Tag: Earnest Graham

Gator great, father of 2024 signee dissatisfied with Florida’s process

Not all appears to be well in Gainesville after a rough early signing day for the Florida Gators.

The Gator Nation has been restless since a disappointing early signing period opened with three blue-chip recruits flipping, leaving Florida with a less-than-favorable outcome.

Among the many voicing their complaints on social media was a former UF star running back and father of a 2024 four-star signee who took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his sentiments.

[autotag]Earnest Graham[/autotag], who played running back in Gainesville from 1998 to 2002 before competing in the NFL, was unhappy about the overall experience his son Myles received during his recruitment.

“My son was raised to understand the business as it exists, but there has been new levels of disconnect with this program that I have NEVER ever experienced. No calls, no communication and the driest experience imaginable. I’m just going to START there.”

That is a very discouraging thing to hear if you are a Florida fan, especially considering his son has taken on a leadership role among the incoming recruits.

“I was the first one in the class, so I recruited everyone in the class,” Myles told Swamp247. “I am going to be really active. We all are recruiting and trying to build the best class.”

The elder Graham did not immediately elaborate on what he meant when he said, “I’m just going to START there,” but it insinuates he has further grievances with the program. Given the roots the family has in Gainesville, one hopes the rift is quickly resolved.

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Pair of former Gators to be inducted into Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame

This pair of Gator greats will get their due at the end of this month.

Florida football has a long history of excellence which crescendoed as the 20th century faded into the 21st, resulting in three national championships over a decade-plus stretch. While the glory days are now in the rearview mirror, a pair of former Gators from that era are set to be honored for their excellence.

The City of Jacksonville announced on Wednesday two that former football standouts, running back [autotag]Earnest Graham[/autotag] and defensive back [autotag]Joe Haden[/autotag], will be inducted into the 2023 Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame.

Graham was one of the best running backs the Swamp had ever seen — and that says a lot for a school that has produced a plethora of NFL talent including Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith. He amassed 3,065 rushing yards — adding to his total of 3,468 all-purpose yards — with 33 career rushing touchdowns over five years

The talented tailback is also the sole player in team history with three 100-yard rushing games and averaged 135 yards per bowl game. His son, linebacker Myles Graham, is a 2024 commit to the Orange and Blue out of Gainesville (Florida) Buchholz.

Haden’s arrival on the scene was a historic one, becoming the first true freshman to start at cornerback in the program’s season opener, which came in 2007 against Western Kentucky. He recorded 218 total tackles, 157 solo, 34 pass breakups, eight interceptions, and 3.5 sacks in 40 career games — all starts — before being selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns.

The induction ceremony will take place on Friday, Oct. 27, as part of Florida-Georgia football weekend at the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

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4-star legacy linebacker commit sets official visit date with Florida

June is looking to be a busy month for Billy Napier and his staff as the official visit plans pile up.

June is still five weeks away but looking ahead to the start of summer it appears things will be cooking in the Swamp. After grinding away the past few months on the recruiting trail, Billy Napier and Co. is starting to plan out the program’s official visit schedule as prep prospects start to put together their itineraries.

Among those who have set an official visit with the Orange and Blue is four-star legacy linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] out of Atlanta (Georgia) Woodward Academy, who is the son of former Gators running back [autotag]Earnest Graham[/autotag]. The 6-foot-1-inch, 212-pound defender recently told Swamp247’s Blake Alderman that he plans on being in Gainesville the second weekend of the month, i.e. June 9-11.

As one might suspect, the younger Graham has spent a significant time on Florida’s campus over the course of his life — including a pair of visits this season. He attended UF’s Junior Day back in January and came back for a weekend visit in mid-March. The coveted linebacker committed to the Gators back in August 2022.

Graham is ranked No. 50 overall and No. 5 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking also has him at Nos. 50 and 5, respectively.

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Florida football legacy linebacker sets March return visit date

Here’s when Myles Graham plans on making his next stop in Gainesville.

College football recruiting season is back in full swing which is great news for the Gator Nation as [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. look to build on a disappointing debut campaign. Mostly hamstrung by the roster left in the cupboard by departing head coach [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] in 2022, the new administration is laser-focused on bringing top talent to Gainesville in an attempt to restore the Swamp as a top destination for aspiring gridiron warriors.

While a lion’s share of this month’s visitors are high school prospects who have yet to make verbal commitments with their preferred programs, one 2023 recruit has already given his word to Florida and is planning another trip to Gainesville. Four-star linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag], who is the son of Gator great running back [autotag]Earnest Graham[/autotag], is set to return on March 11 to watch some spring practices while also getting some additional time around the coaching staff, according to Swamp247.

Insider linebackers coach [autotag]Jay Bateman[/autotag] has been at the forefront of the legacy athlete’s recruitment. While the loss of former co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] to the NFL shook things up a bit, his connection with Bateman remains strong.

“He’s a great coach, and a really constructive coach,” he previously told 247Sports of Bateman. “I love the way he coaches and he’s a great recruiter as well. He didn’t just recruit me, he made sure he was like another role model for me in my life. He’s a great dude and a great man.”

The 6-foot-1-inch, 212-pound defender has made plenty of previous stops on campus, including a recent one back on Jan. 21.

Graham is ranked No. 43 overall and No. 4 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 42 and 5, respectively.

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Florida lands 4-star legacy LB as first commit in class of 2024

The Gators are having quite the recruiting weekend, and they may have just got their centerpiece for the class of 2024.

Gator Nation didn’t have much time to celebrate the commitment of four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Kamran James[/autotag] on Sunday. Shortly after James made his announcement, 2024 four-star linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] became the first junior to pledge his college years to the Orange and Blue.

The 6-foot-1-inch, 212-pound defender is the son of former UF running back [autotag]Earnest Graham[/autotag] and has been among the Gators’ top targets in the class of 2024. Being a blue-chip recruit and legacy had him on [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s radar immediately, and linebacker has become a position of need during the 2023 cycle. The 247Sports composite ranks Graham as the second-best linebacker in the class and No. 52 overall.

Being a legacy certainly helped Graham reach his decision, but it wasn’t the only factor that helped him select the University of Florida.

“Out of all the places, this was the one that just fell into place,” Graham said to Swamp247. “It’s the perfect place for me and my family. My sister goes there now, and it just works out for me. I love the staff there. Everything just worked itself out.”

As a sophomore, Graham worked as both a running back and linebacker at Naples Evangelical Christian. He totaled 130 tackles, eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception on defense, and rushed for 595 yards (8.8 yards per carry) and five touchdowns on offense. He transferred to Atlanta Woodward Academy ahead of his junior and is looking to build on that over the next two years.

Graham is ranked higher than any of Florida’s current commits in the class of 2023. His commitment puts Florida on the board (247Sports’ team recruiting rankings) at No. 13, one spot ahead of Miami. As the first commit in the class, Graham has decided to put on his recruiting hat and says he wants to help “build the best class that (he) can build.”

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Legacy Gators recruit schedules another visit for end of July events

Gators will get the son of Gator great Earnest Graham on campus a the end of this month.

A high-profile recruit will make another visit to Gainesville at the end of the month.

[autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag], the son of former Florida running back [autotag]Earnest Graham[/autotag], will be attending the Gators’ recruiting cookout being held on July 30 according to On3’s Corey Bender. The cookout comes one day after Florida’s annual Friday Night Lights recruiting event, where recruits get one-on-one work with Florida coaches and staff underneath the lights of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

The visit will be the fourth time the 2024 four-star linebacker has set foot on campus in 2022. While a fourth visit is a good thing for Florida, Graham’s decision is far from being made. Considered the No. 3 linebacker and No. 39 overall player in his class according to the On3 consensus, Graham has fielded offers from a variety of programs in addition to Florida. These include the typical heavy hitters such as Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Auburn, Texas A&M, Texas, and many more.

First-year head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] himself has made Graham a priority, building a personal relationship with the Under Armour All-American and his family. Landing Graham would not only be a boost in the recruiting rankings but in morale as well. Landing a legacy player who just so happens to be one of the best at his position would signal to programs and fans alike that Napier’s long game just might be worth waiting for.

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Florida ‘on top’ for this 2024 legacy LB recruit after visit

It’s still early, but growing up with a Gator great for a dad seems to have had some influence on 4-star 2024 LB Myles Graham.

Four-star linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] is one of Florida’s priority targets out of the class of 2024. We knew that he left his most recent visit to the University of Florida holding the Gators in high regard, but Gators Online‘s most recent report sheds a bit more light on where exactly the Orange and Blue stand with the No. 3 linebacker in his class, according to the On3 consensus.

Graham placed the Gators around the top three but didn’t explicitly state any other schools or a list. That’s smart for someone who has well over a year to make a decision and is still working his way through preliminary unofficial visits. This was Graham’s second visit to the Swamp, and he got a little bit of time with coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and some other members of the staff.

“He (Napier) thinks I’m one of the best 24s in my class,” Graham said. “Coach just loves the way I play. He wants me to get back on campus really soon. I’ll probably get back down in the next two weeks.”

Keeping Graham close to campus should help Florida work from the top-three range to the very top of the pack. He’s been watching the Gators since he was a little kid, so that might not be too difficult of a jump to make over the summer. [autotag]Earnest Graham[/autotag], Myles’ father, played running back for the Gators and instilled a love for the team in his son when he was just a kid.

“They definitely sit on top, you know, top-three range,” he said. “I’ve always loved Florida ever since I was a kid, so definitely on top.”

There’s no doubt that Napier will lean on that relationship moving ahead to fend off the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame and Ohio State among others. The On3 Consensus ranks Graham the No. 3 linebacker in the class of 2024 and the No. 32 overall rising junior.

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