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Five key factors behind Florida football’s loss against Georgia

Here are the five key factors in Florida’s injury-filled loss in Jacksonville against Georgia in Week 10.

Florida football suffered a devastating loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, losing by a score of 34-20 and handing their rivals a fourth-straight victory over the Gators.

Injuries were the name of the game on Florida’s side of the ball, as quarterback DJ Lagway suffered a left hamstring injury in the second quarter that Billy Napier labeled as “pretty significant”.

The Gators also suffered a multitude of injuries in their secondary, but despite all of this, the defense was able to hold their ground.

Although it might seem like a tough loss for Florida, this team is not the same team that was shown in Week 1. The Gators have absolutely no quit.

The Gators are talented but unfortunately, there were just too many obstacles that they had to overcome in this game.

Here are five key factors from today’s game on Florida’s end.

Bend but don’t break

On their second possession of the game, Georgia started on their own 12-yard line. The Bulldogs were marching down the field comfortably and made it all the way to the Florida’s 5-yard line.

It looked like a sure-fire touchdown for Georgia but the Gators held their ground and didn’t give up on the drive. Great coverage in the secondary contributed to the Bulldogs failing to get in to the end zone.

Georgia was forced to kick a 23-yard field goal and take an early 3-0 lead, but the Florida defense held their ground to start things off in the game.

Gators score first touchdown

Florida was the first team to get the ball in the end zone thanks to a pinpoint pass by Lagway to catch receiver Aidan Mizell in stride for a 43-yard touchdown.

Mizell was able to run by Georgia’s secondary and get in the end zone with ease.

It all started thanks to an interception by Devin Moore to get the Gators started at midfield.

Florida took a 7-3 lead with 13:42 to go in the second quarter.

Florida wins the turnover battle

Florida’s secondary was able to deceive Georgia quarterback Carson Beck and force him to make inaccurate throws and multiple interceptions.

Moore was able to intercept Beck in the beginning of the second quarter that led to a Gators touchdown score.

Then on the next Georgia offensive drive, Aaron Gates came up with an interception that led to a 32-yard Florida field goal that extended the lead to 10-3.

Jack Pyburn was able to haul in Beck’s third interception of the game in the third quarter.

Lagway carted off in the second quarter

Florida was playing well on both sides of the ball but all of a sudden, you can feel the momentum shift in favor of the Bulldogs after a brutal loss at quarterback for the Gators.

Lagway appeared to have injured his left hamstring with five minutes to go in the first half. He was moving around in the pocket and took an awkward fall, grabbing onto his hamstring on the way down.

The freshman was on the ground but couldn’t get up, prompting medical personnel to bring the cart onto the field. The team surrounded Lagway as he got lifted onto the back of the cart and was driven straight into the locker room.

Redshirt freshman Aidan Warner took over at quarterback for the Gators.

Gators get hit hard with the injury bug

Lagway is the headline for a multitude of injuries that Florida dealt with in the game.

Heading into halftime, Moore was helped off the field after what appeared to be a lower leg injury. Moore, who had an interception against Beck in the first half, was playing a great game. The defensive back did not return to the game and was seen on crutches.

Midway through the third quarter, the Gators endured a nightmare of a drive, as three of their defensive backs got hurt. Jordan Castell, Dijon Johnson and Sharif Denson had to get helped off the sideline due to injuries. Castell was able to return on the same drive but it’s just been an extremely unlucky season for Florida in terms of injuries.

What’s next for the Gators?

Florida will go on the road and face the Texas Longhorns in Austin, Texas on Saturday, Nov. 9. Kickoff is set for noon ET and will be broadcast on ABC.

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Florida Football 2024 Position Preview: Safety/STAR

The Gators brought in a few experienced players to bolster the safeties room, but returner Jordan Castell should lead the group.

Wrapping up the defensive side of Gators Wire’s position preview series are the safeties.

Defensive backs coach Will Harris is in charge of this group, too, which is comprised of a mix of new and returning talent. Leading the group is sophomore Jordan Castell, who showed great promise as a true freshman. Behind Castell, is a trio of talented transfers that should shore up the position room.

We’re including Florida’s nickelback position, the star, here as well. Some of the star guys could play corner too since it’s a hybrid position of sorts.

Let’s take a look at every cornerback on Florida’s roster. Check out Gators Wire’s other position previews for the 2024 season below.

Starting Free Safety: No. 14 Jordan Castell (So.)

Defensive Stats:

Year	GP	SOLO	AST	TOT	TFL	SACKS	INT	PD
2023	12	30	30	60	1.5-11	0-0	1	4

[autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag] was Florida’s best defensive back in 2023. Pro Football Focus gave him a 75.6 overall defensive grade, and he didn’t have a true weak spot in his game. Florida coaches expect Castell to take a step forward in 2024, too, as he physically matures and enters the season with more than 650 snaps under his belt.

“He’s just a different place right now,” Napier said. “He’s playing faster. He’s got a better comprehension of the system. He’s communicating better. You see him barking out calls.

“I think he would probably tell you that the veteran safeties that we’ve added to the team have made him a better player. Number one, they do it the right way — their work ethic, their attention to detail, the way they approach their business.”

Don’t let his 68.8% completion rate against fool you. Castell thrives in Cover 3 situations and can completely take a team’s top option out of the game. He’s the kind of guy opposing quarterbacks will see on one side field and target the other.

Starting Strong Safety: No. 20 Asa Turner (R-Sr.)

Defensive Stats (at Washington):

Year	GP	SOLO	AST	TOT	TFL	SACKS	INT	PD
2019	12	16	3	19	2-3	0-0	1	1
2020	4	9	8	17	0-0	0-0	1	2
2021	10	22	12	34	2-3	0-0	2	2
2022	10	33	19	52	1-3	0-0	2	3
2023	7	16	10	26	2-5	0-0	0	0
Total	43	96	52	148	7-14	0-0	6	8

[autotag]Asa Turner[/autotag] was the heartbeat of Washington’s defense last year, even though he missed most of the season recovering from injury. Pro Football Focus gave him a 72.4 overall defensive grade, but he’s not the same all-around safety that Castell is.

Turner is a strong tackler, often scoring in the 80s on PFF in that category. He’s good in coverage but can struggle against the run at times. He played a lot of free safety at Washington, but a move to strong safety could be best for him in the SEC.

There shouldn’t be any concerns about Turner’s ability to perform entering his sixth season at the college level, either. He wasn’t phased out or fighting with the coaching staff. It was simply time for a change of scenery.

“I needed a change,” Turner said. “I had been at Washington for the past five years, been doing the same routine, living in the same apartment, seeing the same people, driving the same car. I probably felt it was time for a change, and I wanted to go out with a bang this sixth year.”

Starting STAR: No. 0 Sharif Denson (So.) or No. 13 Aaron Gates (So.)

A pair of second-year Gators are standing out at the star position heading into Week 1 of the college season.

Sharif Denson:

Year	GP	SOLO	AST	TOT	TFL	SACKS	INT	PD
2023	12	3	4	7	0.5-2	0-0	0	0

[autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag] played in all 12 games for Florida a season ago, both in a special teams role and as a reserve defensive back. He only saw the field for 49 snaps, but now he’s competing for a starting role. Pro Football Focus graded him the highest against the run (81.9), but he wasn’t a strong tackler (48.4). More snaps means more responsibility, but he’ll be able to share the load with Gates.

[autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag] only played one snap on defense last year en route to a redshirt, but he’s right in the thick of the competition for a starting spot this year.

“Very competitive at the star position. He’s (Gates) in the thick of it here,” Florida head coach Billy Napier said Wednesday. “It was great for him to get four games of experience. He played a little bit on special teams. Aaron’s a young player. This is his first shot, his first go-round, and he’s right in the middle. Every day for him is critical.”

Backups: No. 7 Trikweze Bridges, No. 12 DJ Douglas (R-Sr.) and No. 18 Bryce Thornton (So.)

DJ Douglas (at Tulane):

Year	GP	SOLO	AST	TOT	TFL	SACKS	INT	PD
2021	10	3	2	5	0-0	0-0	0	0
2022	13	16	3	19	0-0	0-0	1	2
2023	13	39	15	54	1-1	0-0	3	5
Total	36	58	20	78	1-1	0-0	4	7

[autotag]DJ Douglas[/autotag] was a consistent contributor for Tulane over the past three years, so it’s a bit odd to see him enter the 2024 campaign as a potential backup. Douglas figures to be the primary backup to both Castell and Turner, and he could even work his way into a starting job.

In a perfect world, he’s an elite depth option that Florida can bring in off the sidelines once fatigue sets in. He’s also an option at the star position.

Trikweze Bridges (at Oregon):

Year	GP	SOLO	AST	TOT	TFL	SACKS	INT	PD
2020	6	2	0	2	0-0	0-0	0	0
2021	14	17	9	26	1-2	0-0	1	2
2022	13	30	19	49	1-2	0-0	3	8
2023	13	7	9	16	0.5-1	0-0	0	3
Total	47	56	37	93	2.5-5	0-0	4	13

[autotag]Trikweze Bridges[/autotag] is another transfer (from Oregon) who has a ton of experience. Bridges can play anywhere in the secondary, which should get him on the field a good amount at Florida. His best fit might be the star position, and a lack of experience at the position could provide the open door he’s looking for.

Bryce Thornton:

Year	GP	SOLO	AST	TOT	TFL	SACKS	INT	PD
2023	12	19	15	34	3.5-21	0.5-7	0	1

Did we mention there’s some depth in Florida’s secondary? [autotag]Bryce Thornton[/autotag] appeared in all 12 games for the Gators last season, including four starts, but he remains a backup thanks to an influx of talent in the position room.

Thornton offers a unique skill set to the room, though. He has a penchant for getting to ball carriers behind the line of scrimmage, at least more so than your average defensive back. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Thornton enter the game in short-yardage and goalline situations as an extra blitzer.

Freshmen: No. 23 Josiah Davis (Fr.) and No. 30 Gregory Smith III (Fr.)

Florida welcomes two first-year safeties to the position room this year, [autotag]Josiah Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Gregory Smith III[/autotag].

Smith was a four-star recruit out of high school but he might not see the field any sooner than Davis. Florida has depth at both safety positions, which could bury Smith in Year 1. Davis, on the other hand, might be a better fit at the star position. The hierarchy is less clear there than at the two safety positions, so a door could be opened.

Look for both to redshirt this season barring an injury to one of the guys ahead of them on the depth chart.

Walk-Ons: No. 31 Ahman Covington (R-Fr.), No.32 Cahron Rackley (R-Jr.), No. 39 Brayden Slade (R-Fr.), No. 43 Alfonzo Allen Jr. (Jr.) and No. 46 Ethan Wilson (R-Sr.)

Florida has five walk-on safeties on its roster heading into the fall.

Redshirt junior Cahron Rackley is the most tenured of the group, entering his fourth season with the Gators. The former Miami Palmetto defensive back walked on to the team in the spring of 2021 and made his first appearance last season during the win over McNeese.

Ahman Covington, Brayden Slade and Ethan Wilson are entering their second year with the program. Wilson is a redshirt senior, which might get him on the field sooner than the others, but the two redshirt freshmen are both preferred walk-ons. The PWO tag usually means there’s a chance to earn a scholarship.

Finally, there’s former Baylor reserve Alfonzo Allen Jr. He appeared in all 25 games for the Bears over the past two seasons, primarily in a special teams role. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him as a regular in the third phase of the game for Florida.

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Florida defensive backs competing for time at STAR position

Florida saw a lot of turnover at the STAR position this offseason, but a group of young defensive backs are competing for reps.

Florida lost both of its top options at STAR from 2023 — [autotag]Jadarrius Perkins[/autotag] left midseason and [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] transferred to Texas A&M in the offseason — but the future is still bright at the position.

Sophomore [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag] is among the favorites to start at the position, given he’s the only scholarship player on the roster with experience there, but redshirt freshman [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag] is making a name for himself during training camp.

“Very competitive at the STAR position. He’s (Gates) in the thick of it here,” Florida head coach Billy Napier said Wednesday. “It was great for him to get four games of experience. He played a little bit on special teams. Aaron’s a young player. This is his first shot, his first go-round, and he’s right in the middle. Every day for him is critical.”

The STAR position is one of the most critical pieces of Florida’s defense. It’s a hybrid position, typically played by an extra safety or defensive back in nickel and dime sets.

“That player is involved in a major way with the run fit and the coverage, so you’ve got to be a smart player,” Napier said. “Sharif Denson is also at that position, and there’s a ton of competition.

“Gates, he’s tough. He’s competitive. He comes from a great family. His mom and dad are some favorite people in the entire world, and I think that this is his time. That’s what he came here for. It’s right there in front of him. He and Sharif alike, they’re going to be very important players in that defense this year.”

Tulane transfer DJ Douglas also an option

The final piece of the puzzle here is Tulane transfer [autotag]DJ Douglas[/autotag], who figures to serve as the backup free safety to Jordan Castell but could also see time lined up in the slot. He took over 150 snaps there last year for the Green Wave, according to Pro Football Focus.

With Gates getting some praise from Napier, it sounds like the race is wide open. There are only 20 days until Florida meets Miami in the season opener, though. This position battle could continue into the first few weeks of the season.

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These 4 Florida football players changed position for 2024

These four guys are making a switch this season in hopes of boosting themselves and their team.

The upcoming college football season will be bringing many changes for the Florida Gators both on the field and off. Following their third-straight losing season, there are plenty of adjustments that need to be made.

Among those are four members of the team’s 2024 roster who will be taking on new roles in the new year. In fact, it is not uncommon for a member of the Florida football roster to shift spots ahead of an upcoming season.

Below is a look at four student-athletes who have made a switch on the field in hopes of boosting their stock among their gridiron peers, as well as improving the program as a whole.

Florida drops outside top 10 in ESPN’s 2023 recruiting class rankings

After the departure of Jaden Rashada, the Florida Gators have dropped outside the top ten in ESPN’s 2023 recruiting class rankings.

The Florida Gators have dropped outside of the top 10 in ESPN’s ranking of 2023 recruiting classes. The Orange and Blue’s incoming class rank went from No. 9 to No. 11, largely due to [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag]’s departure from Florida’s class.

The Gators had been hovering around the top 10 of the recruiting rankings since July when a surge of commitments created a buzz around the Florida program and first-year head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]. This was a stark contrast from the end of June when Napier penned an open letter to the Gator Nation, pleading for patience and trust in the process.

Napier was a fantastic recruiter at Louisiana, having the No. 1 recruiting class in the Sun Belt in all four seasons at the helm. But he didn’t do this alone. The addition of top-tier assistants such as assistant head coach and defense/cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag], co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag], and many more, have had a massive impact on the recruiting trail. Raymond is considered one of the best, if not the best, defensive backs developers in the nation.

The Gators were able to sign most of their 2023 commits during the early signing period in December. After the Rashada situation, Florida’s quarterback situation started to look murky, with [autotag]Jack Miller[/autotag] the lone scholarship quarterback from 2022 to remain on the roster. The arrival of [autotag]Graham Mertz[/autotag] from Wisconsin creates some competition for the starting role.

Here is what ESPN’s Craig Haubert had to say about including the Gators in his latest 2023 class ranking:

Billy Napier has taken advantage of in-state talent with several Sunshine State pickups, assembling a strong secondary from that pool. The Gators have added several ESPN 300 DBs, including CBs [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and CB [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag], who has good feet and brings a tough, scrappy demeanor. [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag], who stayed on even after committing to the previous staff, projects to defensive back and can be a versatile player with his quickness and ball skills. [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag], listed as an athlete, projects to WR and is a player who tests very well, which will translate to his play on the field. Adding more potential firepower to their passing attack is [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag], a lengthy target with big-play speed. [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag] is a nice addition to the trenches, as he has been a multiyear starter at IMG Academy and should come in ready to compete for playing time. The Gators also flipped ESPN 300 OG [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag], a powerful and flexible big man who could work his way into the two-deep quickly, from Florida State. It is hard to win the SEC without being strong along the defensive front, and Collins leads a talented group of defensive linemen. Napier showed what he can do with a full cycle to work assembling one of the top classes in the country, but a late split with ESPN 300 QB Jaden Rashada still leaves a need under center.

The official national signing day is scheduled for Feb. 1, with most of the 2023 class deciding to enroll early and participate in spring practices.

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Billy Napier describes trio of defensive backs as a ‘very versatile group’

Gators fans could see some improvements in the secondary next season thanks to Napier’s positional overhaul.

The Florida secondary will be undergoing an overhaul for the 2023 season. Defensive backs [autotag]Trey Dean III[/autotag], [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag], [autotag]Donovan McMillon[/autotag] and [autotag]Corey Collier Jr[/autotag]. have all left the program either due to graduation, declaring for the NFL draft or entering the transfer portal.

[autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] and [autotag]Miguel Mitchell[/autotag] are the only returning safeties from the 2022 season. Because of the roster turnover, highly-touted recruits like [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag] will undoubtedly get playing time over the course of the season. But those aren’t the names that Napier singled out.

Head coach Billy Napier believes that [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Thornton[/autotag], and [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag] are the early contenders to provide the position depth in 2023. In addition to being the team’s defensive coordinator, [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] is also tasked with being the safeties coach, working with cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] to craft the defensive backfield.

Napier praised Castell’s ability to cover receivers in man-to-man or zone coverage, Thornton’s football IQ, and Gates’ competitive nature, noting that he was the lone holdover from the previous staff to become a Florida Gator in 2023. Gates is coming off a torn ACL suffered in his final season of prep football, but the staff maintained their belief in him and brought him in.

Overall, the secondary looks to be at the dawn of a new era. For a long time, Florida fans were unsure about the talent level in the secondary. It seems like this group will be the ones to begin the process of restoring Florida to its “DBU” status, something that hasn’t been able to be said in a long time.

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Where Florida’s 2023 recruiting class finished in final On3 rankings

Half of Florida’s 2023 recruiting class wound up in the On3 top 300 after the final update was released on Tuesday.

The Florida Gators already signed the bulk of its 2023 recruiting class, and the haul is looking even better than expected after On3 provided its last update to its independent rankings, the On300.

Ten of Florida’s signees cracked the top 300 and five players made it into the top 100.

Again, this is On3’s independent rankings, which is used to reach the more commonly cited On3 consensus or 247Sports composite rankings. Those are aggregate scores that use different formulas depending on the site and are used more often because they help eliminate any one service’s individual bias.

Several of Florida’s signees participated in All-Star games and boosted their stock with good performances against some of the top players in the class. The two most notable were cornerback [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and defensive lineman [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag], who each moved up over 50 spots to break into the top 50.

Here’s a look at where each Florida signee from the class of 2023 finished in the On300 rankings.

Florida makes top-10 appearance in ESPN’s 2023 recruiting class rankings

Florida cracked ESPN’s top 10 programs in its recent recruiting rankings.

The Florida Gators are among ESPN’s list of the Top 75 college football teams, based on their 2023 recruiting efforts. The Orange and Blue’s incoming class ranked just inside the top 10, coming in at No. 9.

The Gators had been hovering around the top 10 of the recruiting rankings since July when a surge of commitments created a buzz around the Florida program and first-year head coach Billy Napier. This was a stark contrast from the end of June when Napier penned an open letter to the Gator Nation, pleading for patience and trust in the process.

Here is what ESPN’s Craig Haubert had to say about including the Gators in his list of the top 75 college teams:

Billy Napier has taken advantage of in-state talent with several Sunshine State pickups, assembling a strong secondary from that pool. The Gators have added several ESPN 300 DBs, including CBs [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and CB [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag], who has good feet and brings a tough, scrappy demeanor. [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag], who stayed on even after committing to the previous staff, projects to defensive back and can be a versatile player with his quickness and ball skills. [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag], listed as an athlete, projects to WR and is a player who tests very well, which will translate to his play on the field. Adding more potential firepower to their passing attack is [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag], a lengthy target with big-play speed. Rashada hails from California but became a big in-state flip from Miami. With a smooth release and good arm strength, the newest Gator is one of the top QBs in the class. [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag] is a nice addition to the trenches, as he has been a multiyear starter at IMG Academy and should come in ready to compete for playing time. They also flipped ESPN 300 OG [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag], a powerful and flexible big man who could work his way into the two-deep quickly, from Florida State. It is hard to win the SEC without being strong along the defensive front, and Collins leads a talented group of defensive linemen.

Notably, [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag]’s name is mentioned in Haubert’s write-up. Rashada, who signed his national letter of intent to play at the University of Florida back in December, has yet to enroll as a student despite expressing his intention to do so. The Rashada story is still developing and it is unclear if he will be on the roster come fall camp.

The official national signing day is scheduled for Feb. 1, with a portion of the 2023 class deciding to enroll early and participate in spring practices.

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Florida’s 2023 recruiting class is loaded with early enrolees

With early signing day in the books, we now have a better idea of which members of Florida’s recruiting class of 2023 will early enroll.

Florida head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] went over a lot in his post-early signing day press conference, but one of the major points discussed was just how many of the 20 signees will enroll early. According to Napier, the bulk of the class should arrive in the spring.

Of Florida’s 20 signees, Napier expects 18 to be in Gainesville for spring practices. Rather than listing each name that plans to early enroll, it’s easier to list those who won’t: wide receiver [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag] and defensive lineman [autotag]Gavin Hill[/autotag].

Adding 18 players to the roster a few months early could be huge for Billy Napier and Co. The Gators are replacing a ton of talent after many draft departures, dismissals and transfers. Getting the new Napier-recruited talent on campus early means more time to teach them the playbook, system, etc. More practice time means a better shot at finding early snaps, too.

“The other thing that’s going to help is you’re going to have 20 players that start in January,” said Napier during his early signing day presser, “and I think that translates to more reps and more teaching and more opportunity to get orientated to the university and just life in general in college. But I do think that there will be a number of this group (that compete for early playing time). They’re going to have to earn it.”

It can’t be overstated how important it was for Florida to bring in a group of recruits that were willing to enroll early, and Napier did an exceptional job making sure everything went according to plan.

In case you’re looking for a full list of early enrollees, here’s a list of the players that should be coming to Gainesville in the spring:

5-star quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag]
4-star running back [autotag]Treyaun Webb[/autotag]
4-star receiver [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag]
4-star receiver [autotag]Andy Jean[/autotag]
4-star offensive lineman [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag]
3-star offensive lineman [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag]
3-star offensive tackle [autotag]Bryce Lovett[/autotag]
4-star defensive lineman [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag]
4-star defensive lineman [autotag]Kamran James[/autotag]
4-star defensive lineman [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag]
4-star defensive linemen [autotag]Will Norman[/autotag]
4-star linebacker [autotag]Jaden Robinson[/autotag]
4-star cornerback [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag]
4-star cornerback [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag]
4-star safety [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag]
4-star safety [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag]
4-star safety [autotag]Bryce Thornton[/autotag]
4-star athlete [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag]

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Florida makes ESPN’s 2023 recruiting class rankings top 10

The Florida Gators are in the top 10 of ESPN’s national 2023 recruiting rankings. They are the fifth-highest SEC program.

The Florida Gators 2023 recruiting class comes in at No. 9 in ESPN’s 2023 recruiting rankings after early signing day wrapped up on Wednesday.

The Gators had been hovering around the top ten of the recruiting rankings since July when a surge of commitments created a buzz around the Florida program and first-year head coach Billy Napier. This is a stark contrast from the end of June when Napier penned an open letter to the Gator Nation essentially pleading for patience and trust in the process.

Napier was a fantastic recruiter at Louisiana, having the No. 1 recruiting class in the Sun Belt in all four seasons at the helm. But he didn’t do this alone. The addition of top-tier assistants such as assistant head coach and defense/cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag], co-defensive coordinator, defensive line coach [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag], and many more, have had a massive impact on the recruiting trail. Raymond is considered one of the best, if not the best, defensive backs developers in the nation.

Here is what ESPN’s Craig Haubert had to say about the Gators’ No. 9 ranking:

Billy Napier has taken advantage of in-state talent with several Sunshine State pickups, assembling a strong secondary from that pool. The Gators have added several ESPN 300 DBs, including CBs [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and CB [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag], who has good feet and brings a tough, scrappy demeanor. [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag], who stayed on even after committing to the previous staff, projects to defensive back and can be a versatile player with his quickness and ball skills. [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag], listed as an athlete, projects to WR and is a player who tests very well, which will translate to his play on the field. Adding more potential firepower to their passing attack is [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag], a lengthy target with big-play speed. Rashada hails from California but became a big in-state flip from Miami. With a smooth release and good arm strength, the newest Gator is one of the top QBs in the class. [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag] is a nice addition to the trenches, as he has been a multiyear starter at IMG Academy and should come in ready to compete for playing time. They also flipped ESPN 300 OG [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag], a powerful and flexible big man who could work his way into the two-deep quickly, from Florida State. It is hard to win the SEC without being strong along the defensive front, and Collins leads a talented group of defensive linemen.

The players Haubert named are considered to be the elite of this Florida class.

The smaller class was strategic for Napier, as he needs scholarships available to be active in the transfer portal. Prioritizing quality over quantity was a point of emphasis Napier made in his opening press conference and subsequent open letter to the fan base.

The official national signing day is scheduled for Feb. 1, 2023, with a portion of the 2023 class deciding to enroll early and participate in spring practices.

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