Florida football’s recruiting team got a huge boost recently after [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his staff roped in three blue-chip prospects over the course of a 24-hour period. The surge sent the Gators back into the top 25 of both 247Sports’ and On3’s recruiting rankings, landing at Nos. 20 and 14, respectively, while giving the fan base a breath of relief after a tough stretch the week prior.
But the efforts do not end with the upcoming class. The new coaching regime’s long-term plans require long-term actions, which means laying the groundwork for the future as well. Among those receiving attention from Florida is four-star tight end [autotag]Michael Smith[/autotag] out of Savannah (Georgia) Calvary Day School, who received an offer from tight ends coach [autotag]William Peagler[/autotag] during a visit to his high school on Friday.
The 6-foot-4-inch, 225-pound rising junior has only recently begun his courtship with the Orange and Blue, telling Gators Online, “They’ve been expressing their interest since the spring.” Smith added, “I really got to know coach Peagler during their spring game. He has always been updating and letting me know everything that was going on.”
The good news for the Gators is that he already possesses a predilection for the university.
“My dad has always been a Gators fan, so that’s like a family thing,” Smith admitted. “It’s worth mentioning that Percy Harvin was my favorite player, so it’s always been a cool tie-in with Florida.”
Florida also made news recently when it scheduled the top cornerback in the 2024 recruiting cycle, Desmond Ricks, for an unofficial visit at the end of July for the big cookout event. Though nothing has been set in stone as of yet, the Peach State standout could very well join the mix that weekend as well.
Smith is currently ranked No. 127 overall and No. 4 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite, while the On3 consensus has him at Nos. 177 and 6, respectively. The Gators hold a huge early lead in his recruiting according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine with a 56.4% chance of landing him, with the rest of his suitors all coming in at under 5%.
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