It is never too early to get ahead in the college football recruiting game and the Florida Gators got a head start on filing in its 2024 class on Thursday when it offered 5-star linebacker Sammy Brown out of Jefferson (Georgia) a scholarship, according to GatorsOnline. The 6-foot-2-inch, 215-pound high school sophomore is the top-ranked player at his position and the No. 8 athlete overall.
UF is not the only team in the fray so far, as Brown has already paid visits to big-name programs like the Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs, Ohio State Buckeyes and Clemson Tigers. Despite the lack of face-to-face contact with Florida, the prep prospect described his flourishing relationship with the Gators’ coaching staff and how the offer came about.
“I have been talking with coach (Jamar) Chaney a good bit lately, keeping him updated on track and all that other stuff. They actually offered me through my dad over the phone. I was taking a final when it happened.”
His father Mike Brown played for the Furman Paladins from 1992 to 1996 and was known for his tough style of play, recording 92 total tackles and eight sacks over his career as an outside linebacker/defensive end. Now the offensive line coach at his son’s high school, he has played a large role in the younger Brown’s recruitment.
“They have kind of been talking through my dad because he’s one of my coaches. It wasn’t totally out of the blue.”
The good news for Gators fans:
“I like what Florida is doing and really look forward to getting down for a visit… I really like the culture that coach Napier brings to their program. Coach Napier actually graduated from the same school as my parents, so having that familiarity is pretty big.
Brown is currently assigned a five-star rating by the 247Sports Composite while no breakdown rankings are available — though 247Sports has him as a four-star recruit who is the No. 6 player overall and No. 1 at his position nationally — while the On3 Consensus at Nos. 8 and 1, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Gators less than 1% chance of signing him, with the Bulldogs out in front with a 30.1% chance of signing him.
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