Tag: 2023 football recruiting

Gators preparing to host this in-state 4-star linebacker

March is shaping up to be a busy recruiting month in the Swamp for Florida. 4-star linebacker Jaden Robinson is the latest recruit to plan a visit.

Four-star linebacker Jaden Robinson is the latest in-state talent to plan a visit with the Florida Gators.

The 6-foot, 215-pound recruit out of Columbia High in Lake City, Florida will be in Gainesville on March 15 to meet with Billy Napier‘s staff for the first time, according to 247Sports. Robinson has seen the campus and facilities on past visits, so he’ll be looking to learn more about the new staff and scheme on this visit.

Outside linebacker coach Mike Peterson knows Robinson from his time recruiting for South Carolina and inside linebacker coach Jay Bateman has also been in contact. The Gators have yet to extend a scholarship offer to him, but Robinson is expecting one once he arrives in Gainesville.

Robinson said that he’s looking for a second home and family to commit to rather than simply a college. Napier’s style might be the right fit for him and a visit could put the Gators ahead of the rest of his suitors. Robinson plans to drop by Louisville and South Carolina, but he holds offers from 17 Power Five programs.

Florida does have one advantage over the other programs competing for Robinson. Demetric Jackson, Robinson’s head coach at Columbia, played safety for the Gators in the 1990s alongside Peterson.

247Sports ranks Robinson as the No. 19 linebacker and the No. 194 overall recruit in the class of 2023. He’s also considered the 37th-best player in the state of Florida by the service.

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This in-state 4-star OL is planning his first visit with Florida football

The previous staff never established much of a relationship with four-star offensive lineman Roderick Kearney, but Napier’s army might get UF in the mix.

Four-star offensive lineman Roderick Kearney plays high school football at Orange Park High an hour and a half away from the University of Florida, but he’s just now starting to build a relationship with the Gators.

Dan Mullen‘s staff offered the in-state big man back in August but things didn’t move forward from there. Now that Billy Napier‘s staff is complete and fully focused on the class of 2023, Florida has begun to focus on Kearney. Offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Rob Sale has been his main point of contact, according to 247Sports, and he’ll get to meet the entire staff once he arrives on campus for an unofficial visit on March 5.

“We have talked a little bit, but we haven’t really talked a lot yet,” Kearney said. “I have talked to Coach Sale the most so far from there. He seems really cool. He tells me he has a lot to offer as a person and as a man for my all-around game. I feel like he’s given me a good first impression. You can say a lot over the phone, so I want to see that vibe from him in person. I want to feel that vibe from him and see if it’s genuine.”

The 6-foot-4-inch, 300-pound blue-chip prospect is very focused on picking a school that offers more than just football. Preparation for life after graduation is something he’s looking at while on his visits.

Kearney plans to make stops by Arkansas, Michigan and Miami, but he admits that he’s looking to visit anywhere he can. After finishing up unofficial visits in spring, he’ll schedule his officials for the summer and decided during the December early signing period. That officially puts a clock on his recruitment, and Florida is just getting into the race.

247Sports ranks Kearney as the No. 9 interior offensive lineman in the country and the No. 217 player overall in the class of 2023.

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Nation’s top-ranked CB sets multi-day visit to Florida

The top-ranked cornerback recruit in the country is stopping by the Swamp in March.

Five-star cornerback Cormani McClain is one of the names at the top of Billy Napier‘s recruiting board at Florida, and he’s planning on visiting the university in March.

McClain showed an early interest in Florida under the old staff, but this will be his first chance to meet with the new group in person. His mother told Gators Online that the trip will be a multi-day visit on March 19-20. Napier stopped by Lake Gibson High in January but was only able to speak with coaches due to the NCAA’s recruiting rules.

Florida is competing with Alabama, Georgia, Miami and Ohio State among others for McClain. The Bulldogs and Hurricanes have already brought him on campus in 2022, and he’s set to stop by Alabama on March 5. Michigan is another school in the mix that’s looking to host him next month.

In anticipation of the visit to Gainesville, Napier and members of his staff sent the defensive back a video for his birthday. His mother thanked Gator Nation for the support on social media, and it’s clear that they are treating McClain as a priority target.

Cornerbacks coach and recruiting extraordinaire Corey Raymond is also heavily involved in this one. He helped Napier land five-star safety Kamari Wilson in just a few weeks for the class of 2022.

The 247Sports composite ranks McClain as the No. 1 cornerback in the country and No. 3 overall in the class of 2023.

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5-star quarterback sets plans to visit Gators in March

The Gators haven’t offered Dante Moore yet, but he will be on campus as part of the Football Hotbed tour on March 18.

The Gators are trying to bring a talented quarterback prospect in for the 2023 class, and they have a number of options. Florida’s coaches have met with Arch Manning, the No. 1 overall player in the country, as well as Birmingham, Alabama, four-star Christoper Vizzina.

But now, it seems there’s another elite option that could be a candidate. According to a report from 247Sports’ Blake Alderman, Detroit Martin Luther King product Dante Moore plans to be in Gainesville on March 18 as part of the Football Hotbed tour, along with several other talented prospects.

Moore is a five-star player and the No. 6 player in the country, per the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-2-inch, 195-pound player is also rated as the No. 3 quarterback in the 2023 class.

Here’s what 247Sports’ Allen Trieu said in his evaluation of Moore.

Has played well against top competition and in clutch situations in big games. Mature, polished, does not appear to rattle easily. Stands in against the rush and will deliver throws while taking hits. Does a nice job of reading coverages and does well throwing into windows against zone coverages. Throws with good touch down the field. Can fire it in there when he needs to. Has good arm strength but maybe not a big big cannon. Solid athlete who has added more mobility to his game as the years have gone on, but is not likely to be a big threat as a designed runner, but can do a little bit of that if needed.

Moore has offers from top schools around the country, including Georgia, Michigan, LSU, Michigan State and Notre Dame. He is yet to receive an offer from the Gators, but coach Billy Napier may look to extend one following the visit.

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This in-state 4-star WR is starting to talk with Florida

Billy Napier is trying to get four-star wide receiver William Fowles to visit the Swamp.

After a standout performance at the Under Armour All-American camp in Miami, four-star wide receiver William Fowles is receiving plenty of attention from the Florida Gators.

Fowles told 247Sports that he’s dealt with head coach Billy Napier the most and that he hasn’t had a chance to speak with any of the other coaches yet on the staff. Napier’s focused on getting him in town as soon as possible, which could happen in March if Fowles’ schedule allows. His high school is about a five-hour drive from the university.

“We have had a couple of talks and he seems like a real cool coach,” Fowles said. “He just was saying how the program is going to work and how he wants to build around it. He tells me how he wants to make things back to where they were and he seems like he’s got a wholesome, family type of program. Coach Napier is the only coach I have talked to. He said he likes my physicality and how I run routes.”

Fowles named a top 10 earlier this month of Florida, Florida State, Illinois, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Texas A&M, UCF and USF. While the Spartans and Rebels have been singled out by Fowles as programs that are ahead of the pack, he said that Florida’s consistent communication and Napier’s organization impressed him enough to keep the Gators on the table. With no decision date in mind, Fowles expects his recruitment to go into the fall.

The 247Sports composite ranks Fowles as the No. 37 receiver and the No. 284 overall recruit in the class of 2023.

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Florida sitting near the top of the list for this 4-star LB

Grayson Howard learned to love Florida under the older staff, but Billy Napier’s crew isn’t wasting any time getting to know the four-star linebacker.

Four-star linebacker Grayson Howard isn’t letting the coaching change at Florida scare him off from the school he fell in love with.

The Jacksonville prospect visited Gainesville and met with the Gators under the old staff and Billy Napier‘s crew has wasted little time getting to know the 6-foot-3-inch, 223-pounder. A good portion of the staff has reached out to him, and Howard said that his strongest relationships are with inside linebackers coach Jay Bateman and defensive analyst Jamar Chaney, according to 247Sports.

The new staff’s efforts have the Gators “firmly in consideration” and Howard appears unphased by the coaching turnover.

“Coaching staff changes happen,” Howard said. “And if I was there and it happened would I still be in love with the school? Florida is a place I could see myself being in a position where I would still be in love with the school.

“It’s a top option.”

Howard will be in town on March 5 to meet with the staff and is looking to get back to the Swamp in the summer. South Carolina and Clemson are also on the travel schedule and are considered the Gators’ top competition as of now for his services. That could change, though, as Howard has over 30 offers to pick from.

There’s still plenty of time left in Howard’s recruitment, but he does hope to keep to somewhat of a schedule. The plan is to have a list of finalists by the end of the school year and to decide well ahead of the December early signing period.

247Sports ranks Howard as the No. 15 linebacker in the country and No. 184 overall. He’s also ranked No. 36 in the state of Florida, and Napier has been prioritizing local talent.

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Report: No. 1 RB planning March visit with Florida

The top-ranked running back in the country is looking to stop by Gainesville in March.

Billy Napier stopped by five-star running back Richard Young‘s school in January and asked for an opportunity to recruit the top-ranked rusher in the country. A little over a month later, it appears that the in-state prospect has let the Gators into the race as he plans to visit the new staff in the coming months, according to 247Sports.

“It’s been good,” Young said. “I am going to be back up there hopefully in March and see what the new staff is about. With their program changing, and what Napier has been doing, recruiting me heavily. I am still looking at that. I don’t know what date I will be there, but it should be in March hopefully.”

Meeting the new staff is what Young is looking forward to the most since he’s already familiar with the Florida campus from past visits. Running backs coach Jabbar Juluke has been Young’s main contact in recent weeks, and this trip will give him a chance to meet his potential future position coach in person.

Juluke’s pitch is a simple one: come to Florida and change the offense. Young is the kind of running back you build you a team around, and Florida’s staff isn’t shy about letting him know how much of a game-changer he’d be for the team.

The competition for Young is fierce. Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon are among the schools he’s considering making official visits to before wrapping up his recruitment. Young wants to be decided by the start of his senior season, giving Florida just under half a year to get the job done.

The 247Sports composite ranks Young as the No. 1 running back and the No. 18 overall prospect in the 2023 recruiting class.

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Florida enters the mix for this in-state 4-star ATH

Four-star athlete Eugene Wilson III wants to play football in the Southeastern Conference, and he just added a trip to Florida to his schedule.

Florida joined the recruiting race for four-star athlete Eugene Wilson III on Wednesday with an offer after several weeks of recruiting. Wilson won’t waste any time getting to Gainesville as he plans to stop by on March 1, according to 247Sports.

“I already know they are a great football program,” Wilson said of Florida. “But I want to see how the coaches are and how I really fit into their program, and how they want to use me. I want to see the environment. If I am going to be at a place for the next three to four years, then I need to see the people I would be surrounding myself with, and how it’s going to be there.”

Wide receivers coach Keary Colbert has been Wilson’s main contact over the past few weeks. The Gators like him as a slot receiver, and he has a good shot to play early on.

Growing up in Florida, Wilson always thought of Florida as a “dream school.” He’s yet to attend a game, but that should change if he’s still undecided when the season begins.

Florida’s not the only program courting Wilson and the very best are on the opposing side of the recruiting trail. Alabama and Georgia will host him this month, but he says he plans on taking multiple trips to the Swamp. Wilson holds nearly two dozen offers, but he’s mainly looking at those in the Southeastern Conference right now.

247Sports ranks Wilson as a four-star recruit and the No. 23 athlete in the country.

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This 2023 safety will be in Gainesville at the beginning of March

2023 safety Jalon Kilgore received his offer from Florida on February 21 and set up a visit within days. He’ll be in town next week.

When Billy Napier‘s staff decides a recruit is worth pursuing, they don’t waste any time.

2023 safety Jalon Kilgore found that out in February as the Florida Gators became the latest program to offer the Eatonton, Georgia prospect. Kilgore is not yet ranked by any major service, but he holds offers from Kentucky, South Carolina and UCF among others.

After receiving his offer from Florida, Kilgore quickly set a visit date of March 1 to stop by Gainesville, according to 247Sports. He likes what he’s seen early on from the new coaching staff and is going to learn a bit more about the university and program.

“They showed a lot of energy,” Kilgore said. “They showed that I was one of their top guys and I like how they’re keeping in touch and not falling off. Every other day they’re hitting me up and seeing what I’m doing.

Napier has told Kilgore that he likes him at safety but that he “could play anywhere in the box.” Cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond and defensive coordinator Patrick Toney have been in contact with him, and Kilgore should find out more about his spot in the scheme once he meets with them in person.

Kilgore won’t make a decision for a while, but Florida getting in the hunt early is already putting the Gators in a good spot with this Peach State recruit. After his trip to Florida, he’ll stop by Georgia Tech and South Carolina. The plan is to be decided around the middle of his senior year.

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5-star Notre Dame commit sets visit date with Gators

Tampa prospect Keon Keely is one of many talented players that will be on campus on March 5.

The Gators will make a push to steal a player currently committed to Notre Dame, as Tampa Berkeley Prep edge rusher Keon Keely has planned an official visit for the weekend of March 5, according to 247Sports’ Blake Alderman.

Keely, who is the No. 16 player in the country in the 2023 class and the No. 1-rated edge rusher per the 247Sports Composite, will be one of several five-star recruits on campus for what will be a busy recruiting weekend for coach Billy Napier.

This will be Keely’s first opportunity to meet with the new UF staff in Gainesville. He was offered by Florida on April 16 and took two unofficial visits with the previous staff, first in June for a junior day event and again in September for the game against Alabama.

Keely committed to the Fighting Irish shortly following his first visit to Florida, and though he’s held firm on that commitment, that hasn’t stopped him from visiting other schools, most recently the Crimson Tide on Jan. 29.

He grew up a fan of the Gators, and they will have an opportunity to try to flip him from Notre Dame, who he intends to visit on March 22. However, they will also have to contend with schools like Michigan, Ohio State and ‘Bama for the elite edge rushing prospect.

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