Tag: Parker Leise

Gators add former UConn quarterback as preferred walk-on

Florida found another quarterback to add to the roster before spring camp begins. Welcome to the Swamp, Micah Leon!

Florida is adding former Connecticut and NC State quarterback [autotag]Micah Leon[/autotag] to the roster as a preferred walk-on, according to All Gators’ Zach Goodall.

Leon most recently played for the Connecticut Huskies from 2019-2021 before entering the transfer portal for a second time. He started his college career at North Carolina State as a walk-on but transferred from there after redshirting in 2017 and riding the bench in 2018.

He never ended up getting much playing time at UConn despite coming in on scholarship. Leon made just one appearance for the Huskies in 2021, but he did complete 10 of his 13 pass attempts for 62 yards.

In high school, Leon spent time with American Heritage Del Ray Stallions during an FHSAA 3A state championship run. He transferred to Boca Raton High to serve as a captain for the Bobcats his senior year and finished the season with 1,085 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air while adding 555 yards and another 11 touchdowns on the ground.

This will be his final season of eligibility, which could give him a leg up on UF’s other walk-on quarterbacks, freshmen [autotag]Parker Leise[/autotag] (IMG Academy) and [autotag]Jordan Gile[/autotag] (Chattanooga Christian School). Leise is already on campus, and Gile is a commit.

Florida will have Wisconsin transfer [autotag]Graham Mertz[/autotag], former Ohio State quarterback [autotag]Jack Miller III[/autotag] and redshirt freshman [autotag]Max Brown[/autotag] to handle the bulk of the snaps under center this year.

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Florida signs 4-star OT commit on national signing day

Florida officially added one more piece to the 2023 recruiting class on Wednesday with the signing of offensive tackle Caden Jones.

Florida signed all 20 of its commits at the time during the early signing period, but the class has undergone a few changes since then.

As many Gators fans know, blue-chip quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag] never made it to campus after signing his letter of intent and eventually asked for his release from the program. He signed with Arizona State on national signing day, but Florida brought in a four-star offensive lineman to keep the class at 20 signees.

Four-star De La Salle (New Orleans, Louisiana) offensive tackle [autotag]Caden Jones[/autotag] was the lone unsigned commit heading into 2023. He committed in January after taking an official visit to the Swamp a month prior. Jones’ letter of intent came in just after 3 p.m. on Wednesday as he officially joined Billy Napier’s program.

“We had Caden at camp, so we had an opportunity to work with him at 6-foot-7-and-a-half,” Napier said regarding Jones at his national signing day press conference. “You know, he’s got a 36 (-inch) arm. I mean, it’s probably the longest arm we’ve measured since we’ve been doing it, and (he’s) really a young man too. A guy that I think is going to continue to grow.”

Jones is a four-star recruit, according to the On3 consensus and 247Sports composite. He’s ranked No. 364 overall and No. 24 among offensive tackles on the composite and No. 385 nationally and No. 23 at his position on the consensus.

Florida also added five walk-ons on national signing day: quarterbacks [autotag]Jordan Gile[/autotag] and [autotag]Parker Leise[/autotag], running back and son of Sen. Marco Rubio, [autotag]Anthony Rubio[/autotag], and edge rusher [autotag]Layne Swafford[/autotag].

As the 2023 cycle comes to a close, Florida sits at No. 11 overall on the On3 consensus team rankings and No. 13 on the 247Sports composite team rankings.

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Marshall EDGE commit flips to UF after picking up PWO offer

Florida added another preferred walk-on today, an in-state edge rusher that recently backed off a commitment to Marshall.

The Gators added another edge rusher to the 2023 recruiting class on Wednesday as Ponte Vedra’s [autotag]Layne Swafford[/autotag] committed to the program as a preferred walk-on.

He’s one of a few PWO additions [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has made over the past few weeks, including running back and son of Senator Marco Rubio, [autotag]Anthony Rubio[/autotag], and quarterbacks [autotag]Jordan Gile[/autotag] and [autotag]Parker Leise[/autotag].

Swafford, a three-star recruit, was previously committed to Marshall University, but he backed off that pledge after visiting Florida. Playing in the SEC was too good to pass up, and Swafford quickly completed the flip after just two days. He projects as a stand-up edge for the Gators, according to 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins.

During his senior year, Swafford recorded 53 total tackles (26 solo) and four sacks as the Sharks finished the season 5-5, according to MaxPreps. His best game of the year came against Florida State University High School on Sept. 2 when he made five solo tackles and nine overall, including a sack. His only multi-sack game of the year game against Bishop Kenny in October.

He checks in at 6-foot-3-inches tall and 245 pounds, so he’s got the right frame to compete in the SEC. Developing Swafford over the first few years of his collegiate career will be key to his success.

Swafford is ranked No. 143 among edge rushers in the class on the 247Sports composite and is No. 141 nationally on the On3 consensus.

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Gators add IMG Academy QB as preferred walk-on

Billy Napier said that Florida was looking to add another quarterback to the roster, and he found his man at none other than IMG Academy.

Florida added another member to its recruiting class of 2023, three-star IMG Academy quarterback [autotag]Parker Leise[/autotag], who will join the team as a preferred walk-on.

Leise announced his commitment to the university on Christmas Eve via social media. The news comes just days after the early signing period closed during which Florida head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] indicated that the team would be seeking a fifth quarterback for the roster.

The Gators expect four scholarship quarterbacks to be on the roster next season: [autotag]Jack Miller III[/autotag], Wisconsin transfer [autotag]Graham Mertz[/autotag], redshirt freshman [autotag]Max Brown[/autotag] and true freshman [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag]. Leise is a pro-style quarterback who likes to stay in the pocket, which is different from most of the quarterbacks Napier likes to bring in.

Leise held offers from Butler, Kansas, Miami (Ohio) and Toledo among others but chose to take the PWO path and stay in Florida. IMG Academy, of course, is in Bradenton, but Leise hails from Prairie Village, Kansas, so beating out the Jayhawks is significant.

Although Leise had an up-and-down year at IMG, he has the physical tools to be successful at the collegiate level. Standing at 6-foot-2-inches and 215 pounds, he has the size most coaches want at the signal caller position. He’ll spend time with the scout team in hopes of developing his game for the future.

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Where does Penn State go for QB in Class of 2023 after latest flip?

After Thursday’s flip of Marcus Stokes, will Penn State sign a QB in the Class of 2023 or begin focusing on 2024?

Penn State was dealt a bit of a punch to the gut on Thursday with unfortunate recruiting headlines. Among them was news that quarterback [autotag]Marcus Stokes[/autotag], who had just confirmed his commitment to the Nittany Lions a little more than a week prior, flipped his commitment to the Florida Gators following a solid showing at the Elite 11 Finals. Ordinarily, losing a four-star quarterback at this stage in the recruiting cycle would be a severe blow to a program, but Penn State should be in OK shape knowing that [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag], a prize from a stellar Class of 2022, is on deck to replace [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag].

But what if Penn State still desires a quarterback in 2023 too? The good news is there are still quarterbacks out there to be claimed. The bad news is most of the ones with a Penn State offer are already committed elsewhere.

There are two quarterbacks with a Penn State offer on the table, but neither is expected to end up in Happy Valley. Dante Moore, a five-star option from Michigan, is set to announce his college decision on Friday. Moore is expected to choose from the final candidates of Orgeon, Texas A&M, Michigan, and Notre Dame. Don’t count on any last-second surprises here.

The other offer belongs to [autotag]Dylan Lonergan[/autotag], a four-star quarterback from Georgia who is set to announce his decision next week. Alabama is the expected favorite to secure Lonergan’s commitment. Despite Lonergan being a Penn State legacy (his father was Dan Lonergan, a backup to [autotag]Todd Blackledge[/autotag] in the Class of 1982), it is not expected the Nittany Lions will be able to make a late surge at the final hour. South Carolina and Stanford are also reportedly in the mix, and the Buckeyes are floating out there as well.

So what about any other potential targets?

Among the other quarterbacks that have supposedly been on the radar is Parker Leise, a three-star recruit from IMG Academy. Leise has been flying under the radar during this recruiting cycle, so he could be a player that could quickly latch on to Penn State if the Nittany Lions go all-in on pursuing his commitment.

Leise has received scholarship offers from Kansas, Miami OH, Toledo, and Butler. This may not be the kind of offer list that suggests Penn State is going to make a run, but a player from IMG Academy is always going to be worth keeping an eye on.

But given the current landscape of quarterbacks in the Class of 2023, it may be a bit late to make any serious noise at the posiiton now for the Class of 2023. Instead, Penn State may focus its energy in the Class of 2024 for a top-rated quarterback to join the program. That would appear to make the most sense at this point as Allar is viewed as the next starting quarterback for the program and could be in that role for a couple of seasons.

But if Penn State loses another quarterback to the transfer portal, such as Christian Veileux, the urgency to signa  quarterback in the Class of 2024 will be rising. OF course, Penn State could always look back into the transfer portal to try filling the depth chart a bit if needed. Penn State attempted to do that in 2021 but cam eup empty, and they may have paid the price for it.

For now, it may be most likely Penn State skips on a big name quarterback in the Class of 2023 and hoeps to land a big prize in the Class of 2024.

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