Tag: robert stafford

LSU offers 4-star athlete from Florida

Robert Stafford has the talent to play on either side of the ball at the next level.

[autotag]Robert Stafford[/autotag] is a 5-foot-11, 171-pound athlete from Melbourne, Florida, where he plays for Eau Gallie High School. As a junior in 2021, Stafford was a two-way player that didn’t get snaps on defense until spring before his junior season. Here’s the 247Sports summary on him.

“On offense as a wide receiver, he caught 42 passes for 605 yards and 5 TDs. On defense, he lined up primarily at cornerback and he was credited with 17 tackles, 5 pass breakups, and an interception in 9 games per MaxPreps.”

Film Analysis: Stafford is a super talented athlete that could play on either side of the ball at the next level. He has excellent speed, quickness, hands, and ball skills that separate him from the rest of the pack.

FILM

LSU Wire breaks down his profile.

Florida one of many competing for official visit from this in-state 4-star ATH

A top five for 4-star ATH Robert Stafford is coming soon and the Gators want to be on the list.

As spring practices kicked off around the state on Monday, Florida tight ends coach [autotag]William Peagler[/autotag] stopped by Eau Gallie High to see four-star athlete [autotag]Robert Stafford[/autotag] in action, according to a report from 247Sports. The Gators are hoping to work their way into Stafford’s recruitment with a list of his top five schools set to come after his spring game on May 12.

So far, Arkansas is the only sure bet to make the list. Stafford has an official visit locked in on June 24 and has been in contact with the program since he was a sophomore. Georgia, Miami and Oregon are a few of the other teams in the mix to get him on campus over the summer.

Florida’s competition is strong, but head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has brought back some state pride in his short time recruiting for the Gators. Some of the best names in the state are interested in the program, and that includes Stafford.

“It wasn’t really one of my dream schools growing up,” Stafford said of Florida. “But if you from Florida, you kind of got to like them. So, I’m just happy that they are recruiting me… Coach Napier is a cool dude. When I was there, he told me that I can play whatever position he wants. They just want me on the team.”

Stafford is No. 199 on the 247Sports composite and the No. 15 athlete in the class of 2023. Most expect him to be a cornerback at the next level, but Napier obviously sees how versatile the 5-foot-11-inch, 171-pounder is.

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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.

Billy Napier’s sincerity paying off with this in-state 4-star ATH

With nearly 40 offers on the table, it’s a pretty good sign that 4-star ATH Robert Stafford is raving about Florida after his visit.

Billy Napier has made many changes since taking over as the head coach of Florida and recruits are starting to notice the dramatic differences between the old staff and the new.

Four-star athlete Robert Stafford took an unofficial visit to Gainesville on March 5 and he came away with a much different impression of Florida than expected, according to 247Sports. The biggest takeaway was that the Gators really want Stafford on the team. It’s not just Napier or the position coaches who want him. It’s the entire recruiting staff going after him, and Stafford says it feels good to be wanted.

“Some of the visits I went to, with the coaches it was just a couple of them,” Stafford said. “With this one, it was the whole staff. I know they really want me. All of them were texting me like excited for me to come this morning. It was real good.”

Most two-way players end up picking a position to focus on before heading to the pros, but Florida likes Stafford as both a defensive back and wide receiver. Tight ends coach William Peagler and defensive analyst Jamar Chaney have both been in contact with Stafford over the past few weeks to keep the relationship strong. He should be able to make an impact at Florida early on regardless of his position.

Stafford says he’s “looking for a family,” and Napier’s “genuine” approach to coaching and leadership stood out to him. He still has nearly 40 offers to sort through, but this visit seems to have helped Florida. The sunny Gainesville weather is also a plus since Stafford doesn’t like the cold.

247Sports ranks Stafford No. 16 among athletes in the class of 2023 and No. 184 overall in the class. He is ranked as the 36th best recruit in the state of Florida.

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This in-state 4-star athlete set to visit Florida this weekend

Gators look to rope in this talented athlete this weekend.

Florida is currently set to host four 5-stars and 11 4-star recruits this weekend, the first one after the NCAA dead period concluded as of Tuesday. Now Gators fans can make that 12 4-stars as athlete Robert Stafford confirmed his plans to visit Saturday to Swamp247.

This will be his first visit to see Florida since coach Billy Napier and his staff have taken over. Stafford was offered by coach Dan Mullen and his regime last fall, but since the coaching change the dialogue hasn’t trailed off. Stafford said despite his listing as an athlete by most recruiting services that the Gators are recruiting him to play defensive back.

He added off-field staffer Jamar Chaney and area recruiter and tight ends coach William Peagler have been his main contacts. Stafford is looking forward to meeting them in person and seeing the rest of the campus.

“Their tradition and the proximity to home is obviously eye-opening,” he said of the Gators. “I grew up watching them on TV every Saturday being from Melbourne and they have done a good job of recruiting players in our area in the past.”

Napier and Co. are expecting 5-stars Keon Keeley, Francis Mauigoa, Samuel M’Pemba and highly touted 4-stars like Grayson Howard, Zavion Hardy and Payton Kirkland as well as Stafford this weekend.

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UGA football offers 4-star 2023 athlete Robert Stafford

Georgia offers Robert Stafford, who plays football, basketball, and track for Eau Gallie High School.

Four-star athlete Robert Stafford has scholarship offers from Michigan, Nebraska, FSU, Oregon, Ohio State and now Georgia. Stafford is a member of the class of 2023 who plays football, basketball and track for Eau Gallie High School (Florida).

Coaches love a three-sport athlete. Stafford shows his versatility on the football field, where he plays wide receiver and defensive back. His track speed shows on tape. Stafford can take a slant to the house and is not going to be caught form behind at the high school level.

The four-star prospect is dynamic in the screen game as a wide receiver. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound receiver is elusive in the open field and requires defenders to take less aggressive angles if they want to tackle him.

Stafford isn’t afraid to get physical as a blocker in the run game and is capable of making contested catches despite his smaller size. The Eau Gallie star has visited Arkansas, UCF and more.

The four-star athlete announced his scholarship offer from Georgia via Twitter and pinned the Tweet:

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