Tag: Mike Peterson

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.

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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.

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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Things ‘really good’ between Florida and this 4-star DL, next visit planned

Napier and Co. are pushing hard for this four-star DL. He plans to return to the Swamp in late July for the cookout to check things out one more time before making a decision.

The University of Florida was one of four stops made by four-star edge rusher [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag] in the month of June as the Upson-Lee (Thomaston, Georgia) recruit took all but one of his official visits.

That fifth visit might not come as Searcy is preparing to make a decision in the coming weeks, according to a report from 247Sports. Clemson, South Carolina and Tennessee are the other teams in consideration. The Gators and Volunteers are the two teams pursuing him most aggressively

“Florida, things are really good with them,” Searcy said. “I keep in touch with them a few times a week at least.”

Billy Napier and outside linebacker coach [autotag]Mike Peterson[/autotag] are his main points of contact with the team and both are pushing hard for him to land with the Orange and Blue. During his June 10 official visit, Searcy got a chance to see where he’d fit in with the team, and he left town with the impression that he could end up in a similar role to [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag].

Searcy plans to return to the Swamp one more time in late July for the team cookout. Getting back around the staff and some of the other recruits will give him another look at the program before deciding. There’s no set date, but he wants to get things over with by the end of summer.

“I am probably going to try and make my decision sometime in the summer,” he said. “I don’t really have no date, but sometime in the summer.”

The 247Sports composite ranks Searcy at No. 153 overall in the class of 2023 and No. 20 among defensive linemen. The On3 consensus has him in the same spot in its national rankings, but it’s worth noting that On3’s individual rankings have him at No. 49 overall.

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Gators to get second visit after impressing this top-ranked 2024 EDGE

The Gators are looking to make a strong play for the top-ranked EDGE defender in the 2024 class.

While the focus of late has primarily been on the 2023 high school football recruiting class, the Florida Gators behind new head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his staff have also been pushing forward with the 2024 crop of prospects as well.

Among the best that the outgoing sophomore class has to offer is four-star EDGE defender Colin Simmons out of Duncanville (Texas), who is currently the top prospect at his position according to both the 247Sports composite and the On3 consensus. The 6-foot-3-inch, 215-pound hybrid lineman/linebacker recently wrapped up a tour of the Swamp earlier this month and appears to have enjoyed his stop.

“I like it out there in Florida. The weather feels good and everything,” he told Gators Online. “I felt like I did good at the camp and showed some of my skills and potential. Also, I just like how the staff comes off as if Florida is the place to be.

“It was great, honestly. I had fun and the place was cool. It was a little vibe.”

So far, his recruitment has been spearheaded by outside linebackers coach [autotag]Mike Peterson[/autotag] and recruiting staffer [autotag]Joe Hamilton[/autotag]. Simmons’ experience with the former has endowed him with a good deal of knowledge that has left him thirsty for more.

“Coach Mike Peterson has definitely taught me a few things. I feel like he could teach me more too, especially with my pass-rushing ability and more outside of football also.”

On the other hand, his connection with the latter has more of a local feel for him.

“I have a real good vibe with (coach Hamilton). He’s down from where I’m from. He’s just trying to get me back up there, especially for a game this season to see how the crowd and vibe is.”

He expects to return to Gainesville for one of the matchups in the Swamp this fall, telling Gators Online, “I’m most definitely catching a game.”

Simmons is currently pursued by the Alabama Crimson Tide, LSU Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns, Georgia Bulldogs, USC Trojans, Oregon Ducks and Michigan Wolverines, among many others. The 247Sports composite has him ranked No. 17 nationally and third in Texas while the On3 consensus has him at Nos. 13 and 1, respectively. The Sooners are way out ahead in his recruitment with an 81.8% chance of signing him according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine.

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Gators crack top 7 for this 4-star Texas linebacker

The Gators are in play for this Lone Star State linebacker after he released his top 7.

Thursday evening, linebacker [autotag]Derion Gullette[/autotag] tweeted an update to his recruiting status, including the Florida Gators in his top seven schools. The four-star defenseman is a native of Texas and is carrying offers from a mile-long list of notable schools.

Gullette is an excellent athlete who runs track in addition to playing linebacker. Of course, his future lies on the gridiron, and he’ll have to bulk up to reach an adult playing weight at his position. However, he’s already chiseled with lean muscle and, physically speaking, will have no problem adapting to collegiate-level competition.

Rated by 247Sports as the 236th overall recruit in the class of 2023, he’s not a keystone addition but would make a good supplementary piece for head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s bump class.

The Gators’ offer, extended by outside linebackers coach [autotag]Mike Peterson[/autotag], has been on the table since late April. The fact that Peterson, rather than inside linebackers coach [autotag]Jay Bateman[/autotag], is leading on Gullette’s recruitment may provide a little insight into how Florida’s coaching staff views his future role. That’s not necessarily the case, though, as this staff has taken the adage “it takes a village” to the extreme in their recruiting efforts.

The teams who landed in his top seven alongside Florida were Texas, Texas A&M, Miami, Alabama, Ohio State and Oklahoma. Most of the teams on this list are expected inclusions. The Longhorns and Aggies are in on any notable Lone Star native. Likewise, ‘Bama and the Buckeyes make a hard run at just about every good player east of the great plains.

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Florida football set to host this 4-star DL on official visit

The Gators will be one of the first two teams to host 4-star DL TJ Searcy on an official visit.

Florida is building up quite the visitors list for the month of June, and the latest recruit to join the list is four-star defensive lineman [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag] out of Upson-Lee High (Thomaston, Georgia).

Searcy will be in Gainesville on June 10 for his official visit, according to Gators Online. It’s his second trip to the Swamp after stopping by on March 18. Clemson will get Searcy for an official visit over the first weekend of June and is considered the leader in his recruitment by On3’s recruiting prediction machine.

Outside linebackers coach [autotag]Mike Peterson[/autotag] has led things for the Gators with Searcy after previously recruiting him at South Carolina. He stopped by Searcy’s school to see him in action during spring practices and show his support, even though he couldn’t have face-to-face interactions with him. Those efforts seem to have paid off with a visit now scheduled.

The 6-foot-5.5-inch, 243-pounder came away impressed with Florida following his last visit, and an official visit should only improve things. Florida State, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee are the other programs in the hunt vying for the final three official visits.

To say that Searcy is high-profile might be an understatement. He ranks 49th overall in the class of 2023, according to On3’s individual rankings, and is No. 6 among defensive linemen. The On3 Consensus is less bullish on him at No. 149 overall and No. 23 at his position, but that’s still a blue-chip level evaluation. Searcy’s NIL valuation by On3 stands at $110,000, which is good enough for No. 167 among high schoolers.

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Florida football staff hits the road to evaluate recruiting targets

UF’s coaching staff is back on the road evaluating prospects as spring football kicks off in Florida.

Spring football has begun in the state of Florida and that means various Gators coaches are back on the road to see some of the top recruits on UF’s board in action.

[autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has done well to get several of the state’s top prospects on campus over the spring, and now he gets another chance to have his people evaluate those players. Napier has stressed the importance of his evaluation process from day one as the Gators’ head coach. Diagnosing the problem and finding the right tools to fix it is what he does best and it’s through a meticulous process.

Spring practices gave Napier and Co. a chance to see exactly what they had to work with, and it’s no secret that Florida lacks depth in various spots on the depth chart. Some of that will be addressed in the transfer portal but the long-term issues will need strong and focused recruiting to repair.

Here’s where some of the Florida football coaches are this Monday, according to 247Sports.

Danny Wuerffel beams about coach Billy Napier and QB Anthony Richardson

Gator Great Danny Wuerffel was in attendance for Florida’s practice on Saturday. He beamed about Napier and Richardson.

New football coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and basketball coach [autotag]Todd Golden[/autotag] have welcomed back Florida’s storied traditions in both sports with open arms. Golden recently hired Gator Great [autotag]Taurean Green[/autotag] to his staff as the director of player development, and Napier has chosen former Florida linebacker [autotag]Mike Peterson[/autotag] as one of his on-the-field assistants.

Napier also wants more former players to visit the Swamp. Heisman Trophy winner [autotag]Danny Wuerffel[/autotag] stopped by practice Saturday. He beamed about Napier and quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] while speaking to reporters.

Wuerffel was impressed by the number of people involved with the program. He also spent several minutes talking with Napier after practice and had the opportunity to share advice with current student-athletes.

“I’ve had a chance to talk with the players at different times, really on the subject of leadership and trying to develop leaders,” he said. “I met with some of them as a group and others individually; it has been really encouraging. I’m really excited to be associated with GatorMade and help really highlight some of the great stuff that they’re doing.”

Wuerffel believes Richardson’s potential is through the roof like any other person thought who watched him last season. He complimented his passing skills and his athleticism.

“But I think what’s encouraging to me is to see the way he processes the game,” he said. “He’s a really smart guy, and I think he’s got so much potential. And as everybody’s been saying, you hope that you see that potential translate and there’s consistency. And you hope he stays healthy.”

Hopefully, Richardson can stay healthy after he had an offseason procedure on his knee that caused him to miss the Gasparilla Bowl.

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Here’s why LB Brenton Cox Jr. decided to return to Florida

Brenton Cox Jr. is hoping to a have a season for the record books in his final year as a Gator.

Brenton Cox Jr. could have gone to the NFL after finishing 2021 with 8.5 sacks and a third-round grade as a draft prospect. Instead, he decided to return to the University of Florida for his redshirt senior season under new head coach Billy Napier.

It’s clear that Cox feels he has unfinished business with the Gators, but there’s a bit more to it than just improving on his stats from last season. He has his sights on the sack record (13) at Florida, according to Gators Online.

“I’m going for a sack every half, so if I do that, I’m going to pass those numbers,” Cox said. “But right now, I’m just trying to beat the sack record so just going out there and playing hard every play.”

Racking up 24 sacks would be quite the feat, but 13 doesn’t seem too ridiculous for Cox. The 8.5 that he put up last year came while he was recovering from foot surgery and fairly banged up throughout the year. Now he’s healthy and under the guidance of [autotag]Mike Peterson[/autotag], who had plenty of sacks during his time in the NFL.

“He has all the skills,” Peterson said. “This guy’s strong, he’s powerful. He can run, he can rush the passer. Right now my thing is to kind of polish his game to help him learn the game.”

Cox has already noticed a difference after working with Peterson for just a few weeks. By the time the season rolls around, [autotag]Alex Brown[/autotag] may want to check the record books one more time just in case Cox lives up to his word.

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4-star defensive lineman sets Florida visit for next weekend

Four-star defensive lineman T.J. Searcy will visit Florida for the first time on March 18.

Florida sits in a favorable spot for four-star defensive lineman T.J. Searcy because of his prior relationship with outside linebackers coach and alumni liaison Mike Peterson dating back to when he coached at South Carolina. Now Searcy will get his first chance to visit the Swamp on March 18.

Because of that relationship with Peterson, Searcy said conversations with him have gone well. He likes the former Gators linebacker because of his knowledge of the game and his ability to share it with others.

“He’s a real cool guy,” Searcy told Swamp247 about Peterson. “When me and him talk, it’s not always about football. He will ask me about myself and checks up on my family. I find those things important to me, and he has already got that bond with me.

“I think Coach Peterson can slow the game down for you. I have been to South Carolina a few times when he was there. He always taught me something new about the game. He breaks the game down better in small pieces that helps you learn.”

Peterson and Florida see Searcy as an edge-rushing outside linebacker in their defense and think his skill set fits well into what they want at the position.

The Thomaston, Georgia, native just wrapped up a visit to Tennessee this past weekend and plans to be at Clemson the following Saturday. After his visit to the Gators, Searcy will see Auburn and Florida State.

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