Tag: 2023 football recruiting

Report: Florida football offers 4-star IMG Academy LB during visit

Another IMG Academy recruit has picked up an offer from the Florida Gators while on a visit to the Swamp.

Billy Napier has made a point of targeting in-state talent early in the 2023 recruiting cycle. IMG Academy linebacker Jordan Hall is the latest Sunshine State recruit to receive an offer from the Orange and Blue, according to 247Sports.

Florida has shown interest in Hall for a few months now, but Napier wasn’t ready to extend an offer until the two spent some time together in person. Hall saw five other players from his high school receive offers from Florida before him, and he’s been waiting on this one for a while.

“I got the offer from Coach Napier,” Hall said. “They were just stressing to me how they were going to keep watching my film and break things down before they offer anyone. This was one of the last schools I had been waiting on to hear from before I make my decision. It felt good getting an offer from them and knowing where we stand with my recruiting.”

It’s always a good sign when a recruit is waiting for your program to offer, but Florida will have some fierce competition for the 6-foot-2-inch, 225-pounder. Hall’s length at linebacker makes him a hot commodity, and the likes of Georgia, Florida State, Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State among others are hot on his trail.

He’ll be at Alabama on Friday and is hoping to stop by Auburn in the middle of March. Miami, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and South Carolina are also on his list of schools to visit. In other words, Hall’s recruitment is far from over.

While he’s not ready to put out a list of his top schools just yet, Hall holds UF in high regard. There is somewhat of a timeline on his recruitment as Hall hopes to have a decision ready by the start of his senior year. If he can’t make up his mind by then, things could get pushed closer to one of the signing days.

Hall is ranked No. 159 overall and No. 11 at his position on the 247Sports composite.

[lawrence-related id=79524,79438,79437,79411,79385]

[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 coveted 4-star EDGE sets visit date with Florida

The Gators get a first visit from this coveted 2023 DL mid-late in March.

Among the many prep prospects who will be hosted this month by Florida football’s recruiting team is four-star defensive lineman AJ Hoffler. The 6-foot-5-inch, 245-pounder out of Woodward Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, announced recently that he plans on visiting Gainesville on March 19 to get acclimated with the campus and the new staff.

Hoffler received an offer from head coach Billy Napier himself back in late February, though outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson has been spearheading the effort to woo the young EDGE defender. According to Swamp247, he had some encouraging words about his impression of Peterson.

“He’s pretty cool, but we have only been able to talk for a couple of minutes. I think I may have talked to him once before when he was at South Carolina. But overall he seems pretty cool. I plan on getting down there in March or April. Coach Napier sounded different than the way he looks when I talked to him on the phone. He sounds older than I thought he was. He was pretty straightforward and to the point.”

Florida is not the only school on Hoffler’s itinerary, as he visited the Clemson Tigers last weekend and is slated to visit the Ohio State Buckeyes this month as well. The latter is the only school with a “warm” interest so far, according to 247Sports, but he does currently carry 49 total offers including a handful of fellow SEC programs who have extended their interest.

Hoffler currently ranks No. 199 overall in the nation in the 2023 recruiting class, while ranking No. 31 nationally at his position and No. 21 overall in the state of Georgia, according to 247Sports.

[lawrence-related id=79438,79437,79411,79385,79359]

[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 considered a front-runner for this top 100 DL after visit

The Gators improved their chances of landing four-star defensive lineman Zavion Hardy over the weekend.

March 5 was a big recruiting day for the Florida Gators, and one of the top recruits on campus, four-star defensive lineman Zavion Hardy, left with only good things to say about the program.

Hardy was already high on Florida, but meeting the coaching staff in person isn’t a moment he’ll soon forget, according to 247Sports. Defensive line coach Sean Spencer, quality control staffer Kareem Reid and defensive analyst Jamar Chaney spent the most time with Hardy after establishing a relationship over the phone.

Spencer, who spent the last two seasons coaching the New York Giants‘ defensive linemen, compared the 6-foot-5-inch, 262-pound recruit to Leonard Williams. With room to grow, it’s easy to see why Florida has taken such a strong interest in Hardy.

The bonding that took place over the weekend has Florida near the top of Hardy’s list. He described UF and South Carolina as front-runners and the two programs he’s in contact with the most. Ole Miss is also trying to get into the mix and will host the Macon, Georgia, recruit on March 26. Interestingly, the University of Georgia doesn’t seem to be too involved just yet with Hardy.

There’s still plenty of time for other teams to recruit Hardy as he plans to decide in the winter. Official visits will come in the summer and fall, but nothing is set in stone just yet. He called UF “committable,” though, which could mean that Florida is the current team to beat.

Hardy is ranked No. 97 overall on the 247Sports composite and is the No. 15 defensive lineman in the class of 2023.

[lawrence-related id=79437,79411,79385,79359,79352]

[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 is now a ‘top choice’ for this 4-star edge rusher

Florida made a move with four-star defensive lineman Isaiah Nixon this weekend and now calls the Gators a “top choice.”

Florida was just a blip on four-star edge defensive lineman Isaiah Nixon’s radar heading into his visit this weekend. After a strong visit he spoke to Swamp247, he told them that the Gators are now one of his top choices. Now he is also mulling a summer official visit to the Swamp.

“This school right here is one of my top priorities,” he said. “It’s one of my top choices. It’s just a great school with a great football program. I love the coaches and everything.”

The 247Sports composite rankings currently list Nixon as the 338th best overall prospect and the 30th at his position. He also hails from nearby St. Petersburg, Florida.

On his visit, he spent the most time around his main contact: outside linebackers coach and alumni liaison Mike Peterson. He said he was impressed with his resume and all the players he has sent to the NFL.

Nixon currently holds 21 scholarship offers to his name and has picked up some major ones from Alabama and Georgia recently. Even with his recruitment picking up steam, the Gators still factor highly because of the relationship he has built with the coaching staff. He said Florida is one of his top five schools following the visit.

[lawrence-related id=79411,79385,79359,79352,79246]

[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 4-star OT was blown away by his visit to the Swamp

It’s never a bad thing when a Florida recruiting target cancels their trip to Georgia immediately after leaving the Swamp.

Four-star offensive tackle Payton Kirkland was at the University of Florida on March 5, and the new Gators coaching staff has the Orlando recruit and his family raving about the program, according to 247Sports.

Kirkland is looking to join a football with coaches that are interested in him as a person and not just as a player. Many recruits have mentioned that Billy Napier and his staff are a bit more family-oriented than others, and Kirkland couldn’t help but notice the major changes made since they took over.

“It was a complete 180 turnaround from what I expected,” Kirkland said. “It was really different for me, and my mom felt the same way especially. I feel like they did a great job today of emphasizing that’s it’s bigger than football. They said it’s a deeper meaning to it and God has called us here for different reasons. At the end of the day, I am going to go home and talk it over with my mom, make some decision.”

Although he’s spoken with coaches on the phone, meeting them in person allowed Kirkland to see their true character. Both offensive line coaches, Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton, fit the role that Kirkland wants his coaches to play —  “a coach, a mentor, an uncle, a father.” The two-coach approach on the offensive line is also a plus for him. Kirkland believes that the two will work together as a team and provide players a great opportunity to learn from the best of both worlds.

With his Florida trip in the books, Kirkland says he’s not taking any more visits for the rest of the month. What’s even sweeter for Gator Nation is that he says he’s canceled his April 16 trip to Georgia.

Alabama, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Oklahoma are all schools that Kirkland is looking at still, but this trip has the Gators firmly in the mix. He’ll make his decision on July 23, the same day as two other high-profile Central Florida recruits.

Kirkland is ranked No. 203 overall on the 247Sports composite rankings. He’s also the No. 18 offensive tackle in the class of 2023 and the No. 38 recruit out of Florida.

[lawrence-related id=79385,79359,79352,79246,79242]

[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.

These three top Florida recruiting targets set commitment date

Could Florida earn a clean sweep with its top three targets on July 23?

July 23 will be a make-or-break day for Florida’s 2023 recruiting class because three of its top targets are set to announce their commitments on that Saturday. Five-star linebacker Malik Bryant, four-star offensive lineman Payton Kirkland and four-star Derrick LeBlanc announced Sunday night that they are planning to make their pledges known publicly on July 23.

As of Monday, the Gators and Miami are the only common denominator with each prospect. Kirkland and LeBlanc also just wrapped up their unofficial visit to the Swamp the day prior. However, Bryant hasn’t stepped foot in Gainesville since Jan. 15.

July is obviously a long way away but Swamp247’s Blake Alderman reported that his Florida sources feel good but understand there is a lot of recruiting left to do. He also elected to drop a crystal ball prediction for Kirkland with medium confidence of four because of how much he raved about the Gators following his visit.

247Sports also reported that it’s unclear if all three recruits will select the same school, but it’s a possibility.

The key for coach Billy Napier and Co. is to get all three back on campus a couple more times before their decision date.

[lawrence-related id=79359,79352,79246,79242,79142]

[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.

Billy Napier’s sincerity paying off with this in-state 4-star ATH

With nearly 40 offers on the table, it’s a pretty good sign that 4-star ATH Robert Stafford is raving about Florida after his visit.

Billy Napier has made many changes since taking over as the head coach of Florida and recruits are starting to notice the dramatic differences between the old staff and the new.

Four-star athlete Robert Stafford took an unofficial visit to Gainesville on March 5 and he came away with a much different impression of Florida than expected, according to 247Sports. The biggest takeaway was that the Gators really want Stafford on the team. It’s not just Napier or the position coaches who want him. It’s the entire recruiting staff going after him, and Stafford says it feels good to be wanted.

“Some of the visits I went to, with the coaches it was just a couple of them,” Stafford said. “With this one, it was the whole staff. I know they really want me. All of them were texting me like excited for me to come this morning. It was real good.”

Most two-way players end up picking a position to focus on before heading to the pros, but Florida likes Stafford as both a defensive back and wide receiver. Tight ends coach William Peagler and defensive analyst Jamar Chaney have both been in contact with Stafford over the past few weeks to keep the relationship strong. He should be able to make an impact at Florida early on regardless of his position.

Stafford says he’s “looking for a family,” and Napier’s “genuine” approach to coaching and leadership stood out to him. He still has nearly 40 offers to sort through, but this visit seems to have helped Florida. The sunny Gainesville weather is also a plus since Stafford doesn’t like the cold.

247Sports ranks Stafford No. 16 among athletes in the class of 2023 and No. 184 overall in the class. He is ranked as the 36th best recruit in the state of Florida.

[lawrence-related id=79352,79246,79242,79142,79129]

[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.

Five-star Notre Dame commit impressed with his visit to Florida

Billy Napier changed the culture at Florida and the very best in the state are noticing it.

Five-star EDGE Keon Keeley made his first visit to the Swamp since June on Saturday, and he left Gainesville impressed with the new culture that’s being established at Florida, according to 247Sports.

Keeley, who plays high school ball in Tampa, knew how he felt about the University of Florida under Dan Mullen, but he can already tell how much he likes the program under Billy Napier. It’s not enough to pull Keeley away from his Notre Dame pledge just yet, but the Gators seemed well-positioned with the No. 10 recruit in the country moving into the spring.

“Great university and definitely on the rise,” Keeley said of Florida. “But I’ve got to talk to my head coach about a lot of things and revisit, talk to my family and my head coach at my high school. Just kind of rework around the recruiting process, but it was definitely a great visit. I had a great time.”

Much of Keeley’s visit was spent with outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson. They went over some ways that Keeley could use his speed, length and athleticism to impact the defense right away. He said that Florida’s outside linebackers should be excited about what Peterson has to offer.

Keeley’s next stop is at Notre Dame on March 26 for the team’s spring game. The Fighting Irish also have a new head coach this season, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Keeley back off his early pledge if things don’t impress him the same way they did at Florida. That said, he’s still pretty high on Notre Dame right now.

The industry generated 247Sports Composite ranks Keeley as the top EDGE and No. 10 overall recruit in the class of 2023. He ranks fourth in the state of Florida, and Billy Napier appears determined to keep the best in the state at home.

 

Gators expected make this 5-star OT top schools list after visit

Florida made up a lot of ground with five-star offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa after he visited the Swamp this weekend.

IMG Academy five-star offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa didn’t have Florida on his list of top 10 schools coming into his visit to the Swamp on Saturday. But after his visit, he said the Gators are now firmly in the mix and will make that list when he releases it on March 16.

One of his favorite parts of the visit was getting to tour the new standalone football facility that is currently finishing up and meeting offensive line coaches Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton.

Coach Billy Napier‘s staff is unique to others in college football because of the two coaches manning the offensive line. Mauigoa told Swamp247 he likes the idea. The No. 8 overall prospect also enjoyed Florida’s approach on the visit, noting that the Gators didn’t talk about football immediately.

“The first thing they talked to me about is family,” Mauigoa said. “How is my family? That kind of triggered me, and they care about family. They care about who you are. Could see outside of football people look at you like what personality you have. People tend to judge you by personality. We talked about a lot of things, personalities, families and mostly football.

“We were talking about how’s Samoa doing, me coming all the way from Samoa. Like do I miss them? Like what time will I be able to go home? Then I told him, ‘No, I only go home when the business finish,’ and that’s after the NFL.”

Mauigoa plans to come back and visit Florida in the spring, so he can see spring practices. He also wants to hold Zoom meetings with the coaching staff, so his parents can play a role in his recruitment.

Looking ahead to official visits, he said he will take two or three this summer and two more in the fall. Mauigoa added that a decision could come anytime between the end of summer and the early signing period.

[lawrence-related id=79242,79142,79129,79123,79050]

[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 improves its chances with 5-star this ATH after impressive visit

Florida made a strong impression on IMG Academy’s five-star athlete Samuel M’Pemba during his visit this weekend.

IMG Academy, a high school football factory, in nearby Bradenton, Florida, sent a host of its players to the Swamp to visit the Gators this weekend. The Ascenders constantly produce some of the best recruits in the country and aren’t any different this season with talented five and four stars like Francis Mauigoa, Samuel M’Pemba, Carnell Tate, Jordan Hall and Will Norman.

Talented athlete M’Pemba was one IMG player to visit Florida on Saturday. After his visit, he spoke with Swamp247 and said the Gators helped their chances this weekend. He said the visit with coach Billy Napier and his staff went well and that he likes the new leadership in charge of the Florida program. M’Pemba noticed a difference between the old staff and the new one quickly.

“Really just who they are,” he said of their differences. “The old staff, I wouldn’t say they were bad, but it just didn’t feel the same. I feel like the vibe now is more personal. They are all about relationships and it feels like a family atmosphere.”

Linebackers coach and alumni liaison Mike Peterson and off-the-field analyst Jamar Chaney have been the main contacts for M’Pemba on Florida’s staff. He said he has a special bond with Chaney because of his relationship dating back to when he was at Mississippi State.

M’Pemba has started to generate a list of his top schools in his head and confirmed that Florida will be on it once he decided to release it.

In the next month or so, he plans to Michigan, Notre Dame and Missouri. He mentioned that he could visit the Swamp again this spring but doesn’t have an exact date set. He also said he is in no rush to make a decision anytime soon.

[lawrence-related id=79142,79129,79123,79050,78998]

[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.