Friday Night Lights – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Gators offer 2025 QB after impressive Friday Night Lights showing

After a strong showing at Florida’s Friday Night Lights camp, Colin Hurley picked up an offer from the Gators and is considered one of UF’s top priorities in the class of 2025.

The Florida Gators are beginning to make contact with some of the top players in the class of 2025, and Trinity Christian (Jacksonville, Florida) quarterback [autotag]Colin Hurley[/autotag] is one of the first in the group to pick up an offer from [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s staff.

Hurley, who plays with 2023 Florida commit [autotag]Treyaun Webb[/autotag], was previously offered by [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag]’s staff, but the Friday Night Lights camp at the end of July gave him a chance to interact with the new coaches in the Swamp. He shined on the field and quickly was re-offered by UF, according to Gators Online.

“Being offered by the new staff at Florida means a lot,” Hurley told Gators Online. “Obviously, I was the No. 1 target for the previous staff, so it was important to get in front of the new staff and meet them while showing them why I’m the top QB in the country. I feel I did that.”

The rising sophomore got to campus five hours early to spend some time in the film room with Florida coaches. They went over his tape and Napier even compared him to [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag], who is also a bigger quarterback.

It shouldn’t be long until Hurley returns to Gainesville. He told Gators Online that he’s “definitely going to that Utah game,” and he knows it’s only 67 miles from his home to the Swamp.

After a great #FNL, I’m blessed to be re-offered by @coach_bnapier & the University of Florida‼️🐊#UFuture @GatorsFB @CoachRyanO @CoachJuluke @CoachRobSale @katieturner0087 @briazjawade @TC_Jax_Football @Athleticstca @247Sports @247fbrecruiting @Rivals @On3sports @On3Recruits pic.twitter.com/WAdh5E1ntN

— ColinHurley (@ColinHurley) July 30, 2022

Hurley has already won two state championships with the Conquerors and is primed to have even bigger years as he matures and becomes an upperclassman. As a freshman, he threw for completed 144 of 257 pass attempts for 2,146 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also played limited snaps as an eighth grader.

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2024 top-100 recruit enjoys first participating in Friday Night Lights

Getting a chance to work hands-on with the Florida coaching staff could help the Gators’ chances at landing 4-star defensive back Jaylen Lawrence.

The Florida Gators coaching staff got a chance to work with plenty of the top recruits in the class of 2024 at the team’s Friday Night Lights camp, and one of the more prominent names to stop by the Swamp was four-star safety [autotag]Jaylen Heyward[/autotag].

The Gators offered Heyward a scholarship following his first unofficial visit to the school in March, but a big part of his decision will be which coaching staff he believes can develop him the best and prepare him for a hopeful NFL career. Heyward received the coaching he desired on Friday, according to his interview with 247Sports, and it almost had him staying in town an extra day.

“They (Florida) showed me a good time,” Heyward said. “I wanted to stay for the cookout but I had to go to FSU the next day. A big part of my visit there was camping at Friday Night Lights. It was good to see what Coach PT ([autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag]) and Coach (Corey) Raymond had to show me in just the little bit of time I had with them.”

Toney has been Heyward’s main contact at UF but defensive analyst [autotag]Jamar Chaney[/autotag] and tight ends coach [autotag]William Peagler[/autotag] are also helping recruit him. Those efforts are paying off, and Billy Napier‘s obvious mission to keep the best in the state of Florida at home sits well with Heyward.

“I love the way they are recruiting me. I feel like the last staff didn’t do a good job recruiting in-state, but the way Coach Napier is recruiting everything now, he wants to make sure everyone stays home at Florida. I think he’s doing an amazing job with that and I like it. He’s trying to bring the culture back to The Swamp.”

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

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

Heyward cut his list down to 12 schools back in June and a few are beginning to separate themselves from the pack. Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee and UCF have done well so far, but he says the real test will be who reaches out on September 1 when coaches can contact him. He hopes to make his decision by next summer.

Heyward is ranked No. 44 in the class of 2024 on the 247Sports composite and is No. 5 among safeties in the class. He’s being recruited as a defensive back and worked on the outside more during FNL, so he could become a cornerback for UF if he chooses to commit.

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4-star DL enjoyed intensity of Florida’s Friday Night Lights camp

Four-star defensive lineman Kamran James has visited the University of Florida before, but his experience at Friday Night Lights gave him a taste of something new.

Florida’s Friday Night Lights camp was the first chance for many of Florida’s top targets and commits to get coached by the Gators’ staff. Four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Kamran James[/autotag] was in town over the weekend for both FNL and the Saturday Grill in the ‘Ville cookout, and he came away with some new impressions of the program, according to Gators Online.

“It was great,” he said. “I actually did enjoy my time out here. I was watching my teammate, Jalon Thompson. He was performing, doing one-on-ones, and he was out here for the Friday Night Lights camp, so I had somebody to watch.

“It was good, high energy. They’ve shown brief clips; I’ve been to practices and stuff, so I’ve seen how intense things can get, so it was real cool to just see more action.”

A big plus for him was the amount of coaching personnel Florida had at the event. He pointed out that plenty of other schools end up having kids attend camps and leave feeling left out. That wasn’t possible with the amount of staff Napier brought in.

James has been recruited by the Gators for some time, but Billy Napier and Co. are beginning to turn up the heat. They’ve let James know he’s a priority target for them and want him at UF. His main contacts have been defensive graduate assistant Kali James Jr. and defensive line coach/co-defensive coordinator [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag].

However, James has no public plans to announce a decision any time soon. This is just the beginning for him, so Florida’s strong start could mean very little if UF doesn’t follow up strongly with him.

“I really just started getting recruited, so to not really rush the process, I feel like I really need to see what these colleges can do for me and not just jump,” he said. ”And this is the next step in life, so I really need to take this slow and really consider everything.”

James is ranked No. 213 overall on the On3 consensus and No. 26 among defensive linemen in the class of 2023, but the site’s individual rankings are far more bullish. According to On3, he’s the 23rd-best recruit in the class and No. 3 at his position.

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Florida is a top-5 school for Louisiana offensive tackle

After making his second trip to the Swamp, offensive tackle Caden Jones has the Gators high on his list.

Three-star De La Salle (New Orleans, Louisiana) offensive tackle [autotag]Caden Jones[/autotag] was one of the many recruiting targets in Gainesville last week for Friday Night Lights.

It was Jones’ second visit to the Swamp, and he made sure to get there a day early to take part in an unofficial visit before participating in the evening camp. He left town feeling much more comfortable with the staff, according to 247Sports, and he’s starting to feel like a priority target at the position for Florida.

“It was great and I would say it was different than the last time I went. The first time I came to Florida we were all getting to know each other, but this time around I already had a feel for them. I got in late Thursday and spent all day Friday there. I got in earlier and got to tour the new facilities.

Right now, the 6-foot-7inch, 305-pounder has more than 25 offers to pick from, but he says the Gators would likely make the cut if he had to eliminate 80% of the schools from the race. Having two offensive line coaches is appealing to Jones, as is the new culture being established in Gainesville.

“They are most definitely a top-five school for me,” he said. “They have a lot of energy and I like the atmosphere I see when I am down there. They have great coaches and I like the coaches and how they put so much effort in nutrition and strength and conditioning. I would say Florida, Texas A&M, Houston, Texas and Florida State.”

The plan is to take official visits during the fall and stop by Florida again in December for what should be one of his final trips. An early signing day announcement could be in store.

Jones is the No. 407 prospect on the 247Sports composite and the No. 34 offensive tackle in the country.

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5-star DL was in town for Florida’s Friday Night Lights

The Gators are getting in the mix for one of the top-ranked defensive linemen in the class of 2023. The first meeting went well, per reports.

One of the top defensive linemen in the class of 2023, five-star [autotag]James Smith[/autotag], was in town for Florida’s Friday Night Lights and recruiting cookout over the weekend.

It was Smith’s first trip to the Swamp, but he left with a favorable impression of the program and [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s staff, according to Gators Online.

“It was good. I had fun,” Smith told On3 and others. “We did activities and things, like a scavenger hunt. They had a lot of stuff to tell me. They want it to go back to how it used to be, just getting everything back in line.”

Smith included the Gators in his top 11 on May 8, 10 of which matched those of five-star teammate [autotag]Jaquavious Russaw[/autotag], who is considering making an official trip to Florida. The two are thought to be a package, but there’s a chance they commit to separate schools.

Smith made official visits to Auburn and Georgia in June and should be giving Alabama one as well. That leaves Florida to fight with Miami and Texas A&M, among others, for Smith’s services. There’s also a chance Smith makes a decision without taking any more officials.

Smith is No. 11 overall on the On3 consensus and No. 2 among defensive linemen in the class of 2023. He’s the top player to come out of the state of Alabama, so there’s no doubt Nick Saban and Co. are the group to beat. On3’s recruiting prediction machine has the Crimson Tide as 51.7% favorites to land Smith with Georgia in second place at 27.7%.

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5-star CB getting familiar with Florida’s position coach

Having cornerbacks Corey Raymond on staff made the difference for Florida this weekend for 2024 No. 2 overall recruit Desmond Ricks.

Several of the top college programs in the country hosted recruiting cookouts over the weekend, but 2024 five-star cornerback [autotag]Desmond Ricks[/autotag] chose to stop by the University of Florida instead of Alabama, Miami or Ohio State among others.

The reason he chose Florida is fairly simple, according to 247Sports’ Blake Alderman. Cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] is known as one of the top position coaches in the country, and he has produced several first-round NFL talents. Getting a chance to chop it up with coach C-Ray was enough for Ricks to put the other schools asking him to come by to the side.

“Coach Raymond is the reason I’m here,” Ricks said. “Everybody else was having their cookout today, but I decided to come here to see coach Raymond.”

Ricks arrived in town the day before the cookout to observe Friday Night Lights. He enjoyed being around other top recruits and Gators commits and got to see the coaching staff in action. His family also got to tour the new facilities, which should be ready in the next couple of weeks.

“The facilities were new,” he said. “Walking through that and seeing everything that’s being built, you can see that there’s a change in Gainesville.”

Now that this trip is wrapped up, Ricks is considering returning to Florida for an official visit. He wants to visit Alabama, LSU and Miami, so it should be a competitive race for one of the top talents in the class.

Ricks is No. 2 overall on the 247Sports composite and is No. 1 among cornerback and Florida recruits in the class of 2024.

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Gators host 5-star LB on 2-day unofficial visit over FNL weekend

After spending a couple of days at the University of Florida over the weekend, five-star linebacker Jaquavious Russaw is thinking about returning for an official visit.

One of the top names in Gainesville over the weekend was five-star edge rusher [autotag]Jaquavious Russaw[/autotag]. He made his first-ever trip to the Swamp over the weekend, stopping by for both Friday Night Lights and the recruiting cookout on Saturday.

After getting his first taste of the University of Florida, Russaw wants to come back and he’s thinking it’s worth using up one of his five official visits, according to 247Sports.

“I’m probably actually going to take an official visit,” Russaw said. “I don’t know when yet.”

Russaw named the Gators to his top 11 on May 8, and it’s clear that Florida is one of the teams most likely to make the next cut. He sees himself taking over the starting JACK linebacker spot from [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. if he does end up at UF.

Had a amazing weekend in the SWAMP!! #GoGators @coach_bnapier @CoachMPeterson @Madhousefit @onlygators @GatorsFB #WEBUILTDIFFERENT pic.twitter.com/Qeh7s8e4fp

— Ru⚡️ (@JaquaviousRuss1) July 30, 2022

Outside linebacker coach [autotag]Mike Peterson[/autotag] has played a large role in Russaw’s recruitment and has harped on the fact that there is an open spot for him at Florida. Adding a five-star to the class is what’s needed for UF to crack the top 10, and Russaw fills a hole in the depth chart. Cornerback Cormani McClain is considered the Gators’ top priority, but Russaw could be a 1B if things are heating up with him.

Russaw is ranked No. 26 overall on the 247Sports composite and No. 3 among edge rushers in the class of 2023. The Gators have just one other EDGE committed to the class, four-star Isaiah Nixon, who flipped from UCF.

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2024 4-star legacy LB has Florida on top, considers committing early

There’s a chance Myles Graham commits before the start of his junior year and Florida is sitting near the top of his list.

Several of Florida’s top targets in the class of 2023 were in town this weekend for Friday Night Lights, but members of the class of 2024 were in town as well.

Linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] might be UF’s top target at linebacker in the next cycle, and he was one of the many rising juniors in Gainesville this weekend.

Swamp247‘s Blake Alderman caught up with the four-star recruit after the event ended, and Graham continues to place Florida at or near the top of his list. That’s important at this stage because Graham is already considering committing ahead of his junior season.

“I want to commit either before the season or after the season,” Graham said. “So either in these next couple of weeks or after the season.”

Graham’s father, Earnest, made his own name in the orange and blue back in the early 2000s. He left Gainesville as one of the best running backs in program history. Billy Napier and his recruiting staff are using that family tie to their advantage, and Graham seems to understand exactly how his name affects his recruitment.

“They are pushing the legacy button, coming here, following in my dad’s footsteps,” he said. “It’s a big deal because he was a great player here … Being a legacy, it doesn’t sway me one way or another. Florida’s going to have to earn my respect, just as anybody else did in the recruiting process.

“But being a legacy, if I were to commit to Florida, it would tremendously help me in many ways, in terms of NIL, networking, meeting people, because they already know my dad. Having that last name of Graham, it’s a special name. It’s definitely nice having that.”

Graham is considering Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio State and Texas as well, but Florida iss viewed as the front-runner. The Gators need to secure a blue-chip linebacker in 2024 after whiffing on most of their top targets at the position during the current cycle.

The 247Sports composite places Graham No. 51 overall and No. 4 among linebackers in the class of 2024. He’s considered the 10th-best recruit out of Georgia.

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Florida hosted this top-100 DB during a busy recruiting weekend

Could Billy Napier be looking to flip another blue-chip recruit? Dijon Johnson, a four-star defensive back committed to Ohio State, was in town for Friday Night Lights.

The Florida Gators are in the middle of their busiest recruiting weekend of the summer right now as Friday Night Lights and the team cookout take place. The visitors’ list heading into the weekend was long and filled with blue-chip talent, but there were a few names that showed up unexpectedly.

One of those names is four-star defensive back [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] out of Wharton High (Tampa, Florida). Johnson, or “Mustard” as he’s affectionately called, committed to Ohio State in April, but he’s clearly still taking a look at other programs. The expectation was for him to pop up at the Miami recruiting cookout on Saturday, but Johnson told 247Sports that he was staying in town for Florida’s cookout instead.

This is the second trip Johnson has made to UF within the week. He and his dad were on campus to meet with cornerback coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag]. He could be seen spending most of his time with Raymond or co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag]. The dead period ended on Monday and starts back up in August.

There’s no guarantee that Johnson backs off his pledge to OSU, but things look shaky at best right now with that commitment and Florida is primed to swoop in if he does change his mind. It also seems like this is one of the recruits Florida will have a leg up on against Miami, but that could (and has) changed in a heartbeat with other players this cycle.

The Gators already have a trio of in-state four-star defensive backs in the class, Osceola cornerback [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] (Kissimmee), West Orange (Winter Garden) safety [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag] and Bartram Trail (Jacksonville)cornerback [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag].

Johnson would be the highest ranked of the bunch at No. 93 overall on the 247Sports composite. He’s also ranked No. 10 among cornerbacks in the class of 2023.

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WATCH: Gators QB commit Marcus Stokes air it out at Friday Night Lights

Marcus Stokes isn’t officially a Gator yet but the 2023 commit looks pretty good making plays in the Swamp. Check out what he did at Friday Night Lights.

Several commits were in town for Florida’s Friday Night Lights camp this weekend, and recently flipped quarterback [autotag]Marcus Stokes[/autotag] had a chance to show off his arm.

Stokes served as the quarterback for some of the 1-on-1 drills being run by camp attendees. He connected with five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who’s ranked No. 11 on the 247Sports composite for 2024, for a big play and the video quickly made the rounds on social media.

The Gators flipped Stokes on July 7 from Penn State, and it’s easy to see why Billy Napier wanted him so badly. The rising senior launched a ball from the logo around the 50-yard line into the end zone, hitting Smith in stride.

All Gators‘ Zach Goodall had a great view of the pass and shared it on Twitter on Saturday.

Best throw I saw #Gators QB commit @marcusstokes06 make at FNL. pic.twitter.com/34TIjXnNSv

— Zach Goodall (@zach_goodall) July 30, 2022

Here’s another look at it from a sideline perspective, courtesy of 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins.

Marcus Stokes to Jeremiah Smith on the first rep of 1-on-1s. Smith is just a pup, but still a dog. https://t.co/qFlMNNHwnh pic.twitter.com/XkPki4WWec

— Andrew Ivins (@Andrew_Ivins) July 30, 2022

There was a point when it seemed Florida might have to pass on a quarterback in the 2023 class. Then, Napier flipped Stokes and he has impressed since, both on the field and on the recruiting trail. His senior year will be one to monitor, but it’s good to see him making big plays in the Swamp already.

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