Tag: Ja’Keem Jackson

Florida’s 2023 recruiting class is loaded with early enrolees

With early signing day in the books, we now have a better idea of which members of Florida’s recruiting class of 2023 will early enroll.

Florida head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] went over a lot in his post-early signing day press conference, but one of the major points discussed was just how many of the 20 signees will enroll early. According to Napier, the bulk of the class should arrive in the spring.

Of Florida’s 20 signees, Napier expects 18 to be in Gainesville for spring practices. Rather than listing each name that plans to early enroll, it’s easier to list those who won’t: wide receiver [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag] and defensive lineman [autotag]Gavin Hill[/autotag].

Adding 18 players to the roster a few months early could be huge for Billy Napier and Co. The Gators are replacing a ton of talent after many draft departures, dismissals and transfers. Getting the new Napier-recruited talent on campus early means more time to teach them the playbook, system, etc. More practice time means a better shot at finding early snaps, too.

“The other thing that’s going to help is you’re going to have 20 players that start in January,” said Napier during his early signing day presser, “and I think that translates to more reps and more teaching and more opportunity to get orientated to the university and just life in general in college. But I do think that there will be a number of this group (that compete for early playing time). They’re going to have to earn it.”

It can’t be overstated how important it was for Florida to bring in a group of recruits that were willing to enroll early, and Napier did an exceptional job making sure everything went according to plan.

In case you’re looking for a full list of early enrollees, here’s a list of the players that should be coming to Gainesville in the spring:

  • 5-star quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag]
  • 4-star running back [autotag]Treyaun Webb[/autotag]
  • 4-star receiver [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag]
  • 4-star receiver [autotag]Andy Jean[/autotag]
  • 4-star offensive lineman [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag]
  • 3-star offensive lineman [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag]
  • 3-star offensive tackle [autotag]Bryce Lovett[/autotag]
  • 4-star defensive lineman [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag]
  • 4-star defensive lineman [autotag]Kamran James[/autotag]
  • 4-star defensive lineman [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag]
  • 4-star defensive linemen [autotag]Will Norman[/autotag]
  • 4-star linebacker [autotag]Jaden Robinson[/autotag]
  • 4-star cornerback [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag]
  • 4-star cornerback [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag]
  • 4-star safety [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag]
  • 4-star safety [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag]
  • 4-star safety [autotag]Bryce Thornton[/autotag]
  • 4-star athlete [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag]

[mm-video type=video id=01gm9vabaxqjsm5qecyv playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gm9vabaxqjsm5qecyv/01gm9vabaxqjsm5qecyv-eee0e7e142b305b5df985aa7fdf3ab20.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=98491,98484,98480,98472,98457]

[listicle id=98506]

[listicle id=98506]

[listicle id=98470]

[listicle id=98355]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Florida makes ESPN’s 2023 recruiting class rankings top 10

The Florida Gators are in the top 10 of ESPN’s national 2023 recruiting rankings. They are the fifth-highest SEC program.

The Florida Gators 2023 recruiting class comes in at No. 9 in ESPN’s 2023 recruiting rankings after early signing day wrapped up on Wednesday.

The Gators had been hovering around the top ten of the recruiting rankings since July when a surge of commitments created a buzz around the Florida program and first-year head coach Billy Napier. This is a stark contrast from the end of June when Napier penned an open letter to the Gator Nation essentially pleading for patience and trust in the process.

Napier was a fantastic recruiter at Louisiana, having the No. 1 recruiting class in the Sun Belt in all four seasons at the helm. But he didn’t do this alone. The addition of top-tier assistants such as assistant head coach and defense/cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag], co-defensive coordinator, defensive line coach [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag], and many more, have had a massive impact on the recruiting trail. Raymond is considered one of the best, if not the best, defensive backs developers in the nation.

Here is what ESPN’s Craig Haubert had to say about the Gators’ No. 9 ranking:

Billy Napier has taken advantage of in-state talent with several Sunshine State pickups, assembling a strong secondary from that pool. The Gators have added several ESPN 300 DBs, including CBs [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and CB [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag], who has good feet and brings a tough, scrappy demeanor. [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag], who stayed on even after committing to the previous staff, projects to defensive back and can be a versatile player with his quickness and ball skills. [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag], listed as an athlete, projects to WR and is a player who tests very well, which will translate to his play on the field. Adding more potential firepower to their passing attack is [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag], a lengthy target with big-play speed. Rashada hails from California but became a big in-state flip from Miami. With a smooth release and good arm strength, the newest Gator is one of the top QBs in the class. [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag] is a nice addition to the trenches, as he has been a multiyear starter at IMG Academy and should come in ready to compete for playing time. They also flipped ESPN 300 OG [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag], a powerful and flexible big man who could work his way into the two-deep quickly, from Florida State. It is hard to win the SEC without being strong along the defensive front, and Collins leads a talented group of defensive linemen.

The players Haubert named are considered to be the elite of this Florida class.

The smaller class was strategic for Napier, as he needs scholarships available to be active in the transfer portal. Prioritizing quality over quantity was a point of emphasis Napier made in his opening press conference and subsequent open letter to the fan base.

The official national signing day is scheduled for Feb. 1, 2023, with a portion of the 2023 class deciding to enroll early and participate in spring practices.

[mm-video type=video id=01gmvr3a5mjt331mk1dc playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gmvr3a5mjt331mk1dc/01gmvr3a5mjt331mk1dc-29590200bf3d9fe18ca49efd6d6e1917.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=98480,98472,98457,98423,98421]

[listicle id=98252]

[listicle id=98355]

[listicle id=98135]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Gators crack On3 consensus’ top 10 teams in 2023 recruiting class rankings

Here’s where On3’s consensus has the Gators’ 2023 recruiting class ranked after early signing day.

College football’s early signing period has begun and the Florida Gators have been hard at work securing the top prep prospects in the nation for a spot in the Swamp next season. After former head coach [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag]’s tenure, in which recruiting took a back seat to the action on the field, first-year skipper [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his crew have put in the extra effort to restore pride to the Orange and Blue.

Now that the first day of the early signing day is now in the rearview mirror, it is time to take a look at what some of the major publications think about the Gators’ latest brood. According to the On3 consensus, Florida cracked the top 10 in its recruiting rankings slipping into the final spot.

Here is what On3’s recruiting desk writer Drew Schott had to offer on Napier’s results thus far.

Top Commit: Gardendale (Alabama) defensive lineman [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag], No. 59 in On3 Consensus

Summary: Billy Napier and his staff sparked one of the top storylines of the 2023 cycle by flipping four-star quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag] from Miami on Nov. 10. Rashada gives the Gators a top-100 signal-caller to pair with a talented offensive class. Florida has signatures from four-star wide receivers [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag] and [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag], as well as four-star running back [autotag]Treyaun Webb[/autotag]. The Gators also have a strong defensive back group with four-star cornerback [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag], four-star cornerback [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and four-star safety [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag]. Recruiting the Sunshine State is a priority for Napier, but he has also landed pledges from out-of-state, including Collins. However, four-star EDGE [autotag]Isaiah Nixon[/autotag] flipped to UCF on national signing day.

The Southeastern Conference has a total of four teams in the top 10, led by the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, followed by the LSU Tigers (No. 7) in addition to Florida. The Gators currently have 18 four-star and two three-star players committed in this recruiting cycle, making them the second-highest-ranking team without a five-star signee behind the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who ranks at No. 8.

[mm-video type=video id=01gmvr3a5mjt331mk1dc playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gmvr3a5mjt331mk1dc/01gmvr3a5mjt331mk1dc-29590200bf3d9fe18ca49efd6d6e1917.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=98457,98423,98421,98261,98248]

[listicle id=98252]

[listicle id=98355]

[listicle id=98135]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Here’s what Billy Napier said after early national signing day

Here’s what Billy Napier had to say about each player that signed with Florida during the early signing period.

Florida got 20 commits to sign during the 2023 early signing period, and [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] had a lot to say about the class following all the action.

Napier spoke to the press Wednesday afternoon/evening after an hour-long delay that allowed quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag]’s name to be added to the list of signees. Florida’s head coach spoke in-depth about each player in the class and Gators Wire has compiled a list of everything that he said.

Coach Napier also tackled general questions about recruiting in-state, the role NIL plays, adding more players through the transfer portal and which member of the class of 2023 will early enroll.

The TL;DR is that Napier’s team feels very confident about each player that was added to the program on Wednesday, and there was a strong emphasis on what kind of home each player came from. Napier firmly believes that being raised by a quality family helps create quality student-athletes.

Here’s a full transcript of everything Napier said on Wednesday.

Tracking Florida’s 2023 early signing period activity

Florida is set to sign most of its 2023 recruiting class on the first day of the early signing period and Gators Wire is keeping track of it all.

The calendar might still read 2022, but the reality is that many of the top recruits in the class of 2023 are signing early and Dec. 21 marks the start of the early signing period. Florida is expected to bring in a strong class in Billy Napier’s first full cycle as head coach, but nothing is ever set in stone until the pen hits the paper.

The February signing date could bring in more names, but the core of the class is signing early and Gators Wire is keeping track of every move the team makes. There usually are some surprises, and Florida is in the hunt for several uncommitted targets set to make their decisions through Friday when the period comes to a close.

Each of Florida’s commitments below is listed in order of expected ceremony start time. As players sign their national letters of intent, the list will update to reflect Florida’s most recent additions.

Tracking Florida’s big recruiting weekend ahead of the early signing period

The Gators are hosting a ton of recruits on official visits this weekend. Here are the ones who have checked in from the Swamp.

The Florida Gators are hosting a ton of official visitors over what will be the final big recruiting weekend ahead of the 2023 cycle’s early signing period.

UF’s selection to the Las Vegas Bowl, which takes place on Dec. 17, forced Billy Napier’s staff to adjust, but the list of visitors in the Swamp this weekend is still very impressive.

Headlining it is five-star offensive tackle [autotag]Samson Okunlola[/autotag] out of Massachusetts. The Gators are working hard to beat out the Miami Hurricanes for him, and he’d likely help Florida break back into the top 10 as the team’s only five-star commit in the cycle. Getting the last word could be crucial in his decision.

The Gators are also looking to flip a few players as well, and a late official visit could help push them to make the leap and bolster an already powerful class. Plenty of commits are in town too to help recruit and take their own official visits.

Here’s a look at every recruiting target that’s checked in from the Swamp over the weekend.

This 4-star DB commit has locked in his official visit date with Florida

December is a big recruiting month for the entire college football world, and Florida is loading up on official visitors.

Florida only allowed recruits to make official visits on Oct. 15 for the LSU game during the regular season, but the Gators are planning a big weekend in the Swamp now that the year is coming to an end. Several of Florida’s commits that have yet to make their official visits to the university will do so over the next few weeks, and four-star Wharton (Tampa, Florida) defensive back [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] is the latest to set his plans.

According to 247Sports, Johnson plans to stop by UF for a multi-day visit the weekend of Dec. 9, the same day four other Gators commits have scheduled their official visits. He’ll join fellow four-star defensive backs [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag], four-star linebacker [autotag]Jaden Robinson[/autotag] and three-star wide receiver [autotag]Tyree Patterson[/autotag]. That quintet will enjoy all the riches that come with a Florida official visit and help recruit four-star UCF defensive line commit [autotag]John Walker[/autotag] and four-star undecided running back [autotag]Mark Fletcher[/autotag].

Johnson might be a key player in Florida’s recruitment of Fletcher. Both were once committed to Ohio State, but Johnson backed off that pledge and flipped to Florida. Now decommitted from OSU, Fletcher is deciding between UF and Miami. Meeting up with a player who made a similar decision could help Fletcher feel more comfortable with his decision.

The Gators are in need of some youth in the secondary and the feeling is that Johnson will get early playing time in the Swamp. Safeties coach and defensive coordinator Patrick Toney was a key player in landing Johnson, so there’s good reason to think that he’ll have a considerable role in the defensive scheme.

Johnson is ranked No. 98 overall on the 247Sports composite and is No. 7 among safeties in the class of 2023.

[mm-video type=video id=01ghwa8chp7qxsfgpp7n playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01ghwa8chp7qxsfgpp7n/01ghwa8chp7qxsfgpp7n-dcba49d6ececdcbbb01096e1bda622da.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=97101,97086,97084,97082,97070]

[listicle id=97108]

[listicle id=97045]

[listicle id=95747]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Florida DC stopping by prospect-filled state semifinal as contact period begins

The early signing period is approaching rapidly, and Florida is putting in the work on the recruiting trail as the contact period begins.

The NCAA’s contact period for FBS programs kicks off on Friday, and Florida is one of many schools that will have coaches attending high school games over the weekend to check in on top commitments and targets.

Florida’s defensive coordinator and safeties coach Patrick Toney will be at the Osceola (Kissimmee, Florida) and Lakeland (Florida) game on Friday, according to 247Sports. Toney is there to see defensive back commit [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and four-star UCF defensive line commit [autotag]John Walker[/autotag].

Jackson has been committed to Florida since late July and is one of the more promising recruits in the class. Walker has been a flip target for Florida since he committed to the Knights on the same day that Jackson pledged his services to UF, and he has an official visit coming up on Dec. 9. That should make things interesting for Walker as the early signing period approaches, and having a teammate committed to Florida can’t hurt the cause.

The other four-star recruit on Osceola is four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Derrick LeBlanc[/autotag], who is committed to Oklahoma. There’s been little talk about pursuing him as a flip target since the commitment, so expect Florida’s energy to be focused on Walker for the most part.

Lakeland boasts the nation’s top defensive back, five-star cornerback [autotag]Cormani McClain[/autotag]. He stunned the recruiting world by picking Miami over Florida and Alabama, and he’s unlikely to flip at this point in the cycle. Still, Florida did get quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag] to flip from the U to UF, so anything is possible.

[mm-video type=video id=01ghwa8chp7qxsfgpp7n playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01ghwa8chp7qxsfgpp7n/01ghwa8chp7qxsfgpp7n-dcba49d6ececdcbbb01096e1bda622da.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=96953,96956,96939,96945,96918]

[listicle id=96871]

[listicle id=96690]

[listicle id=96626]

[listicle id=96271]

[listicle id=96031]

[listicle id=95763]

[listicle id=95486]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Florida hoping to earn commitments from a pair of DBs on Thursday

The Gators could add a pair of defensive backs to the class of 2023 by the end of the day.

There are two big recruiting announcements set for Thursday, Oct. 13, that the Florida Gators will have an eye on. Milton (Alpharetta, Georgia) safety [autotag]Bryce Thornton[/autotag] will get things started around 3:15 p.m. EDT and pick between Florida and Alabama, and four-star Wharton (Tampa, Florida) cornerback [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] will wrap up the day with his decision around 7 p.m. EDT.

Johnson is the higher-rated recruit of the two at No. 101 overall on the On3 consensus. He’s one of defensive backs coach Corey Raymond’s top targets in the class of 2023 along with [autotag]Cormani McClain[/autotag] and would be a big addition to the secondary. Florida’s competition for him is down to Miami, Ohio State and USC. Johnson backed off a commitment to the Buckeyes earlier this year, so Florida is considered the favorite heading into the announcement.

Thornton is a three-star caliber safety, according to three of the four major recruiting services. On3 is the only site to give him a four-star grade, but that could change as the second half of the high school season plays out. Thornton is deciding between Alabama and Florida, but the Crimson Tide are pretty loaded at safety with two five-stars under verbal commitment to the program in the cycle. It would be surprising to see Thornton go to Alabama. The assumption is that he’ll find playing time much easier at UF, and there’s certainly more opportunity in Gainesville than there is in Tuscaloosa.

If Florida can land both these defensive backs, the Gators will have a strong incoming group regardless of whether or not McClain commits. At safety, Thornton would join [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag], and Johnson would join a trio of four-star cornerbacks — [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag], [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag] and [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag].

It’s worth noting the comments made by former Gator Dee Webb and current UF running back commit Treyaun Webb on Twitter ahead of these two announcements. The Webbs indicated that one of the two wouldn’t pick Florida, and Treyaun’s message was directed at Johnson. Stirring up drama and drawing attention to announcements is the name of the game for the actual recruits, so it would be unwise to read too far into things.

The decision will be coming up soon enough, and Gators Wire will provide updates on each recruit when they make their announcement.

[mm-video type=video id=01gdg3yhc6d6jb3c59xg playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gdg3yhc6d6jb3c59xg/01gdg3yhc6d6jb3c59xg-c640babe687004c896ec7a3af514c1b9.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=93985,93983,93977,93959,93969]

[listicle id=93954]

[listicle id=93921]

[listicle id=93899]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Tracking which recruits visit the Swamp for Florida’s Week 3 matchup with USF

The guest list is a bit shorter for Florida’s Week 3 matchup against USF, but recruiting never stops in the Swamp.

The Florida Gators have hosted dozens of recruits over the first two weeks of the season, but UF’s Week 3 matchup with the USF Bulls features a smaller group of visitors.

Four-star UCF commit [autotag]John Walker[/autotag], who is visiting the Swamp for the third-straight weekend, headlines the group of expected visitors. Fellow four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Jordan Hall[/autotag] could join him, but only time will tell if he shows up.

The rest of the group is made up of underclassmen. With 20 recruits verbally committed to Billy Napier’s class of 2023, Florida can start focusing on the next crop of talent more closely. With well over a year until that signing period rolls around, the Gators are targeting some elite talent.

Four commits are expected in town: interior offensive lineman [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag], defensive back [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag], linebacker [autotag]Jaden Robinson[/autotag] and defensive lineman Kamran James.

Gators Wire will continue to update this list as visitors confirm the arrivals throughout the day.

Update: Walker and Jackson are no longer expected to visit due to a lack of transportation.