Tag: Myles Graham

4-star legacy linebacker commit sets official visit date with Florida

June is looking to be a busy month for Billy Napier and his staff as the official visit plans pile up.

June is still five weeks away but looking ahead to the start of summer it appears things will be cooking in the Swamp. After grinding away the past few months on the recruiting trail, Billy Napier and Co. is starting to plan out the program’s official visit schedule as prep prospects start to put together their itineraries.

Among those who have set an official visit with the Orange and Blue is four-star legacy linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] out of Atlanta (Georgia) Woodward Academy, who is the son of former Gators running back [autotag]Earnest Graham[/autotag]. The 6-foot-1-inch, 212-pound defender recently told Swamp247’s Blake Alderman that he plans on being in Gainesville the second weekend of the month, i.e. June 9-11.

As one might suspect, the younger Graham has spent a significant time on Florida’s campus over the course of his life — including a pair of visits this season. He attended UF’s Junior Day back in January and came back for a weekend visit in mid-March. The coveted linebacker committed to the Gators back in August 2022.

Graham is ranked No. 50 overall and No. 5 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking also has him at Nos. 50 and 5, respectively.

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Gators add fifth commitment to 2024 recruiting class

Florida’s recruiting class of 2024 is beginning to take shape with five commitments in the books after Monday’s announcement from Peach State safety Josiah Davis.

Berrien High (Nashville, Georgia) safety Josiah Davis announced his commitment to the University of Florida on Monday.

The 6-foot-1-inch, 185-pound defensive back picked Florida over Kentucky, Louisville, NC State and Tennessee to become the fifth commitment in Florida’s 2024 recruiting class.

Davis was in town on Saturday and let head coach Billy Napier know that he was going to announce his decision in the following days. Quickly bonding with the team’s new defensive coordinator, [autotag]Austin Armstrong[/autotag], among other coaches on the staff, played a large role in his decision.

“Florida is just a great school overall, football and academic-wise,” Davis said to On3’s Hayes Fawcett. “The bond I have with the coaches, especially coach CJ, coach Bateman, and Coach Armstrong. They treat me very special every time I visit up there.”

Davis is a three-star recruit, according to both 247Sports and On3. He comes in at No. 461 overall on the On3 industry ranking’s national list and at No. 39 among safeties in the class.

He joins five-star quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag], four-star linebackers [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] and [autotag]Adarius Hayes[/autotag] and four-star running back [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag] in the class of 2024.

Florida is now up to No. 3 in the national recruiting rankings, according to On3, but there’s still plenty of time for things to change in either direction.

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Return visit reaffirms decision for 4-star Florida legacy LB commit

The latest trip to the Swamp for four-star linebacker Myles Graham was a success and helped him feel even more confident in his commitment to Florida.

One of Florida’s four committed recruits from the class of 2024, linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag], was back on campus over the weekend, and the trip made him remember exactly why he chose the Gators in the first place, according to 247Sports.

“It was amazing,” Graham said. “I kind of see why I committed. I enjoyed every single day I spent on campus. It was fun. I love the people, I love everything, and I love the energy. I see why I made this decision and I stand on it.”

Graham committed in August and is no stranger to the university. Aside from being a frequent visitor over the years, Graham is a legacy recruit to the program. His life-long connection to the Gators should make for an easy transition.

The knowledge Graham gained on this trip should also help with the transition. He got to observe two practices and met with the team’s new defensive coordinator, Austin Armstrong.

Although he doesn’t have a return date set, it would be odd to see Graham stay away from the Swamp for too long. Another spring visit isn’t out of the question, and the summer should bring a few as well.

Graham is ranked inside the top 50 overall on both the 247Sports composite (No. 43) and On3 industry ranking (No. 41). Individually, On3 is the least high on him, ranking Graham at No. 156 nationally and No. 12 among linebackers in the class. Rivals.com is the highest on him, ranking him at No. 13 overall at No. 1 at his position.

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Florida football legacy linebacker sets March return visit date

Here’s when Myles Graham plans on making his next stop in Gainesville.

College football recruiting season is back in full swing which is great news for the Gator Nation as [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. look to build on a disappointing debut campaign. Mostly hamstrung by the roster left in the cupboard by departing head coach [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] in 2022, the new administration is laser-focused on bringing top talent to Gainesville in an attempt to restore the Swamp as a top destination for aspiring gridiron warriors.

While a lion’s share of this month’s visitors are high school prospects who have yet to make verbal commitments with their preferred programs, one 2023 recruit has already given his word to Florida and is planning another trip to Gainesville. Four-star linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag], who is the son of Gator great running back [autotag]Earnest Graham[/autotag], is set to return on March 11 to watch some spring practices while also getting some additional time around the coaching staff, according to Swamp247.

Insider linebackers coach [autotag]Jay Bateman[/autotag] has been at the forefront of the legacy athlete’s recruitment. While the loss of former co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] to the NFL shook things up a bit, his connection with Bateman remains strong.

“He’s a great coach, and a really constructive coach,” he previously told 247Sports of Bateman. “I love the way he coaches and he’s a great recruiter as well. He didn’t just recruit me, he made sure he was like another role model for me in my life. He’s a great dude and a great man.”

The 6-foot-1-inch, 212-pound defender has made plenty of previous stops on campus, including a recent one back on Jan. 21.

Graham is ranked No. 43 overall and No. 4 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 42 and 5, respectively.

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Florida getting 4-star LB on campus for first visit in spring

The Gators will get four-star linebacker Qua Birdsong on campus for his first look at the University of Florida in March.

Florida is getting Troup County (Lagrange, Georgia) linebacker [autotag]Qua Birdsong[/autotag] on campus in March, according to a report from Swamp 247.

At one point, Birdsong intended on stopping by Gainesville for one of Florida’s Junior Days in January. That trip never actually happened, though, so this will be the four-star recruit’s first look at the university in person. He told 247Sports that he’d be in town on March 16.

Florida has yet to extend him an offer, but one could be coming on this trip. Arkansas, Cincinnati, Michigan State, NC State, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, UCF, USC and Virginia Tech are among other programs which have already extended scholarship opportunities to him and he’s on several other Power Five teams’ radars.

Birdsong has dates locked in with Florida and Ohio State in March. Official visits are on his mind, too. The plan is to be committed by the start of his senior year, which gives him six months to make a decision.

Florida’s recruiting class of 2024 features four commitments at publishing time. Five-star quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] leads the back with four-star linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] also ranked in the top 50. Four-star edge rusher [autotag]Adarius Hayes[/autotag] is another top-100 guy locked in with the Gators, and four-star running back [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag] rounds out the pack.

Adding Birdsong to a class with Graham already in it would be a sure way to cure Florida’s depth issues at linebacker. UF brought in a pair of players at the position over the offseason after losing both starters from 2022.

The 247Sports Composite has Birdsong at No. 146 overall and No. 14 among linebackers in the class of 2024. The site’s independent ranking system is even more bullish on him at Nos. 127 and 10, respectively. The On3 consensus, which equally weights all four major services, has him at No. 157 nationally and No. 16 among those at his position.

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4-star LB committed to Florida after visiting for Junior Day

The Gators are off to a hot start with the recruiting class of 2024. Florida added another top-100 player to the commitment pool on Saturday.

Florida earned another commitment from the class of 2024 on Saturday as four-star Largo (Florida) linebacker [autotag]Adarius Hayes[/autotag] pledged his services to the university.

Hayes was in town for Florida’s final Junior Day of the January recruiting period and announced his decision before leaving the Swamp. He was also in town last weekend to check in with the program, according to Swamp247. Hayes told Gators Online that he always planned on being a Gator and came into Saturday’s visit knowing that he’d be joining the class.

“It was the plan the whole time. I’m blessed to be a Gator. Go Gators,” Hayes said. “I’ll be a MIKE only. They said I’ll just be a middle linebacker and come off the edge more on third down. Basically, I would be like [autotag]Amari Burney[/autotag]/[autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag].”

Hayes shadowed linebackers [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] and [autotag]Derek Wingo[/autotag] on this trip and the duo did their best to reel him in. He got a glimpse of the role he’ll be playing on Florida’s defense and locked in with the Gators over Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and others.

This is the second blue-chip linebacker Florida has reeled in from the 2024 class. [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag], who is ranked No. 30 overall on the 247Sports composite and No. 36 on the On3 consensus, picked Florida in August and seems locked in as a legacy commit.

Hayes is the No. 61 overall recruit in the nation, according to the 247Sports composite. He’s also No. 7 among edge rushers in the class and No. 12 among prep players from the Sunshine State. On3 is even more bullish on him, ranking Hayes at No. 55 overall on the consensus rankings and No. 33 on the site’s independent list.

Florida now has four players under commitment in the class. In addition to Hayes and Graham, UF has five-star quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] and four-star running back [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag] on board as well. The Gators jumped to No. 3 overall on the 2024 On3 consensus football team recruiting rankings and No. 8 on 247Sports’ equivalent list.

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Florida to host over a multitude of prospects on recruiting visit this weekend

The Florida Gators will host a multitude of recruits this weekend before the NCAA’s dead period in February.

Arguably the biggest change from the [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] era has been the importance placed on recruiting. [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has been vocal about how important he values recruiting, and this weekend has the potential to be another big weekend for the Orange and Blue.

The Gators have had players on campus throughout January’s “contact period” but this weekend looks to be their busiest. With national signing day coming up on Feb. 1, Florida’s staff still has time to add players to their 2023 class. In regards to players in the 2024 class and younger, January is the last time that coaches and staff can have contact with recruits before February’s dead period.

The recruits that Napier and his staff want on campus the most have to be prospective transfer players. The deadline to register and enroll players in time for them to participate in spring practices is rapidly approaching. That makes former Kentucky offensive lineman Kiyaunta Goodwin the top priority this weekend.

The 6-foot-8-inch, 350-pounder has three years of eligibility remaining and is deciding between the Gators and Louisville. Goodwin played in 12 games as a true freshman last season and was the No. 38 overall player in the 2022 class. He would be a massive addition to a group that saw its leaders [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] and [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag] declare for the NFL draft.

In addition to Goodwin, the Gators will have 2024 commits [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag] and [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] on campus. They join uncommitted 2024 prospects Adarius Hayes, Joseph, Phillips, Caleb Odom, Kylan Fox, Malik Blocton, Travaris Banks, and Cameron Keys as 2024 visitors. In addition, underclassmen prospects Anthony Rogers (2025), Tarvos Alford (2025), Gavin Nix (2025), Naeem Burroughs (2026), and Bryce Perry-Wright (2026) will also be in attendance this weekend.

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LSU offers 4-star Florida commit, legacy

Myles Graham, son of former UF running back Earnest Graham, picked up an LSU offer.

[autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] is a 6-foot-1, 212-pound, four-star linebacker from the 2024 recruiting class. He is from Atlanta, where he plays for Woodward Academy. The  War Eagles finished the 2022 season 11-2 with a loss to eventual state champion, Langston Hughes in the third round of the GHSA 6A playoffs.

Graham is currently committed to playing for Billy Napier and the Florida Gators after high school, and his father, Earnest, is a former UF running back.

Film Analysis: Graham is a guy that plays on both sides of the ball for the War Eagles. He is profiled as a linebacker that has great ball skills, physicality and tackling ability. [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] will hope he can pull Graham away from the Gators.

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Blue-chip legacy linebacker sets return visit date

Here’s when UF commit Myles Graham plans on getting back on campus.

Things are back in high gear for Florida football’s recruiting efforts now that the NCAA quiet period has expired. With the gates now wide open, [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. are rolling out the red carpet to welcome prep recruits from around the nation into the Swamp.

Among the many planning on visiting Gainesville is a young man who is quite familiar with the Orange and Blue — four-star linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] out of Atlanta (Georgia) Woodward Academy in the 2024 class who is the son of Gator great running back Earnest Graham. The 6-foot-1-inch, 212-pound defender has made plenty of previous stops on campus and intends to make another on Jan. 21, according to Swamp247.

“Out of all the places, this was the one that just fell into place. It’s the perfect place for me and my family. My sister goes there now, and it just works out for me. I love the staff there. Everything just worked itself out.”

Graham committed back in August and showed no signs of wavering on his decision during the season. The legacy student-athlete’s recruitment has been spearheaded by inside linebackers coach [autotag]Jay Bateman[/autotag], who has made a significant impression on him.

“He’s a great coach, and a really constructive coach. I love the way he coaches and he’s a great recruiter as well. He didn’t just recruit me, he made sure he was like another role model for me in my life. He’s a great dude and a great man.”

Graham is ranked No. 30 overall and No. 2 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 consensus has him at Nos. 36 and 3, respectively.

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2024 RB commit locked in with Florida, return visit planned

Four-star running back Chauncey Bowens is still locked in with Florida after nearly four months committed to the Gators.

Florida isn’t in danger of losing a commitment from four-star The Benjamin School (North Palm Beach, Florida) running back [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag] after earning a pledge from him back in September. Communication between the Gators and Bowens is as strong as ever and he is planning a trip up to Gainesville to attend Florida’s Junior Day, according to Gators Online.

Bowens says that he’s still being recruited as if he weren’t under commitment and the special treatment has him feeling like a priority for the Gators.

“Me and the staff are in constant communication,” he said to Gators Online. “That was another main reason why I committed. Committing was exciting because it was like joining a new family. A few months later, it still feels like we are a tight family and always recruiting the next big-time Gator together.”

Getting Bowens on campus went a long way in keeping the relationship with the university strong. It makes plenty of sense then that he’s already locked in Jan. 21 as his next planned trip to the Swamp for the team’s camp.

Bowens is one of three recruits from the class of 2024 Florida has under commitment. Elite quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] and four-star linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] headline the class alongside Bowens.

The On3 consensus ranks Bowens at No. 256 overall and at No. 24 among running backs in the class. The 247Sports composite agrees with that assessment, ranking him slightly lower at No. 276 nationally but at No. 23 among those at his position.

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