Tag: Chief Borders

Florida head coach Billy Napier relying heavily on former Gators

Florida head coach Billy Napier has relied on former Gators early in his tenure as the program’s new head coach.

New Florida head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has built an army off the field, hiring nearly 50 plus people to attempt to get the program back to its glory days. However, he also relies on people who aren’t on his payroll to help him early in his tenure as the Gators’ new head coach. Napier has consistently leaned on former Florida coaches, administrators and players for advice and feedback.

“One of the most important things we do is ask questions and listen,” Napier said about reaching out to former Gators after Florida’s second spring scrimmage. “I really think history is the best indicator of the future, so when Florida was successful, what contributed to that? What were the factors that led to that success? I’m always looking for a way to improve, and I want to know the history of the place we’re at.”

For example, former Gators quarterback and 1996 Heisman Trophy winner [autotag]Danny Wuerffel[/autotag] has been a constant fixture at Napier’s practices this spring. The media has observed Napier and Wuerffel talking after several practices. He also invited Wuerffel to speak to the team earlier this spring.

Napier also named the team’s Man of the Month Award after him, which was first given to linebacker[autotag] Chief Borders[/autotag]. Florida said the award is given to a player who exemplifies the Gator Standard, demonstrating holistic excellence in leadership, character, service and academics.

Wuerffel said that he has been encouraged by what he has seen from Napier so far.

“The sheer number of quality people that are part of this program now, from all the coaches to the people doing all sorts of other aspects,” he said. “The GatorMade program, [autotag]Katie Turner[/autotag] and Bri (Wade) and what they’re doing with recruiting, it is really remarkable. I’ve been very grateful to have a little bit of bandwidth in my life and said, ‘Hey, if I can help with some things…’ So I’ve been around a little more, and I’m enjoying it.”

Wuerffel isn’t the only former Gator Napier has spoken to. He conversed with several former Florida players who came to work out at Florida’s Pro Day.

Napier is taking the right approach in his attempt to bring Florida back to the top of the college football world by keeping former Gators involved with the program and the process.

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Gators 2021 recruit linebacker Chief Borders breaks record

Florida Gators 2021 linebacker recruit Chief Borders earned himself a place in the annals of Heard County, Georgia, sports history.

Florida Gators linebacker recruit Chief Borders, a member of the 2021 class, earned himself a place in the annals of Heard County, Georgia, sports history this season for his high school team. The 6-foot-3-inch, 230-pound middle defender set the record for tackles in a season for his respective county with 146, breaking the previous mark of 139.

Graddick Sports reported the news on its official Twitter on Tuesday.

“Heard County Brave & Future Florida Gator @ChiefBorders
set the new Heard Co. record for tackles in a single season with 146! Borders broke the previous mark of 139 set by current MTSU Raider Andrew Leak in 2017. Borders had 60 solo tackles, 4 sacks & avg. 14.6 tackles per game.”

Borders is a 247Sports Composite four-star and the No. 19 outside linebacker in the class, as well as the sixth-highest rated of Florida’s 14 current commits in the 2021 cycle. He received a three-star rating from Rivals.com.

Recruited by linebackers coach Christian Robinson and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, he committed to the Gators on November 10, 2019, choosing Florida over the Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Toledo Rockets, Virginia Tech Hokies and 18 reported others.

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Michigan State makes top 5 for coveted linebacker, decision looming

Florida commit Chief Borders is reassessing his choice and will make a final decision on Thanksgiving. The Spartans have made the final cut.

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Since the day he arrived, recruiting has been emphasized as a top priority for Mel Tucker and his staff. Spartan fans have seen that emphasis and the impact it has made in a big way with the 2021 recruiting class. Mel Tucker is still on the prowl and has gone into SEC country to try and pull his next target.

Chief Borders is a highly coveted 4-star outside linebacker out of Heard County High School in Carrollton, Georgia. Borders has received some high praise, with some people comparing his play style to Khalil Mack among others. The 6-foot-5, 245 pounder is a menace on the defensive side of the ball with a scary combination of size and speed.

Borders has been committed to the University of Florida since November 2019 but that decision is now in question once again and the final decision will be made Thursday on Thanksgiving.

Michigan State has made the final grouping with a very stacked field including Florida State, LSU, Stanford and current placeholder Florida.

Many believe that Stanford is the current frontrunner to earn the outside linebacker’s talents after his acceptance to the school, although Michigan State is not to be counted out. Chief refers to Coach Tucker as “Uncle Mel” and the coaches relationship with the family dates back to his days at the University of Georgia. That relationship Tucker has with the Borders family has single-handedly kept the Spartans in the race and there is a solid chance Michigan State could be the winners here.

Be sure to follow Chief’s Twitter page throughout the day tomorrow for the final decision.

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Florida Gators hold steady in latest ESPN football recruiting rankings

The ESPN released their latest 2021 recruiting class rankings on August 5 with the Florida Gators remaining in the No. 8 position.

The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) released their latest 2021 recruiting class rankings on August 5 (subscription required), with the Florida Gators remaining at No. 8.

Ryan Day’s Ohio State Buckeyes occupied the No. 1 spot, followed by Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide, Jeremy Pruitt’s Tennessee Volunteers, Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers, and Mack Brown’s North Carolina Tar Heels to complete the top-five.

Earning a grade of 86 from the service, Loganville, Georgia pro-style quarterback Carlos Del Rio is the highest-rated of the Gators’ 22 commits in the cycle.

Fort Lauderdale defensive end Tyreak Sapp (84) is Florida’s top defensive pledge.

Nine of the program’s commits earned ESPN 300 status, including, in addition to Del Rio and Sapp, Powder Springs, Georgia outside linebacker Chief Borders, Ocala wide receiver Trevonte Rucker, and Jacksonville tight end Nick Elksnis.

All told, seven Southeastern Conference (SEC) schools made the network’s top-25; Ed Orgeron’s LSU Tigers, the reigning College Football Playoff national champions, slotted in at No. 6, Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs at No. 12, Jimbo Fisher’s Texas A&M Aggies at No. 16, and Gus Malzahn’s Auburn Tigers at No. 18.

Other notables include Manny Diaz’ Miami Hurricanes at No. 10, Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines at No. 11, Tom Herman’s Texas Longhorns at No. 13, and Mike Norvell’s Florida State Seminoles at No. 20.

This No. 8 ranking from ESPN is three spots higher than 247Sports’ opinion of the Gators’ class, which lists the Gainesville-based program at No. 11.

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Gators football drops to No. 8 in latest ESPN 2021 class rankings

ESPN unveiled their latest 2021 recruiting class rankings on July 23, and for the second-straight update, the Gators fell down the list.

ESPN unveiled their latest 2021 recruiting class rankings on July 23 (subscription required), and for the second-straight update, the Florida Gators fell down the list.

While the July 6 rankings saw the Gators drop two spots, the latest assessment was only a one-spot fall, resulting in the program slotting in at No. 8.

The Ohio State Buckeyes occupied the top spot, followed by the Alabama Crimson Tide, who moved up 11 spots, the largest jump of any program to make the network’s top-25.

Mack Brown’s North Carolina Tar Heels, Jeremy Pruitt’s Tennessee Volunteers, and Ed Orgeron’s LSU Tigers, the reigning College Football Playoff national champions, completed the top-five.

“Dan Mullen’s third consecutive top-10 class in Gainesville is a near lock coming off back-to-back 10-win seasons and top-10 Associated Press Poll finishes, as well as the hiring of ace recruiter (tight ends coach) Tim Brewster,” ESPN began in their breakdown.

“Brewster immediately addressed the need at tight end with ESPN 300s Gage Wilcox and Nick Elksnis. There are two quarterbacks in the class in ESPN 300 Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and four-star Texan Jalen Kitna.

“A pair of ESPN 300 wide receivers are in the fold in Trevonte Rucker from an hour’s drive away and Georgia playmaker Daejon Reynolds. A third ESPN 300 wide receiver is Marcus Burke from Jacksonville powerhouse Trinity Christian.

“ESPN 300 in-state athlete Charles Montgomery could play on either side of the football. ESPN 300 Chief Borders is a versatile jumbo athlete who projects as an outside linebacker. A talented secondary group is made up of ESPN 300 and Tennessee flip Kamar Wilcoxson, LSU flip Dakota Mitchell, and four-star safety Donovan McMillon.

“ESPN 300 defensive end Tyreak Sapp will likely move to defensive tackle long-term. Four-star defensive end Justus Boone was a high-ceiling win out of the Palmetto State.”

The largest reason for Florida’s drop was four-star Baltimore, Maryland cornerback Clinton Burton, Jr.’s flip to the Boston College Eagles on July 17. Burton, Jr. was the second-highest rated commit in the cycle for the program, garnering a rating of 85 from ESPN, trailing only Sapp’s 86.

To make up for this loss, the Gators secured McMillon’s pledge the day after Burton, Jr.’s departure, and added Burke two days after that.

Overall, seven Southeastern Conference (SEC) schools made ESPN’s cut, representing over one-quarter of the list. Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs are No. 13, followed by Jimbo Fisher’s Texas A&M Aggies at No. 18, and Gus Malzahn’s Auburn Tigers at No. 22.

Other notables include Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines at No. 10, Manny Diaz’ Miami Hurricanes at No. 11, Kirk Ferentz’ Iowa Hawkeyes at No. 21, and Mike Norvell’s Florida State Seminoles at No. 23.

This No. 8 rating from ESPN is two spots higher than 247Sports’ view of Florida’s collection of prospects, which pegs the program at No. 10 nationally.

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18 Florida Gators commits named to Sports Illustrated’s All-American watch list

Featuring recruits in the 2021 class from all 50 United States, Sports Illustrated released their first annual All-American watch list.

Featuring recruits in the 2021 class from all 50 United States, Sports Illustrated released their first annual All-American watch list on July 15.

John Garcia, Jr., SI’s Director of Recruiting, spearheaded this project and AllGators’ Demetrius Harvey composed the initial list of the 18 Florida Gators commits to make the cut.

A total of 1,000 prospects earned this preseason recognition, with more than 700 of them having already announced their collegiate destination.

10 of the future Gators to receive this honor project to contribute on the offensive side of the football in Gainesville, led by Ocala four-star wide receiver Trevonte Rucker.

The No. 33 wideout in the class, per the 247Sports Composite, Rucker stands just under six feet and tips the scales at a reported 157 pounds. He will need to add some muscle to withstand the physicality of the Southeastern Conference, but strength and conditioning coach Nick Savage should have little trouble accomplishing that.

Each of the other two other receiver commits, Seffner’s Charles Montgomery and Loganville, Georgia’s Daejon Reynolds, both fellow four-stars, made the cut, as well. While listed as a wideout in this exercise, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Montgomery will likely line up in the backfield and see some carries at the collegiate level, too.

Both quarterback pledges, four-star Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and Burleson, Texas three-star Jalen Kitna, also earned the nod from SI.

Set to play his senior season at Grayson High School, where he will be teammates with Reynolds, Del Rio-Wilson has been steadily rising in the recruiting ranks after a strong showing at the Elite 11 Finals in Nashville, Tennessee from June 29-to-July 1.

Other offensive commits to receive this recognition were Tampa four-star tight end Gage Wilcox, and four three-stars, Jacksonville tight end Nick Elksnis, and Orlando’s Javonte Gardner, Stone Mountain, Georgia’s George Jackson, and Lynn Haven’s Adrein Strickland, all offensive tackle prospects.

On the defensive side of the football, Fort Lauderdale four-star defensive end Tyreak Sapp, Florida’s highest-rated player in the class, led the charge. He was joined by future linemates Justus Boone, another four-star from Sumter, South Carolina, and Fort Myers three-star Christopher Thomas.

Carrollton, Georgia four-star Chief Borders was the lone linebacker pledge to make the list, with the other four future defensive Gators, Baltimore, Maryland’s Clinton Burton, Jr. and Bradenton’s Kamar Wilcoxson, both four-stars, and Winter Park’s Dakota Mitchell and Tampa’s Jordan Young, each three-stars, all residing in the secondary.

This means all 18 of Florida’s current high school commits made the list, with the two other players in the cycle, four-star outside linebacker Diwun Black and three-star guard Deyavie Hammond, both being junior college transfers.

247Sports ranks the program’s 2021 class as the ninth-best in the nation, while ESPN is slightly higher on the group, pegging them at No. 7.

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Florida Gators fall two spots in ESPN 2021 football recruiting rankings

ESPN released their updated 2021 recruiting class rankings on July 6 with the Florida Gators dropping two spots to No. 7 in the nation.

ESPN released their updated 2021 recruiting class rankings on July 6 (subscription required), with the Florida Gators dropping two spots to No. 7 in the nation.

“Dan Mullen’s third consecutive top-10 class in Gainesville is a near lock coming off back-to-back 10-win seasons and top-10 Associated Press Poll finishes, as well as the hiring of ace recruiter Tim Brewster,” the network began of their breakdown.

“Brewster immediately addressed the need at tight end with ESPN 300s Gage Wilcox and Nick Elksnis. There are two quarterbacks in the class in ESPN 300 Carlos Del Rio and four-star Texan Jalen Kitna.

“A pair of ESPN 300 wide receivers are in the fold in Trevonte Rucker from an hour’s drive away and Georgia playmaker Daejon Reynolds. ESPN 300 in-state athlete Charles Montgomery could play on either side of the football.

“ESPN 300 Chief Borders is a versatile jumbo athlete, who projects as an outside linebacker. ESPN 300 (cornerback) Clinton Burton, Jr. starred at the Under Armour Future 50. Joining Burton in a talented secondary group is ESPN 300 and Tennessee flip Kamar Wilcoxson and LSU flip Dakota Mitchell. ESPN 300 defensive end Tyreak Sapp will likely move to defensive tackle long-term.”

Last month was a busy one on the recruiting trail for Mullen’s staff, as the program added Mitchell, Wilcoxson, and Tampa cornerback Jordan Young in a four-day span from June 18-21.

Despite this run on talented players in the defensive backfield, the Gators were jumped by the Oregon Ducks, who moved up two spots in ESPN’s rankings to No. 5, and LSU, who saw a whopping five-spot increase to No. 6.

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Holding steady, the Ohio State Buckeyes continue to occupy the No. 1 spot, with the North Carolina Tar Heels, Tennessee, and Clemson Tigers completing the top-four.

Led by Del Rio, who will play his senior season at Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia, Florida has 10 commits ranked in the ESPN 300, the second-most in the Southeastern Conference, trailing only LSU’s 11.

Other SEC schools to make ESPN’s top-25 were the Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 13, Georgia Bulldogs at No. 14, Auburn Tigers at No. 21, and Texas A&M Aggies at No. 23.

While the two-spot drop is not what Gator fans would like to see, this No. 7 ranking is still two places higher than the program’s rating on 247Sports, which grades Mullen’s group as the ninth-best in America.

Florida is still chasing several players in the upcoming cycle who could vault the program back into the top-five, including Miami five-star defensive tackle Leonard Taylor, a player whom the school possesses all four of his Crystal Ball predictions, and IMG Academy four-star linebacker Xavian Sorey, considered by many industry experts to be an Alabama lean but one position coach Christian Robinson has been prioritizing.

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Michigan State Football offers 2021 4-star LB Chief Borders

Michigan State has offered a 4-star outside linebacker from Carrollton, Georgia.

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I thought about starting this story off with some type of joke playing on the name ‘Chief’ but to be honest I don’t know if anyone needs a strained pun on the Monday after the Fourth of July, so I’ll just get straight to it. On Monday, 4-star 2021 outside linebacker Chief Borders announced that he has received an offer to Michigan State.

Borders has a big disparity between his 247Sports recruiting ranking and his Composite Ranking. 247Sports has him as a 3-star prospect and the No. 58 ranked outside linebacker in his class. Their Composite Rankings have him as the No. 19 ranked outside linebacker and a 4-star prospect.

Borders currently plays for Carrollton High School in Georgia and has offers out from Georgia, Auburn, Florida, Oregon and more.

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