Tag: Darnell Stapleton

Florida OL commit content with Gators, shuts down recruitment

Florida picked up a commitment from IMG Academy offensive lineman Knijeah Harris back in May and he’s 100% locked in.

Despite what many might expect, the recruiting process rarely ends for high-profile targets once they’ve committed. Once a letter of intent is signed is typically when the university and coaches can take a breath of relief, but Florida offensive line commit [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag] isn’t interested in dragging out the process.

Speaking with On3’s Jeremy Johnson, Harris indicated that he’s fully bought in with the Gators and has no plans to test the waters, so to speak. That’s very good news for Florida after missing out on five-star tackle [autotag]Francis Mauigoa[/autotag] to Miami and four-star tackle Lucas Simmons to Florida State. As [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] looks to fill out his offensive line, he can rest assured that Harris will be a part of it.

“Everything is perfect at Florida from the coaches to the campus to the facilities,” Harris said. “Coach Napier’s the man with the plan. You talk with him, you sit down with him, you see how detailed he is and you see he has everything planned out.”

It’s not just Napier who convinced Harris that Gainesville is where he is supposed to be. Offensive coordinator [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag], offensive line coach [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag], running backs coach [autotag]Jabbar Juluke[/autotag] and defensive analyst [autotag]Jamar Chaney[/autotag] kept in regular contact with the IMG Academy recruit until he committed and beyond.

As Florida continues putting together its recruiting class for 2023, expect Harris to be one of the most vocal commits in the bunch. He loves being a Gator, and as he puts it, he’s “locked in” with the Orange and Blue.

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This big 3-star offensive tackle steps away from Gators commitment

The Gators lost one of their commitments in the 2023 cycle but it’s not the end of the world.

In an announcement posted on his Twitter account on Friday evening, three-star offensive tackle [autotag]Tommy Kinsler[/autotag] made known his decision to decommit from the Florida Gators. Kinsler committed to the Gators on June 19, but that pledge lasted only twelve days. This development is a frankly unexpected one, he’s been considered all but a lock to play for the Orange and Blue since this recruiting cycle started.

An Ocala native, Kinsler is well within Gator country. However, it looks like another Florida-based team is trying to stick their grubby paws into the area that should be Billy Napier’s home base of recruiting. Kinsler’s decommitment is coming hot on the heels of his official visit with Mario Cristobal’s Miami team. Then, immediately after dropping the news that he was stepping back from Florida, four 247Sports experts added crystal ball predictions in favor of the ‘Canes.

“Dear Gator Nation,” wrote Kinsler, “after days of deep thought and prayer, I have decided to decommit from the University of Florida. This was a very hard decision for me and my family. I would like to thank the entire Florida Gators coaching staff for the time, effort, and energy they put into recruiting me. Please respect this decision.”

There are two ways to look at this. The first is to shrug and point out that Kinsler is replaceable. He’s big, but so are a lot of other linemen in the country. His three-star rating reflects a possible SEC contributor, but a name-brand school like Florida can put a hard press on just about any three-star recruit and have a good chance at getting them.

On the other hand, it’s alarming that offensive line coaches [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag], who had such immense success with the Ragin’ Cajuns couldn’t get complete buy-in on their system from a hometown recruit they’ve been on since day one.

Here’s hoping a commitment from [autotag]Monroe Freeling[/autotag], [autotag]Francis Mauigoa[/autotag], or [autotag]Payton Kirkland[/autotag] is right around the corner.

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Gators impress this 4-star OT on mid-week official visit

After taking an official visit to the University of Florida, four-star offensive tackle Lucas Simmons has nothing but positives to say.

Florida football played host to four-star offensive lineman [autotag]Lucas Simmons[/autotag] over the week for an official visit. He left town on Thursday with an extremely favorable opinion of the university, according to 247Sports.

“It was really really really really good,” Simmons said. “I was really excited about this visit. It was a mid-week visit, so I knew going in it was going to be different.”

Simmons got to see the day-to-day activities of players that weekend visitors don’t always get to witness. He thought it was a unique experience that gave him some new things to consider despite visiting the campus several times in the past. Simmons’ parents were also able to make the trip all the way from Sweden for their first time in the Swamp.

Acknowledging his heritage was another good move by the UF staff. Simmons enjoyed Swedish treats left in his hotel room for him and took a photo shoot with the flag. Although they’re small gestures, they are ones that are appreciated by the 6-foot-7-inch, 300-pound recruit.

Offensive line coaches [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] got to spend some time with Simmons, and that relationship is developing nicely. Simmons says he can expect fairness and respect from them and knows that there’s plenty of work to do before his SEC size translates to SEC playing time.

Simmons’ other official visits have been to Oklahoma State, Tennessee and USC. Florida State will get him over the weekend for the final OV, and then it’s time to think things over before making a decision. Having his parents there along for the ride will make things even easier. A mid-July decision is what he expects at this point.

The 247Sports composite ranks Simmons as the No. 107 overall recruit in the class of 2023 and at No. 13 among offensive tackles in the group.

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This top offensive tackle prospect feeling a lot of love for Florida

This big-time offensive tackle expects the Gators to make the cut for his top schools.

Florida football’s busy month reached a feverish pitch this past weekend with [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. rolling out the red carpet for a handful of top recruits from around the state and the nation. The new administration has made a profound impression upon many of those who have passed through Gainesville recently, including four-star offensive tackle [autotag]Monroe Freeling[/autotag] out of Mount Pleasant (South Carolina) Oceanside Collegiate Academy, who recently wrapped up his official visit to campus.

The 6-foot-7-inch, 283-pound lineman had made a prior stop with the Gators back in March during the spring practice season but got a much closer look at the rebuilding program this time around.

“My first look out here was pretty quick, it was during the spring practice so everyone was doing stuff,” Freeling explained to AllGators’ Zach Goodall. “I got to see practice but all of the players were really new, so it was really just seeing the players kind of adjust, and in a way, kind of struggle with the intensity of practice. I know I really liked the intensity of practice because if you have an intense practice, that means your games are gonna be easy.”

“I think this time around I really got to get a feel of Florida’s campus and more like the football program and where it’s heading,” he told Swamp247’s Blake Alderman. “I think that was my biggest takeaway. I just enjoyed time with the players. The players and coaches [communicated where the program is heading], I think that Coach Napier really has a good outlook on where he wants the program to go. Every coach I talked to said the same thing how Coach Napier wants to take the program somewhere.”

The blue-chip offensive lineman’s recruitment has been spearheaded by offensive line coaches [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag], with whom he has forged strong relationships according to Swamp247.

“It’s kind of funny because I have relationships with two different coaches, but they are doing the same job really. I really like Coach Sale and his resume and Coach Stapleton too. They are good guys. Over the summer I am going to be growing my relationship with them a lot more because I really do like Florida. I think they are telling me how they have five guys on staff that all work with offensive line. It helps you get ready and efficiency-wise. You get more coaches and you get two perspectives.”

Freeling has already spent two of his five official visits on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish who he visited earlier in June, as well as on Florida, with a trip to Coral Gables to see the Miami Hurricanes coming up next weekend. He plans on saving his final two visits for the fall season with the Clemson Tigers, Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes and Georgia Bulldogs all possibilities; he also plans on making an unofficial return visit to the Swamp to see a game.

Freeling is currently ranked No. 62 overall and No. 8 nationally at his position according to the 247Sports composite, while the On3 consensus has him at Nos. 63 and 6, respectively. Clemson is currently in the lead for his talents with a 46.3% chance of signing him while Notre Dame sits in second at 38%.

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2023 Recruiting Profile: Will 5-star OL Francis Mauigoa stay in Florida?

Five-star offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa keeps coming back to Florida and Billy Napier’s staff keeps impressing him. Could the blue-chip recruit wind up a Gator?

Florida’s new head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] broke the IMG Academy curse almost immediately after taking over at UF by landing five-star safety [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] out of the Bradenton powerhouse. He’s added four-star interior offensive lineman [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag], but one of the biggest targets Florida has out of IMG is five-star [autotag]Francis Mauigoa[/autotag].

At worse, he’s a top-25 prospect and his ceiling is being the best offensive lineman to come out of the class. It’ll take a lot of work to get there, but Mauigoa plans on making it to the NFL so he can return home to American Samoa and share his success.

Mauigoa has kept a steady line of communication with the Gators over the last year or so. Offensive line coaches [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] have taken the lead and the rest of the staff has gotten to know him as well after several visits to the Swamp.

His most recent trip on June 14, which was one of his five official visits, was the best one yet. He’s developing relationships with players and coaches alike and Florida seems well-positioned to stay near the top of his recruitment down the stretch.

Top-5 running back had ‘a really good experience’ during UF visit

Napier and Co. have done a great job so far impressing the prospects who stop through Gainesville.

June has been a busy month for Florida football’s recruiting team and this past weekend was no exception. Among the many who were hosted by [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his staff was four-star running back [autotag]Justice Haynes[/autotag] out of Buford (Georgia), who swung through Gainesville for his second stop on campus and his first official visit.

The 5-foot-10-inch, 200-pound ball-carrier came away impressed with what he saw, telling Swamp247 that, “it was a really good visit and a really good experience.” Haynes also added that he spent a great deal of time with a current Gator who he knew prior, [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag], as well as Florida’s coaching staff. “The love they show and they are really genuine down there, he noted. “You can tell coach Napier has a plan in place to rebuild that program and he’s going to do something special down there.”

“The coach I spent the most time with was coach (Jabbar) Juluke and the offensive line coaches, and that was pretty special,” he told Gators Online. “Without the offensive line, the running back is nothing, really. Spending time with them was great and knowing how they’re going to make the best offensive line available for the running back to run the ball. Spending time with the offensive line coaches is always great.”

Haynes further expounded upon his impression of Juluke to Gators Online.

“Just everything (clicks). We don’t just talk football; we talk everything. A lot of it is how I can be a better man and how I can be a better person. Also, how he’s going to develop me, how he’s going to make me into the player I want to be, where I want to be in life and how he’s going to help me achieve that.

“Coach Juluke is a great guy. He’s an easy guy to talk to and easy going.”

There is also a family connection, he tells Swamp247, despite being a Georgia Bulldogs legacy.

“My family really knows a lot of the guys that are on staff at Florida, especially my dad. He knows [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag], one of the o-line coaches. He knows Mike (Peterson) well too, and some other guys who played in the league when he did. I know those guys would do right by me because they know my family.”

Haynes is currently ranked No. 53 overall and No. 4 nationally at his position according to the 247Sports composite, while the On3 consensus him at Nos. 45 and 4, respectively. Georgia currently holds two crystal ball predictions for the Peach State back while On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the ‘Dawgs out in front of the pack with a 95.8% chance of hauling him in.

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Gators set to host 4-star OL on official visit following successful return visit

Billy Napier’s staff is doing a good job staying near the top of four-star offensive lineman Roderick Kearney’s recruitment. An official visit should only help things.

Four-star in-state offensive lineman [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag] is coming off a two-day visit to the University of Florida. He enjoyed his first visit to the Swamp back in spring and left town with similar emotions after spending time with the team and staff on Monday and Tuesday, according to Swamp247.

“I had a great time, Kearney said. “I learned a lot about the new coaching staff and all the other coaches they have off the field. They were all great and I had a really good time. I got to see the new facility they are building, I got to hang out with some players at the school, and just meet a lot of the o-linemen.”

Offensive line coaches [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] have been his main points of contact, and Kearney got to spend plenty of time around him over the two days he was in Gainesville. He’s enjoyed getting know both of his would-be coaches if he signed with Florida and the conversations are about more than just football.

That kind of attention has slowly moved the Gators up Kearney’s list and UF isn’t stopping there. The Gators offered wide receiver Brian Green Jr. a preferred walk-on offer on Tuesday. Green is a good friend and teammate of Kearney, so this means a lot to him.

Kearney’s been by both Florida and FSU in June. Nothing else is scheduled as far as unofficial visits go, but he does have a return to UF locked in for June 24. This time it will be an official visit, the only one Kearney plans on taking over the summer. The rest will come in the fall as he plans to make a December decision and enroll early.

The 247Sports has him at No. 128 overall in the class of 2023 and sixth among projected interior offensive linemen.

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Here are the recruits who visited the Swamp this weekend

Recruits are beginning to make visits to school again, and Florida hosted a pair of players over the weekend.

June will be the month that recruiting really picks back up with several prospects planning official and unofficial visits to the Swamp over the summer. But, at least two names were in Gainesville over the weekend, according to 247Sports, four-star running back [autotag]Treyaun Webb[/autotag] and Hutchinson C.C. offensive line transfer [autotag]Jordan Herman[/autotag].

Webb has been high on Florida for months and is no stranger to campus. He’s gone as far as to call the Gators his outright leader ahead of a planned June 30 commitment date. The Gators landed four-star running back [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] in the 2022 cycle and Webb looks to be the guy this year. Another visit to the Swamp only furthers the narrative, and the crystal balls are coming in on 247Sports for the Gators as well.

Herman, who likely will block for Webb down the line if he commits to Florida, gave his pledge to the Orange and Blue site unseen after picking up an offer. Offensive line coach [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] has already deemed him worthy of SEC play, and the agreement came together rather quickly. This was Herman’s first trip to UF and his first look at his home for the next few years.

Arizona State defensive line transfer [autotag]Jermayne Lole[/autotag] was supposed to be the third name on the visitor’s list, but he committed to Louisville on Friday and won’t be making the trip.

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Two more 2022 signees arrive at UF for summer semester

New faces are popping up in Gainesville as the summer semesters begin. Welcome to the Swamp, Trevor Etienne and David Conner!

A trio of early enrollees, [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag], [autotag]Devin Moore[/autotag] and [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag], joined the Gators over the spring, but more members of the class of 2022 are making their way to the Swamp. Running back [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] and offensive tackle [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] both arrived on campus on Sunday and are ready to take part in the Summer A semester at Florida, according to 247Sports.

Etienne, a four-star running back out of Louisiana, was one of the rare offensive standouts in the class of 2022 for Florida and has the family name to warrant lofty expectations as a Gator. [autotag]Montrell Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Lorenzo Lingard[/autotag] and [autotag]Demarckus Bowman[/autotag] have held down the running backs room over spring, but now Etienne and a returning [autotag]Nay’Quan Wright[/autotag] enter the mix.

It’ll take Etienne some time to learn the playbook but look for him to contribute early on as he was one of the first players [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] sought out after taking over in Gainesville and the No. 188 overall recruit on the 247Sports composite.

Conner, a three-star tackle out of Deerfield Beach, Florida, is one of the few commitments that stayed with the Gators through the coaching change. Offensive line coaches [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] think his frame and athleticism project well for an offensive tackle in the Southeastern Conference. It’ll likely take a few years of development to see him on the line every day, but Conner is setting himself up for success.

Getting to campus a bit earlier gives Conner more time to get used to his new environment and it sounds like he’ll be rooming with Florida’s running back of the future. Getting a lineman and a running back comfortable with each other early is a good sign for the team’s future chemistry.

The other members of the class of 2022 will arrive around May 22 and get settled in for the summer. The new-look Gators are finally starting to take shape and the Napier era is in full swing with a new crop of talent making their way to campus.

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This 4-star offensive tackle sets official visit to Florida

Four-star offensive tackle Lucas Simmons will use one of his five official visits to see Florida on June 10.

Four-star offensive tackle Lucas Simmons told Swamp247 that he will officially visit Florida on June 10. Simmons is ranked as the 176th overall prospect and the 18th best player at his position.

The Gators have turned up the heat on Simmons over the past couple of months. They have made two stops by his school during the spring evaluation period and hosted him on unofficial visits during their Orange and Blue game and on April 30.

On his most recent visit, Simmons was able to spend lots of time with offensive line coaches [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag]. They told him that they feel like he can come in and play early if he comes in and works hard due to all the upperclassmen they have on their roster.

Simmons has taken an official visit to Oklahoma State already so far and plans to take some to Tennessee, USC and Florida State as well as Florida.

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