Tag: unofficial visit

Florida getting 4-star, in-state DL recruit back on campus

The Florida Gators are set to get one of the elite defensive lineman in the class of 2025, Jalen Wiggins, back on campus this weekend.

The recruiting contact period is about to open up once again, and the Florida Gators plan to host several of its top targets over the coming weekend.

One name that’s been added to the list recently is four-star defensive lineman Jalen Wiggins, according to Swamp247. He plays high school ball at James Rickards in Tallahassee, Florida, putting him ‘Nole country, but the Gators are making the strongest push to land him right now.

Florida offered Wiggins during the spring and he’s been back to Gainesville a few times since. His most recent trip came in November to see Florida close out the season against FSU.

Since then, Florida has hired a new defensive line coach. The new man in charge, Gerald Chatman, reviewed the tape and called Wiggins to re-offer him. This will be their first time meeting in person, so it’s a big step in the recruitment process.

“After speaking with him on the phone (Coach Chatman) seems settled in and ready to represent,” Wiggins said. “I respect the fact he re-offered me after watching my film so he knows who and what he wants as a player.”

Florida State, Georgia, LSU and Miami are among the other Power Five programs pursuing Wiggins, but he has yet to name any frontrunners.

Wiggins is a consensus four-star recruit, ranked No. 82 overall in the class of 2025 on the On3 industry ranking. He’s also ranked No. 8 among defensive linemen in the class and No. 12 among recruits out of Florida.

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Gators to get crown jewel of 2024 recruiting class on campus this weekend

The Gators will be rolling out the red carpet for their prized 5-star 2024 quarterback commit this weekend.

College football’s early signing period is just around the corner. In preparation for Florida’s hopefully huge commitment bonanza the Gators are hosting their top prospect in the 2024 class this coming weekend.

Five-star quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] out of Willis (Texas) has reaffirmed his commitment to the Orange and Blue despite a difficult season on the gridiron, but that has not stopped suitors from trying to flip him, [autotag]according to [/autotag]247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong.

Lagway’s father told Wiltfong that new Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko had visited him; freshly-hired Houston head coach Willie Fritz has also inquired on the Lone Star State product as well.

“They just got new jobs there and they called us,” he noted. “We’re just sitting down and listening to them.”

Lagway committed to the Orange and Blue back in December 2022 as the crown jewel of the class. The coveted quarterback put up stellar stats in his senior season, amassing 4,604 passing yards and 58 touchdowns through the air while contributing 957 rushing yards and 16 scores on the ground.

It seems highly unlikely that the Texas gunslinger will get cold feet with the Gators, especially after he reaffirmed his commitment on Wednesday via Twitter.

Lagway is ranked No. 14 overall and No. 3 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 12 and 2, respectively.

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Florida TE commit locked in with Florida following first gameday visit

Florida hosted a ton of recruits over the weekend, including four-star tight end Amir Jackson, who says he’s “at home” in Gainesville.

One of the many recruits in Gainesville this weekend for Forida’s Rivalry Week matchup with Florida State was Portal (Georgia) tight end [autotag]Amir Jackson[/autotag], and the consensus four-star recruit left Gainesville feeling very comfortable with his future home, according to Swamp247.

Jackson didn’t sweat the loss, noting that the team is young and in the process of turning around. That’s one of the reasons Jackson picked Florida in the first place. Many of the class of 2024 recruits want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Restoring the Orange and Blue to its former glory certainly fits the bill.

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

This was Jackson’s first gameday visit to the Swamp, and he realized very quickly that Rivalry Week is even more intense in person.

“I knew from the jump it was going to be a good game,” he said. “They said it’s a rivalry. I wasn’t ready. The fans brought it, and they added to it.”

Florida locked up Jackson back in June. At the time, Auburn and Florida State were considered the biggest threats to flip him. Jackson still hears from the Seminoles and Tigers every now and then, but they have slowly backed off as his commitment to Florida holds.

Jackson will be an impact addition to the tight end room and could compete for playing time as a freshman. The Gators should only lose Jonathan Odom (transfer portal) and Dante Zanders (graduation), though. Keon Zipperer should return after missing all of his senior year with an injury, and both Arlis Boardingham and Hayden Hansen impressed as redshirt freshmen.

The On3 industry ranking puts Jackson at No. 84 overall, No. 8 among tight ends and No. 13 among recruits from Georgia in the class of 2024.

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Florida looking to get nation’s top WR back on campus ahead of signing period

After attending his third Florida game of the season, five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith could work in one more trip to Gainesville before the early signing period.

The top wide receiver in the recruiting class of 2024, [autotag]Jeremiah Smith[/autotag], might be committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes, but he spent yet another weekend in Gainesville watching the Gators.

Swamp247’s Donovan Keiser caught with the top-ranked recruit after the visit, and it’s clear that Florida is still very much in play less than a month away from the start of the early signing period.

“(Florida) had a great season,” Smith said. “Every game I came to, I liked what I saw. Quarterback play, receiver play. Eugene Wilson had a great season as a freshman. They just have to keep it going.”

Smith predicted that Ricky Pearsall would hear his name called in the first round of the upcoming NFL draft, so it is clear that he believes in the program’s ability to develop and prepare players for the next level.

The goal is to get Smith back in Gainesville one more time before the start of the signing period on Dec. 20. Smith says he is “taking it day by day” and admitted that he’s ready for the process to reach a conclusion.

With the season officially over, all eyes will be on Smith (and a few other recruiting targets) for the next month or so.

Smith is a consensus five-star recruit, ranked No. 1 in the nation on the On3 industry ranking. ESPN has him at No. 7 overall, which is the absolute lowest he is rated. Whichever program lands him should be getting a generational talent.

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Gators hosting blue-chip OT for regular season finale vs FSU

This big-tim offensive line prospect will be in attendance for the UF-FSU matchup in the Swamp.

Lewisville (Texas) offensive tackle [autotag]Michael Fasusi[/autotag] confirmed a report from 247Sports earlier in the week that he would be in Gainesville this weekend for his first gameday experience.

Fasusi stopped by the University of Florida to see the campus back in July, but he’s just now getting a chance to experience what it’s like to be at the Swamp on a gameday — the FSU game, no less.

“The second we got to the campus, I thought it was a big campus and looked amazing,” Fasusi said after his first visit. “The people there, man the people there are full of support.

At 6-foot-4 inches and 285 pounds, certainly has the size to play tackle in the SEC, but he has plenty of other big programs knocking at his door. This visit should help him decide whether the Gators make the first cut in his recruitment.

Fasusi is a five-star talent according to the 247Sports composite as well as ESPN. The On3 industry ranking, which uses a weighted average of all four major recruiting services, has Fasusi rated four stars and ranked at No. 17 overall and No. 2 among offensive tackles in the class.

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Florida still pushing for this 4-star CB committed to Alabama

Four-star cornerback Jameer Grimsley is committed to Alabama, but the Gators are still pushing to flip him before December.

Florida’s recruiting class of 2024 is already ranked the third-best in the country, but the Gators are still pushing to add the final touches to the group before the early signing period starts in December.

One of Florida’s targets is Tampa Catholic cornerback [autotag]Jameer Grimsley[/autotag], who committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide back in July. The Gators are still pursuing him, though, and he’ll have at least two chances to see the team in action before the signing period, according to Blake Alderman of 247Sports.

Grimsley plans to be in attendance for both the Georgia and Arkansas games. While he won’t be able to interact with the staff at the neutral site game against the Bulldogs this weekend, he’ll get time with coaches during Week 10.

“I just want to get around everyone again,” Grimsley said. “Spend some time with the coaches, see the game, and watch the team play. I said I would keep watching them this season, but haven’t checked them out in person yet. They have wanted me to do that, so I am going to go up there.”

Florida coaches stopped by Grimsley’s school over the bye week. Secondary coach Corey Raymond is in charge of all of Florida’s defensive backs, so it only makes sense that he’s taken the lead on this effort. He’s kept communication lines open with Grimsley all year and isn’t slowing down because of a verbal commitment.

“I was thankful they came by to see me last week even though I have been hurt,” he said. “They dropped by last week and saw me doing some treatment and hung out for a while when we had practice. Feels good to know they are still going to go after me and make me a guy they want even though I am committed to Bama.”

Because Florida didn’t host Grimsley on an official visit over the summer, there’s still a chance to pull out all the stops right before the signing period. Schedules are tight, though, and a December official visit is cutting it close. Still, it might be worth all of the effort for this caliber of defensive back.

Grimsley is a consensus four-star recruit, ranked highest by On3 at No. 80 overall. The other three major recruiting services have him outside of the top 200, though. As a result, he drops to No. 174 overall on the On3 industry ranking.

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Five-star in-state OL plans visit for homecoming game

A 5-star recruit the Sunshine State plans to be in town for the Florida Gators homecoming game against the Vanderbilt Commodores.

A five-star recruit from the class of 2025 is planning to be in Gainesville on Saturday when the Florida Gators take on the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Raines High offensive lineman [autotag]Soloman Thomas[/autotag] joins a growing guest list for UF’s homecoming game and is not committed to any schools, but he’s keeping his eyes on Florida.

Florida coaches have been in contact with Thomas on a consistent basis, and the recruit likes what the program has to offer. He visited the UF campus earlier this year.

“Consistency, the way they talk to me, and how they communicate with my family,” Thomas told Swamp247. “They have shown me their depth chart with the offensive linemen. They wanted to do that to show me how much they want me. We talked about number of offensive linemen as far as the depth chart. I think I am like top five in the country in offensive linemen. I would be a top guy on their depth chart. They let it be known they want me bad.”

Thomas told 247Sports that the Florida Gators are in his top 10 school choices and likes the youth aspect of the team.

“With them being so new and young, it’s kind of hard to not trust that they are going to come up,” Thomas said. “It’s a chance to be legendary. The fanbase is crazy, and I got a lot of people here. It’s not too far from Jacksonville, so that is good for my family.”

Thomas stands at 6-foot-3-inches and weighs 278 pounds, using his frame to dominate in the trenches. The Jacksonville, Florida, native is the No. 21 recruit in the Class of 2025 and No. 4 among offensive linemen.

The five-star prospect will be in town on Saturday when the Florida Gators take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. EDT and the game will broadcast on the SEC Network.

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Florida TE commit planning multiple visits after Auburn trip

One of Florida’s 2024 commits recently stopped by Auburn for an unofficial visit, but he has two trips to Gators games in the works, too.

Billy Napier and his recruiting staff landed a big commitment from four-star tight end [autotag]Amir Jackson[/autotag] back in June, but the Auburn Tigers and Miami Hurricanes are still pushing to flip him from the Gators.

Jackson recently visited Auburn for the Georgia game, but his head coach told 247Sports that he’s still locked in with UF.

“He liked it,” coach Jason McEachin said. “He said before he committed, he developed a good relationship with Coach (Ben) Aigamaua. He had an invitation and opportunity to go watch a good SEC football game. He enjoyed the atmosphere of the trip, but he’s still firm where he’s at.”

Nothing is ever guaranteed, but Jackson’s upcoming travel itinerary favors the Gators. McEachin said that Jackson should be in Jacksonville for the Georgia game and back in Gainesville for the Arkansas matchup. Jackson wants to see the blackout jerseys Napier is introducing against the Razorbacks. He has no plans to visit any other programs right now.

McEachin praised Florida for its “thorough” recruiting process. The Gators get to know the player and the person, which isn’t true all over the country.

Jackson is a consensus four-star recruit, ranked highest by ESPN at No. 96 overall in the class of 2024. He’s ranked No. 112 nationally, No. 11 among tight ends and No. 16 in the state of Georgia on the On3 industry ranking, which uses a weighted average from all four major services.

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Blue-chip Bayou State LB sets game day visit with Florida

The list of recruits planning on attending the Razorbacks game continues to grow.

Florida football is nearing the midpoint of its regular season schedule but the weekly action has not slowed down Billy Napier and Co. when it comes to prioritizing recruiting. The Gators have hosted a myriad of prep prospects at their home games so far and look to continue that trend moving forward.

Among those planning to make the trek to the Swamp to see some gameday action is four-star linebacker/athlete [autotag]Keylan Moses[/autotag] out of Baton Rouge (Louisiana) University Lab in the 2025 recruiting class. The 6-foot-1.5-inch, 215-pound bayou product recently revealed his plans to attend an upcoming SEC matchup.

“I know for sure I’ll be at the Arkansas game,” he told Gators Online. The Gators will host the Razorbacks on Nov. 4 and will wear their all-black uniforms for the gridiron grind.

The Orange and Blue are not the only program courting the coveted recruit, with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida State Seminoles, LSU Tigers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Oregon Ducks, Tennessee Volunteers and Texas Longhorns joining Florida as the top eight schools courting Moses. However, the Gators seem to be making some strong connections with the high school junior.

“Honestly, I love Florida,” he admitted on Monday. “Talking to guys like coach (Cannon) Gibbs and coach (Jay) Bateman weekly makes the relationships and love grow more and more.

“Considering I’m trying to lock in on the season, if I lived closer, I’d definitely be at more home games. They just make it feel as home, and also considering their staff is predominately from Louisiana makes it even better.

“I’d say they definitely sit up pretty high my recruitment and continue to get higher and higher every visit. I definitely can’t wait to get back up there.”

Despite the difficulties the distance plays in making it down to Hogtown, the multi-talented prep has already visited campus several times during Naiper’s tenure, including two previous times in 2023. His November stop will be his first-ever live game in the Swamp.

Moses is ranked No. 158 overall and No. 15 at the athlete position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him as a linebacker who is also ranked at Nos. 158 and 15, respectively.

LSU currently holds a crystal ball prediction from 24Sports while On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine agrees with a near-lock of a 95.1% chance of signing him. Florida is second in the latter list with just a 1.2% probability of landing the coveted student-athlete.

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Florida hosting in-state 2026 QB for homecoming game this weekend

The Florida Gators are planning to host one of the top sophomore quarterbacks in the country, Jesuit’s Will Griffin, for the Vanderbilt game.

It might seem way too early to be talking about the recruiting class of 2026, but the reality of college football is that the top quarterbacks in any given class typically figure out their college plans by the end of their junior year in high school.

Nine of the top-20-ranked quarterbacks in the class of 2025 are already committed, and two of the top nine sophomore signal callers in the country are locked up as well. That’s why Florida is hosting Jesuit (Tampa) quarterback [autotag]Will Griffin[/autotag] on Saturday for the homecoming game against Vanderbilt, according to 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong.

Griffin is getting early looks from Florida’s Big 3, but the Gators and Seminoles appear to be out in front early. This visit should keep UF ahead of FSU. The atmosphere will be perfect. Florida is seeking revenge at home for a game it never should have lost in 2022 and it’s homecoming. The Swamp will be rocking.

The Gators hosted Griffin for the spring game back in the fall, but this will be a completely different experience.

Griffin is a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports and Rivals. Neither ESPN nor On3 has graded him yet, but the expectation is for Griffin to fight for a fifth star over his next three high school seasons. He’s already played 32 varsity contests — dating back to the seventh grade — and has 1,146 yards and 11 touchdowns through five games this year.

247Sports ranks him No. 60 overall in the class, No. 5 among quarterbacks and No. 8 among 2026s from the state of Florida.

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