2024 football recruiting – Page 95

2024 4-star RB recruit is returning to the Swamp at the end of July

2024 four-star running back Chauncey Bowens will be in town for Florida’s Friday Night Lights camp and the recruiting cookout at the end of July.

Four-star running back [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag] has already been to Gainesville three times in 2022, and now he’s scheduled his next trip to the Swamp. On Monday, Bowens tweeted out that he’d be in town from July 29-30. Those are the dates of Florida’s Friday Night Lights camp and recruiting cookout.

It’ll be Bowens’ second trip of the summer after stopping by UF on June 22 and picking up a scholarship offer. On3’s Gators Online spoke to him following the visit and learned that he thinks very highly of the program. He also has family in Gainesville.

“It’s just one of those elite schools, one of those elite programs you want to play for,” Bowens said to GO.

Auburn, Florida State, Miami, West Virginia and UCF are among his other current offers, but Florida’s the only program to get him on campus more than once so far. It’s still very early in the process for Bowens through. A decision isn’t expected for at least a year.

“I know it’s really early, but I feel like Florida will definitely be a top-five, top-10 school for me just going off the history and the relationship I’m building with the coaches,” he said. “So I know it’s a little early, but we’ll see.”

In the swamp July 29 – 30 ! 🐊🐊 #GoGators @coach_bnapier @CoachJuluke pic.twitter.com/4RcVx4cXW6

— Chauncey Bowens (4⭐️) (@chauncey_333) July 11, 2022

It looks like things are going well so far with Bowens, but Miami could ramp things up quickly being a much closer drive than UF. Still, On3’s recruiting prediction machine has the Gators leading the pack with a 49.0% chance to land the rising junior.

Bowens is ranked No. 258 overall on the On3 consensus and is No. 18 among running backs in the class of 2024. The site’s individual rankings are a bit more bullish on him, placing Bowens at no. 159 nationally and No. 10 at his position.

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This 2024 4-star QB picked up an offer from Florida in June

After landing a quarterback in the class of 2023, Florida is shifting focus to the signal callers of 2024.

After missing out on [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag] to Miami, [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] pulled off a much-needed flip of [autotag]Marcus Stokes [/autotag]to land Florida a quarterback in the class of 2023. Now it’s time to start focusing on the class of 2024 and four-star Little Rock Christian Academy (Arkansas) quarterback [autotag]Walker White[/autotag] has caught the staff’s collective eye.

White was in town in the final weeks of June for one of UF’s camps and got a chance to work out for the team, according to 247Sports.

“They had like an offensive lineman defensive lineman camp going on, but Coach O’Hara took me and the other quarterback they had there that day and put us through a workout,” White said. “We did some drills and I think I did good and we both came out with the offer. It was really cool working out with him and I see him as someone who is a quarterback guru.”

The visit sounds very similar to what 2025 quarterback target Davi Belfort experienced when he picked up an offer in June. While O’Hara did most of the coaching, Billy Napier did take some time to speak with White and introduce himself as the head of the program.

After a great conversation with @coach_bnapier, I’m excited to receive an offer from @GatorsFB!!! @CoachRyanO @coachgp11 @kearycolbert @amburkett64 @EricCohu @coachboshears @waedmondson @CoachLeCroix @247Sports @Rivals @On3Recruits pic.twitter.com/fHHPEZMK37

— Walker White (@walker_white5) June 23, 2022

It’s still very early in the process for White. It could be another year before things get serious for him, but he’s expecting Florida to be in the mix when that time does come around.

“My interest with Florida is really high,” he said. “I see them being a top-five school for me. I really enjoyed my time I had there. I could see myself going there. One of the biggest things I like about them are the coaches I would be around there. It’s an opportunity for me to be around a lot of great offensive minds if I went there.”

White is ranked No. 161 overall on the 2024 247Sports composite and No. 12 among quarterbacks. The On3 consensus has him a bit lower at No. 217 nationally and No. 16 at his position, but he’s still ranked the top talent out of Arkansas by both services.

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These 4 blue-chip 2024 recruits are heading to Gainesville for late-July visit

Florida is set to receive some big-time visitors at the end of the month from these four South Florida teammates.

Florida football’s recruiting efforts are currently riding on high after a recent coup that saw a trio of 2023 prospects committing in a matter of hours. While things are still cooking with the current class, the scene is set to heat up even more at the end of this month when a flood of prep talent arrives in Gainesville for the Friday Night Lights and annual cookout events.

Among those making their way to the Swamp that weekend are a quartet of teammates from Hollywood (Florida) Chaminade-Madonna, who are set to make official visits on July 28, according to Gators Online. Wide receivers Joshisa Trader and Jeremiah Smith, both of whom have earned five-star ratings from various prominent evaluators, as well as quarterback Cedrick Bailey Jr. and running back Davion Gause all plan on making the trip up Florida’s Turnpike to join in on the action.

Below is a look at the four rising juniors and how they size up both literally and figuratively according to the major scouting publications.

LSU makes the cut for top-50 safety in 2024 class

The four-star prospect included the Tigers in his top 12.

LSU has made quite a few strides when it comes to its 2023 class over the last couple of weeks, adding eight players since the calendar turned to July in a class that now ranks in the top-10 nationally.

However, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and the staff aren’t neglecting future targets, either, and the Tigers made the cut for talented four-star Rockledge (FL) safety [autotag]Jaylen Heyward[/autotag], who announced his top 12 on Sunday. Also included in Heyward’s list are Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Michigan, Miami, UCF, Oregon, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.

The 5-foot-11.5, 180-pound defensive back ranks as the No. 47 overall prospect and No. 5 safety in the 2024 recruiting class. He told On3 that he has no timetable for making a decision but hopes to narrow his list of teams down to three around this time next year.

Where will 🏠 be?👀 @Reel1sRecruits pic.twitter.com/WjAvwlCHUb

— Jaylen “Ap” Heyward (@Jayasii) July 10, 2022

LSU may have some ground to make up with the Florida prospect, for whom the in-state UCF Knights are currently considered the favorite. The Knights lead the way on the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine at 26.4% followed by the Gators (12.1%), Hurricanes (10.4%) and Seminoles (8.6%).

The in-state schools seem to have all the momentum right now, but the Tigers should have plenty of time to build their relationship with him and, most importantly, get him on campus for an unofficial visit this fall.

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Top-10 2024 tight end prospect gets offer from Gators

Napier and Co. are getting ahead of the recruiting game by offering this top-10 tight end recruit in the 2024 class.

Florida football’s recruiting team got a huge boost recently after [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his staff roped in three blue-chip prospects over the course of a 24-hour period. The surge sent the Gators back into the top 25 of both 247Sports’ and On3’s recruiting rankings, landing at Nos. 20 and 14, respectively, while giving the fan base a breath of relief after a tough stretch the week prior.

But the efforts do not end with the upcoming class. The new coaching regime’s long-term plans require long-term actions, which means laying the groundwork for the future as well. Among those receiving attention from Florida is four-star tight end [autotag]Michael Smith[/autotag] out of Savannah (Georgia) Calvary Day School, who received an offer from tight ends coach [autotag]William Peagler[/autotag] during a visit to his high school on Friday.

The 6-foot-4-inch, 225-pound rising junior has only recently begun his courtship with the Orange and Blue, telling Gators Online, “They’ve been expressing their interest since the spring.” Smith added, “I really got to know coach Peagler during their spring game. He has always been updating and letting me know everything that was going on.”

The good news for the Gators is that he already possesses a predilection for the university.

“My dad has always been a Gators fan, so that’s like a family thing,” Smith admitted. “It’s worth mentioning that Percy Harvin was my favorite player, so it’s always been a cool tie-in with Florida.”

Florida also made news recently when it scheduled the top cornerback in the 2024 recruiting cycle, Desmond Ricks, for an unofficial visit at the end of July for the big cookout event. Though nothing has been set in stone as of yet, the Peach State standout could very well join the mix that weekend as well.

Smith is currently ranked No. 127 overall and No. 4 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite, while the On3 consensus has him at Nos. 177 and 6, respectively. The Gators hold a huge early lead in his recruiting according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine with a 56.4% chance of landing him, with the rest of his suitors all coming in at under 5%.

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Tigers make the cut for 2024 5-star cornerback

Desmond Ricks is the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2024 cycle.

[autotag]Desmond Ricks[/autotag] is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound cornerback from Bradenton, Florida, where he plays for the highly esteemed IMG Academy.

He released his top 10 on Saturday, and LSU was among the teams that made the cut. A five-star prospect, Ricks is ranked as the No. 2 player in the 2024 recruiting class by every recruiting site, and he is the No. 1 player on the defensive side of the ball.

Ricks was previously crystal balled to Florida State by two different people, but the Seminoles did not even make his top 10, so that will certainly impact future projections. Alabama is a 43.5% favorite to land him per On3 recruiting.

LSU is widely referred to as DBU (Defensive Back University) because of how many draft picks have come from the LSU secondary. The pedigree of talented defensive backs is long and it grows every year. It includes [autotag]Tyrann Mathieu[/autotag], [autotag]Patrick Peterson[/autotag], [autotag]Jamal Adams[/autotag], [autotag]Morris Claiborne[/autotag], and [autotag]Derek Stingley Jr.[/autotag]

Who wouldn’t want to add their name to a list like that?

Still be thanking god that I made it this far 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/j0CVsQSzP6

— Desmond Ricks (@DesmondRicks2) July 9, 2022

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Gators to get visit from top cornerback in 2024 recruiting class

Another hot prospect plans to make his way to Gainesville for the cookout at the end of this month.

The college football recruiting hot stoved has shifted gears after a June that saw an intense flurry of campus visits for numerous top prep prospects in the nation. Now that many gave gotten a gander at what various programs have to offer the commitments for the 2023 class have started rolling in.

However, there are still plenty of recruits who still have not made up their minds plus the upcoming classes behind them who need to be wooed. The Florida Gators have an upcoming weekend event at the end of this month set to host many of these undecideds as well as the hopeful youngsters dreaming of wearing the Orange and Blue with Friday Night Lights — the annual high school football showcase presented by the school and held in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium — as well as a team cookout the following days.

Among those now set to attend the latter festivities is five-star cornerback [autotag]Desmond Ricks[/autotag] out of Bradenton (Florida) IMG Academy, who is the highest-rated player at his position and the top recruit from the state of Florida overall in the 2024 class, according to both 247Sports and On3. It will be the second visit for the 6-foot-1-inch, 170-pound cornerback, who made an unofficial stop in Gainesville back in late January.

The Virginia native currently holds offers from the Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs, LSU Tigers, Texas A&M Aggies, Oklahoma Sooners, Oregon Ducks, Michigan Wolverines, Miami Hurricanes and Florida State Seminoles, as well as many others.

Rick is also ranked No. 2 overall nationally according to both 247Sports and the On3, as the traditional scouting rankings and the composites from both services line up perfectly. The Seminoles currently hold two crystal balls for him per 247Sports while On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Tide out front with a 43.5% chance of landing him and FSU in second at 26.9%.

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Gators offer 2024 FSU QB commit following unofficial visit

Florida is taking interest in one of FSU’s 2024 commits. Will this end up in a flip?

According to a report from 247Sports, a pair of quarterbacks from the class of 2024 picked up scholarship offers earlier this week while visiting the University of Florida.

One of those names was three-star Benedictine Military School (Savannah, Georgia) quarterback and Florida State commit [autotag]Luke Kromenhoek[/autotag]. He broke down the unofficial visit which featured plenty of time with head coach Billy Napier.

“It was like a private workout,” Kromenhoek said. “It was me and one other quarterback and we worked out with all the coaches watching us. We both ended up getting an offer that day. It was a great time and I enjoyed spending some time with the coaches and getting to know them.”

Napier and Kromenhoek got to sit down and go over plays and protections after the workout, giving the rising junior a better idea of what it would be like to be Gators rather than a Nole. He said that he’s solidly committed to Florida State right now, but he’s also exploring all of his options as FSU’s staff has suggested.

Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee and Virginia were the other schools he mentioned, but he still hasn’t seen them in person. However, there’s no guarantee that Florida is the leader to flip him either.

Kromenhoek is ranked No. 39 among quarterbacks in the class of 2024 on the 247Sports composite. He could see jump after his junior year if things go really well, but Napier liked what he saw enough to make the offer.

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This blue-chip 2024 defensive back included Florida in top 5

This 2024 recruit could help re-establish Florida as DBU.

As June winds down, so are Florida football’s recruiting efforts after a month packed solid with visits — both official and unofficial — from a handful of the best talent from around the nation. Not only have prep prospects from the upcoming 2023 class made the trek down south to see what Gainesville has to offer but also those in the classes ahead, including four-star defensive back [autotag]TyShun White[/autotag] out of Buford, Georgia, who recently wrapped up an official visit that earned him an offer from [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag].

The 5-foot-11-inch, 185-pound rising high school junior got the red carpet treatment from the Gators, telling Gators Online that “Florida was definitely great,” and that he was “really impressed with the coaches and how welcoming they were.” He also added that “the facilities they are building are on another level; it topped every other school I’ve been to by far.”

Florida also offers more than just what he can achieve on the field, which the young athlete also recognizes. “The academics and how they give you so much help. It makes school so much easier for you. The new housing is amazing as well.”

The Gators have quite a bit of competition for the Peach State standout, as a whole slew of schools including the Texas A&M Aggies, Texas Longhorns, Auburn Tigers, Tennessee Volunteers, Kentucky Wildcats, Florida State Seminoles, South Carolina Gamecocks and Penn State Nittany Lions have extended offers to him. However, he noted that “Florida is most definitely in my top five right now and I can’t wait to get back.”

White is currently ranked No. 214 overall and No. 21 nationally at the safety position according to the 247Sports composite, while the On3 consensus has him at No. 151 overall and No. 21 nationally at cornerback — Florida appears to have bigger plans for him rather than pigeon-holing him into a position at this point. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets currently hold the lead in On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine with a 27.7% chance of landing him.

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Gators land in top 5 for this 2024 ATH following visit

The Gators hosted a trio of unofficial visitors out of the class of 2024 on Friday, and at least one of them is high on Florida.

Florida hosted a trio of recruits from the class of 2024 out of Buford, Georgia, on Friday. Four-star athlete [autotag]KingJoseph Edwards[/autotag] was one of those visitors and he left town with an offer from the Orange and Blue, according to Swamp247.

That was enough to put Florida in Edwards’ top five, but there’s still well over a year until he can put pen to paper. He plays on both sides of the ball for Buford, and head coach Billy Napier is willing to let the 6-foot-5-inch recruit pick between tight end and defensive end.

“They (the Florida Gators) are in my top 5,” Edwards said. “I’ll be back in the season for a game. Coach said I can come to any home game I want to.”

Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Texas are among his other top schools right now. The Bulldogs are the only team considered “warm” by 247Sports and have a pair of crystal balls cast in their favor as well.

This was Edwards’ first time at Florida with a coach in place. The last time he was in town, [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] had already been let go and a lame-duck staff was in place. Napier’s family-oriented style of recruiting should have been a complete change from what he saw in 2021.

High Off Life🐊🐊 pic.twitter.com/S7yf3n5aoz

— KingJoseph Edwards (@KingjosephE) June 25, 2022

The class of 2023 is still the top priority right now, but the class of 2024 is starting to get more and more attention from the Gators. Edwards and his two five-star teammates that were in town, [autotag]Eddrick Houston[/autotag] and [autotag]KJ Bolden[/autotag], will be among the top out-of-state names to keep an eye on.

The 247Sports composite ranks Edwards No. 42 overall in the class of 2024 and No. 7 among athletes.

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