Tag: Grill in the Ville

Florida OL commit happy with decision after recent visit to UF

It’s always nice to get on campus again after you’ve committed. Florida offensive line commit Fletcher Westphal did exactly that this weekend, and enjoyed himself.

One of the Florida commits that was in town for Saturday’s Grill in the Ville cookout was offensive lineman [autotag]Fletcher Westphal[/autotag], who announced his decision earlier this month.

This was Westphal’s first trip back to the Swamp after making his college decision, and Gator Country reported that he left town knowing that he made a good choice in Florida. He spent most of the visit meeting his future teammates, including quarterback DJ Lagway, who Westphal will one day be blocking for.

“It was great, it was fun,” Westphal said. “That was the whole point of this visit was to get acquainted with all of the commits and I did that… It was definitely great, I definitely think I made the right decision.”

Now that Westphal is somewhat acquainted with his future teammates and coaches, he only has a senior year to focus on. Westphal is shutting down his recruitment and is locked in with Florida. The plan is to make two visits to UF during the season.

Westphal is a four-star recruit everywhere but Rivals.com, where he is a three-star talent. The on3 industry ranking, which uses a weighted average of all four major recruiting services, places Westphal at No. 249 overall and No. 19 among offensive tackles in the class of 2025.

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Old Line State OT commit plans to stop for Grill in the Ville this weekend

There will be no shortage of visitors on campus Saturday, including this OT commit out of Maryland.

Florida football’s first edition of its midsummer Grill in the Ville event is finally here as the program hosts a plethora of prep prospects from a range of recruiting classes into the Swamp in an effort to build a closer relationship with Billy Napier and the Gators’ staff.

Among the visitors from the 2024 class, which consists mostly of current commits, is three-star offensive tackle [autotag]Mike Williams[/autotag] out of Baltimore (Maryland) Charles Herbert Flowers. The 6-foot-5-inch, 210-pound lineman made his first Gainesville visit back in June, after which he verbally committed to the Orange and Blue.

“Why not Florida? My parents live in Orlando so that’s not far,” he offered to Swamp247 after committing. “I live with my godmother back home in Maryland; parents live in Orlando, and the two offensive line coaches got me.

“Not a lot of coaches do that. Coach Stapleton, Coach Sale, Coach Sale has a great background, and Coach Stapleton has a great background coming from the Steelers. Coach Napier has a beautiful, well-rounded background coaching at Louisiana. So like I said, why not Florida.”

Since then, Williams has shut down his recruitment, going all in on the Gators.

Williams is ranked No. 1,416 overall and No. 110 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 1,342 and 98, respectively.

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Grill in the Ville to include this 2024 OT commit out of Germany

From Germany to Gainesville, this offensive lineman commit will be on campus on Saturday for Grill in the Ville.

Florida football’s first edition of its midsummer Grill in the Ville event is finally here as the program hosts a plethora of prep prospects from a range of recruiting classes into the Swamp in an effort to build a closer relationship with Billy Napier and the Gators’ staff.

While the blue-chip recruits have dominated the headlines, there will also be a handful of three-stars on hand as well, such as offensive tackle commit [autotag]Noel Portnjagin[/autotag] out of Schwäbisch Hall (Germany) in the 2024 class.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 315-pound lineman received an offer from Napier and Co. back on June 5 following a visit to a training camp held in Gainesville. Portnjagin then verbally committed to the Orange and Blue on June 14.

The Auburn Tigers, South Carolina Gamecocks and Liberty Flames all offered scholarships as well, but the Gators prevailed in bringing the Deutschlander to north Florida.

The high school senior scheduled an official visit with Florida — the only OV he has set — for the weekend of Dec. 8, wrapping up just 10 days ahead of the early signing period.

Portnjagin is ranked No. 966 overall and No. 69 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 1,014 and 70, respectively.

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Big-time 2025 4-star DL will be at Grill in the Ville on Saturday

Saturday is the big day for Florida football recruiting! This blue-chip d-liner will be on hand for the feast in the Swamp.

Florida football’s first edition of its midsummer Grill in the Ville event is finally here as the program hosts a plethora of prep prospects from a range of recruiting classes into the Swamp in an effort to build a closer relationship with Billy Napier and the Gators’ staff.

Recruits from the 2024, 2025 and 2026 classes will be in attendance, with the middle one chock full of blue-chip talent. Among the high school juniors making the trek to Gainesville on Saturday is four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Jalen Wiggins[/autotag] out of Tallahassee (Florida) Rickards.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 235-pound trench warrior last stopped in Hogtown for a 7-on-7 event back in June, which gave him some time to further acclimate himself with the coaches and campus.

“It was great coming back,” Wiggins told Swamp247. “I got another tour of everything around here, and it’s good to see how the school is, how the players are developing and everything. I got to meet most of the players today, which was a good plus.”

Wiggins is ranked No. 88 overall and No. 6 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 78 and 7, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has Florida in front with a 59.0% chance of landing him, followed by the Florida A&M Rattlers (13.8%) and Central Florida Knights (11.9%).

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In-state blue-chip S target to get another taste of Florida at Grill in the Ville

This 4-star safety will be among the many feasting in the Swamp this Saturday.

Florida football prepares to host a plethora of prep prospects from a range of recruiting classes in the Swamp for the first edition of its midsummer Grill in the Ville event, set for Saturday, July 29. The one-day affair is being put on by the program in an effort to build a closer relationship between Billy Napier and the Gators’ staff and up-and-coming recruits.

One of Florida’s top in-state targets from the 2025 recruiting cycle is four-star safety [autotag]Hylton Stubbs[/autotag] out of Jacksonville (Florida) Mandarin, who will be in attendance for the big cookout.

The 6-foot-2-inch-180-pound defensive back has been bullish on the Orange and Blue for a while after a visit during Junior Days in January, which was boosted further after participating in a 7-on-7 event in Gainesville back in late June. Still, the high school junior is currently experiencing a whirlwind of suitors and has no clear leader in his recruitment so far.

“It’s getting crazy right now, it’s getting crazy,” Stubbs told Swamp247’s Graham Hall, “but everything’s wide-open right now.”

That said, the Gators definitely appear to have the edge on the talented defensive back.

“It’s definitely a family environment up here,” Stubbs said. “I know a lot of the players, and they’re always telling me they’re always having a good time at Florida, so Florida, it’s always been a place I know I can go and have a good college career.”

Stubbs is ranked No. 77 overall and No. 8 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 83 and 7, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has Florida well in front with a 53.6% chance of signing him, followed by the Florida State Seminoles (10.1%), Georgia Bulldogs (8.7%) and Tennessee Volunteers (7.2%).

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Gators to get blue-chip 2025 Badger State OT at Grill in the Ville

Florida football is hosting some of the top recruits in the 2025 cycle this Saturday, including this massive offensive tackle.

Florida football’s first edition of its midsummer Grill in the Ville event is just a day away as the program prepares to host a plethora of prep prospects from a range of recruiting classes into the Swamp. Billy Napier and the Gators’ staff are putting in an extra effort to build a closer relationship with the up-and-coming recruits.

Four-star offensive tackle [autotag]Owen Strebig[/autotag] out of Waukesha (Wisconsin) Catholic Memorial in the 2025 recruiting class will make the trek across the country on Saturday, July 29, to pay a visit with the Orange and Blue. The massive 6-foot-8-inch, 295-pound lineman has been to campus twice prior, including a visit to campus back in June after which immediately set his sights on a return for the late-July cookout.

“I really liked the coaches; everyone was very welcoming,” he told Gators Online’s Corey Bender after his previous visit. “I really liked the new facility. The campus looked like a great place to be for a student-athlete.

“Coach Sale mentioned he was going to work me hard but love me harder as a player. That’s something that is important to me. Also, Coach Napier is a down-to-earth, personable coach. Coach Stapleton is a great coach with a lot of football knowledge.”

The high school junior also holds offers from the Michigan Wolverines, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Florida State Seminoles, Wisconsin Badgers, Iowa Hawkeyes, Illinois Illini, Penn State Nittany Lions and Kentucky Wildcats, among others.

Strebig is ranked No. 82 overall and No. 10 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 73 and 9, respectively.

Wisconsin currently holds a crystal ball prediction from 247Sports and On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine bears similar results, with the Badgers out front (22.4%) followed by Notre Dame (13.3%), Iowa (11.4%) and Illinois (5.0%).

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Lone Star State LB recruit to visit Florida for Grill in the Ville event

After a successful visit in June, this 2025 defensive standout will get another taste of the Swamp on Saturday.

The first edition of Florida football’s midsummer Grill in the Ville event is just a day away as the program prepares to host a plethora of prep prospects from a range of recruiting classes into the Swamp in an effort to build a closer relationship with Billy Napier and the Gators’ staff.

The 2024 class by far outnumbers the other two but the 2025 visitors all arrive in Gainesville with blue-chip ratings. Among them is four-star linebacker [autotag]Riley Pettijohn[/autotag] out of McKinney (Texas), who scheduled his late-July stop in Gainesville shortly after his visit in early June.

The 6-foot-3-inch, 200-pound defender has a positive view of the Sunshine State’s flagship university after his first visit.

“I like Florida because one, it’s in the south, and when I last visited, the coaches and facility were top-notch,” Pettijohn told Gators Online’s Corey Bender. “I don’t really talk with anyone often, but (running backs) coach (Jabbar) Juluke or (recruiting assistant) Joe Hamilton will hit my family up sometimes.”

The Texas Longhorns, LSU Tigers, Michigan Wolverines, Oregon Ducks, Auburn Tigers, Florida State Seminoles, Oklahoma Sooners, Tennessee Volunteers, Texas A&M Aggies and Notre Dame Fighting Irish are among the many programs that have extended an offer to the high school junior so far, with many others also in play.

Pettijohn is ranked No. 51 overall and No. 9 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 62 and 8, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Southern Methodist Mustangs with a 17.7% chance of signing him, followed by Texas (15.5%), FSU (13.3%) and Florida (11.1%).

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Blue-chip 2025 wide receiver to feast with Gators at Grill in the Ville

The Gators are hoping to seal the deal with this 2025 wide receiver who’s open to committing to the Orange and Blue.

Florida football’s first edition of its midsummer Grill in the Ville event is just a day away as the program prepares to host a plethora of prep prospects from a range of recruiting classes into the Swamp in an effort to build a closer relationship with Billy Napier and the Gators’ staff.

Among the members of the 2025 recruiting class who will be in town on Saturday, July 29, is four-star wide receiver [autotag]Koby Howard[/autotag], who formerly played with Ft. Lauderdale (Florida) Western before transferring to Pensacola (Florida) Catholic ahead of his junior season.

The 5-foot-11.5-inch, 170-pound pass-catcher is coveted by schools around the country, including the Auburn Tigers, Clemson Tigers, Colorado Buffaloes, LSU Tigers, Florida State Seminoles, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Tennessee Volunteers, among many others.

Howard is ranked No. 283 overall and No. 45 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 298 and 48, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has Florida on top with a 24.0% chance of landing him, followed by FSU (16.9%), Tennessee (10.9%) and Miami (9.1%).

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Top 2025 running back target on Grill in the Ville visitors list

One of Florida’s top 2025 recruiting targets will be stopping by for some home cooking in the Swamp on Saturday.

Florida football’s first edition of its midsummer Grill in the Ville event is just a day away as the program prepares to host a plethora of prep prospects from a range of recruiting classes into the Swamp in an effort to build a closer relationship with Billy Napier and the Gators’ staff.

The event will be held on Saturday, July 29, in Gainesville, as members of the 2024 through 2026 cycles converge on the school’s campus for a cookout and more. The list of visitors from the 2025 class is chock full of blue-chip recruits, including four-star running back [autotag]Waltez Clark[/autotag] out of Tampa (Florida) Plant.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 194-pound ground grinder comes in with a high opinion of the program after making a few visits to Gainesville.

“I like this place,” Clark told On3’s Keith Niebuhr last month. “I could see myself here. They told me I’m kind of at the top of the 2025 class. I was like, okay.”

The high school junior also expressed a great deal of esteem for Napier and his staff.

“I love the coaches. The relationship I have with the coaches here is unbelievable. I love it. Coach (Jabbar Juluke), Coach (Billy) Napier, Chase (Clark), and there are a couple of other ones… Coach (Sean) Spencer. There are a lot of them.”

Clark is ranked No. 125 overall and No. 11 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 153 and 12, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the race wide open for his talents, with the South Florida Bulls (5.5%) leading the way, followed by the Central Florida Knights (4.8%), Florida (4.1%) and Florida Atlantic Owls (3.4%).

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Grill in the Ville to include this blue-chip 2025 linebacker

The Gators have an overwhelming lead on the competition for this Saturday visitor.

Florida football’s first edition of its midsummer Grill in the Ville event is just a day away as the program prepares to host a plethora of prep prospects from a range of recruiting classes into the Swamp in an effort to build a closer relationship with Billy Napier and the Gators’ staff.

The 2025 class will have a handful of members despite the overwhelming number of the 2024 recruiting cycle, with four-star linebacker [autotag]Tarvos Alford[/autotag] out of Vero Beach (Florida) joining in on the festivities this weekend along with the rest of the gang. The 6-foot-2-inch, 210-pound defender has made numerous trips to Hogtown prior and has maintained an open line of communication with Napier’s staff.

“The recent talks have been great,” Alford told Gators Online. “We already built that strong relationship, so we really just catch up and maintain the relationship. They always make sure I know they want me.”

In particular, inside linebackers coach Jay Bateman has been putting in the extra effort to woo the high school junior into the Swamp.

“We talk at least once a week,” he offered. “(Bateman) always asks about my family and is always wanting me to come up and keep that family feel.”

Outside of the Orange and Blue, the Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Tennessee Volunteers, Miami Hurricanes, Florida State Seminoles and Louisville Cardinals are the schools that covet his talents the most. The blue-chip prospect plans on making his final decision in early December.

Alford is ranked No. 97 overall and No. 12 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 95 and 9, respectively. He holds one crystal ball prediction for Florida from 237Sports and On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine agrees, giving the Gators an overwhelming 91.5% chance of signing the talented defensive back.

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