Florida’s incoming class of recruits has a bunch of studs in it, but there’s one player that ESPN thinks will be the most important piece: quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag].
Perhaps it’s not all that surprising that ESPN picked Rashada. He’s Florida’s top-30 ranked that flipped from in-state rival Miami, so he should be getting some hype, especially when his first commitment (to UM) send Gators fans spiraling on social media. But it’s the timing of Rashada’s arrival that makes him such a key piece for Florida.
“The Gators lost a commitment from ESPN 300 quarterback [autotag]Nick Evers[/autotag] in the 2022 class when he flipped to Oklahoma,” ESPN Staff Writer Tom VanHaaren wrote. “Napier signed three-star [autotag]Max Brown[/autotag] to fill the void of Evers, but the 6-foot-4-inch, 185-pound Rashada is a big win for the future of the program.”
VanHaaren suggests that Rashada will get a year to learn under [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag], but there are many that believe he’s headed to the draft this offseason. That accelerates the timeline and Florida doesn’t have a ton of options behind Richardson.
[autotag]Jack Miller III[/autotag] was out all year recovering from a thumb injury suffered in the spring, so there’s a real chance that Rashada is competing with him for the starting job as soon as he arrives on campus. Giving Rashada a chance to learn behind Richardson is ideal, but things don’t always work out perfectly when NFL scouts are involved.
ESPN does mention Florida’s impressive defensive line class, headlined by [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag], but the timing of Rashada’s arrival is too impactful to deny.
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