Tag: top schools

4-star linebacker Chris Cole names top schools, sets commitment date

Four-star linebacker Chris Cole plans to commit on Sept. 10

Four-star linebacker recruit Chris Cole is one of the most versatile recruits in the class of 2024 recruiting cycle. He plays safety and wide receiver in addition to linebacker. Cole’s background playing safety helps him immensely in coverage as a linebacker.

Chris Cole plays football and runs track for Salem High School in Salem, Virginia. Cole is ranked as the No. 1 recruit in Virginia and the No. 58 prospect nationally. Cole is the No. 6 linebacker in the class of 2024.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound linebacker has excellent speed. Cole set a school record in the 60-meter dash recently. The Salem standout has committed to playing in the 2024 Under Armour-All-America Game.

Cole plans to announce his commitment on Sept. 10. Who are his top six schools?

4-star edge Booker Pickett names top schools

Who are four-star edge rusher Booker Pickett’s top schools?

Four-star pass rusher Booker Pickett Jr. has named his top five schools. Pickett Jr. plays high school football for Wharton High School in Tampa, Florida.

The rising senior defensive end is the No. 190 player in the class of 2024 and the No. 13 edge rusher. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Wharton star continues adding to his frame. Pickett Jr. is considered the No. 27 player in Florida.

The Wharton defensive end consistently works his way into the opposing backfield. Pickett Jr. has a great speed rush and a nifty spin move. The four-star is lightning quick off the snap and is a quarterback-sacking machine. Pickett Jr. is very productive at the high school level.

Who are Booker Pickett’s top schools?

Gators among ‘top few schools’ for coveted 2025 IOL after offer

This 2025 offensive lineman recruit is already high on what the Swamp has to offer him.

Billy Napier’s staff offered a scholarship to three-star interior offensive lineman [autotag]Mal Waldrep[/autotag] out of Phenix City (Alabama) Central on Wednesday afternoon, much to the 2025 recruit’s delight. The 6-foot-5-inch, 290-pound trench warrior was so pleased with the gesture that he immediately placed the Gators near the top of his preferred destinations.

“I can’t wait to go see what Florida has to offer,” Waldrep told Gators Online. “Right now, they are definitely in my top few schools.”

“I know that playing for Florida means playing SEC ball. To me, that means a lot for a program to be in the SEC. I know they have a great coaching staff and great academics,” the high school junior added.

The Georgia Bulldogs, Clemson Tigers, Auburn Tigers, Penn State Nittany Lions, Kentucky Wildcats, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Colorado Buffaloes headline the laundry list of other programs also in play for the coveted lineman.

Waldrep is ranked No. 401 overall and No. 29 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 401 and 21, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has Auburn in front (33.9%) followed by Georgia (29.6%), Clemson (25.4%) and Georgia Tech (1.0%)

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1368]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Gators land in top 10 for elite shooting guard

Four-star shooting guard VJ Edgecombe has narrowed things down to 10 college programs, and the Florida Gators made the cut.

Long Island Lutheran (New York) shooting guard [autotag]VJ Edgecombe[/autotag] is one of the top names on Florida’s 2024 recruiting board, and Todd Golden’s staff secured the Gators a spot in his top 10 on Sunday.

Edgecombe, a native of Nassau, tweeted that he’d be deciding among Florida, Alabama, Baylor, Connecticut, Duke, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Saint John’s and the NBA G-League Ignite team, which was created for top NBA draft prospects to compete outside the traditional NBA G-League format.

Looking at Edgecombe’s summer highlights, it’s clear that he’s often the best player on the court. Attacking the rim isn’t a problem, especially when he gets a good screen from a teammate.

He explodes off the ground after taking his second step and can put others on a poster at 6-foot-5 inches tall. His three-point shot looks more comfortable from the right side of the break.

Edgecombe is a four-star recruit everywhere but ESPN, where he is a five-star prospect ranked No. 7 overall in the class of 2024. The On3 industry ranking, which uses a weighted average of all four major services, places him at No. 17 overall on the national ranking and No. 4 among shooting guards in his class. He’s also ranked the third-best player from New York.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1739]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Florida one of five programs standing out early for 4-star EDGE

The Gators are one of five programs standing out to four-star edge rusher Bryce Davis.

The Florida Gators have kept an eye on the talent at Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina, and class of 2025 edge rusher Bryce Davis is emerging as a serious target for the Orange and Blue, according to On3’s Chad Simmons.

A rising junior, Davis has plenty of time to make a decision, but he’s favoring five schools heading into the fall. Florida is competing with Clemson, Duke, Georgia and Tennessee for the top spot on Davis’ list, and the recruiting battle is really just getting started.

The Bulldogs are getting him in town for the first time on Saturday, and the Volunteers are close enough (four hours) to get him on campus often. Duke is the current leader, according to the On3 recruiting prediction machine, with 36.0% odds to land him. Those numbers should change after the Georgia visit, though.

The Gators didn’t disappoint when hosting Davis last month, but they’ll have to get him back on campus soon to keep up in this race.

“I was at Florida in June for the first time and it was great,” Davis said. “The coaches were welcoming, they talked to me a lot and they were all very genuine. Coach Billy Napier was cool. I love coach Mike Peterson‘s resume and it was a great first visit for me. I went into Florida with high hopes and they met my expectations.”

Davis is a consensus four-star recruit, ranked highest by 247Sports at No. 24 overall and No. 4 among edge rushers in the class of 2025. The On3 industry ranking, which uses a weighted average of all four major recruiting services, puts Davis at No. 53 overall and No. 8 among those at his position. He’s also the third-highest-ranked prospect from North Carolina.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1369]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions

Florida near the top for this class of 2025 wide receiver

Florida’s early efforts with 2025 wide receiver Jayvan Boggs are paying off, and he’s planning a return visit later this month.

The Florida Gators offered Cocoa High (Florida) wide receiver [autotag]Jayvan Boggs[/autotag] back in June and is one of three teams standing out for the class of 2025 pass catcher a month later, according to Gators Online.

“There’s really no favorite right now but Penn State, Ohio State and Florida lead the way for me,” Boggs said. “It’s very close between them three schools.”

Florida has kept in contact with Boggs since offering, with assistant coaches checking in at least weekly. He’s planning to return at the end of the month for the Gators’ Grill in the Ville cookout.

Despite the Division I interest Boggs has garnered, he doesn’t have a grade on any of the four major recruiting services. He’s only a rising junior, though, which means he has at least 17 more months until he can sign a letter of intent.

Plenty could change over those 17 months, including his top three and star ratings.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1739]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

This 2025 DB is favoring Florida following a teammate’s commitment

Florida earned a commitment from Cardinal Mooney cornerback Chris McCorkle on Friday, and now one of his teammates is considering Florida a bit more seriously.

Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota, Florida) cornerback Teddy Foster became the 20th commitment in Florida’s 2024 recruiting class on Friday, and his teammate, [autotag]Chris McCorkle[/autotag], is now seriously considering the Gators, according to Gators Online.

McCorkle, who is ranked No. 37 among cornerbacks in the class of 2025 by On3, was offered in May along with Foster. He’s received some Power Five offers so far, but Florida was the first SEC program to give him a chance.

Being a rising junior, Florida has had limited communication time with him over the summer, but McCorkle told GO that the staff is still doing their best. Foster’s commitment seems to have had a serious impact on McCorkle’s thought process.

“It was a big day for Teddy yesterday with him committing there; it was a big day for all of us,” McCorkle said. “I am happy for him and he is definitely going to make a big impact on Florida. That is like a brother to me, a role model and a great person to look up to.”

Florida will be able to contact McCorkle more freely once the school year starts, specifically after Sept. 1 when college coaches can begin emailing players directly. Arranging a first visit should quickly move Florida to the top of the pack, assuming the Gators aren’t already there.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1739]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

4-star OL Jonathan Daniels makes commitment

Four-star offensive line recruit Jonathan Daniels had UGA football in his top three schools, but is going in another direction.

Four-star offensive line recruit Jonathan Daniels committed to Florida State over Georgia and Kentucky.

Daniels went on June official visits to each of his top three schools, but ending up rolling with the Seminoles.

The 6-foot-4, 280-pound offensive lineman is considered both an offensive tackle and interior offensive line recruit. Daniels plays high school football for Pine Forest High School in Pensacola, Florida, meaning he plans to stay close to home at Florida State.

Daniels is ranked as the No. 104 recruit in the nation and the No. 5 interior offensive lineman, per 247Sports. Daniels is the No. 12 player in Florida.

Florida State has 17 commitments in the class of 2024 and the No. 11 recruiting class in the country.

Georgia recently solidified its class of 2024 with a commitments from a number of massive four-star offensive line recruits. Kirby Smart and Georgia have the top-ranked class of 2024 in the country. The Dawgs have 26 commitments in the 2024 recruiting cycle.

Georgia football holds commitments from six offensive line recruits in the rising senior class, so the Bulldogs may be set on the offensive front for the class of 2024.

Daniels announced his commitment to Florida State via social media:

 

[lawrence-related id=89537]

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

5-star RB Nate Frazier names top schools

Five-star running back recruit Nate Frazier has named his top eight schools.

Five-star class of 2024 running back recruit Nate Frazier has announced his top eight schools.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound running back plays high school football for Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California. Mater Dei is one of the top high school football programs in the country.

The elite running back also runs track, where he has posted a 10.73 second 100-meter dash. Nate Frazier is ranked as the No. 15 recruit in the rising senior class, per ON3. Frazier is the second-rated player in California and the top-ranked running back.

Nate Frazier averaged 11.4 yards per carry last season. Frazier had only 61 total carries, but he made the most of his touches. Frazier scored nine rushing touchdowns and recorded 791 rushing yards.

Who are Nate Frazier’s top schools?

Florida making a push for class of 2025 4-star QB from West Coast

The Gators are looking at rising junior quarterback Akili Smith Jr., but it might be tough to get the West Coast talent over to the Swamp.

Florida is exploring the remaining uncommitted quarterbacks in the class of 2025 and four-star Lincoln (San Diego, California) quarterback [autotag]Akili Smith Jr[/autotag]. is one name connected to the program.

The Gators are pursuing Smith, according to 247Sports, but it will be hard to get him away from the University of Oregon, where his father played before being drafted No. 3 overall in 1999 by the Cincinnati Bengals. Still, the Gators are part of an unofficial top three for Smith that also includes the Michigan Wolverines.

The main connection for Smith at Florida has been offensive analyst/quarterbacks coach Ryan O’Hara.

“(O’Hara) is a West Coast guy, so he knows where I’m coming from,” Smith told 247Sports.

Smith is a consensus four-star recruit, ranked highest by On3 at No. 85 overall. He’s also the top-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the class according to ESPN.

The On3 industry ranking, which uses a weighted average from all four major recruiting services, puts Smith just outside the top 100 at No. 107 and No. 7 among all quarterbacks in the class of 2025.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1369]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.