Tag: top schools

Gators make top 10 for this 4-star defensive back

One of Florida’s top in-state targets is narrowing his list down to 10 schools, but the Gators are still near the top of that list.

After collecting over two-and-a-half dozen offers from Division I colleges, Mainland (Daytona Beach) defensive back [autotag]Zavier Mincey[/autotag] has narrowed things down to a top 10.

In addition to the University of Florida, Mincey is now looking at Alabama, Colorado, Florida State, Miami, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and UCF. Mincey broke down each finalist with Chris Boyle of The Daytona Beach News-Journal.

“I love the idea of playing close to home. I think about all the greats and the legacy Florida has,” Mincey said. “The coaches always show me love and make it known that I am a top priority. I plan on taking my first official visit to Florida the second weekend of June.”

As mentioned above, Florida is set to host Mincey on an official visit soon. He is scheduled to arrive in Gainesville the weekend of June 9 with several other priority targets.

Mincey is a four-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN and On3’s measures, but Rivals.com thinks he’s a three-star talent. Go figure. The On3 industry ranking, which uses a weighted average of all four services, has him ranked No. 140 overall and No. 10 among safeties in the class of 2024.

On3’s independent rankings are the highest of any on him at No. 64 nationally and No. 4 among safeties.

[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 make top 6 for in-state defensive back

Florida made the most recent cut for 2024 defensive back Ashton Hampton, who narrowed things down to a top six on Monday.

Florida State University School (Tallahassee, Florida) athlete Ashton Hampton narrowed his options down to six college programs on Memorial Day and the Florida Gators made the cut along with Arkansas, Clemson, FSU, LSU and Miami.

Zach Blostein of 247Sports caught up with Hampton to talk about each of his six finalists. For Florida, it’s the constant communication from defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong and the reputation of defensive backs coach Corey Raymond that are paying off the most.

“Coach Armstrong texts me every day checking in with me and makes sure everything is going good,” said Hampton, “and coach Raymond has a history with a lot of great DBs.”

Florida State currently leads the On3 recruiting prediction machine for Hampton with 44.7% odds to land him. Florida is slowly closing the gap but is still a distant second in this recruiting race (20.5%). Getting the Tallahassee-based defender on campus again might be the only way for UF to make a significant at this point, though.

Hampton plans to take four of five official visits in June, but he’s saving the FSU visit until December. LSU is the only program in his top six that doesn’t have an official visit scheduled. Florida is set to host him on June 9-11.

A consensus three-star recruit, Hampton is ranked No. 822 overall on the 247Sports composite. He’s also ranked No. 79 among safeties in the class of 2024 and No. 113 in the state of Florida.

[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.

Big-time 4-star IOL releases top 8 schools, includes Florida

One of the best interior offensive linemen in the 2024 recruiting cycle included Florida in his top-8 list.

Four-star interior offensive lineman [autotag]Liam Andrews[/autotag] out of Brookline (Massachusetts) Dexter School narrowed his list of top schools to eight on Thursday, according to the announcement made on his personal Twitter account.

The recent cut included the Florida Gators, as well as the Penn State Nittany Lions, Ohio State Buckeyes, Wisconsin Badgers, South Carolina Gamecocks, LSU Tigers, Miami Hurricanes and Oklahoma Sooners. The 6-foot-4-inch, 270-pound lineman visited the Orange and Blue back in early April and came away satisfied with how things are panning out.

“Florida is another team recruiting me for both sides of the ball,” he told On3’s Hayes Fawcett. “They are a team that has had a lot of success in the 2024 recruiting cycle and a team I think could rise up in the SEC. They play top-tier competition in the SEC and offer a great degree as well.”

The rising high school senior also made several other trips visits this spring. including the Clemson Tigers and South Carolina in March, along with  Wisconsin and the Miami Hurricanes in early April.

Andrews is ranked No. 82 overall and No. 4 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 77 and 1, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has Penn State in the lead for his signature with a 22.7% chance while the Boston College Eagles (15.0%), Oklahoma (8.7%) and Maryland Terrapins (3.8%) trail behind.

[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 make top 6 for this blue-chip Lone Star State offensive tackle

This prized offensive lineman has an official visit set with Florida, which is also among his top-6 schools.

Florida football made the top-six cut for offensive lineman Michael Uini out of Copperas Cove (Texas), who revealed his preferred programs to On3’s Hayes Fawcett on Thursday.

The 6-foot-8-inch, 315-pound trench warrior also included the Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas Longhorns, Georgia Bulldogs, Michigan Wolverines and Clemson Tigers among his top schools.

Uini has not yet stepped on Florida’s campus but does have an official visit date set for the second week of June. In the meantime, Billy Napier and Co. have been working hard to keep the rising high school senior in the fold.

“The coaches kept in touch with me and my family, checking up on us,” Uini told Fawcett. “Coach Sale and Coach Stapleton are the main ones doing that, but Coach Hamilton does it as well. That tells me they really want me.”

Uini is ranked No. 134 overall and No. 8 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 152 and 10, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has Texas leading the pack for his commitment with a 24.4% chance of landing him, followed by Alabama (15.8%), Clemson (13.5%) and Michigan (11.3%).

[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.

4-star edge rusher Jordan Ross names top schools

Four-star pass rusher Jordan Ross puts Georgia football in his top schools

Pass rusher Jordan Ross is close to being ranked a five-star recruit. Ross is ranked as the No. 38 recruit in the nation, per the 247Sports composite.

Ross plays for Vestavia Hills High School (Alabama). Vestavia Hills is located south of Birmingham.

Ross is a four-star recruit. He’s the fifth-ranked edge rusher in the country and the fourth-ranked recruit in Alabama.

Ross’ top schools are Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Oregon, USC, LSU and Texas. Georgia and Tennessee were two of the programs to show early interest in Jordan Ross.

The 6-foot-5, 215-pound pass rusher also plays basketball. Ross has good closing speed, quick acceleration and frequently pressures opposing quarterbacks. The four-star pass rusher should continue to improve his strength. Ross is good at quickly diagnosing plays.

Ross plans to visit Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and Florida in June. The talented edge rusher has shot up recruiting rankings over the past year.

Georgia holds 15 commitments in the class of 2024. None of Georgia’s commitments are edge rushers, so the Dawgs are still looking for recruits at that position.

The Vestavia Hills standout announced his top schools via Twitter:

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

4-star TE Jaden Reddell commits to Georgia football

4-star tight end Jaden Reddell commits to Georgia football over Alabama, Tennessee, and others.

Four-star tight end Jaden Reddell has committed to the Georgia Bulldogs over Oregon, Tennessee, Notre Dame and Alabama.

Georgia football has 16 commitments in the class of 2024 and ranks as the nation’s best recruiting class. The Bulldogs have commitments from four five-star recruits.

Georgia tight ends coach Todd Hartley is the best tight end recruiter in the country in recent years. Hartley has helped Georgia have a tight end drafted in four consecutive years. Hartley and the Dawgs recently earned a commitment from three-star tight end Colton Heinrich.

Jaden Reddell plays high school football for Raymore-Peculiar High School in Peculiar, Missouri. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound tight end is ranked as the No. 53 player in the class of 2024. Reddell is the No. 3 player at his position and the third-best recruit in Missouri, per 247Sports.

The Georgia Bulldogs offered a scholarship to Jaden Reddell in December 2022. Reddell accumulated 49 receptions for 1,002 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior in high school.

The tight end recruit is elite after the catch and has good speed. Reddell, who also plays basketball, is great at winning contested catches and has a large catch radius.

Hayes Fawcett of On3 announced the Jaden Reddell’s commitment to Georgia via Twitter:

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

 

Blue-chip EDGE recruit includes Florida football in top 6 schools

Four-star EDGE from the nation’s capital is feeling good about the Gators.

The summer months are just around the corner and the 2024 recruiting class is at the forefront of every school’s focus. With around 100 days remaining before the start of the 2023 schedule, coaching staffs are now balancing their responsibilities between the current student-athletes on the roster and potential future Gators who currently play at the high school level.

On Thursday morning, four-star edge defender Daniel “DD” Holmes out of Washington D.C. Gonzaga released his list of top six schools through On3’s Hayes Fawcett via Twitter. Along with Florida, the 6-foot-6-inch, 240-pound defender also included the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Michigan Wolverines, Florida State Seminoles, South Carolina Gamecocks and Maryland Terrapins.

“Great football on the highest stage with great people!” Holmes told Fawcett in regards to the Gators.

Holmes is ranked No. 292 overall and No. 32 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 292 and 20, respectively. Despite the recent news, On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Penn State Nittany Lions with a 29.7% chance of signing him, followed by FSU, (26.0%), Maryland (2.0%) and the Virginia Cavaliers (1.7%).

[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 make top 5 for this speedy 2025 running back

Low center of gravity and breakaway speed? Sign us up!

Florida football is looking to the future, making the latest cut for 2025 four-star running back Anthony “Turbo” Rogers’ commitment after he divulged his top five schools on Sunday, according to All Gators’ Brandon Carroll.

Along with the Gators, the diminutive 5-foot-8-inch, 185-pound back also included the Auburn Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs and Oregon Ducks among his top five preferred destinations.

Originally from Pike Road, Alabama, Rogers transferred to IMG Academy this offseason ahead of his high school junior year. Back at home in the Cotton State, he amassed 1,626 yards and 22 touchdowns on 8.7 yards per carry, while snagging eight passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns during his sophomore campaign; he also averaged over 35 yards per kick return on eight attempts in 2022.

Rogers is ranked No. 88 overall and No. 8 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 96 and 8, respectively. ‘Bama leads the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine with a 39.5% chance of landing him, followed by Auburn (23.2%), Georgia (10.2%) and Florida (8.5%).

[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.

Florida football one of two in running for 4-star tight end

This towering tight end could be a Kyle Pitts 2.0.

Florida football made the final cut for four-star tight end Walter Matthews out of Hiram (Georgia), who revealed his final two schools to Brooks Austin of FanNation on Friday. The 2024 recruit is down to the Gators and USC Trojans as his preferred options.

The towering 6-foot-7-inch, 245-pound end made an unofficial visit to Gainesville the first weekend of May which resulted in him scheduling an official visit to the Swamp for the weekend of June 9. Matthews’ stop in Hogtown follows his visit to Southern California, which is slated for June 2.

“They really want me,” he told All Gators. “You know, I like being around (tight ends) coach (Russ) Callaway. He’s like a guru since he’s been an analyst. He knows how to gameplan properly.”

Matthews is ranked No. 115 overall and No. 7 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 106 and 8, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine favors Florida with a 32.6% chance of signing him, followed by USC (23.9%), the Ohio State Buckeyes (8.4%) and Michigan Wolverines (7.0%).

[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.

In-state 4-star defensive lineman includes Gators among top 11 schools

The Gators have a lot of competition for this coveted in-state blue-chipper from Daytona Beach.

Four-star defensive lineman LJ McCray out of Daytona Beach (Florida) Mainland released his list of top 11 preferred schools on Saturday on his personal Twitter account — a list that includes Florida football.

Also included were the Auburn Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Florida State Seminoles, Clemson Tigers, Miami Hurricanes, LSU Tigers, Penn State Nittany Lions and Tennessee Volunteers.

The 6-foot-6-inch, 260-pound lineman obviously has a lot of options to choose from, but Billy Napier and Co. have been pounding the pavement when it comes to his recruitment, including an extra effort from defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong, tight ends coach Russ Callaway and defensive backs coach Corey Raymond.

“It’s definitely appreciated, showing that it’s real what they’re talking about,” McCray told Swamp247, “like, they really want me, so I appreciate them taking the time to come around here.”

The rising high school senior has made several unofficial visits to Gainesville in the past but the possibility of setting an OV for this summer is still up in the air. The NCAA recently passed a rule that allows prospects to visit more than five schools officially, which could open up some room for the Orange and Blue to sneak in.

McCray is ranked No. 133 overall and No. 15 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 94 and 2, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Gators a 33.9% chance of signing him, while Florida State (20.1%), the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (9.5%) and South Florida Bulls (7.5%) follow behind.

[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.