2023 football recruiting – Page 63

4-star offensive tackle sets March visit date to the Swamp

Napier and Co. continue their efforts to woo the top talent in the nation.

The Gators will get another visitor in March as Billy Napier and his staff work tirelessly to bring the Orange and Blue back to national prominence on the college football gridiron. One of the latest prep prospects to announce his visit date to Gainesville is four-star offensive lineman Wilkin Formby out of Northridge in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, who told Gators Online that he plans to visit the Swamp on Friday, March 18, as well as the following day.

UF’s offensive coordinator and co-offensive line coach Rob Sale has led the efforts to recruit the young man, offering a scholarship to Formby at the beginning of the month. Sale’s previous connection with the Crimson Tid e in Tuscaloosa has been a benefit to the efforts, setting the table for the two to share their mutual interests and helping to build a connection. The 6-foot-7-inch, 295-pound lineman noted that Florida has, “a successful program. It has a great history to it and they have a good fan base.”

Formby is the No. 11 offensive tackle and No. 141 player overall in the 2023 class, as well as the No. 13 player in the state of Alabama, according to On3. He has already received offers from Alabama, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kentucky, Penn State, Miami, Florida State and USC among others, and has already visited ‘Bama and the Sooners. There are currently no other campus visits scheduled after Florida but is certain to change quickly given the number of suitors he has.

[mm-video type=video id=01ft71a6nz5jw79sk9r6 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01ft71a6nz5jw79sk9r6/01ft71a6nz5jw79sk9r6-ee58fce34d69f2ef2b813f6dafdad66e.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=79761,79752,79742,79710,79703]

[listicle id=77787]

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.

5-star quarterback from California gets Florida offer

The Gators expanded their quarterback board again Wednesday when they offered to five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

Florida and coach Billy Napier expanded their quarterback board again on Wednesday when they offered five-star Nico Iamaleava out of California. However, at this juncture in the recruiting cycle, the Gators still have Arch Manning, Christopher Vizzina and Marcus Stokes at the top of their board. Iamaleava is currently ranked as the No. 5 overall recruit, according to the On3 Consensus.

For Florida, he is the third quarterback it has offered this week along with five-star Dante Moore and four-star Dylan Lonergan.

On his Instagram, he said it was Napier and area recruiter Keary Colbert who extended the scholarship offer.

“Extremely blessed to receive an offer from The University of Florida,” Iamaleava wrote. “Thank you Coach Napier and Coach Colbert for giving me the opportunity to further my education.”

Moore is expected to visit the Swamp later this month, according to On3.

Even with all these offers flying out, Florida fans shouldn’t panic about losing traction for its top targets. The coaching staff is just likely doing its due diligence.

[mm-video type=video id=01fxx7hffn2z4b9vr0fc playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fxx7hffn2z4b9vr0fc/01fxx7hffn2z4b9vr0fc-d86b5e715a89c508f8b7c17b6098a9f2.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=79752,79742,79710,79703,79676]

[listicle id=77787]

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.

In-state 4-star WR sets date for March visit to the Swamp

Florida needs to add a few receivers to the team from the class of 2023 and four-star Bryson Rodgers could be one of them.

After four-star wide receiver Bryson Rodgers‘ January plans to visit the University of Gainesville fell through, the in-state recruit said that he would try and make it back in the spring. That visit will now take place on March 15, according to 247Sports’ Blake Alderman.

Rodgers is coming off a pair of unofficial visits to Ohio State and Alabama. Both programs received rave reviews from the junior and seem to be among the current leaders in his recruitment. After stopping by the Swamp, Rodgers heads to Athens to meet with Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs.

With the Florida trip being wedged into the middle of a very busy schedule, Billy Napier and Co. will need to be at their best while hosting Rodgers. Four other recruits are set to visit on that day, but they are all on the defensive side of the ball. Being a part of a smaller visiting group could allow Napier to get some real one-on-one time with him.

Rodgers’ talks have mainly been with wide receivers coach Keary Colbert but he’ll get a chance to meet the entire staff on Tuesday.

The Gators don’t have a ton of depth at wide receiver after adding just one in the 2022 transition class. Rodgers will be one of the first to make it on campus since the February dead period ended. He fits the trend of local players Napier has seemed to target early. If all goes well, a return visit wouldn’t be too difficult to schedule with Rodgers being an hour and 45 minutes away in Zephyrhills, Florida.

[lawrence-related id=79742,79710,79703,79676,79573]

[listicle id=77787]

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.

This big-time 4-star OT plans to visit Florida next week

4-star offensive tackle Lucas Simmons sets multi-day visit for next weekend.

Florida has worked since mid-January to try and get four-star offensive tackle Lucas Simmons to the Swamp. After all that hard work put in by coach Billy Napier and staff, the No. 17-rated prospect at his position told Swamp247 that he has scheduled a multi-day visit to the Gators next week on March 15.

Offensive coordinator and offensive line coaches Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton have led the charge in Florida’s pursuit of Simmons so far. He said he likes how both coaches are down to earth and want to have conversations about other things besides football. For example, he’s from Sweden and his parents haven’t made the move across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States. Simmons said Sale and Stapleton always make sure to ask about his family back home. However, he is still in the process of getting to know the new coaching staff.

His visit that he set up for next week won’t be his first trip to see the Orange and Blue. Simmons has visited Florida on game days under the old coaching staff. He said the atmosphere in the Swamp is crazy.

After his visit to the Gators, he plans to head out west to see USC on March 26.

[mm-video type=video id=01fxx3mxqx0cyer7hves playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fxx3mxqx0cyer7hves/01fxx3mxqx0cyer7hves-ee2f13bc0794332faf351a2e41e6bb0c.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=79710,79703,79676,79573,79550]

[listicle id=77787]

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.

Florida offers 4-star offensive tackle out of Palmetto State

Four-star offensive tackle Monroe Freeling added a scholarship offer from Florida on March 4.

Four-star offensive tackle Monroe Freeling has seen his recruitment blow up over the last couple of weeks. Ohio State, LSU and Louisville have offered him scholarships recently, and now he can add Florida to his list as coach Billy Napier and Co. offered him on March 4. Freeling is the nation’s fifth-best offensive tackle, according to the On3 Consensus rankings.

After his offer, he spoke to Gators Online and told them that offensive coordinator and line coach Rob Sale has run point for Florida so far. Freeling hasn’t talked to him much but his first impression of the former New York Giants assistant is that he’s “cool”.

Even though he hails from South Carolina, he said he still knows a good bit about Florida. Freeling said the Gators are a good football program and that they send a lot of players to the NFL.

Player development isn’t the only thing he is looking for in his recruitment. He wants to major in math and science and is looking for a school with a strong department in that area.

Freeling added that even before the offer that he wanted to visit the Swamp, but now the offer gives him extra motivation to make the trek to Gainesville. While he looks into scheduling a Florida visit, he is set to visit Clemson and Miami later this month.

[lawrence-related id=79703,79676,79573,79550,79538]

[listicle id=77787]

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.

Visit pushed back for one of Florida’s top running back targets

Four-star running back Cedric Baxter Jr. scootched his visit with the Gators back a couple of days.

Four-star running back Cedric Baxter Jr. is arguably Florida’s top target at the position along with Richard Young and Treyaun Webb this cycle. After his first visit to see the new look Gators under coach Billy Napier in January, Baxter wasted little time setting up another visit to the Swamp in March. However, he informed 247Sports Wednesday that he will push his visit back a few days to the 20th of March.

Running backs coach Jabbar Juluke and Napier have led the charge in his recruitment and made a strong impression on him during his last visit. He said his visit to Florida was his favorite so far and that the people stood out to him the most.

The Gators staff like Baxter because he is a three-down back who can get it done in the running or passing game. Juluke told him during his January visit that he likes his ability to run inside or outside the tackle.

[lawrence-related id=79676,79573,79550,79538,79529]

[listicle id=77787]

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.

This highly-touted 4-star QB will make a trip to Florida in March

Four-star quarterback Marcus Stokes is set to visit Florida later this month.

Florida has extended scholarship offers to several quarterbacks in the 2023 cycle like Arch Manning, Dante Moore and Christopher Vizzina. One prospect that hopes to receive the green light soon is four-star quarterback Marcus Stokes from Nease High School in Jacksonville, Florida. The Gators have been evaluating him for the last month or so and are now set to host him later this month on the 26.

Nease High School should be familiar to most Gators fans because that’s where Florida great Tim Tebow played before he became a Heisman Trophy winner. Stokes said he doesn’t know much about the Orange and Blue except for what he sees on TV and that Tebow starred there. However, he has spoken to some prospects who have visited recently under new head coach Billy Napier.

“The Gators are really successful, and I have known a lot of people who have gone on visits there,” Stokes told Swamp247. “The people I talk to tell me how the new staff is really amazing. I talked to Treyaun Webb and he said they have a great staff there. He said the staff is great there, and that I would love it. I am really excited to get out there because it’s so close to home.”

Most of his conversations have been with offensive analyst Ryan O’Hara who he talks to every now and then. He told Stokes that he was impressed with his throwing from the All-America combine in Texas.

He said he’s most looking forward to seeing how the team practices on March 26. Stokes said he has trained with current Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson and wants to see what Napier’s offense is like.

So far, he has 11 scholarships to his name and said Penn State and Virginia Tech have done the best job building a relationship with him while mentioning Tennessee and Miami even though they haven’t offered yet. Florida hasn’t offered yet, but Stokes added it would likely be a game-changer for him.

Then looking toward a decision, he said he hasn’t put much thought into it and is letting the recruitment process play out.

[lawrence-related id=79573,79550,79538,79529,79524]

[listicle id=77787]

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.

4-star defensive lineman sets Florida visit for next weekend

Four-star defensive lineman T.J. Searcy will visit Florida for the first time on March 18.

Florida sits in a favorable spot for four-star defensive lineman T.J. Searcy because of his prior relationship with outside linebackers coach and alumni liaison Mike Peterson dating back to when he coached at South Carolina. Now Searcy will get his first chance to visit the Swamp on March 18.

Because of that relationship with Peterson, Searcy said conversations with him have gone well. He likes the former Gators linebacker because of his knowledge of the game and his ability to share it with others.

“He’s a real cool guy,” Searcy told Swamp247 about Peterson. “When me and him talk, it’s not always about football. He will ask me about myself and checks up on my family. I find those things important to me, and he has already got that bond with me.

“I think Coach Peterson can slow the game down for you. I have been to South Carolina a few times when he was there. He always taught me something new about the game. He breaks the game down better in small pieces that helps you learn.”

Peterson and Florida see Searcy as an edge-rushing outside linebacker in their defense and think his skill set fits well into what they want at the position.

The Thomaston, Georgia, native just wrapped up a visit to Tennessee this past weekend and plans to be at Clemson the following Saturday. After his visit to the Gators, Searcy will see Auburn and Florida State.

[lawrence-related id=79550,79538,79529,79524,79438]

[listicle id=77787]

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.

Sought-after safety wants official visit with Florida following March tour

Florida made lots of headway in three-star safety Jalon Kilgore’s recruitment during his visit on Saturday.

Three-star safety Jalon Kilgore wasted little time setting up a Florida visit after coach Billy Napier offered him a scholarship in late February. After enjoying his visit to the Swamp this past weekend, Kilgore said he wants to officially visit the Gators somewhere down the line.

One thing that immediately jumped out to Kilgore was the new standalone facility Florida is about to finish and the opportunities available with the Gator Made initiative and name, image and likeness through the Gator Collective.

He also enjoyed his time around Napier and was impressed with how genuine the new leader of Florida’s program is. However, he spent the most time around safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator Patrick Toney, and defensive backs quality control assistant CJ Wilford.

“They were really cool people,” he told Gators Online. “They came and showed me around and talked to me about building relationships. Every school has facilities, but the main thing is building relationships.”

After his visit, Kilgore said the Gators are ‘up there’ in his recruitment that he will consider moving forward because he knows they can develop him as a person even if he doesn’t make it to the NFL. He added that he wants to make a decision before his senior season but won’t rush it if he doesn’t feel ready to make a commitment.

5-star CB could give Florida an edge on in-state recruiting

Florida and coach Billy Napier need to land five-star CB Cormani McClain if it wants to take back the Sunshine State.

Alabama and Georgia have grabbed whoever they want from the state of Florida for nearly the past decade. That’s why the Gators went out and nabbed Billy Napier — to try to slow down that trend.

During his first couple of months, he has mentioned the importance of locking down the Sunshine State. One prospect located in that area in Lakeland, Florida, is Lake Gibson five-star cornerback Cormani McClain. He will put Napier’s plan to the test since Florida will have to fend off the Bulldogs, Crimson Tide and other top programs around the country for the elite recruit.

McClain currently sits as the overall No. 4 ranked prospect and as the top player in the state regardless of position in 247Sports independent rankings. The defensive back has also picked off 19 passes in his last two seasons and will likely become a franchise corner in the NFL after getting some seasoning in college, hence why the battle for his pledge is so crucial to Florida.

Napier wants to lock down the state and has mentioned drawing a circle with a 4.5-hour radius around Gainesville that his staff will prioritize. Ideally, most of their recruiting classes should hail from that region that extends south just short of Miami and north just shy of Atlanta as well as reaching as far west as Pensacola.

Florida, Napier and cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond have done a nice job prioritizing McClain so far. He’s scheduled a multi-day visit to the Gators during the weekend of March 19. He also won’t be the only five-star cornerback in attendance because Tony Mitchell and AJ Harris will be there as well.

Napier also has an ace up his sleeve in this recruitment because Lake Gibson head coach Keith Barfield spent the 2020 season as an analyst with Lousiana-Lafayette, though Barfield told 247Sports that he just wants McClain to go wherever is best for him. However, it certainly doesn’t hurt the Gators that they have a prior relationship and that Barfield has a Napier bobblehead on his desk.

Regardless, Napier and Florida need to start signing talented players like McClain if they want to take back the Sunshine State and eventually compete for a national championship again.

[lawrence-related id=79529,79524,79438,79437,79411]

[listicle id=77787]

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.