Tag: Rivals

2020 Gators Football Recruiting Profile: Gerald Mincey

This is a prospect player profile for offensive tackle Gerald Mincey of the Florida Gators football recruiting class of 2020.

Name: Gerald Mincey

Position: Offensive Tackle

Height: 6’5″

Weight: 320 lbs

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

High School: Cardinal Gibbons High School

Twitter: @GeraldMincey

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐

Overview:

Gerald Mincey is a three-star offensive tackle signee from Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale. The No. 48 offensive tackle in the nation and the No. 655 player overall according to the 247Sports Composite, Mincey had a wide range of offers despite his relatively low recruiting ranking. He saw late coaching visits from staffs at Georgia and Miami, in addition to fielding offers from schools like FSU and Penn State, but he eventually committed to Florida in June 2019 and held firm on that commitment, signing in December.

A physical force at 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, Mincey has strong footwork and movement given his size. He’s a bruising pass blocker and could develop into quite a force up front for the Gators in the coming years.

Though he likely needs some time to develop and get in playing shape for an offensive lineman, Mincey is an important get a position of huge need for UF. The offensive line struggled tremendously in 2019 and is lacking in depth, especially at the tackle positions. Though he may not see the field in 2020, Mincey could be a key part of Florida’s o-line plan later on in his career.

Video:

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2020 Gators Football Recruiting Profile: Tre’Vez Johnson

This is a prospect player profile for safety Tre’Vez Johnson of the Florida Gators football recruiting class of 2020.

Name: Tre’Vez Johnson

Position: Safety

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 175 lbs

Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.

High School: Bartram Trail High School

Twitter: @tjohnson__22

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐

Overview:

Tre’Vez Johnson is a three-star recruit from Jacksonville who attended Bartram Trail High School. Rated as the No. 41 safety in the 2020 class according to the 247Sports Composite, he committed to Florida in June 2019 over offers from schools like Boston College, North Carolina and Appalachian State. He signed on Dec. 18 and enrolled this past June.

The 5-foot-11-inch, 175-pound defensive back most played as an outside corner at Bartram Trail, but due to his being slightly undersized for an outside corner, he will likely play at the STAR nickel corner position.

Johnson has great physicality and speed. He’s aggressive when making plays on the ball in coverage and with a 4.50 verified 40-yard dash time, he has the speed to keep up with most receivers in the secondary.

Though he finds himself a bit buried in the defensive backfield starting off, Johnson could see playing time sooner rather than later on a unit looking for new playmakers.

Video:

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2020 Gators Football Recruiting Profile: Jalen Lee

This is a prospect player profile for defensive tackle Jalen Lee of the Florida Gators football recruiting class of 2020.

Name: Jalen Lee

Position: Defensive Tackle

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 294 lbs

Hometown: Watson, La.

High School: Live Oak High School

Twitter: @jalenlee__

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overview:

Jalen Lee is a four-star recruit from Live Oak High School in Watson, La., and is the No. 37 defensive tackle (No. 364 overall) in the 2020 recruiting class.

Lee originally committed to in-state LSU last June two days after taking an official visit to Baton Rouge. He held his commitment to the Tigers for over five months before decommitting in November. He flipped to the Gators on Dec. 5 and signed during the early period, enrolling on campus in June.

At 6-foot-3-inches, 294 pounds, Lee has college-ready size and possesses great strength at the point of attack. He uses his physicality well to get through blockers and be a wrecking ball in the run game. He’s also a good athlete given his size and can pursue if need be. He needs to improve his variety of moves in the pass-rushing game, as he too often relies on brute force to take down the quarterback.

In a class loaded with defensive line talent, Lee could develop into a solid starting-level interior defensive lineman.

Video:

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2020 Gators Football Recruiting Profile: Lamar Goods

This is a prospect player profile for defensive tackle Lamar Goods of the Florida Gators football recruiting class of 2020.

Name: Lamar Goods

Position: Defensive Tackle

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 310 lbs

Hometown: Oakdale, Conn.

High School: St. Thomas More

Twitter: @GoodsLamar

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overview:

Lamar Goods is a four-star defensive tackle from St. Thomas More School in Oakdale, Conn. The No. 4 prospect from Connecticut and the No. 361 overall player in the class of 2020 according to the 247Sports Composite, Goods early enrolled with the Gators in January.

Though Florida got in early for Goods, offering him in May 2018, he committed to Kentucky in April 2019. That commitment only lasted two months, however, as Goods decommitted from the Wildcats in June 2019.

Two days after backing off his pledge to UK, Goods committed to Florida on June 21, where he remained committed until he signed in December. His other high-profile offers included Georgia, Tennessee and Michigan State.

At 6-foot-3-inches, 310 pounds, Goods has the frame to impose his will at the line of scrimmage and shutdown the run game, but he also has the athleticism to get off blocks and pressure the quarterback. Though he may struggle to see the field in Year 1, Goods could be a key figure of Florida’s defense in subsequent seasons.

Video:

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College Football Playoffs for the Irish? Maybe, maybe not…

Two Rivals experts debate if Notre Dame can make the CFP now that they are in the ACC for the 2020 season.

Now that Notre Dame has been included in the ACC there has been plenty of conjecture on how the Irish’s season will play out. Yesterday, we looked at ESPN and their updated Football Power Index ACC title odds and corresponding impact on the conference race and College Football Playoff odds. Today, Rival’s Mike Farrell and Adam Gorney examined if the Irish could make the CFP now that they’re affiliated with the ACC.

Let’s start with the optimist, Gorney, who think’s the Irish have a very legit possibility to make the CFP. He says that “Notre Dame has all the pieces to make a run to the College Football Playoff – whether it’s with an ACC-only schedule or anything else. The Irish have a veteran quarterback, one of the best offensive lines in the country, defensive playmakers at all three levels and they have excellent coaching as well.” It seems like Gorney liked the Irish’s chances even before joining the ACC for this season.

Farrell, however, didn’t see it like Gorney, as he “could see Notre Dame losing to Louisville, Pitt or North Carolina and ending the season with two losses.” The other loss Farrell is eluding to is the matchup with Clemson, it seems regardless of how Notre Dame schedule played out thought they would lose to the Tigers anyways. Farrell goes further saying “we knew they (Notre Dame) need to be perfect to make the playoffs most likely and with this schedule, I don’t see that happening.”

The two analysts are split on whether or not the Irish can finish inside the final Top 4 teams. With a conference affiliation, this gives the Irish more wiggle room than in previous years where an undefeated season was the only way that Notre Dame could make the final group. The wiggle room is minimal though, as two losses will take any team out of Playoff contention. This is shaping up to be a very interesting 2020 college football campaign and if the Irish can navigate themselves to a 11-1 season with an ACC title, they will punch their ticket into the Final 4.

2020 Gators Football Recruiting Profile: Xzavier Henderson

This is a prospect player profile for wide receiver Xzavier Henderson of the Florida Gators football recruiting class of 2020.

Name: Xzavier Henderson

Position: Wide Receiver

Height: 6’3.5″

Weight: 180 lbs

Hometown: Miami, Fla.

High School: Columbus High School

Twitter: @XXH_03

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overview:

While only entering his freshman year, Henderson is more familiar with Florida’s program than his fellow 2020 enrollees.

A four-star prospect and one of the top-dozen wide receivers in the class, per the 247Sports Composite, he is the brother of CJ Henderson, a three-year starter at cornerback for the Gators from 2017-19.

Starring on both the gridiron and track for the Columbus High School Explorers in Miami-Dade County, Henderson, who stands nearly 6-foot-4 and weighs 180 pounds, showcased blazing speed during his prep career, running the 40-yard dash in 4.55 seconds and posting a 400-meter time of 48.38 seconds.

Florida received stiff competition from Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers for Henderson’s services, but he elected to continue the family tradition by pledging to quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson and position coach/co-offensive coordinator Billy Gonzales, his primary recruiters, during the All-American Bowl at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on January 4.

With the Gators tasked with replacing Van Jefferson, Freddie Swain, Tyrie Cleveland and Josh Hammond, four of their top-five wideouts a year ago, Henderson should have the opportunity to push for playing time as a true freshman.

This fall will be the final year of collegiate eligibility for three more Florida pass-catchers, Trevon Grimes, Kadarius Toney and Rick Wells, meaning 2021 will likely present the highly touted recruit with even more chances to see extended action.

Overall, Henderson is the third-highest of the Gators’ 22 enrollees in the cycle, trailing only Lake Wales five-star defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and Fort Lauderdale four-star outside linebacker Derek Wingo.

Video:

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2020 Gators Football Recruiting Profile: Leonard Manuel

This is a prospect player profile for wide receiver Leonard Manuel of the Florida Gators football recruiting class of 2020.

Name: Leonard Manuel

Position: Wide Receiver

Height: 6’4″

Weight: 212 lbs

Hometown: Ocala, Fla.

High School: West Port High School

Twitter: @Begreatliltone2

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overview:

Manuel, a nearby commit from West Port High School in Ocala, is a three-star prospect and the No. 71 receiver in the 2020 recruiting class according to the 247Sports Composite. A big-bodied receiver at 6-foot-4, Manuel played a lot in the slot in high school, where he was a threat downfield, especially on seam routes.

In spite of his size, he also has the speed to get behind guys on deep balls and turn upfield after catching an underneath route in stride. He has good ball skills and played some defensive back in high school.

He was an early commit in the 2020 recruiting class, giving his pledge to coach Dan Mullen nearly a year and a half ago in January 2019. Despite other offers from schools like Georgia, Ole Miss and Florida State, he didn’t waver in his commitment.

Manuel is currently the only player in Florida’s 2020 class that hasn’t signed his National Letter of Intent, though he remains committed, and it’s currently unclear what is future plans are and if he’s still a part of UF’s class.

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Is the Notre Dame Offensive Line the best group in the country?

Five returning starters give the Irish a very formidable group, but just how good are they when compared to other top groups?

A long history of putting offensive linemen into the NFL has obviously gotten the notice of plenty of national pundits. Mike Farrell, the Recruiting Director over at Rivals, has ranked the best group of five offensive linemen in the country and the Irish came out on top of the list.

It’s not just one elite player on the line that Farrell likes its everyone “from Liam Eichenberg to Aaron Banks to Robert Hainsey, the front is loaded with talent and should pave the way for a strong running game and a dangerous offense under Ian Book.” The Irish will depend on the offensive line to pave holes for a very green running backs unit. They will also have to give Book enough time to find his also green wide receivers.

It is a very good luxury to have all five returning starters, with the aforementioned three along with Tommy Kraemer and Jarrett Patterson, to help ease the offense this coming season. Having a line that has been through the trials of a season together will surely help as Book finds go to targets and who will be the lead running back. You can add in Josh Lugg into the mix as well in case an injury occurs. Winning the battle on the trenches is often a good sign for great teams, and if the Irish offensive line plays up to expectations, you can expect very good results.

2021 Gators Football Recruiting Profile: Rocco Underwood

This is a prospect player profile for long snapper Rocco Underwood of the Florida Gators football recruiting class of 2021.

Name: Jonathan Rocco Underwood

Position: Long Snapper

Height: 6’4″

Weight: 220 lbs

Hometown: Lake Mary, Fla.

High School: Lake Mary High School

Twitter: @rocco_4015

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐

Overview:

While he does not possess the high-notoriety or name recognition of classmates Trevonte Rucker and Tyreak Sapp, Underwood is one of the more important commits in Florida’s 2021 class.

Special teams represent one-third of a football game and, simply, Underwood is one of the best in the business. The Rubio Long Snapping camp, America’s longest-running camp at the position, ran by former UCLA Bruin Chris Rubio, ranked him the No. 1 prospect in the class.

“Underwood was on fire at the Rubio Long Snapping Fall Camp in Georgia on November 24, 2019,” the company said in their breakdown.

“He ended up winning the whole camp and left no doubt he is the top long snapper (in the class). His size is fantastic, he moves well on his feet and his snapping motion is so smooth that it doesn’t even look like he is doing anything.

“The more he continues to finish his follow through, the more he simply will not miss his target. Ball is ready right now for the next level. Underwood is a flat out stud.”

The 14th in-state commit out of the Gators’ 22 in the class, Underwood plays his prep football for the Lake Mary Rams, located about 130 miles southeast of Gainesville. He also plays tight end on the high school gridiron, which is where 247Sports lists him positionally.

Underwood chose to pledge to running backs coach Greg Knox and tight ends coach Tim Brewster over offers from the Alabama Crimson Tide and Arkansas Razorbacks, plus three Group of Five schools.

Exemplifying the type of young man Florida has placed an emphasis on recruiting since Dan Mullen assumed control, he also excels in the classroom, owning a 3.9 grade point average.

Video:

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2020 Gators Football Recruiting Profile: Avery Helm

This is a prospect player profile for cornerback Avery Helm of the Florida Gators football recruiting class of 2020.

Name: Avery Helm

Position: Cornerback

Height: 6’2″

Weight: 170 lbs

Hometown: Missouri City, Tex.

High School: Fort Bend Marshall High School

Twitter: @FMB_Helm

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overview:

Helm is a four-star recruit and the No. 24 cornerback in the 2020 recruiting class. He initially committed to the Gators in April 2019 and held firm on his pledge through his senior year, signing with coach Dan Mullen and Florida in December. He enrolled on campus in June.

The Missouri City, Tex., prospect also had offers from SEC foes Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Georgia.

He is a lengthy outside corner whose 6-foot-2 frame contributes to solid ball skills. His game relies heavily on physical man coverage, and though he has strong cover skills, he can also make open-field tackles and was a major contributor in run stopping at Fort Bend Marshall High School.

Helm is the third-highest ranked corner in UF’s loaded 2020 class, but he’s the tallest in the class, and with the team’s youth in the secondary, he could find the field as a true freshman this season.

Video:

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