Tag: Kelby Collins

Friday Night Notes: New QBs for Notre Dame and Florida State, Oregon eats their fill, plus more

In this edition of Friday Night Notes, Florida State and Notre Dame get commitments from QBs, Oregon loads up and Alabama has a big weekend.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

Many of the best quarterbacks from the recruiting class of 2023 have already made their college commitments. However, there are still a few potential diamonds in the rough out there. This week, Florida State and Notre Dame both picked up commitments from highly ranked QB prospects.

Florida State: Brock Glenn

On Monday Florida State pulled off a recruiting coup by flipping four-star QB Brock Glenn from Ohio State. Glenn (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) is ranked No. 23 at his position and No. 12 in the state of Tennessee. As a Junior, Glenn threw for 1,576 yards, 23 touchdowns and nine picks. He committed to the Buckeyes back in late July but the Seminoles never gave up on him.

Glenn is the ninth blue-chip prospect overall for Florida State, now ranked No. 17 in this recruiting cycle – a few points behind Arkansas. Ohio State has dropped to No. 6 behind Texas.

Notre Dame: Kenny Minchey

The Fighting Irish also managed a QB flip of their own, of sorts. Last week Kenny Minchey decommitted from Pittsburgh, and it’s now clear he had Notre Dame in his sights when he made that decision. On Tuesday, Minchey announced his new commitment:

Minchey (6-foot-1, 207 pounds) is ranked No. 12 in his class at his position and No. 254 overall in the country.

While getting Minchey was big, Notre Dame still ranks No. 3 in the recruiting race, while Pitt is all the way down at No. 50.

Here’s what else is in the notebook. Let’s get to it…

Florida’s top defensive commit visiting this fellow SEC school

Four-star defensive lineman Kelby Collins is Florida’s top-ranked defensive commit, but he’s still stopping by Alabama for the Iron Bowl this weekend.

Florida’s top-ranked defensive commit in the class of 2023, defensive lineman [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag], will be visiting the University of Alabama this weekend to see the Crimson Tide take on the Auburn Tigers in the Iron Bowl, according to Gators Online.

Collins, an Alabama native who attends Gardendale High, has long been linked to the Crimson Tide, and this trip has been talked about for some time. The good news for Florida fans is that it isn’t an official visit, but Collins could return for one before the early signing period if he enjoys himself over the weekend.

Gators fans shouldn’t worry too much about a flip, although it’s never smart to count out Nick Saban and the Tide. Collins has vocally established himself as a leader of this recruiting class and seems ready to bring in new era of Florida football under Billy Napier.

Florida last hosted Collins in October for the LSU game, but he’s been on campus a few times this year. After the season opener against Utah, he praised the university and the atmosphere at the Swamp. Still, Napier and Co. should be recruiting him as if he weren’t under verbal commitment with Alabama looking for a flip.

The On3 consensus ranks Collins at No. 65 overall in the class of 2023 and No. 7 among defensive linemen in the class. The 247Sports composite is a bit more bearish on him, but he still comes in at No. 72 nationally and No. 8 among those in his position group.

[mm-video type=video id=01gg81ds4z6bf64ak5x0 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gg81ds4z6bf64ak5x0/01gg81ds4z6bf64ak5x0-f31a697dec862fc2f3bef377504f58e3.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=96542,96540,96484,96481,96466]

[listicle id=96513]

[listicle id=96491]

[listicle id=96401]

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 hosting 4-star UCF DL commit on official visit

Is Florida on the verge of flipping UCF’s top-ranked commit?

The Florida Gators are still pursuing four-star UCF defensive tackle commit [autotag]John Walker[/autotag].

According to a report from Swamp247’s Blake Alderman, Walker has locked in an official visit with the Gators for Dec. 9. Florida’s regular season will be over by then, but it’s still a chance for Walker to get an official visit in before the early signing period officially kicks off. That means that a flip from UCF to UF is still very much in play.

The Gators have put together one of the top incoming defensive line classes in all of college football, and Walker would be a welcomed addition to the group. Ranked No. 103 on the 247Sports composite, Walker would immediately become Florida’s seventh highest-rated commit and would be a strong complement to the top-ranked player in Florida’s class, defensive lineman [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag].

Walker has already visited Florida’s campus three times this season for a game day, so he’s well aware of what the atmosphere is like in the Swamp when the fans are packing the seats. Defensive line coach Sean Spencer has been Walker’s main contact, and his message his simple: don’t rule Florida out just yet.

“He’s told me to keep them in mind and keep them in the running,” Walker said. “They said they aren’t going to give up till I sign those papers and they just really want me. He said he wants me to do the OV to really break things down and show what he does when he coaches. I just wanna see where I am at on the depth chart and how he coaches deep down and how he drills and gets his guys better.”

There’s enough smoke here for UCF to be concerned about Florida’s pursuit of Walker, but the recruit himself says that he’s strongly committed to the Knights.

The Gators have just under two months to change his mind.

[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=95043,95037,95045,95011,95009]

[listicle id=95036]

[listicle id=95021]

[listicle id=95016]

[listicle id=95014]

[listicle id=94845]

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!

This 4-star 2024 defensive lineman from Alabama gets offer

Four-star defensive lineman Jeremiah Beaman is still building a relationship with Florida’s recruiting staff, but he says Florida is high on his list.

The Florida Gators are targeting another elite defender from the state of Alabama, according to Gators Online. Florida offered 2024 four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Jeremiah Beaman[/autotag] on Oct. 6 after keeping in touch with the Parker High (Birmingham, Alabama) product for a few months.

“I was very excited to get the offer because they have sent me a lot of mail,” Beaman said. “The coaches are cool and I can’t wait to visit the Swamp. I look forward to building a relationship with them. Go Gators!”

Billy Napier has focused most of his recruiting efforts on in-state kids so far, but the state of Alabama has been a pipeline of sorts for Florida over the recent years. Napier landed linebacker [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] at the last minute in 2022 and Florida has defensive lineman [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag] under verbal commitment for the class of 2023. Landing Beaman would mean that Napier earned a commitment from a top-10 recruit in the state of Alabam in each of his first three cycles at Florida.

Collins is doing his best to make that a reality, too. As the only recruit from Alabama in Florida’s class of 2023, Collins has taken it upon himself to do some recruiting.

“We know of each other and have competed against each other,” Beaman said. “He messaged me after I received the offer telling me he wanted me there with him. I’m looking forward to going on a visit there to see the school facilities and meet the coaches.”

Florida still has work to do if Beaman is going to wear the Orange and Blue during his college years, but he says that the staff is building a good relationship with him. There are plans to visit for the Florida-FSU game, but that will be in Tallahassee.

Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Miami, Michigan State, Texas A&M and South Carolina are just a few of the other Power Five programs that have offered Beaman.

On3 ranks Beaman as the No. 97 overall recruit in the class of 2024 and No. 8 among defensive linemen. He falls out of the top 100 on the consensus rankings and 247Sports composite, but a strong finish to an already elite season could help bump those numbers up.

According to MaxPreps, Beaman has 50 total tackles (29 solo), 10 sacks and three interceptions through nine games this year.

[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=94426,94413,94410,94396,94428]

[listicle id=94405]

[listicle id=94307]

[listicle id=94296]

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 to host 5-star duo on official visits for LSU game

These two five-star teammates made it to the Swamp over the summer, but now they’ll get a chance to see Florida’s campus on game day.

The Florida Gators will have a pair of priority recruiting targets in town on October 15 when the LSU Tigers come to Gainesville.

A pair of five-star teammates from Carver High in Montgomery, Alabama, defensive lineman [autotag]James Smith[/autotag] and edge rusher [autotag]Qua Russaw[/autotag], are expected to take official visits to the University of Florida on that date, according to 247Sports.

Russaw and Smith made their first trip to the Swamp back in July during the same weekend as the team’s Friday Night Lights camp. Recruiters view the duo as a package deal and they’ve each narrowed things down to the same six schools, but it’s possible they end up in different programs. Alabama and Georgia are the two favorites to land them, but Florida is viewed as a dark horse that could pick up steam with a strong visit.

Aside from those three programs, Alabama State, Auburn and Ohio State are still in the race. Alabama State might be the odd man out here, but historically black colleges and universities are picking up steam with some of the top recruits in the country. Those who follow recruiting closely will remember the top recruit in the class of 2022, cornerback Travis Hunter, flipping on signing day from Florida State to Jackson State.

Florida has one of the strongest defensive line classes in the country, though, and that could be what’s enticing Russaw and Smith. On the edge, Russaw would join four-star commit [autotag]Isaiah Nixon[/autotag], who flipped from UCF. At defensive tackle and end, the Gators have almost half a dozen incoming players verbally committed with a four-star grade. [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag] leads the group at No. 79 on the 247Sports composite, but adding Russaw and Smith would take the Gators to the next level.

Smith is No. 14 overall on the composite and is ranked No. 2 among defensive linemen in the class of 2023. Russaw is No. 26 overall and No. 3 among edge rushers on the list. Earning commitments from both recruits would immediately put Florida in contention for a top-3 class, but there’s a lot of work to put in until a decision is made.

The duo’s recruitment should continue through the rest of the season and they should stay uncommitted until the early signing period.

[mm-video type=video id=01gd1gdwe8g4tcvddkrp playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gd1gdwe8g4tcvddkrp/01gd1gdwe8g4tcvddkrp-caea31edd48fbb75eadf018bea47db97.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=92447,92413,92296,92108,92006]

[listicle id=92464]

[listicle id=92445]

[listicle id=92564]

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 commits in action during Week 2 of high school football

Take a look at how Florida’s top recruits fared this past week on the high school gridiron.

Week one of college football was plenty exciting, but there was still high school football action as well, and Florida’s commits put up some highlights.

Two players were on a bye, four-star receiver [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag] and four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Will Norman[/autotag]. The latter has had an interesting high school journey that took another turn over the weekend.

A good chunk of the class was in attendance for Florida’s upset win over the Utah Utes on Saturday as well. Seeing the Swamp over capacity and experiencing Billy Napier’s first game day as the head coach of the Gators sat well with them.

Here’s a look at what Florida’s recruiting class of 2023 did over the weekend.

Two Florida coaches in top 15 of 247Sports’ recruiter rankings

Florida’s coaching staff has been on a roll lately, and much of it is thanks to two men in particular. 247Sports has them in their top 15.

When [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] assembled his staff at the University of Florida, he said that he wanted to prioritize recruiting. Twenty commitments into the class of 2023 and one class of 2024 four-star verbally pledge to the Orange and Blue, it’s safe to say that Napier was successful, and the numbers back it up.

Co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag] is ranked No. 7 on the 247Sports 2023 football recruiter rankings, and [autotag]Keary Colbert[/autotag] is ranked No. 11, which is good for the second-highest placement of any wide receivers coach on the list.

Spencer has been the primary recruiter on five of Florida’s commitments and has played a secondary role in the recruitment of two others. He’s directly responsible for the additions of No. 70 [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag], No. 145 [autotag]Will Norman[/autotag], No. 205 [autotag]Isaiah Nixon[/autotag], No. 218 [autotag]Kamran James[/autotag] and four-star [autotag]Gavin Hill[/autotag]. Despite the battery of four-stars committed to Florida thanks to Spencer, he ranks fourth among defensive line recruiters in the country. Clemson‘s Nick Eason, Notre Dame‘s Al Washington and Alabama‘s Freddie Roach are all ranked above Spencer in ascending order.

Still, it’s clear that coach Chaos’ stint in the NFL paid off, and he’s once again at the top of the recruiting game. Florida has the potential to bring in the strongest defensive line classes in the upcoming cycle, assuming all commitments put pen to paper during one of the signing periods.

Colbert has been the primary on five recruits as well, all of whom will play receiver for UF. No. 78 [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag] leads the group and should be paired with No. 142 [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag] to do some damage. Four-stars [autotag]Andy Jean[/autotag] and [autotag]Creed Whittemore[/autotag] round out the blue-chip names in the class and three-star [autotag]Tyree Patterson[/autotag] adds some depth to the class. And there’s potential to add more receivers to the group.

The only other receivers coach ranked higher by 247Sports is Ohio State‘s Brian Hartline, who has brought in four recruits that average a 96.48 grade. The next receivers coach on the list is Texas’ Brennan Marion at No. 20 and three commits under his belt.

Florida’s other co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] is ranked No. 31 and the only other Gator inside the top 100. Cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] should be next to break that threshold if he can add one of his high-profile targets. Currently ranked No. 101, adding either four-star [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] or five-star [autotag]Cormani McClain[/autotag] should do the trick for Raymond.

Outside linebackers coach [autotag]Mike Peterson[/autotag] is ranked No. 111, offensive coordinator and offense line coach [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] is ranked No. 188, inside linebacker coach [autotag]Jay Bateman[/autotag] is No. 190, tight ends coach [autotag]William Peagler[/autotag] is No. 240 and running backs coach [autotag]Jabbar Juluke[/autotag] rounds out the group at No. 338 on the list. Assistant offensive line coach [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] received secondary credits for four commitments and ranks No. 259 as well.

[mm-video type=video id=01g95kkdf8zxef930p5y playlist_id=01eqbwhebtqp7ahdjt player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g95kkdf8zxef930p5y/01g95kkdf8zxef930p5y-fa9a6ddbd321112e31f9e69a04952473.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=89611,89606,89603,89567,89557,89538]

[listicle id=89316]

[listicle id=89024]

[listicle id=88059]

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!

Social media reactions to Florida building a top-10 recruiting class

Gators Twitter has been on fire all weekend with commitment after commitment coming in for the orange and blue.

This was the wrong weekend to go on vacation if you’re a fan of the Florida Gators. [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his army of a recruiting staff put together another huge weekend and landed commitments from a quartet of four-star recruits.

Three of those commits come from the class of 2023 and have propelled UF into the top 10, according to both 247Sports’ team rankings and On3’s. Defensive linemen [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag] and [autotag]Will Norman[/autotag] made their announcements on Saturday, and defensive lineman [autotag]Kamran James[/autotag] joined the class on Sunday. Linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag], a legacy commitment in the class of 2024, made his decision shortly after James announced.

It all happened pretty quickly and the excitement from Gator fans, coaches and players was hard to contain. Fortunately, we live in the age of social media where dishing out reactions to the masses is but a click away. Here are some of the best social media reactions to a very busy weekend from the Orange and Blue.

Four-star DL Kelby Collins commits to Florida

Kelby Collins committed to Florida, becoming the Gators’ SEC-leading 16th four-star recruit in the class of 2023.

Florida shored up its defensive line of the future on Saturday by picking up the commitment of a lineman ranked by some recruiting outlets as a top-5 DL in the class of 2023.

Kelby Collins, a four-star player out of Gardendale (Ala.) High School, announced he will be a Gator next season. Rivals lists him as the fourth-best DL and No. 40 player overall in the class, while ESPN has him as the fifth-best defensive lineman and No. 63 player overall. 247Sports is lower on Collins, giving him a ranking of No. 173 in the class of 2023.

The 6-foot-5, 280-pound lineman recorded 75 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 12 sacks as a junior in only eight games played, per MaxPreps.

He chose Florida over Alabama and Georgia, the other schools in his top-three, according to Saturday Down South. 247Sports reported that he had 29 total offers.

This is Florida football’s second commit of the week. On Wednesday, four-star linebacker Jaden Robinson committed to the Gators. Robinson, who had 24 offers, is ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 32 linebacker in the class of 2023.

Florida’s recruiting class is ranked the 12th-best in the nation. Though there has yet to be a five-star player committed to the program, the Gators have made up for it in depth, with 16 four-star players promised to the team. That is more than any other program in the SEC.

4-star DL Kelby Collins makes commitment

Four-star defensive line recruit Kelby Collins has committed to the Florida Gators over Georgia and Alabama

Four-star defensive line recruit Kelby Collins has committed to the Florida Gators over Georgia and Alabama. Collins was also previously considering South Carolina and Oklahoma.

Collins made his commitment to Florida on Aug. 13. The Gators have the No. 12 ranked recruiting class in the country. Florida has commitments from 18 prospects including 14 four-star recruits. Collins is Florida’s highest ranked commitment.

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier has a lot of recent recruiting momentum. Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports

The four-star defensive lineman plays high school football for Gardendale High School in Gardendale, Alabama.

Kelby Collins is a member of the class of 2023. The 6-foot-5, 280-pound defensive line prospect has committed to playing in the 2023 Under Armour All-America Game.

The elite defensive line recruit is very athletic and can dunk a basketball with ease. Collins is ranked as the No. 70 recruit in the class of 2023 and the sixth-ranked defensive lineman. He’s additionally the eighth-ranked recruit in Alabama.

Alabama has a loaded state in the class of 2023 recruiting cycle. The Crimson Tide have commitments from three of the top 10 in-state recruits in the senior class.

The Gardendale star announced his commitment to Billy Napier and Florida football via Twitter:

Georgia and Alabama both have top five recruiting classes, but are disappointed to miss out on Collins.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz2y40j067srkf player_id=none image=https://ugawire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[listicle id=75999]