Tag: tj searcy

Where do the Gators stand nationally after picking up latest commitment?

Adding four-star edge rusher TJ Searcy to the commitment list gave Florida a boost in the team recruiting rankings.

After adding four-star edge rusher [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag] on July 4, the Florida Gators have once again improved their standings in various team recruiting rankings.

UF started Monday ranked No. 45 on 247Sports’ class of 2023 rankings and jumped up to No. 38 after adding Searcy, who took over as the team’s highest-rated commit. Florida is still at No. 7 in the conference rankings behind Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, Alabama and South Carolina, in that order. The Razorbacks are at No. 1 because they have 19 commits under their belt but that should change as more and more decisions come in.

On3, which ranks Searcy as a top-50 recruit in the class, bumped Florida into the top 15 after the commission came in. Five of those six same SEC schools are once again ahead of Florida in the rankings with the exception of South Carolina, which doesn’t appear in the top 25. UF lands at No. 14 directly behind No. 12 Arkansas and No. 13 Tennessee.

As the top-15 ranking may suggest, On3 has a fairly optimistic view of what Napier’s accomplished and thinks the class can still be as strong as fans expect it to be.

Despite losing out on recruits, including quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag], Billy Napier earned a huge commitment from Searcy on July 4 to get Florida back on track. Searcy, one of the nation’s top defensive linemen, is the top-ranked prospect in the Gators’ defensive-heavy 2023 class. The group currently includes five four-stars.

Landing Searcy was a big win for the Gators, but Florida is far from finished in this recruiting cycle. With several targets deciding throughout the summer, UF could continue to climb these rankings.

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Florida football lands commitment from 4-star DL on Independence Day

It’s an Independence Day surprise! The Florida Gators have picked up another commitment from the class of 2023.

After teasing a decision by the end of the summer over the weekend, four-star edge rusher [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag] has committed to the University of Florida over Clemson, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The Upson-Lee (Thomaston, Georgia) recruit made things official on Independence Day with a post on social media that read “Happy 4th” with an emoji of a Gator and a blue heart above his commitment photo.

Searcy is the second four-star edge rusher to join the class along with former UCF commit [autotag]Isaiah Nixon[/autotag]. Although he’s listed as a defensive lineman by most recruiting services, Searcy is headed to Florida as a JACK edge rusher and is expected to play a similar role to the one [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. will have this year. His strength is rushing the passer but he also possesses the versatility to drop back into coverage if necessary.

Outside linebacker coach Mike Peterson played a key role in getting him to Gainesville, and now the job is to develop a relatively raw prospect into an NFL-ready player. At 6-foot-5-inches tall and 250-pounds, Searcy certainly has the frame to succeed in the SEC.

Florida is back up to No. 38 overall on 247Sports’ team recruiting rankings. Losing [autotag]Tommy Kinsler[/autotag] on Saturday caused the Gators to dip back into the 40s, but Searcy brings the commitment list back up to nine players and raises the average grade of the class from 0.8964 to 0.9006 as the newest top recruit.

The 247Sports composite ranks Searcy at No. 153 overall in the class of 2023 and No. 20 among defensive linemen. The On3 consensus has him in the same spot in its national rankings, but it’s worth noting that On3’s individual rankings have him at No. 49 overall.

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This top-15 linebacker sets official visit date to Florida

The Gators will get this prospect’s final official visit on Friday Night Lights weekend.

Four-star linebacker [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag], who is the 12th-ranked prospect at his position overall, is set to make a visit to Gainesville at the end of July. Tampa Catholic head coach Jeris McIntyre told 247Sports’ Blake Anderson that the 6-foot, 200-pound rising senior is expected to be in attendance at a cookout Florida is hosting for recruits on July 30.

The cookout would take place the day after Florida’s annual Friday Night Lights recruiting event, where prospects get hands-on work with the Gators coaches and staff underneath the lights at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

This would be the 2023 Under Armour All-American’s second visit to campus in 2022 after he took an unofficial visit earlier in the spring. Carter has taken four of his five NCAA-allotted official visits to North Carolina, Clemson, Oklahoma, and Auburn with the Gators closing out the list.

For Florida, securing a commitment from Carter would go a long way for [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his staff. After losing out on a pledge from 2023 quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag] on June 26, Napier and company have landed three four-star commits. Carter would be Napier’s first linebacker commit in the 2023 class and give the Gators seven four-star commits in that class after [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag]’s Fourth of July announcement.

There is no timetable on when Carter will make his decision. The Gators currently rank 38th nationally and 7th in the SEC recruiting rankings, according to 247Sports.

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Things ‘really good’ between Florida and this 4-star DL, next visit planned

Napier and Co. are pushing hard for this four-star DL. He plans to return to the Swamp in late July for the cookout to check things out one more time before making a decision.

The University of Florida was one of four stops made by four-star edge rusher [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag] in the month of June as the Upson-Lee (Thomaston, Georgia) recruit took all but one of his official visits.

That fifth visit might not come as Searcy is preparing to make a decision in the coming weeks, according to a report from 247Sports. Clemson, South Carolina and Tennessee are the other teams in consideration. The Gators and Volunteers are the two teams pursuing him most aggressively

“Florida, things are really good with them,” Searcy said. “I keep in touch with them a few times a week at least.”

Billy Napier and outside linebacker coach [autotag]Mike Peterson[/autotag] are his main points of contact with the team and both are pushing hard for him to land with the Orange and Blue. During his June 10 official visit, Searcy got a chance to see where he’d fit in with the team, and he left town with the impression that he could end up in a similar role to [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag].

Searcy plans to return to the Swamp one more time in late July for the team cookout. Getting back around the staff and some of the other recruits will give him another look at the program before deciding. There’s no set date, but he wants to get things over with by the end of summer.

“I am probably going to try and make my decision sometime in the summer,” he said. “I don’t really have no date, but sometime in the summer.”

The 247Sports composite ranks Searcy at No. 153 overall in the class of 2023 and No. 20 among defensive linemen. The On3 consensus has him in the same spot in its national rankings, but it’s worth noting that On3’s individual rankings have him at No. 49 overall.

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4-star Peach State DE includes Clemson in final schools

One of Clemson’s top defensive end targets in the class of 2023 dropped his final four schools on Sunday evening via social media. Upson-Lee (Thomaston, Ga.) four-star T.J. Searcy is down to Clemson, Tennessee, Florida and South Carolina. Searcy …

One of Clemson’s top defensive end targets in the class of 2023 dropped his final four schools on Sunday evening via social media.

Upson-Lee (Thomaston, Ga.) four-star T.J. Searcy is down to Clemson, Tennessee, Florida and South Carolina.

Searcy (6-5, 250) thoroughly enjoyed his first visit to Clemson’s campus on March 5, when he collected an offer from the Tigers. “It feels amazing to have an offer from Clemson because of how good of a program they are,” he told TCI after the visit. He was back on campus for Clemson’s official visit weekend from June 3-5.

A good run-stopper, who uses his length and size to his advantage, Searcy is the No. 185 overall prospect in the 2023 class, according to 247Sports.

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4-star DL considers Florida a ‘top school’ after official visit

The Gators made a huge impression on this huge defensive line prospect.

Florida football hosted a slew of high school prospects this past weekend as the summer recruiting season continues to heat up. Among those who made the trip to Gainesville was four-star linebacker [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag] out of Thomaston (Georgia) Upson-Lee, who stopped by on Sunday to see what the Swamp has to offer.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 250-pound prospect from across the state line came away from his official visit well impressed with what head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his staff have going for the Orange and Blue, offering the following to Swamp247’s Jacob Rudner.

“Coach Napier sat with us and coach Mike (Peterson) sat with us too,” Searcy said. “They made me feel like I could come here and make an impact.

“They’re definitely one of my top schools right now.”

He also told Hector Rodriguez at 1st and Ten Florida, “The visit was a 10 out of 10 for sure,” adding, “I just had a great time, and my family definitely enjoyed their time as well.”

Additionally, Searcy got a good idea of where he would play on the field under the current system, which places him at the edge position much like current Gator [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. He elaborated on that point with Swamp247.

“One thing they definitely did real good this time was explain to me how they would use me in the scheme,” he said. “They want me to go out there and get sacks. I wouldn’t be here to drop (back in coverage).

“They were telling me that me and B Cox are the same,” Searcy noted. “It would be me playing just like he is.”

His stop with Florida follows an official visit to see the Clemson Tigers, while the Tennessee Volunteers and South Carolina Gamecocks await him on the successive respective weekends to give him similar treatment. The Peach State star also expects to return to Gainesville for an unofficial visit in July.

Searcy currently sits at No. 188 overall and No. 31 nationally at his position according to 247Sports, while Rivals ranks him at Nos. 233 and 19, and On3 at Nos. 49 and 6, respectively. He currently holds one crystal ball projection from 247Sports with the Florida State Seminoles but South Carolina leads in On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine with a 34.1% chance of landing him; Florida is in third at 20.6%.

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Florida football set to host this 4-star DL on official visit

The Gators will be one of the first two teams to host 4-star DL TJ Searcy on an official visit.

Florida is building up quite the visitors list for the month of June, and the latest recruit to join the list is four-star defensive lineman [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag] out of Upson-Lee High (Thomaston, Georgia).

Searcy will be in Gainesville on June 10 for his official visit, according to Gators Online. It’s his second trip to the Swamp after stopping by on March 18. Clemson will get Searcy for an official visit over the first weekend of June and is considered the leader in his recruitment by On3’s recruiting prediction machine.

Outside linebackers coach [autotag]Mike Peterson[/autotag] has led things for the Gators with Searcy after previously recruiting him at South Carolina. He stopped by Searcy’s school to see him in action during spring practices and show his support, even though he couldn’t have face-to-face interactions with him. Those efforts seem to have paid off with a visit now scheduled.

The 6-foot-5.5-inch, 243-pounder came away impressed with Florida following his last visit, and an official visit should only improve things. Florida State, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee are the other programs in the hunt vying for the final three official visits.

To say that Searcy is high-profile might be an understatement. He ranks 49th overall in the class of 2023, according to On3’s individual rankings, and is No. 6 among defensive linemen. The On3 Consensus is less bullish on him at No. 149 overall and No. 23 at his position, but that’s still a blue-chip level evaluation. Searcy’s NIL valuation by On3 stands at $110,000, which is good enough for No. 167 among high schoolers.

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Florida sends OLB coach Mike Peterson to stop by this 4-star DL’s school

Florida sent outside linebackers coach to four-star defensive lineman T.J. Searcy’s school on Wednesday.

Florida sent outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson to stop by Upson-Lee High School in Thomaston, Georgia, to check out four-star defensive lineman [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag] on Wednesday, according to Gators Online.

The Gators originally offered Searcy back in mid-February. After receiving the scholarship, he wasted little time scheduling and making the trip to the Swamp on March 18.

Searcy has already built a strong relationship with Peterson because he spent a lot of time recruiting him to South Carolina over the last few years.

He said he’ll likely take an official visit to Florida down the road. Besides the Orange and Blue, Searcy will officially visit Clemson and South Carolina. Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State are some other schools that factor highly in his recruitment.

The 247Sports composite ranks Searcy as the 243rd best player nationally and the 34th best at his position. The Seminoles hold the lone crystal ball for him currently.

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Auburn extends offer to 4-star defensive end on visit

Auburn is in the mix for the 4-star defensive end.

Auburn made sure T.J. Searcy had a memorable visit to Auburn this weekend. The Tigers offered a scholarship to the talented four-star defensive end from Thomaston, Georgia.

Searcy has an impressive frame, 6 feet, 5 inches and 250 pounds, but he still has room to add muscle. He is an impressive athlete who has great traits but is still working to refine them and turn into a great football player.

Despite needing work, his traits are worth the attention. He has a good first step and has great flexibility to bend around opposing linemen and get into the backfield.

He had an opportunity to watch Auburn practice during his visit and has an interest in returning for a game during the season.

T.J. Searcy’s Recruiting Profile

Rating

Stars Overall State Position
247 4 176 17 28
Rivals 3 – 35 35
ESPN 4 166 15 20
On3 Recruiting 4 93 9 14
247 Composite 4 210 22 29

Vitals

Hometown Thomaston, Georgia
Projected Position Defensive End
Height 6-5
Weight 250
Class 2023

Recruitment

  • Offered on March 19, 2022.
  • Took an unofficial visit on March 19, 2022

Offers

Crystal Ball

No predictions yet.

Film

Twitter

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Georgia football offers scholarship to TJ Searcy

The Georgia Bulldogs have offered a scholarship to 2023 defensive end recruit TJ Searcy.

The Georgia Bulldogs have offered a scholarship to TJ Searcy. Searcy is a member of the class of 2023 and is a sophomore in high school.

Searcy plays defensive end and has a great frame at six-foot-five and he weighs 250 pounds. Searcy certainly has the size to win battles in the trenches in the SEC. In addition to playing defensive end, Searcy also plays some tight end.

Continuing a theme in college football and recruiting, Searcy is a versatile player. He’s quick off the line and has good burst. He’s got the ability to drop into coverage. Searcy also shows good strength and is a stout run defender, especially at the high school level.

Searcy plays football for Upson-Lee High School in Thomaston, Georgia. Upson-Lee is the home of Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Travon Walker, who was a very well-regarded recruit. Dawg fans will hope Walker can help lure Searcy to come to Athens.

Georgia is the first school to offer the talented defensive end a scholarship. TJ Searcy announced his scholarship offer from the Bulldogs via his Twitter account:

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