Tag: signed

After early scare Gators sign 5-star defensive lineman to LOI

Despite reports that he would hold off on signing, five-star defensive lineman LJ McCray has sent in his national letter of intent to Florida.

Florida has signed elite defensive lineman [autotag]LJ McCray[/autotag] on Wednesday despite reports that he would hold out.

McCray is the defensive crown jewel of the class, especially with five-star safety Xavier Filsaime flipping to Texas. He appeared locked in with the Gators for months, but the firing of defensive line coach Sean Spencer put his status into question with the early signing period looming.

Both Auburn and Florida State made strong pushes for McCray, and reports surfaced earlier Wednesday that he would not be sign immediately. Given the reports, locking up McCray is a massive win for Billy Napier and Co.

Florida still needs to hire a defensive coordinator, but the job should be easy to fill with McCray in tow.

There’s a real chance for McCray to make an immediate impact in Gainesville. He can afford to put on more weight at 6 feet, 6 inches and 260 pounds, which will make him bigger than most SEC offensive linemen. The ceiling is high here, but Florida needs to have the right coach develop him into the best pass rusher he can be.

McCray is ranked No. 35 overall and No. 8 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite. The On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 23 and 4, respectively.

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Five-star QB DJ Lagway sends in letter of intent to Florida

Five-star quarterback DJ Lagway is officially a Florida Gator now that his letter of intent has been sent in to the school.

The moment Gator Nation has been holding its collective breath for has finally come. [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] has signed his letter of intent and delivered it to the University of Florida.

Despite late pressure from a few programs, Lagway confirmed he’d stick with Florida in a live interview on ESPN just before his scheduled 4:30 p.m. ET announcement.

“I definitely sent it in,” Lagway said. “I just can’t wait to be a Gator. I can’t wait to be coached by Coach Billy Napier, so I’m excited”

Lagway has been a vocal leader of this Florida recruiting class and is viewed as the future of the program. He threw for 4,604 passing yards and 58 touchdowns as a senior, adding almost 1,000 more yards and 16 more scores on the ground. Lagway was recently named the 2023 MaxPreps National Player of the Year.

Graham Mertz is still expected to be the starter in 2024, but Lagway should get to lead certain drives throughout the year.

Lagway is a consensus five-star recruit, ranked the highest by 247Sports at No. 4 overall. The On3 industry ranking, which uses a weighted average of all four major recruiting services, puts him at No. 10 overall and No. 2 among quarterbacks in the class of 2024.

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Coveted JUCO defensive lineman signs with Florida football

The Florida Gators officially signed a three-star JUCO defensive lineman to the class of 2024

A three-star elite JUCO defensive lineman put his name to paper on Wednesday, signing to the Florida Gators after verbally committing last week.

Blinn College edge defender [autotag]Brien Taylor[/autotag] is officially a member of the 2024 Gators squad following his latest move during the early signing period.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 290-pound gridiron giant has always been vocal about his admiration of the UF campus and football coaching staff and felt satisfied that he was still made to feel like a priority after the Gators made changes to its defensive staff.

“Even after coach (Sean) Spencer was let go, they pushed even harder to make sure I knew I was still a priority and everything was real from the jump,” he told On3. “They like folks like me. I’ve never had anything handed to me; I go get what I want.”

Taylor wants to take advantage of the depleting Gators roster and make an immediate impression after making his way to Gainesville.

“I have the opportunity to make an instant impact. I got everything I need. I’ll be practicing against the best players to be able to get to the next level.”

Taylor is the No. 14 overall prospect among JUCO recruits and ranked No. 4 at the edge position for the class of 2024. Taylor chose the Gators over the likes of the Auburn Tigers, Tennessee Volunteers, Oregon Ducks and Georgia Bulldogs.

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Coveted Sunshine State ATH signs LOI with Florida football

This late-blooming athlete could be a huge get for the Gators down the line.

Florida football added another in-state recruit to its list of official signees with the program on Wednesday afternoon with the addition of three-star safety [autotag]Gregory Smith[/autotag] III out of Riverview (Florida) Sumner.

The 6-foot-4-inch, 195-pound defensive back has been verbally committed to the Gators since the day after Billy Napier’s staff extended a scholarship offer in October.

He made an official visit to Gainesville earlier this month which appears to have cinched things for both parties. The Sunshine State product also made official visits with the Toledo Rockets, Virginia Cavaliers and Vanderbilt Commodores, but the Orange and Blue just offered more.

“Florida offered, and they started showing love quick. I love that about them,” he told Swamp247’s Blake Alderman. “I got to know the staff really quick, probably the first two weeks. It’s really not that far, things like that. Every chance I get, they invite me up, so I take the opportunity to come up here. When I first came up here I got the OV set up. This is my last visit, my last OV for the year. I enjoyed it though.”

It is worth noting that Smith played most of his high school career at quarterback, but his physical talents project him much higher on the opposite side of the line.

“They just see me being someone to fit in well if I came up there,” Smith pnoted. “They have DB’s, but they said I have good speed, and they think I read offenses good. I play QB also for my team, and I feel like playing that position has helped me know what offenses are doing when I am on defense. I have the brain of a QB sort of as a DB.”

Smith is ranked No. 543 overall and No. 35 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 489 and 47, respectively.

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Florida finds potential RB replacement, officially signs 4-star recruit

Florida Gators may have found a replacement for RB Trevor Etienne after signing a four-star recruit from West Point, Mississippi.

Florida may have found the backfield replacement for former Gators running back Trevor Etienne.

Four-star running back recruit [autotag]Kahnen Daniels[/autotag] turned in his national letter of intent to the Gators on Wednesday morning, confirming the commitment made in April.

Daniels made several trips to the Swamp during the season, making himself comfortable in his future environment. The blue-chip prospect spoke with Swamp247 in September about his numerous visits.

“I just love being here,” Daniels said. “Every time I come here it feels more like home.”

Daniels said he felt welcomed by Florida running backs coach Jabbar Juluke, who was a strong pillar in the recruitment process. It also helps that Juluke’s running scheme aligns perfectly with what Daniels ran in high school.

Daniels explained in April that this aspect was vital to his decision-making.

“Florida was just mainly the coaches,” Daniels said. “They really made it feel like home for me. The hospitality and I really looked at their scheme they run and their offense and I really feel like I can thrive.”

Daniels is ranked No. 251 overall and No. 19 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite. The On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 228 and 7, respectively.

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Florida flips 4-star ATH from Arkansas, adds to 2024 LOI signee list

This multi-purpose athlete could really mix things up on offense for the Gators as early as next fall.

Billy Napier and Co. are having a field day on Wednesday as Florida football secures its 2024 recruiting class on the opening day of the early signing period. It has been mostly good news for the Gators, and the latest entry just adds to the optimism.

Four-star athlete Jaden Baugh out of Decatur (Georgia) Columbia made his mark on his letter of intent, joining the ranks of the Orange and Blue on the big day. The news is bigger than just the name.

He had been committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks until earlier in the week when he backed away from from the Hogs. Led by the efforts of running backs coach Jabbar Juluke, Florida swooped in to land his talents, which are expected to be used at more than just the running back position.

“They talked with me a lot about (running back), but they also said I am very versatile, so I can play receiver, running back, and he said they use their running backs in the passing game, too,” Baugh told Swamp247. “They run the ball a lot, and you can see it. He said all weekend, numbers don’t lie. They had two running backs in the top 10 for rushing.”

He rushed for 1,583 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2023 plus 531 receiving yards and six more scores received.

For what it is worth, the Alabama Crimson Tide were also in serious contention for Baugh’s services. Instead, he chose the Swamp as his collegiate destination.

Baugh is ranked No. 382 overall and No. 17 at the athlete position nationally according to the 247Sports composite. The On3 industry ranking has him at No. 357 overall and 26 among running backs.

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Florida football gets in-state 4-star wide receiver to sign

The Gators add another small but speedy pass-catcher to its 2024 class signees.

Florida football added a blue-chip recruit from within the state’s borders Wednesday morning in accordance with head coach Billy Napier’s edict to dominate home territory.

Four-star wide receiver [autotag]Tawaski Abrams[/autotag], out of Fort Myers (Florida) Dunbar, officially penned his name at the bottom of his letter of intent to the Gators. He commited in mid-July. The 5-foot, 11-inch, 175-pound pass catcher originally committed to the Florida State Seminoles, but Florida’s wide receivers coach Billy Gonzalez persuaded him to come to Gainesville.

“(Gonzales) loves the speed,” Abrams told Swamp247. “That is what most coaches like about me. “He tells me I remind him of (former Florida receiver) Kadarius Toney. That is what he says. A lot of people say I should go to Florida solely because of that comparison.”

Speaking of speed, much like fellow 2024 signee Jerrae Hawkins, Abrams was a standout in high school track. That translated well on the gridiron. He caught 37 passes for 622 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for 328 yards and six scores on 55 attempts — good for a 6.0 yards per carry average.

Overall, Abrams has had a very positive view of what the Orange and Blue have to offer, despite the nadir the program is mired in. It is the reliance on youth that he finds alluring.

“Being a guy coming into the program, you want to see that. You want to see younger guys getting on the field, because it lets you know if you do the same thing, you can have the same results. Everyone wants to get on the field as a freshman,” he noted.

“They want speed, they are building the program. They want the speed in their program, and they say I can do that for them. They are just trying to get guys that can run like me one player at a time.”

Abrams is ranked No. 328 overall and No.55 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite. The On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 343 and 58, respectively.

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Gators add another blue-chip LB to early signing period recruiting haul

Billy Napier and Co. tacked on another top linebacker to their 2024 commitment class on Wednesday morning.

The list of names of prep prospects to sign their letters of intent with Florida football continues to grow on the opening day of the early signing period. Wednesday morning’s events have been exciting so far — save for one major piece of bad news.

Nonetheless, optimism is in full flow across Gator Nation as a top-10 recruiting class coalesces for the Orange and Blue. That good mojo gained another boost when four-star linebacker [autotag]Aaron Chiles[/autotag], out of Onley (Maryland) Our Lady Good Counsel, made it official.

The 6-foot-3-inch, 220-pound defender committed to Florida in mid-June after fielding offers from many top schools, including the Alabama Crimson Tide, Clemson Tigers, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Bulldogs, LSU Tigers, Miami Hurricanes, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Ohio State Buckeyes, Ole Miss Rebels, Texas Longhorns and USC Trojans.

The Gators coaching staff — particularly defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong and inside linebackers coach Jay Bateman — has been completely transparent with the talented student-athlete and that honestly bore fruit with the Chiles.

“They told me they are young,” Chiles told Swamp247. “Coach Armstrong and coach Bateman have been transparent with me and told me how much they need me and how much they want me. I believe in what coach (Billy) Napier has in store.”

That patience does not come without a reward.

“They say they are going to bring me off the edge and inside. Being able to move around, make plays and putting me in position to make plays, that is why I am excited for it. I trust coach Armstrong and what he has in store, so I am ready.

Chiles is ranked No. 92 overall and No. 8 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite. The On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 122 and 9, respectively.

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Gators officially add blue-chip offensive tackle to 2024 recruiting class

The Gators officially add this massive Old Dominion State recruit to its offensive line.

The recruiting parade continues in Gainesville with the opening of college football’s early signing period on Wednesday morning, which has already seen the Florida Gators add some impressive names to its list of letter of intents.

Four-star offensive tackle [autotag]Fletcher Westphal[/autotag] out of Leesburg (Virginia) Tuscarora officially put the ink on the paper and joined the ranks of the Orange and Blue, giving Billy Napier’s program a much-needed boost on the O-line.

The 6-foot-8-inch, 335-pound trench warrior gave his verbal commitment back in July after being pursued by co-offensive line coaches Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton.

“I really liked that they are truly the everything school,” Westphal told Swamp247. “They check off so many boxes for me. The players have so many thing available for them.”

He chose Florida’s offer over the likes of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Clemson Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Florida State Seminoles, Miami Hurricanes, Michigan Wolverines, Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies.

“For a long time, Arkansas was the leader and I hadn’t taken too many visits to Florida, but as I got down there more, I started feeling differently about them,” Westphal told On3’s Chad Simmons. “I took my official visit to Florida, and I really enjoyed being around the players, I enjoyed being around the coaches and I loved the strength and conditioning staff. Everyone there was great to be around.”

Westphal is ranked No. 206 overall and No. 18 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 177 and 14, respectively.

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Florida football signs 4-star Peach State tight end, first since 2022

Florida added its first tight end recruit out of high school since the 2022 cycle on Wednesday morning.

Florida football picked up its first tight end recruit in two years on Wednesday morning when four-star [autotag]Amir Jackson[/autotag] out of Portal (Georgia) signed on with the Gators on the opening day of the early signing period.

The 6-foot-4-inch, 223-pound student-athlete committed to the Orange and Blue back in mid-June after initially receiving an offer in January after the program’s Junior Days event. Former tight ends coach William Peagler originally pitched the offer to him, but new tight ends coach Russ Callaway did not miss a beat with Jackson after taking over the former’s position.

While Jackson did court other suitors, he stayed the course in his decision to join the gang in Gainesville. He visited the Auburn Tigers for their matchup with the Georgia Bulldogs and at one point was open to other visits, but that quickly simmered down despite Florida’s rough finish.

“We got a pretty young team, and losing by five or six points,” he told Swamp247. “You can tell it’s talent in there, you just got to get the experience, and coaching will come around.”

That could be a prescient statement if all goes well for Napier and Co. next season. The good news is that he wants to be a part of that success.

Jackson is ranked No. 87 overall and No. 8 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 89 and 8, respectively.

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