New Florida football head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his staff have the huge task of rebuilding the program in the aftermath of the tumultuous end of the [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] era.
Plagued by team culture issues, consistent underperformance on the field and indifference to recruiting, UF athletic director [autotag]Scott Stricklin[/autotag] quickly pivoted to the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns’ skipper to right the ship with his more modern approach to the game — especially in recruiting.
The Gators’ recruiting rankings quickly plummeted after Mullen’s dismissal, though they were not spectacular to begin with. However, with five 2023 prospects committed and a rather optimistic outlook on many others, Florida is steadily creeping back up, coming in at No. 30 nationally according to 247Sports. That puts them ahead of big-name schools Alabama, Clemson, Oregon and Miami, albeit plenty of time remains for the tides to turn.
One of those who is bullish on the Orange and Blue’s chances of bouncing back over the next three years is The Athletic’s Ari Wasserman. He recently published his list of programs “that have the best chance to supplant one or more of … the top five in recruiting on a consistent basis in the next three years,” in response to a mailbag query.
Florida made the list and here is how Wasserman justified his pick:
The Gators are not too far removed from being one of the best programs in college football. And though they have always been a tough out in the SEC, there has been a significant drop off in the amount of talent coming through the doors. Billy Napier came from a Group of 5 program, but he completely revamped Florida’s recruiting department and he seems to “get it” in a way Dan Mullen didn’t. I’m looking forward to seeing the class Florida signs this year. I’d buy stock in the Gators right now.
Also mentioned were the USC Trojans, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Tennessee Volunteers and Miami Hurricanes, three of which are undergoing their own coaching changes. If the Gators can get going again on the recruiting trail as they did during the [autotag]Urban Meyer[/autotag] era, fun times could be ahead in the Swamp.
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