach Billy Napier and both offensive line coaches, [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag], according to 247Sports. After the trip, he said that Florida has stood out compared to the other schools still in the race.

“I’m still not sure but I really do feel like Florida is very much in contention as of right now,” Kirkland said. “They may be in the lead.”

Alabama, Miami, Michigan State and Oklahoma are the Gators’ competition, and Kirkland has a set decision date of July 23 along with two other Orlando-area recruits that Florida is targeting. The last recruiting staff at Florida had trouble landing big-name offensive linemen, so it’s encouraging to see Napier prioritizing in-state big men early.

The family-oriented approach that Napier has brought to UF is a big reason things are going so well with Kirkland. He’s looking for a mentor and someone to guide him, and his time with the coaches allowed him to see what Florida has to offer in that area.

“There are some coaches where once you mess up, they chew you out and wait for your next rep 15 minutes later,” he said. “(Stapleton and Sale) were like, ‘OK, do this, do this, do this, now give it another try.’”

Now the Gators will wait and see how the rest of Kirkland’s visits go. He plans to take official visits to each of his top five in June, so Florida should have one more go at him if that connection begins to waver in the coming weeks.

The 247Sports composite ranks Kirkland as the No. 203 overall recruit in the class of 2023 and the No. 18 offensive tackle. Regardless of those rankings, Napier and Co. are treating him like he’s the best lineman in the country. With the way that Florida is going after Kirkland, it will be hard for another team to eat into the Gators’ lead.

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Florida targeting this TE recruit after re-evaluating depth at the position

After holding off on recruiting tight ends early on in the cycle, Florida has changed course and offered this Texas recruit.

With Billy Napier‘s recruiting staff in place, the Gators have done a great job going after high-school talent that fits the team’s needs. One position that’s been neglected is tight end, largely because the staff felt that the team had enough depth at that spot.

However, it became clear to the staff after just a few weeks of spring practice that the Gators would need to add some depth at tight end. That’s where Bridgeland (Cypress, Texas) three-star recruit Reid Mikeska comes in. Tight ends coach William Peagler offered him on Wednesday, according to 247Sports, and he’s looking to make a trip to the Swamp in the near future.

“Basically he was telling me their plans were to not take a tight end in the 2023 class a couple of months ago,” Mikeska said. “They got into spring practice and realized they didn’t have as much depth as they thought. They feel like they would need some help from the 2023 class to come in.”

Peagler and Mikeska have been in contact for a few months and had set up an early visit March visit that ultimately fell through. He hopes to make it to Gainesville in April or May to meet everyone in person.

Mikeska grew up a Gators fan living in Florida before moving to Texas. No stranger to the program, UF appears to be in a good spot moving forward with him.

“I have always been a Florida fan since I was a kid,” he said. “I loved how they used Kyle Pitts there. I love how they are in the SEC. Those offers are big for me.”

Several Power five programs are looking at Mikeska. LSU and Kentucky recently offered the 6-foot-5-inch, 233-pounder, and he’s visiting Alabama and Auburn this weekend. Miami is also on the itinerary for April.

After spring unofficial visits, Mikeska will narrow down his options and begin to take officials in June.

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This 4-star WR loves the idea of being coached by Keary Colbert

Four-star Daquayvious Sorey said after his Florida visit that he loves the idea of being coached by Keary Colbert in college.

Florida got four-star wide receiver Daquayvious Sorey on campus quickly after he decommitted from the Georgia Bulldogs this weekend.  He visited the Swamp this past weekend and spoke to 247Sports afterward about it. 

Sorey already has one personal connection built-in with Florida’s new staff — his cousin Lamar Sorey was hired by head coach Billy Napier in January as a quality control staffer who will assist with player evaluations and recruiting.

The Gators appear to be rising in his recruitment because of that connection and the relationships he has built with their coaches. Wide receiver coach Keary Colbert has been the main point of contact for Sorey, and he can vision himself playing for him, citing specifically how he likes Colbert’s experience playing in the NFL.

Florida is prioritizing Sorey because it needs the big-time playmakers that former coach Dan Mullen failed to reel in. Napier and the coaching staff told him on the visit that they love his speed, explosiveness and route-running abilities.

Sorey plans to visit Florida A&M, LSU and Penn State later this spring, though the Gators currently sit in his top five and the coaching staff has already fired up its efforts to get Sorey back on campus for a return visit. The Chipley, Florida, native is considered 98th-best overall prospect and 15th best at his position, according to the 247Sports composite.

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Florida football re-offered this 2023 top 50 cornerback

4-star CB Malik Muhammad has been re-offered by the Florida Gators’ new staff.

Billy Napier made defensive back recruiting a priority from the minute he became the new head coach of the Florida Gators. The first big splash came with the signing of five-star safety Kamari Wilson during the 2022 early signing period, and the Gators have since been in the conversation for several of the top defensive backs in the class of 2023.

One of those DBs is South Oak Cliff (Dallas, Texas) cornerback Malik Muhammad, who currently ranks No. 41 overall on the On3 Consensus. If the name sounds familiar that’s because Muhammad played his sophomore season in Florida at IMG Academy. A Texas native, Muhammad figured that he could make the same name for himself back at home as a junior and senior. Betting on himself paid off as he led his team to a state championship.

Napier has targeted several players from IMG early on, so it’s unsurprising to see the Gators follow a transfer and re-offer him under the new staff (Dan Mullen’s group offered last April). Muhammad thanked the Gators on social media for the second offer, tagging Napier, defensive backs coach Corey Raymond, and defensive personnel analyst Joe Hamilton.

Muhammad is hoping to be decided by the summer. A July announcement could be in the works, which means that UF has only a few months to convince him to come back to Florida.

Texas and Texas A&M could enjoy a bit of a home-field advantage, but Muhammad’s most recent trips have been to Alabama and Miami. Notre Dame was considered an early leader at one point as well.

If the Gators want to be one of the teams in the mix when Muhammad makes his decision, they’ll need to get him on campus. He’s expected to begin taking some unofficial visits soon after attending an Under Armour training camp for elite prospects earlier in the month.

Muhammad is ranked  No. 6 at his position on the On3 Consensus, but the service’s stand-alone rankings have him as the No. 2 cornerback in the class of 2023. A consensus top 100 recruit by all four major services, Muhammad is likely to be one of the most followed recruits early on in the cycle given his short timeline.

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Gators offer this out-of-state 4-star WR during recent visit

Despite not listing the Gators in his January top 12, four-star receiver Christian Hamilton appears fairly interested after a visit to the Swamp.

Four-star wide receiver Christian Hamilton made the trip from Harrisburg, North Carolina to Gainesville, Florida on Saturday and left town with an offer in hand from the Gators.

Hamilton released a top 12 in January that didn’t feature UF, but he added that his recruitment was still “100% open.” Billy Napier saw that opening and sent his recruiting staff to get Hamilton on campus. After a brief visit, Hamilton appears to be at least considering the Orange and Blue.

“It feels good that I’m getting recruited by a highly-talented staff. I can see myself playing here,” Hamilton said to Gators Online. “I loved the atmosphere. There was genuine love here from the jump. I just love the people around here, man.”

Much of Hamilton’s time was spent with Keary Colbert, getting a chance to see exactly how the wide receivers coach handles his players during spring practice and where he’d fit into the offensive scheme. Before he left, Napier sat down with Hamilton for a one-on-one. Isolated attention from a head coach can go a long way, and the two discussed how Napier can prepare Hamilton for life after football.

Hamilton wants to make a decision on his birthday, October 24. That gives Florida seven months to break into the top 12 and out-recruit the other programs.

The On3 Consensus ranks Hamilton as the No. 160 overall recruit in the class of 2023 and the No. 29 receiver. Rivals is a bit higher on him, ranking Hamilton No. 93 overall and No. 17 at his position.

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4-star EDGE will heavily consider Florida after visit

Four-star defensive end AJ Hoffler said he will heavily consider Florida in his recruitment after he visited the Swamp.

Four-star edge defender AJ Hoffler made his first trip to the Swamp and Florida this past weekend. After his first visit, he said he will heavily consider the Gators moving forward, according to Gators Online.

Hoffler said his visit to Florida surpassed all of his expectations. He came away impressed with how the Gators’ older players and the new coaching had already forged strong bonds.

For Florida, outside linebacker coach and alumni liaison Mike Peterson has led the charge for Hoffler, who enjoyed his time around the Gator great but wished he had more to spend with him. Hoffler had to leave campus earlier than expected in order to get back to Atlanta.

However, they still spoke before and after spring practice, which Florida kicked off last week, and hit the field again Saturday while prospects were in town. Peterson told him that depending on how his body fills out that he would likely play as a defensive end or as a linebacker who can get after the quarterback.

Head coach Billy Napier also made sure he spoke with him and his mother before they left. Hoffler said other head coaches haven’t done that and appreciated that Napier did that.

Besides the Gators, Hoffler said he holds offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson, Texas, Florida State, Auburn, Kentucky and Arkansas among others. The On3 Consensus rankings currently consider the Atlanta native as the 271st best player overall and the 31st best player at his position.

He said the Gators aren’t on the same tier currently as the Buckeyes and Clemson but are just below it where they still have a chance.

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Florida set to host this 4-star defensive lineman in early April

Four-star defensive lineman Xzavier McLeod is still getting to know Florida’s new staff. He’ll visit the Swamp at the beginning of April.

Florida’s recruiting focus has largely been on in-state recruits early on, but more and more out-of-state players are being linked with the Gators as the year continues. One of those players is Camden, South Carolina’s Xzavier McLeod, a four-star defensive lineman in the class of 2023.

The Gators offered McLeod earlier in March and the 6-foot-4-inch, 324-pound lineman began to look into scheduling a trip to the Swamp. That date has now been set, according to 247Sports. He’ll be in town on April 2 to meet with Billy Napier and the rest of the Florida staff. Two other four-star recruits are expected to be in Gainesville that Saturday as well as a top-3 cornerback in the class of 2024.

Defensive line coach Sean Spencer has been McLeod’s main recruiter with the Gators with recruiting analyst Joe Hamilton in the mix as well. The relationship is still new, but things seem to be moving in the right direction.

“I have liked the talks with them and they are just harping on me to get down there to Gainesville for a visit,” McLeod said to 247Sports after fielding an offer from UF. “I look forward to doing that. I have been telling them how Gainesville is only a five-hour trip, so I want to get down there and experience that school and that atmosphere.”

Auburn and Alabama will host him this week, and he’s looking to stop by FSU during the same weekend he makes it to Gainesville. With nearly 20 offers from elite programs in his back pocket, McLeod has plenty of options to choose from. Florida will need to make a good impression to rip him away from the other schools in the hunt.

Right now, South Carolina seems to be the team to beat, but there’s plenty of time for Napier and Co. to leave their mark on the No. 115 overall prospect in the class of 2023, according to 247Sports.

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Napier and staff impress mother of No. 1 CB recruit during visit

The nation’s top cornerback stopped by the Swamp with his mom over the weekend and met the new staff.

Cormani McClain has been to Florida several times in the past, but his weekend visit to the Swamp on March 19-20 allowed him to meet the new coaching staff in person.

McClain’s mother, Tikisha White, was able to accompany him this time and she had nothing but positives to say about Billy Napier and his staff, according to 247Sports.

“I would say it was outstanding,” White said. “They have a big vision that is coming up in the future. Not only a vision, but something that is going to be happening as far as the new facility and the new staff they have.”

Napier’s family-oriented style at Florida has been well-received by many recruits and their relatives. White said that it makes a difference when a coach takes the time to learn about a player’s family and that going above and beyond stands out to her. She also believes that cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond holds the right credentials to bring out the best in her son.

Initially hesitant to make another trip to the Swamp, White says that McClain was excited after he left. The new staff made the right impression on the nation’s top defensive recruit and earned the mark of approval from his mom. In a recruiting world where parents very much have an influence on what program their child picks, earning that trust early is crucial.

White and McClain also stopped by Alabama earlier in the month, so Florida’s not the only school getting to know the family.

McClain will be one of the most-watched prospects in the country throughout the cycle, and the Gators are well-positioned to stay in the hunt. He’s the No. 3 overall recruit on the 247Sports composite and the No. 1 cornerback in the class of 2023.

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5-star CB has pushed back his March visit to the Swamp

The nation’s No. 3 cornerback will be in Gainesville this weekend.

One of the nation’s top cornerback recruits will be back in Gainesville on March 26, according to 247Sports.

Tony Mitchell, a five-star recruit from Alabaster, Alabama, was supposed to return to the University of Florida over the weekend of March 18, but that trip was pushed back with hopes of rescheduling. It didn’t take long for Mitchell to pencil in a new date to visit the Swamp.

When he last visited in January, Mitchell spent plenty of time with cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond, who is known as one of the top defensive back recruiters in the country. Raymond typically gets his man, so it’s no surprise to see Florida in Mitchell’s early Top 7.

Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Oregon and Texas A&M are the other teams still in the race for his services.

He’s expected to cut that list down some time in the near future, and Florida appears to be in a good spot with him scheduling a second visit in two months.

“The chance of playing early stands out to me,” Mitchell said to 247Sports. “I trust Coach Napier and what he’s going to do for Florida in the future. Coach Raymond is a great DB coach and knows how to develop players and he’s sent a bunch of guys to the league.”

Being a Florida native, playing for the Gators would give Mitchell a chance to play in front of his family during college. He’s the No. 3 cornerback on the 247Sports composite and the No. 19 overall recruit in the class of 2023.

Stealing him the Crimson Tide won’t be easy, but it’s exactly the kind of challenge Florida brought Billy Napier in for.

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Coveted 4-star quarterback plans to visit Florida this weekend

Four-star quarterback Dylan Lonergan’s father tells 247Sports that he plans to visit Florida this weekend.

Four-star quarterback Dylan Lonergan’s father told 247Sports that they plan to visit Florida this upcoming weekend. The Gators are one of many trips lined up this spring, with stops set at Alabama, Ohio State and South Carolina next month. He has also seen Georgia, Georgia Tech and Stanford so far.

247Sports has the Snellville, Georgia, native as the 95th-best player overall and the ninth-best signal-caller, according to their composite rankings.

During his junior season, he threw for 3,392 yards and 32 touchdowns with only three interceptions. Lonergan also tacked on 645 yards rushing and seven more scores.

He is also a standout baseball player and plans to play on the diamond at his future school as well as the gridiron. 247Sports reported he touched 90 mph on the mound as a freshman.

His family is no stranger to big-time college football. His father Dan Lonergan was a quarterback in the 1980s for Penn State and backed up Todd Blackledge on the 1982 national championship team.

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