Post-Carolina Recruiting Thoughts

For those of you who have followed this blog over the last couple of months, I apologize for my absence over the last few weeks. There have been a lot of changes on the home front (many of them good) that have caused me to take a step back from this little pet project of mine. But now that I'm settled in a bit, I'm looking to churn out a few posts per week as we start to move towards this offseason, which figures to be coming a lot sooner than most Gators fans anticipated at the beginning of the fall.

– To be frank, there haven't been many recruiting developments over the last few weeks. The only big one of note was the slightly positive surprise of Derby (Kan.) tight end Deandre Goolsby. For anyone who has followed this blog at all, you're well-versed in how much I've been harping on the need for good tight ends in this class. Florida now has two good ones in Goolsby and Alabama native C'yontai Lewis. The Gators should also be keeping close tabs on Crawfordville Wakulla prospect Jordan Franks and Ocala Vanguard star Elkannah Dillon down the stretch as well, based on the campaigns they put together during the 2013 season.

In terms of Goolsby, the Gators are getting, in my estimation, a player who can step in and have an impact immediately. Now, I'm not predicting a 1,000-yard receiving season or anything of that sort. But this is a guy who should be able to come in, and battle for an opportunity to get on the field as a freshman. At a position where the players on the roster have really shown no ability to make an impact in the passing game as receivers, Goolsby will certainly be a welcome breath of fresh air next fall.

– But while things have been relatively quiet for the Gators on the recruiting trail in recent weeks, Thursday could be the day that changes course for UF. Highly-regarded OT prospect David Sharpe, who at one time appeared to be heading towards a decision at the Army All-American Bowl, has now decided to move up his timetable on announcing a college choice:

Thursday is the day
— David Sharpe (@SHARPECITYY) November 17, 2013

While Sharpe's only official visit has been to Tennessee so far, the signs are pointing quite favorably towards UF landing good news on Thursday. This would obviously be good news if the "buzz" proves to be true. Again, for anyone who has followed this blog, Sharpe has been a player discussed on numerous occasions and is obviously an incredible talent with major upside as an offensive tackle. If the Gators do, in fact, land him later this week, it's a big move in the right direction for a Florida unit that has struggled all throughout the course of the season.

– All that aside, a lot of Florida's recruiting success down the stretch will hinge on whether or not the Gators can hold together a strong nucleus that they've put together on the recruiting trail to date, with 15 commitments from a talented group. Prospects like Will Grier, Quincy Wilson and Ermon Lane seem to continue to give out positive vibes. However, players like Duke Dawson, J.C. Jackson and Dalvin Cook have certainly left the door open to end up somewhere other than Gainesville. With Florida poised to end a streak of 22 consecutive years in which the season was ended with a bowl game, Will Muschamp and his staff (or I guess I should say, what remains of his staff after the year), can get to work on holding together a class which still could possibly finish among the top 5-10 groups in the country come Feb. 1, 2014.

Now that it's very much clear that Will Muschamp return at the helm for at least his fourth season in Gainesville next fall, the spotlight falls directly on the offseason, and what changes Boom decides to make on his staff (along with the crop of players he brings in for next fall, obviously). Muschamp's future in Gainesville will essentially come down to the 3-4 hires (possibly more) he makes to fill out his staff this offseason. We will be keeping a close eye on the names as they emerge on the board as the Gators look to get things turned around following what will almost certainly prove to be the most disappointing UF football season in over 30 years.

Is Stacy Searels the cure to what ails the Florida offensive line?

Over the last few weeks, I've been looking over names of offensive line coaches that have ties to Will Muschamp. The LSU game very possibly might have sounded the death knell for Tim Davis' tenure in Gainesville, so now seems like as good of a time as any to discuss the topic. There are plenty of possibilities out there, but one name keeps jumping off the page: Stacy Searels of Texas.

There are a number of reasons that particular move would make sense. Searels and Muschamp have a history, as they coached together for two seasons at LSU from 2003-04. Searels has deep ties to the South, hailing from the state of Georgia. He attended Auburn and has coached at UGA in addition to his time in Baton Rouge. Searels has a strong reputation as a recruiter (an area that Davis has been widely criticized for during his time in Gainesville). Plus he's currently on the staff at Texas. Considering how tenuous Mack Brown's hold on the head coaching job is in Austin, it makes sense for Searels to potentially look elsewhere for employment.

Now, the negatives. It's good for an offensive coordinator and an offensive line coach to be on the same page, naturally. Searels and Brent Pease have no real known connections, so we don't know if they would be a good fit together. Of course, Pease may not even be the offensive coordinator at UF by this time next season, so that factoid may not even matter. Searels' four seasons in Athens were not completely well-received. Although Georgia turned it around with a 11-2 mark in 2007, his first with the Bulldogs, they were 6-7 by the end of his tenure in 2010, with the running game being largely blamed for Georgia's offensive struggles. By the time Searels left for Texas in January of 2011, his departure wasn't exactly considered the worst development for the UGA coaching staff by the local press.

In Austin, the running game has improved, from 4.2 ypc in 2010 to 4.5 ypc in 2011 and now 4.8 ypc through the midway point of this season. These aren't Earth-shattering numbers, by any means, but they tend to show a trend of positive performance under Searels. Then, there's the matter of salary. Searles reportedly makes $439,500 per year from the Longhorns. So, perhaps he would have to consider the possibility of a paycut in the event he were to somehow end up at UF? Or maybe the Gators would consider continuing to be less-stingy with the salaries of football assistants? Either way, that could be a major factor in the pursuit of a high-profile coach like Searels.

There are other names to keep an eye on (Bob Bostad, currently an assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and a former OL coach at Wisconsin, is one who stands out), but if the offensive line continues to be an issue for the Gators, a move on the coaching staff is likely to happen at some point in the not-too-distant future.

Post-LSU recruiting thoughts

To start, a recap of the week that was. Some of the posts you might have missed:

– Eight prep receivers from the state of Florida who have shined so far this fall.

– Where is Delray Beach Village Academy defensive lineman Kevin Bronson on the radar for the Gators?

– The Gators have had a strong run of success at the tight end position since 2000. Where does it stack up against other programs in college football?

– Jacksonville Ribault linebacker Jakob Johnson, a German transplant, is now sitting on four offers after Wisconsin extended a tender to him last week.

– Which positions could Florida look to for immediate relief after this season from the JUCO ranks?

– Some late-week Gators-related news and notes.

And now, on to the new stuff ...

– Chewing on Florida's 17-6 loss in Baton Rouge for a couple of days can leave one with the sensation of a mouthful of gristle. This explains why the typical day-after recruiting post comes on Monday instead of Sunday. It's hard to discern at this point whether the offensive struggles are an issue of coaching or an issue of personnel. And that's obviously a dangerous place to be in if you're the coach of the Florida Gators. We'll have to see where the rest of this season goes, but I'm hard-pressed not to think there won't be some coaching turnover on the offensive side of the ball after this season. But that's really not the point of this post, so that topic will have to be saved for another day.

Going into the season, if you asked me to concede one game for Florida this season, the LSU contest in Baton Rouge was the very obvious pick. I'm sure some are disappointed by the manner in which Florida lost on Saturday. Yes, there's some things that have to be corrected on offense (especially up front on the line). We'll see how Florida rebounds from this one, and it will only take a few days to get their response. No rest for the weary (now down another starter in RB Matt Jones) as a tougher-than-originally-expected trip to Missouri looms on the schedule this weekend.

– Florida was originally able to sell Immokalee receiver J.C. Jackson on the idea of dropping his pledge to FSU in favor of a commitment to UF by focusing on the defensive angle, as he preferred playing cornerback to receiver, which is the position Florida State recruited him for. He may want to re-think that stance.

Immokalee defeated Naples 33-27. Immokalee WR JC Jackson had 5 catches for 231 yards and 3 TDs. #npfnf
— David Dorsey (@DavidADorsey) October 12, 2013

On the season, Jackson now has 621 yards receiving and nine scores on just 18 receptions. He's averaging 34.5 yards per catch. These numbers are obviously pretty good.

I always liked the idea of taking J.C. Jackson to go along with Adoree' Jackson and Chris Lammons, because it seemed natural that one of those guys would probably end up on offense as a slot guy. But Florida still has a lot of work to do to make that happen. Lammons is committed, but hasn't completely shut the door. Jackson visited LSU this past weekend and came away singing the praises of the Bayou Bengals after their win over Florida. Now, Jackson is flirting pretty heavily with Miami, and it will certainly be interesting to see what comes of that. The Gators don't need to sign all three of those guys, certainly. But getting at least two would be nice.

The number of skill players (RB, WR and DB types) in this class likely needs to be right around 10 to offset the losses UF will experience after this season, especially in the secondary. The Jacksons, as well as guys like Lammons and some of the other top targets on the board are keys to making sure the Gators restock
with the proper amount of speed and athleticism.

Florida could also use a guy who can take the top off the defense and give them a vertical threat down the field in the passing game. J.C. Jackson may turn out to be exactly that guy.

– At this point, a total overhaul at the tight end position needs to be considered. All four of the scholarship players at that position currently for Florida, have eligibility remaining after this season. That number needs to be cut in half. Deandre Goolsby, who visited Arkansas this past weekend, has to be considered a major priority at this point. If he decides to stick closer to home for college, then the Gators will need to go back to the drawing board and consider other options. With the type of season Jordan Franks is putting together at Crawfordville Wakulla, a scholarship offer for his services no longer seems like such a far-fetched option.

– Danielle Hunter showed on Saturday why Florida needs to add some height to the defensive line. Two batted balls on screen passes, one of which was set up to go for a long way to Valdez Showers if it's completed. Hunter is listed at 6-6 by the LSU sports information department. Florida has one 6-6 end in Alex McAllister on the roster, but he's not currently a factor in the defensive line rotation. This is why "the Lorenzos" (6-5 Carter and 6-7 Featherston) are such a priority for the Gators on the recruiting trail in the Class of 2014. Expect Brad Lawing to continue trying to add length and size to the defensive line moving forward, as well.

– I know Florida has an upperclassmen-laden depth chart along the offensive line, with most of those guys returning for next season. But if the LSU game is an example of the best effort this group can muster, Florida has got to consider looking to the JUCO ranks for talent (once again) in order to find a player or two who can come in and compete for playing time right off the bat. There is simply no excuse for the lack of production in the running game for a team built to win by being physical and pounding opposing defenses with a physical ground attack.

Ten Florida receivers who have shined this fall

We're just past the midway point of the high school season for Florida. Most teams now have six games in the books, and some players in the passing game have really started to break away from the pack. Here's eight ten receivers (well, actually, nine receivers and a tight end) who have emerged this fall. Some were already well-known coming into the season. Some of the others? Well, they weren't quite as well known before this fall.

Now, keep in mind, I'm not advocating that these are the eight best wide receiver prospects in Florida. There have been a number of top prospects (Ermon Lane, Ja'Von Harrison, Corey Holmes and Artavis Scott among them) whose numbers haven't matched those of the players in this post for one reason or another. However, the below-listed prospects have raised their level of play this fall, without a doubt.

Ryan Sousa (6-0, 177, Lake Nona) – The prolific senior out of the Orlando area continues to put up big numbers. Sousa had over 2,400 receiving yards and 30 touchdowns over the past two seasons, and his numbers continue to trend up for Lake Nona. Through six games this fall, Sousa has grabbed 59 receptions for 901 yards (15.3 ypc) and 10 scores. FSU commitment.



Natrelle Jamerson (6-0, 175, Ocala Vanguard) – Jamerson has been a part of a prolific offensive attack for the Knights this fall. Through six games, Jamerson has 39 receptions for 785 yards (20.1 ypc) and eight scores. Tight end Elkanah Dillon has also been very effective for the Vanguard passing game this season, as the Knights are 3-3 on the season.



Mike Boone (5-9, 175, Glen St. Mary Baker County) – Following a 46-7 victory against Paxon on Friday night, the FIU pledge had nabbed 48 receptions for 841 yards (17.5 ypc) and 11 scores through seven games for 5-2 Baker County.



Jordan Franks (6-4, 210, Crawfordville Wakulla) – The senior tight end has thrived with brother Feleipe throwing him passes this fall. Franks had notched 40 receptions for 742 yards (18.6 ypc) and seven scores for the 6-1 War Eagles, before a 28-7 victory over Starke Bradford on Friday night.



Anthony "Shug" Rhynes (5-11, 190, Tampa Middleton) – Rhynes' performance has been overshadowed by the fact he competes on a 1-5 team. Still, the senior receiver had 23 receptions for 811 yards and seven scores following into a 26-21 victory for Middleton on Friday night against Blake, the Tigers' first victory of the season. Rhynes had a 70-yard pass reception for a score in the game.

Travis Rudolph (6-1, 188, West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman) – The Under Armour All-American has put together good numbers on the ground and as a receiver over the past three seasons. But nothing like he's done so far this fall. Through seven games, Rudolph already has career highs of 36 receptions, 762 yards (21.2 ypc) and 11 touchdowns for the 4-2 Crusaders. Rudolph has certainly emerged as one of the top prospects in the state of Florida at the wide receiver position, if not the best.



J.C. Jackson (5-10, 185, Immokalee) – After another big game for the Florida commitment on Friday night in a win over Naples, Jackson now has 18 receptions for 615 yards (34.2 ypc) and 9 scores for Immokalee, despite the fact he's only played in five games for the Indians, who are now 5-2 on the season. Jackson now has two games of 200+ receiving yards in the last three weeks for Immokalee.



Stephen Denmark (6-3, 200, Tallahassee Rickards) – Denmark has been a standout on a surprising 6-0 Rickards squad. He has 23 receptions for 632 yards (27.5 ypc) and eight scores for the season. He also added an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against FAMU High on Thursday, demonstrating why his stock should continue to rise over the course of this season and heading into the weeks leading up to National Signing Day.

Garrett Johnson (5-10, 168, Winter Garden West Orange) – The explosive slot receiver has been incredibly productive once against for West Orange this fall, nabbing 38 receptions for 607 yards (16.0 ypc) and nine touchdowns for the 6-1 Warriors before a 56-7 win over Cypress Creek on Friday night. Johnson had a 63-yard reception for a touchdown and also returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown in that contest as well. Johnson is committed to Kentucky.



Ny'Qwan Murray (5-11, 170, Orlando Oak Ridge) – The central Florida speedster recently picked up his first FBS offer from Cincinnati. Murray had 41 receptions for 788 yards (19.2 ypc) and 10 scores before a 23-20 win over Ocoee to move their record to 4-3 on the year. Murray had a 99-yard TD reception against East Ridge earlier this season, which is linked below.

Gators Recruiting News & Notes, 10/11

It's been sort of a quiet week on the recruiting trail. Not a whole lot of Florida-related notes to write about, or anything of note from the national perspective that grabbed my attention. However, here's a couple of tidbits to chew on as we head towards an excellent slate of games on Saturday:

– Rivals reported earlier this week that Auburn commit Tre Williams (6-2, 225, Mobile, Ala./St. Paul's) will use an official visit to see check out Florida. Is there anything to see here? Maybe, but it's unlikely. Williams name has been continuously been mentioned in connection with UF for months. But nothing has really came of it. Unless Williams makes more than one visit to Gainesville before National Signing Day, this is likely just a trip to have something to compare Auburn with.

Throw in the fact that Nyles Morgan (6-2, 230, Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee) has expressed interest in taking an official visit to Florida as well, and the linebacker board has expanded a bit for the Gators. Raekwon McMillan and Clifton Garrett remain the top two prospects on the board for Florida. But all four players have to be considered long shots for the Gators at this point. So, this begs the question: assuming the Gators miss on all four of these guys, will they elect to take a guy like Dwight Williams (6-1, 205, Gardena, Calif./Junipero Serra)? Or will they make a late run at one of the in-state linebackers instead? There are some impressive looking players from around the Sunshine State. Josh Black, Jakob Johnson, Xavier Preston, Sharieff Rhaheed are among the in-state prospects worthy of an offer, in my view (Johnson could also get a look at defensive end or in a role similar to that of Ronald Powell). It should also be noted that current commitment Justus Reed could also get a look at playing linebacker or a hybrid role not all that dissimilar from current UF player Neiron Ball.

There's still a long ways to go. The need for numbers isn't there after signing four linebackers last year, but I still expect the Gators to add someone to the fold at the position for the Class of 2014. The only question now is, who will it be?

– Five-star WR commit Ermon Lane of Homestead was ejected for reportedly throwing a punch in a 45-0 win over Palmetto on Thursday night.

Ermon Lane talking with #Homestead AD Newsome and HC Coffey after being ejected in the first. pic.twitter.com/vjOMouz2vr
— Chris Green (@cgreensdnl) October 10, 2013

If the ejection is upheld as is, Lane would face a six-week suspension, which is the typical measure handed down by the FHSAA for such an incident. An appeal in the matter is likely, given the circumstances however, as Lane claims he was simply trying to jar the ball loose from an opponent while playing safety on defense. A reasonable argument, I suppose, without having been there to personally witness the incident, myself.

However, if the six-week suspension is upheld, Lane has very possibly played his final game at the high school level.

– The mystery player of Florida's 2014 class to date has been Casper (Wyo.) Natrona County lineman Taven Bryan. This of course, is owed mostly to the fact there have only been a handful of major recruits to come out of Wyoming over the past couple of decades (with Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Brett Keisel likely being the only one you've ever heard of). While stats on Bryan are hard to come across (he mostly plays offensive line at the high school level), there are a few notes to pass along in regards to his team.

A good analogy for the natives here, is that Natrona County would be to Wyoming, what Lake City Columbia is to the state of Florida. The Fillies were the winningest program in state history coming into the season, with an all-time record of 550-271-27 (good for a .665 winning percentage). They are the defending 4A state champions and have won or split 16 titles in their illustrious history.

However, Natrona has lost three games so far this season. All by a single point, and all three in overtime (the season-opener saw the Fillies drop a 42-41 decision to Cheyenne East in triple overtime, in fact). After beginning the season 3-3, they now have a tough road ahead following an early-season slump that has seen the program match their loss total over the previous three seasons in just six games this fall.

Bryan, a first-team Class 4A All-State selection as an offensive lineman a year ago (4A is the largest classification in Wyoming prep football), will be Florida's first ever signee from the state of Wyoming, to my knowledge. While he's projected as a player who could end up on either side of the football, he might just be the guy out of this class who ends up as the prospect who projects best at the center position for the Gators moving forward (a spot offensive line coach Tim Davis has said he wants to address in every recruiting class). Or maybe he does, in fact, end up the second coming of Keisel in the Swamp. Time will tell on that one.

– And if you missed it yesterday, Kevin Bronson has possibly emerged as on the board for Florida as a big end or quick tackle prospect for this recruiting class after the Gators came up short on a few names early on in the process of the Class of 2014.

Kevin Bronson on the radar for UF?

Kevin Bronson is now claiming an offer from Florida. This is an interesting one.

Village Academy HC Don Hanna says #Florida has offered DE Kevin Bronson. #Gators
— Wells Dusenbury (@DuseReport1063) October 10, 2013

Of course, we have to keep in mind that in recruiting, these reports are always dubious, since the offer from the school in question can only be confirmed through "unofficial" channels. However, Bronson has been on the radar for UF for some time now. Even if Florida hasn't truly extended a tender to Bronson, there is no doubt at this point that he is a target for the Gators as we continue moving towards National Signing Day.

Now, Bronson is an intriguing prospect to me. He could project all across the board. Possibly as a bigger fullback/H-Back type on offense (think J.C. Copeland of LSU), but also as an offensive lineman. However, his future is most likely on defense. I've posted on here recently that Florida needs to find someone in the Dominique Easley mold moving forward. Obviously, replacing Easley is out of the question, but landing a defensive lineman for the future who has a good first step and quickness while not sacrificing much in terms of size is a must. Bronson is already pushing 250 pounds on a 6-foot-3 frame. He appears to have the build to play in the 280-290 pound range one day as well.

It should be noted that Bronson has a pretty solid offer list to date. N.C. State, Wake Forest and West Virginia were among the other programs to extend tenders to Bronson throughout the recruiting process to date.

Top 5 for Kevin Bronson: #Gators #Arkansas #Rutgers #USF #UCF. Bronson plans on making decision after the season.
— Wells Dusenbury (@DuseReport1063) October 10, 2013

Bronson isn't highly-rated. This development isn't going to move the meter a whole lot in terms of the Florida recruitniks out there. But I like it. These are the type of prospects the Gators prefer to bring in. Football players who can project across multiple spots across both sides of the ball. From looking at the board, it was clear that the Gators need to drum up some additional names at a few spots. We've seen a couple of names emerge at wide receiver in recent weeks in Ja'Von Harrison and Eric Lauderdale. Now Bronson is a name that pops up along the defensive line. I suspect we'll see other names emerge all across the board over the coming weeks as well. History tells us we will and the particular nature of this class for 2014 (which is strong for in-state talent, but lacking the "elite" names at the top) suggests Florida was going to have to be a bit more patient wading through this cycle, as opposed to the last two years.

Here's a highlight video of Bronson that has been posted on YouTube, by the way. Bit of a mess. Good luck trying to watch it, sort through it and figure out where Bronson is on each play:

Florida's run of success at the tight end position

Since 2000, the Gators have actually put together a pretty good record of placing tight ends into the NFL. As for how well they've stacked up with other teams over that time frame, here's the list of college programs to have at least five tight ends drafted over the last 14 years:

Miami, (Fla.): 9
Notre Dame: 8
Iowa: 7
Florida: 6
Penn State: 6
Stanford: 6
Virginia: 6
Wisconsin: 6
Georgia: 5
Oregon: 5
Tennessee: 5

213 tight ends been selected in the NFL Draft between 2000 and 2013. Among the interesting trends and numbers to develop over that time period:

– Nebraska-Omaha (2) has produced more picks than Nebraska (1). On a similar note, Texas A&M and Texas A&M-Kingsville have both produced the same number of draftees (1).

– Florida State hasn't seen a single tight end drafted since 2000. In fact, you have to go all the way back to 1994 (Lonnie Johnson) to find a tight end from FSU who was drafted into the NFL.

– Idaho (3) and Rice (3) have been surprising fertile grounds for developing tight ends in recent years as well.

The six Florida tight ends to hear their name called since 2000 are as follows:

2000 Erron Kinney (3rd Round, 68th overall, Tennessee Titans)
2003 Aaron Walker (5th Round, 161st overall, San Francisco 49ers)
2004 Ben Troupe (2nd Round, 40th overall, Tennessee Titans)
2009 Cornelius Ingram (5th Round, 153rd overall, Philadelphia Eagles)
2010 Aaron Hernandez (4th Round, 113rd overall, New England Patriots)
2013 Jordan Reed (3rd Round, 85th overall, Washington Redskins)

Although Steve Spurrier was not known for going to the tight end much during his time in Gainesville (aside from Kirk Kirkpatrick's All-SEC campaign during Spurrier's first year as coach at UF in 1990), the first three tight ends drafted (Kinney, Walker, Troupe) were all brought in during his tenure as coach.

The success of this group is a mixed bag. Despite playing just three seasons, Hernandez is actually the most prolific of this group. Kinney lasted the longest at the pro level, playing all seven of his NFL seasons in Tennessee. Walker and Troupe bounced around with multiple teams, never really catching on with any one squad. Ingram never played in a regular season game due to lingering knee issues resulting from his days at Florida. Reed is off to a good start, just four games into his rookie campaign in Washington.

Certainly, the tight end position for UF is a weakness that will have to be corrected in the following months. However, the good news for the Florida staff is that the statistics above provide an easy selling point to the top recruits they are pursuing (Bryce Dixon and Deandre Goolsby among them) that Florida has done a good job in recent years of evaluating and developing players at the position, and getting them in a position to move on to the next level and be productive as well.

Four offers for LB Jakob Johnson

A few weeks ago, we brought you the tale of German transplant Jakob Johnson, whose name was just beginning to generate a buzz in recruiting circles. Johnson, as you may remember, made the decision to come over to the States in the summer to play his senior year of prep football at Ribault High School in Jacksonville.

Well, the story continues to be written. It turns out that, as expected, Johnson's stock continues to rise.

#Wisconsin #Badgers just offered me
— JakobJohnson (@JohnsonJakob) October 7, 2013

It should be noted that Wisconsin already has a commitment from Ribault quarterback D.J. Gillins, also a new addition at Ribault this fall, after previously playing at Eagle's View Academy in Jacksonville.

Justin Barney, a Preps writer for the Florida Times-Union also gave a positive review of Johnson's play in during a 42-29 victory for Bishop Kenny over Ribault on Friday.

@justinlwells He looks good. Definitely passes the eye test. Dropped an INT late in 2nd half; better coming up to play the run.
— Justin Barney (@JustinBarneyTU) October 5, 2013

The offer from Wisconsin gives Johnson four now, as he previously picked up tenders from Idaho, Tennessee and Tulane as well. In addition, Johnson visited Florida State on Saturday for the Seminoles' 63-0 win over Maryland at Doak Campbell Stadium, proving he's on the radar for a whole bunch of schools other than just the four who have throw their hat in the ring so far.

Many schools probably want to see as much tape as possible before offering a prospect who is new to the States, and that makes sense. Still, I'm not sure how long some programs can stand to wait before pulling the trigger on the offer if they are taking a look at Johnson. He does plan to enroll early at the school of his choice, so his time frame on making a decision is obviously a bit more accelerated than some.

Going back to the positives for Johnson here. The size is ideal (6-4, 240). He's comfortable in space, enough so that I don't think it's out of the question he could play the MIKE in a 4-3, although he figures to probably be a better fit at linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He's got a big frame, enough that some more certainly isn't out of the question, meaning a transition to the defensive front is possible too.

Then, throw in the fact that he can be on campus in January. If there's concern about his knowledge of the game or adjusting to playing the ball at this level in America, he will get an entire spring practice under his belt before his freshman season. There are a bunch of positives here. Johnson's best days on the gridiron are clearly way out in front of him.

And with the Big Three schools now apparently moving into the mix as well (Florida State and Miami have expressed interest, still no word on Florida yet), the pursuit of Jakob Johnson could get very intriguing over the next several weeks as he continues to take visits and consider his options at the next level.

Winning now: Looking to the JUCO ranks

If you spend a few minutes looking over the Florida football roster, it's abundantly clear they are built to win, and possibly win big in 2014. A large junior class (currently at 22, but likely to lose a couple of guys to the NFL after this season) supports this notion. The Gators are deep and talented at a number of positions: UF will likely return two quarterbacks with at least 10 games of starting experience in Jeff Driskel and Tyler Murphy next year, several talented and proven running backs including Matt Jones and Mack Brown, a large number of offensive and defensive linemen are slated to return, proven linebackers in Antonio Morrison and Michael Taylo will be back, along with a host of gifted young players at both wide receiver and in the secondary.

However, there are shaping up to be some holes on the depth chart as well. The Gators could realistically dip into the JUCO ranks at a number of positions in an effort to shore up some spots on the roster. Let me be clear, I'm not advocating for a widespread addition of talent from the junior college ranks. However, there are five spots where Florida could bring in a transfer and it would make a lot of sense from the perspective that those players would come in handy since UF has a chance to potentially win it all next season.

1. Cornerback: If both Loucheiz Purifoy and Marcus Roberson head off to the NFL next year, there will be a major hole on the depth chart at cornerback. Florida is targeting a wide range of corners from the high school ranks, and will likely end up signing 4-5 players from the prep ranks that end up on the back end for the Class of 2014. But in this scenario, there would be just two true cornerbacks on the roster returning in sophomore Vernon Hargreaves and redshirt freshman Nick Washington. Sure, senior Cody Riggs (playing safety this year) and junior Brian Poole (who has mostly been used as a nickelback) have experience at the position as well. I'm not sure either guy can be relied on to hold down a corner position for the entire season, however. The right guy from the JUCO ranks (former five-star recruit Tee Shepard, now at Holmes C.C. in Mississippi, perhaps?) could make a lot of sense for the Gators in 2015.

2. Wide Receiver: The Gators have seen a rejuvenation in the wide receiving corps this fall. A lot of this success is likely owed to new wide receivers coach Joker Phillips, who has his unit playing beautifully. Of the top three receivers on the team, two of them (Trey Burton and Solomon Patton) will be gone after the season. While the Gators have a couple of talented young players waiting in the wings (Ahmad Fulwood and Demarcus Robinson), it wouldn't be a bad idea to add a talented JUCO player to the mix as well, just to give a little additional depth

3. Defensive Line: Considering the huge, gaping hole at defensive tackle between Darious Cummings and Leon Orr and the three highly-touted freshmen tackles signed this past February (Bostwick, Brantley and Riles), signing a junior college defensive lineman would make a lot of sense. Even if, say, Jonathan Bullard made the transition to more of a defensive tackle next fall, then grabbing a JUCO end would make a lot of sense. It appears to be a strong year for prospects on the defensive front. Florida has already made a run at DaVonte Lambert (Tennessee) and Abu Lamin (South Carolina). It's clear that it's an idea both Will Muschamp and Brad Lawing are open to – if they can the right guy, that is.

4. Offensive Line: The numbers really shouldn't figure to be an issue looking ahead to next year. The left side of the line (Humphries at tackle, Garcia at guard) is strong and should remain intact heading into 2014. There are a number of options who should be able to fill the other three positions (Brown, Green, Moore and Silberman jump to the forefront) and a couple of young guys should make the next step and jump into the mix for a starting job and/or considerable playing time (namely Octavious Jackson and Trip Thurman). However, throwing another transfer lineman into the mix who could push the others are the roster for a starting spot wouldn't be the worst outcome in the world.

5. Tight End: If you consider the complete lack of production at this spot, it makes a lot of sense. However, the fact of the matter is there just aren't a lot of realistic options out there for the 2014 class. Jean Sifrin (6-7, 255, El Camino College) is a native of Miami and claims some major offers (Oklahoma being the biggest). Braedon Bowman (6-4, 225, Scottsdale C.C.) is putting together a big-time campaign this fall, but I'm not sure he's exactly an SEC-caliber player. There's also Ricky Parks, the former highly-touted recruit from Auburn, who is at Northeast Mississippi C.C., but it's not clear yet when he will have the credits in order to transfer to a four-year school. All things considered, Florida appears to be focused primarily towards going the high school route in signing two tight ends for 2014, and that's appears to be the right idea as of now.

Again, the point isn't that Florida needs to take JUCO players at all of these spots. But it would make sense for UF to take a junior college transfer at any one of these positions. My hunch is that UF will eventually land 2-3 in this class, and it's hard to believe they won't come from the above-listed spots on the roster.

Post-Arkansas Recruiting Thoughts

Just running off at the keyboard for a bit in the aftermath of Florida's 30-10 victory against the Razorbacks on Saturday, moving the Gators to 4-1 on the season (3-0 in the SEC).

First, the good news:

– The top offensive line target on the board for Florda, David Sharpe, finally showed up for a game in the Swamp this fall. It appears he enjoyed himself as well.

Enjoyed the Florida Game alot
— David Sharpe (@SHARPECITYY) October 6, 2013

In any case, the Gators appear to have done what they needed to do with this unofficial visit: "stop the bleeding," so to speak. The momentum has been quickly moving away from UF in recent weeks and more towards Clemson and Georgia. Now, it appears Florida has put themselves firmly back in the mix. But where things go with Sharpe from here is anyone's guess. Is this the weekend where Florida starts to turn the tide back in their favor? Or is this just a slight detour in the road towards Sharpe ending up at Georgia (or somewhere else)? Only time will tell.

Again, the Gators need at least one more body up front on offense in this class. At this point, they obviously can't put all their eggs in Sharpe's basket if they want to achieve the numbers they are looking for on the O-Line. But he is a critical prospect in Florida's recruiting efforts down the stretch. That much is clear. Unless a Damian Prince (or like-minded prospect) emerges as a serious target, of course. But for now, we'll consider Sharpe to be the only big-time OL prospect for whom the Gators are currently a serious option for.

– After extending an offer to Tennessee wide receiver commitment Eric Lauderdale last week, the talented JUCO prospect has already backed off of his pledge to the Vols on Sunday night:

After going over a few things, I feel like the best decision for me & my family is to back away from my commitment to Tennessee...
— Eric Lauderdale (@e_lauderdale) October 7, 2013

Considering Lauderdale has already publicly discussed making a visit to UF in the wake of the offer from Florida assistant coach Joker Phillips, this has to be considered a pretty good development for the Gators. It seems safe to say that Florida is trending up here.

Now, the bad news:

– This shouldn't come as a huge surprise. There was the news from late last week that Dalvin Cook is going to take an official visit to Arkansas. Now, Florida's other five-star skill commitment is in the process of setting up a couple of trips as well:

#Gators WR commit Ermon Lane plans to officially visit #FSU & # Alabama. Says commitment at 95%. See #FSU as the #Gators competition only.
— Gerry Hamilton (@HamiltonESPN) October 6, 2013

Whereas Cook has visited Texas, USC and now Arkansas – teams not generally thought to be any real threats at making a run for his signature – Ermon Lane plans to visit Alabama and Florida State. Those two programs obviously have a better chance at swaying Lane off of his pledge to UF. What the Crimson Tide have done over the past five years speaks for itself. And the early-season play of Jameis Winston is obviously catching the eye of some recruits (especially ones who play offense) as well.

This is definitely something worth watching down the stretch. With the need for skill players in this class (no less than eight prospects between RB, WR and DB ... and very likely more), the Gators have to be careful to make sure they hit their marks on the recruiting trail. With J.C. Jackson also apparently being a bit shaky in his commitment these days, Will Muschamp might have to take a step back and re-evaluate where some things are in regards to the Class of 2014 and the skill positions on both offense and defense.

On to some other items:

– It's kind of interesting to note how Florida's offense has played this year, and how that could (positively) effect recruiting. Despite all the hemming and hawing from the UF fanbase, this unit is on par to put together their best showing since 2009. Surprisingly, the running game has not been what is was last season. Despite a backfield stocked with talent (on paper), the results really haven't been there through four games – and that should be appealing to a talent like Dalvin Cook – who could come to Gainesville and step into a prominent role immediately.

As for the passing game, suddenly things have opened up with Tyler Murphy running the show. The Gators are throwing it around a bit more, and the three upperclassmen (Burton, Dunbar and Patton) have all made huge jumps under Joker Phillips. Phillips can also point to his immediate success working with the UF receivers as Florida attempts to hold on to Ermon Lane and reel in a couple of other top-notch prospects as well.

– Florida has now offered a JUCO receiver (the aforementioned Lauderdale) and I've previously pointed out that offering a JUCO defensive back might not be the worst idea, either. The Gators may have the answer for one of those upcoming needs already on the roster: Valdez Showers. Although he's now listed as a running back, Showers is more of an "offensive weapon" (to steal a term from the Jaguars, in regards to Denard Robinson) than a true member of the backfield. Perhaps next year, he makes a move to playing full-time as a receiver (while possibly still getting a few carries as well). With Burton and Patton gone after 2013, someone will need to step up in providing a presence in the passing game over the middle.

But Showers was originally recruited to play defense, and I wouldn't completely rule out the possibility that maybe he makes a return to that side of the football next year, considering where the numbers will be in the secondary if both Purifoy and Roberson elect to go pro. In any case, Showers is a versatile weapon whose value will become much more defined next year because of his ability to fill so many different roles effectively on the football field.

– The Gators have not signed a player out of the Mississippi prep ranks since Robert Gillespie in 1998. It should be noted that Will Muschamp attempted to hire Gillespie as an assistant when he first got on at Florida, but was rebuffed, as Gillespie elected to stay at West Virginia. With Mississippi State's struggles this season, now seems like as good of a time to strike as any in the Magnolia State. Florida used uncertainty surrounding Gene Chizik's future at Auburn last fall to make a run at AU pledge Jarrad Davis. Chizik was eventually fired, and Davis would go on to sign with UF (he has been an integral part of the special teams units for UF this fall). The guy I would be eyeing if I was a member of the UF staff? Greenville Weston linebacker Gerri Green. Checking in at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, Green reportedly runs in the 4.5 range. Green could play linebacker, or could grow into an athletic rush end as well. In any case, he's a long, fast, athletic defensive front-seven player, which is exactly what Florida has been in the market for over the past couple of years.

Another school's commitment list who could eventually come in the crosshairs: Tennessee. The Vols gambled and it nearly paid off big when UT brought in a bunch of commits for a weekend showdown with Georgia. Tennessee fought valiantly and lost, but their performance against the Bulldogs bought some time with recruits – especially those in attendance on Saturday. However, Butch Jones still lacks a signature win in Knoxville, and may not get it this year. The Vols could easily fall to 3-7 by the middle of November following a slate which includes Alabama, South Carolina, and an improved Mizzou and Auburn over the next four games. If the Gators find someone else committed to Tennessee worth pursuing –  as they already seem to be reeling in the former JUCO WR commit Lauderdale –  then it would come as no surprise at all to see UF make that move to pursue. DaVonte Lambert, in particular, may be someone whom the Gators decide not to give up on until the LOI paperwork is in to the school of his choice.

UF Recruiting News & Notes, 10/4 (UPDATED)

– (2:00 PM UPDATE) The Gators have seemingly been trending down with David Sharpe since the beginning of football season. The 6-foot-6, 285-pound offensive lineman out of Jacksonvile had taken a trip to Clemson, two trips to Athens, and has seen Georgia three times in total to date. But had yet to make a pit-stop in Gainesville this fall. It appears that issue has been fixed from the UF perspective

Now @SBNRecruiting writes that, according to sources, David Sharpe will visit Gainesville this weekend: http://t.co/ORMyWqI5Da
— Alligator Army (@AlligatorArmy) October 4, 2013

(Sharpe himself tweeted out on Friday afternoon that he would attend the Arkansas game as a guest of UF, but the post has since been removed).

Sharpe was originally scheduled to visit Florida State this weekend. And it probably should be noted that with FSU's noon kickoff against Maryland, and Florida pegged to take on Arkansas at 7:00 PM, he could possibly take in both games over the course of one afternoon/evening. Admittedly, that would be a busy day for anyone. But there's been no definitive information given on whether or not his FSU visit plans have been scrapped, so the possibility remains that he could see both schools play tomorrow.

In any case, the Gators have to work to try and stop the momentum from moving towards Georgia and Clemson on Saturday. I'd like to throw in there that sometimes, this is simply how recruiting works. A team has the good early positioning for a player (as Florida did in the spring with Sharpe), and then said prospect gets interested in seeing what else is out there. Sometimes, he likes the other options he goes to visit and ends up at another school, sometimes he goes back with the original program he favored. We'll have to see which direction Sharpe goes in here. But nothing can be ruled out at this time in terms of where he will sign, and that includes a program not currently believed to be heavily in the picture (which could very well be FSU, I might add).

Remember, Sharpe has been to Florida several times since the beginning of the year. He will likely make it back for the Florida State game in November and possibly an official visit down-the-road as well (and if he doesn't take an official visit to UF, he can always make the quick trip from Jacksonville to Gainesville for an unofficial, if need be). Perhaps Will Muschamp and Tim Davis can "stop the bleeding," so-to-speak, this weekend. Maybe this is the first step towards moving the Gators back into the driver's seat. Only time will tell on that one.

The rest of this entry is from this morning, as follows:

– It seems that Florida commitment Dalvin Cook has made plans as to when and where he will take his next official visit:

Elite RB plans visit to Arkansas: Running back Dalvin Cook, a Florida commitment, plans to officially visit Arkansas. http://t.co/5bGBq86avq
— Richard Davenport (@ArRecruitingGuy) October 4, 2013

A trip to Fayetteville would be Cook's second, following a September jaunt to Texas. While the 5-foot-11, 197-pound running back out of Miami Central is publicly leaving the door open, there seems to be a jovial and carefree approach to these official visits. He's not visiting schools he seems to be overly serious about (Florida State, Miami and even South Florida, where his former high school coach is now an assistant, would be much more concerning). And he keeps saying the right things about Florida to the press. Barring a change in this behavior, while these visits probably aren't preferred from the UF perspective, none of them have given reason to set off any alarms, so far.

– On Wednesday, I wrote about a planned official visit by New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr prospects Speedy Noil and Gerald Willis to Florida still being on for the Arkansas game this weekend. Reports from Rivals affiliate Inside The Gators earlier that day had suggested that Noil and Willis would postpone their visit again (they had originally been scheduled to visit Gainesville for the Tennessee game two weeks ago).

Scratch Speedy Noil and Gerald Willis III from #Floridas expected official visitors for #Arkansas game http://t.co/8d6MV5mXxg
— Blake Alderman (@MistaAlderman) October 2, 2013

On Thursday, Luke Stampini of 247Sports affiliate GatorBait suggested the same thing – that Noil and Willis wouldn't be heading to The Swamp this weekend. However, there has been no actual word from the camps of either Noil or Willis, other than the interviews during an Under Armour All-America Game jersey ceremony on Wednesday when they both confirmed they were still heading to UF on Saturday.

So, what's the real answer? I guess we'll all find out within the next 24 hours, although the smoke from multiple outlets on this one suggesting that Noil and Willis will reschedule their official visits to UF for a second time (reportedly, until Vanderbilt weekend in November) indicates there is some legitimacy to the buzz floating around out there. Considering Noil and Willis have have now potentially postponed a planned trip to Gainesville twice, it's easy to come to the conclusion the pair aren't all that serious about Florida. But perhaps their reasons for doing so are legitimate (again, if they do in fact move their visit back as has been suggested).

In any case, while the chances were long that Florida could sign either player out of Louisiana to begin with, the pair are talented enough prospects to at least bring on campus and take a shot at convincing them UF is the place to be. However, assuming Noil and Willis don't visit this weekend, it does beg the question: will Will Muschamp and his staff simply cut bait and move on to other targets at this point? Or will they continue to recruit the top-100 prospects out of the Pelican State?

– Apopka junior fullback Chandler Cox picked up his first offer from Kentucky on Wednesday, according to the Orlando Sentinel. This interests Gators fans because Cox is the first real fullback to emerge on the radar for the Class of 2015, and the tender from UK was the first for 6-foot-1, 215 pound athlete.

There aren't a ton of teams in the market for pure fullbacks these days. But Florida does use a fullback quite regularly on offense, and with the Gators' top two players at the position both being juniors, it stands to reason that UF will likely be in the market for such a prospect at this time next year.

Cox is an intriguing player. He lines up all over the backfield, including at quarterback, for Apopka's unique offense, which employs quite a bit of the old-school single-wing formation to great success. Think of him as a modern-day Jim Jensen, if you will. A Swiss-army knife whose strength is in his ability to fill so many different roles. In a way, Cox could project as a potential replacement for Trey Burton, who has worn many different hats during his time in Gainesville. But the biggest difference between the two is clearly the fact that Cox is a much more effective blocker (as you can see in the film below). While he doesn't possess the brute strength and mass of a Hunter Joyer, Cox does have the frame to get much bigger in time, while likely proving to be a much more versatile and effective weapon with the ball in his hands.



It should also be noted that Cox is currently rated as the No. 4 prospect in Central Florida for 2015 by the Orlando Sentinel. Considering that area generally produces some pretty talented football players, that's certainly nothing to sneeze at. This kid can play.

Another factor to keep in mind: Cox is close friends with Apopka junior offensive tackle Martez Ivey, who figures to be one of the top prospects on the entire recruiting board the Gators in 2015. The two are reportedly pretty chummy, and reeling in Cox will certainly only help Florida's chances with Ivey as well.

Considering the position he plays, Florida was likely in no rush to extend an offer to Cox, as they kept track of his progress and made sure he was the guy they wanted to move forward with on an offer to at the fullback position in next year's recruiting cycle. And perhaps the Kentucky offer won't change a thing. But this development could also force UF to move up their timeline on extending a tender to the talented offensive weapon, in an effort to make sure both he (and Ivey) end up in Gainesville a couple of years down the line.

Six more names to keep an eye on

Last week, we took a look at five prospects making a name for themselves this fall with their play on the gridiron. Today, we do the same. Six more prospects worth shining a light on with their performances through the month of September:

1. WR Stephen Denmark (6-3, 200, Tallahassee Rickards) – Rickards is off to a 4-0 start on the season, and coming off a stunning 43-42 triple overtime upset of Lincoln last week. A big reason for the Raiders' success is Denmark, who has already grabbed 20 receptions for 484 yards and six scores through four games. Denmark's stats are backed up by excellent Nike SPARQ testing numbers from the spring: a 4.70 40, 4.44 seconds in the short shuttle and a 36.5" vertical leap. Clearly a name to watch moving forward. Denmark doesn't look particularly "sudden" on film, but he does have enough size, speed and leaping ability to help stretch a defense from an outside receiver position.

2. TE Elkanah Dillon (6-5, 220, Ocala Vanguard) – With so few tight ends in the state of Florida, Dillon figures to pick up interest as he continues to pile up numbers this season. Through five games, Dillon has 22 receptions for 304 yards and six touchdowns for Vanguard. Good athlete for his size. He's a long, athletic player on film. More receiver than tight end at this point, but the frame is there. Looks like a small forward playing football, to be frank. He certainly seems to have more upside than a prospect like Moral Stephens in the Class of 2014.

3. Malik Robinson (6-7, 260, Tampa Freedom) – Robinson plays tight end and defensive end at the prep level. He's athletic for his size, but a bit lumbering to play those positions at the college level? Offensive tackle? Now that makes a lot more sense. Add 30 pounds to Robinson, and watch out! Definitely a bit of a project, but Robinson is a player with quite a bit of upside if the right team can tap into it.



4. OL R.J. Scaife (6-6, 260, Dade City Pasco) – Another Tampa-area big body who is primed to play major college football. Scaife has played tight end and on the defensive line for Pasco, but has now settled in at offensive tackle, where he projects to play on the next level. Scaife obviously has good length and moves well for his size. College recruiters are quite familiar with Pasco, so Scaife figures to see his recruitment pick up at some point in the near future.

5. DB JyQuis Thomas (6-1, 184, Plant City) – Has nice combo of size and speed (4.59 40) at the defensive back position. Has filled up the stat sheet so far this fall: 28 tackles (3.0 for loss), 1 interception, 3 PBU, 1 forced fumble, 1 blocked punt and a sack on the season through four games. Plays for a program that has produced a lot of talent in recent years. He's a physical and willing tackler on film. Not on the level of a Matt Elam, for instance, but if a team is looking at him to play corner, he's well above average for what is expected out of that position in terms of tackling ability.

6. WR/TE Jordan Franks (6-4, 210, Crawfordville Wakulla) – The brother of standout 2016 QB prospect Feleipe Franks, Jordan has been impressing in his own right this fall as the brothers have made for a prolific duo through the air. Franks has 37 receptions for 669 yards and 6 scores through the first five games as Wakulla is off to a 5-0 start. Franks would obviously fit into the "move" or "joker" tight end trend that has evolved in recent years.

UF Recruiting News & Notes, 10/2

– Despite some conflicting information this afternoon, it appears an official visit to Florida is still on for this weekend according to New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr teammates WR Speedy Noil (5-11, 180) and DL Gerald Willis (6-3, 275). The pair were honored with a jersey ceremony today, officially including them as a part of the 2014 Under Armour All-America Game.

The pair join a list which is also expected to include Florida offensive line commitment Nolan Kelleher (6-5, 300, Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) and a pair of priority targets in TE Bryce Dixon (6-4, 230, Ventura, Calif.) and DE Lorenzo Featherston (6-7, 220, Greensboro, N.C.) on official visits, along with a host of other players making the trip to the Swamp on their own dime. The reports on Dixon and Featherston come from 247Sports, by the way. Behind the Tennessee game two weeks ago, and the Florida State finale to close out the regular season slate, Arkansas should prove to be the other "big" recruiting visit weekend for the Gators this fall.

– While two Louisiana targets for UF confirmed their visit plans, another has dropped off the board. To no one's surprise, really, Davon Godchaux finally went public with a commitment to the Bayou Bengals on Monday. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive line prospect was considered a long shot for the Gators, but the Florida staff was hoping to get him on campus for an official visit later in the season.

2014 Plaquemines DL Davon Godchaux commits to #LSU with quotes http://t.co/ncMEOvTYqA
— Jimmy D Smith (@JimmyDetail) October 1, 2013

– It appears Georgia made quite a splash with top linebacker prospect Raekwon McMillan this past weekend. The Bulldogs really impressed the five-star prospect out of Hinesville, Ga. during an official visit to Athens, where he watched the home team take down LSU, 45-42, in a nationally televised contest on CBS. UGA appears poised to make a strong run at McMillan down the stretch, while Clemson and Ohio State still top his list of schools.

“My trip to Georgia was a great visit,” McMillan told the AJC on Monday night. “I got there early Saturday morning and left there late on Sunday night. Georgia really gave me a good reason to stay in-state, and really helped their chances with me going to Georgia.”

Of note on this particular visit, McMillan and blue-chip defensive end Lorenzo Carter – also a major target for Florida – were in Athens together this weekend. The two have expressed an interest in playing football together at the next level, making Florida and Georgia their most likely destinations if they want to carry out that particular destiny.

Timing of visits is always an interesting subject. Carter used his first official to Gainesville for the Tennessee game two weeks ago, and McMillan used his first official visit on the UGA trip. McMillan's final visit is slated for Florida (and the FSU game) in November. Perhaps Will Muschamp and his staff are banking on the two wanting to hang out at a game together once again, assuring that they get at least one more shot at Carter on campus during the fall? It's definitely something to consider.

In any case, I will quickly concede that nothing directly from McMillan himself to date has indicated that Florida has a great shot at landing his services. But he has made a few visits to Gainesville this year; UF is the closest campus to his hometown of Hinesville at right around three hours a trip (Georgia is over four hours away, while a ride to Clemson totals nearly five hours); and the Gators do get that critical final official visit from McMillan. I've seen this staff pull in kids with odds seemingly just as long. While I'm not projecting the Gators to get McMillan at this time, I don't believe anyone should write off their chances, either.

– Very much in a similar vein to big offensive tackle David Sharpe, another in-state prospect pegged to end up at Florida early on who has been trending away from the Gators in recent weeks is Cardinal Newman WR Travis Rudolph. News on the Under Armour All-American has been largely mixed for several months now, but it appears one team is really starting to make a move for his services:

Source: #FSU very confident about landing 2014 WR Travis Rudolph.
— Jeff Greer (@jeffgreer) October 1, 2013

With as volatile as Rudolph's recruitment has been to date, there's no reason for Florida to stop recruiting the 6-foot-1, 190-pound prospect out of West Palm Beach. However, there seems to be a bit more of feeling of traction with FSU here. That the move they've made through the summer and with a hot start behind freshman QB Jameis Winston is very much solid. It's easy to see why, then, that the Gators have started to once again kick the tires on Lakeland Kathleen receiver Ja'Von Harrison, who unofficially visited Gainesville for the Tennessee game. Harrison maintains he is solidly committed to Virginia Tech, but he seems to at least be leaving the door slightly cracked for Florida to potentially make a late run at his signature with his actions.

Replacing Dominique Easley no easy task

The Gators have been trying to prepare for a future without Dominique Easley since last year. It has proven to be a difficult process, to date.

It was Will Muschamp, who spoke after the Kentucky game about how much more difficult it is to double-team an interior lineman, as opposed to someone out on the edge. So while Dominique Easley may give up some girth and brute strength playing on the interior at 285, his first step and explosiveness more than make up for that. Muschamp and his staff have clearly been in the market for a player who can potentially provide that same spark from the middle. They've struck out so far.

Florida made a spirited run at one-time Alabama commit DeMarcus Walker out of Jacksonville late last year. The Gators appeared poised to land the big defensive lineman before he made the late switch to follow Crimson Tide assistant Jeremy Pruitt to Tallahassee, where Pruitt took over as defensive coordinator for Florida State following the BCS National Championship Game.

This year, the Gators landed an early commitment from St. Thomas Aquinas defensive tackle Anthony Moten, another player who fit in the Easley mold in terms of bringing quickness from the interior, and the positional versatility to potentially play either end or tackle at Florida. But he bailed on his pledge to UF after the summer and currently appears to be favoring Miami.

There have been some others, as well. JUCO prospect Davonte Lambert was hotly pursued by Florida but would go on to commit to Tennessee. Louisiana native Davon Godchaux was another UF target who went elsewhere, giving a pledge to LSU this week. Gerald Willis, another prospect from the Pelican State, also appears headed to LSU. Most analysts have Illinois lineman Dewayne Hendrix pegged to Tennessee, where he will visit this weekend for the Georgia game. Needless to say, the search has been somewhat futile to date.

From looking at the prospects defensive line coach Brad Lawing continues to pursue, it seems clear Florida is in the market for two things: a long, angular, athletic pass-rusher in the mold of a Lorenzo Carter or Lorenzo Featherston, and then the best candidate the UF staff can find in the mold of Easley. Expect the Gators to continue evaluating other prospects in that mold (possibly looking to the JUCO ranks), and don't be surprised if they try to turn things around with one of the above-listed prospects (with the exception of Walker, of course) before they sign on the dotted line.

UF Recruiting Board Update, 10/2

Things can change a bit on the trail over the course of a week. So, here's another update to the Florida recruiting board heading into the Arkansas game this weekend

Keep in mind, this is my take on where things stand for Florida at the moment, and my take only. I do not claim to be speaking for the people inside the football offices at UF with this post.

Quarterback: Will Grier is committed and on track to enroll at UF in January. As noted in the last recruiting board update, we'll keep an eye on names like Tampa Wharton signal caller Chase Litton (6-5, 195) on the off-chance Florida elects to take a second quarterback closer to National Signing Day. That said, one quarterback seems most likely for UF in 2014.

Running Back: There's not much need to take a second back in this class, especially with a guy as talented as Dalvin Cook. The Gators will likely get a visit at some point from Bo Scarbrough (6-1, 225, Tuscaloosa, Ala./IMG Academy [Fla.]) and we'll see if Joe Mixon (6-1, 210, Oakley, Calif./Freedom) elects to make an official visit to Gainesville that was originally scheduled for the Tennessee weekend. But for now, one running back would appear to be the most likely scenario for UF.

Wide Receiver: Five-star Ermon Lane says Florida, but the Gators will have to work to keep him in the fold all the way to February. Joker Phillips needs to add one other top in-state prospect with Travis Rudolph (6-1, 190, West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman), Ja'Von Harrison (6-1, 185, Lakeland Kathleen) and Clemson verbal Artavis Scott (5-11, 180, Tarpon Springs East Lake) being the preferred options. Out-of-state targets include Speedy Noil (5-11, 176, New Orleans, La./Edna Karr), who will make an official visit to UF this weekend, and Josh Malone (6-2, 191, Gallatin, Tenn./Station Camp), who is expected to make a trip to Florida at some point this fall. The latest offer from Florida at the wide receiver position went out earlier this week to Tennessee commitment Eric Lauderdale (6-2, 200, Fayetteville, Ga.) who is currently competing for Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif. The target number appears to be three receivers for the 2014 cycle. Keep an eye on: Anthony Rhynes (6-0, 200, Tampa Middleton).

Tight End: With a prolific season under his belt at the high school level, C'yontai Lewis will presumably add another dimension to the passing game at the tight end position for UF. But with Florida's shortcomings at the position, another tight end is wanted in the Class of 2014. Deandre Goolsby (6-4, 230, Derby, Kan./Derby) made an official visit for the Tennessee game and Florida is in the mix for his signature. Bryce Dixon (6-4, 230, Ventura, Calif./St. Bonaventure) is the other major target for UF and he is scheduled to visit Gainesville this weekend for the Arkansas game. Keep an eye on: Jordan Franks (6-4, 210, Crawfordville Wakulla).

Offensive Line: With David Sharpe (6-6, 290, Jacksonville Providence) trending away from Florida, other targets are moving up in importance. UF is trying to make a move with Damien Mama (6-4, 370, Bellflower, Calif./St. Bosco Prep) and Jordan Sims (6-4, 335, Birmingham, Ala./Homewood), but have yet to nail down a visit date for either. Damian Prince (6-5, 290, Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara) is reported to be targeting the FSU game for an official visit trip to Gainesville. Other names will surely re-emerge on the radar that were pursued by Florida earlier in the process, including Alabama verbal Montel McBride (6-4, 350, Plant City), Purdue commitment Denzel Ward (6-8, 305, Chicago, Ill./Simeon) and Indiana pledge Delroy Baker (6-6, 270, St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut). If the Gators elect to go the JUCO route, Jordan Prestwood (6-6, 317, Plant City/Arizona Western C.C.) and Avery Gennesy (6-5, 305, Southaven, Miss./East Mississippi C.C.) are a pair of names to watch. Also keep an eye on Marcus Applefield (6-6, 280, Weeki Wachee).

Defensive End: Two prospects – Lorenzo Carter (6-5, 235, Norcross, Ga./Norcross) and Da'Shawn Hand (6-4, 260, Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) – lead a host of names at the end position. The Gators will get an official visit from Lorenzo Featherston (6-7, 220, Greensboro, N.C./Page) this weekend as well. Other targets include Cory Thomas (6-6, 270, McCalla, Ala./McAdory), Malik McDowell (6-7, 290, Southfield, Mich./Southfield) and Dewayne Hendrix (6-4, 260, O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) for whom the Gators still have some level of involvement at the end position. In any case, figure Florida takes at least one more here to go along with Taven Bryan and Justus Reed. Keep an eye on: Wisconsin commit Rohan Blackwood (6-5, 220, Brooksville Nature Coast)

Defensive Tackle: The numbers suggest Florida will need another tackle to pair with Khairi Clark in this cycle. Thomas Holley (6-4, 300, Brooklyn, N.Y./Lincoln) and former UF pledge Anthony Moten (6-4, 290, Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas) remain on the board, along with Gerald Willis (6-3, 275, New Orleans, La./Edna Karr). The odds appear long that Florida will sign any of the three at this time. Another name on the radar for Florida is Jeremy Patterson (6-3, 310, Jesup, Ga./Wayne County). It would not be altogether unsurprising for the Gators to look to the junior college route to fill a spot in this class along the defensive line as well. Keep an eye on: Freddie Booth-Lloyd (6-1, 305, Cocoa).

Linebacker: There are two major targets: Clifton Garrett (6-2, 228) and Raekwon McMillan (6-2, 240, Hinesville, Ga./Liberty County). Neither are likely to end up at Florida as it stands. The major question now is, will Florida move on to someone else once Garrett and McMillan make it clear they are heading elsewhere? Nyles Morgan (6-2, 230, Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee) and Dwight Williams (6-1, 205, Gardena, Calif./Junipero Serra) would seemingly be the next names on the board for UF, but the Gators have yet to make much of a push for either player. Keep an eye on: Jakob Johnson (6-4, 240, Jacksonville Ribault), Xavier Preston (6-2, 220, Jensen Beach) and Sharriff Rhaheed (6-3, 205, Ft. Pierce Central).

Defensive Back: Something to keep in mind: a few of the receiver prospects Florida is still recruiting could just as soon get a look on defense if they were to come to UF. However, aside from Jamal Adams (6-0, 205, Carrollton, Tex./Hebron) – about as close as you will find to a Florida lock right now – there really aren't any other major targets on the radar for UF in the back end of the defense. Adoree' Jackson could play on either side of the ball in college. The Gators will continue recruiting Jalen Tabor (6-1, 185, Washington, D.C./Friendship Academy), but Maryland is his likely destination at this time. Keep an eye on: Kendall Sawyer (6-0, 179, Lehigh Acres East Lee County).

More targets will emerge for UF, others

In trying to build up and break down the remaining recruiting board for the Florida Gators for the Class of 2014, one thing needs to be made clear: other prospects will emerge. Some of them will have been former targets of UF that have reconsidered their commitments. Other players will have come off the radar entirely to become priorities for the Florida coaching staff. Just look at last year's class, for instance. Seven prospects committed after Oct. 1, 2012 that weren't considered possibilities for Florida on that date:

LB Alex Anzalone
DT Darious Cummings
LB Jarrad Davis
DT Jarran Reed
LB Matt Rolin
P Johnny Townsend
OL Trevon Young

Of course, Anzalone and Rolin had been offered much earlier in the process, but had committed elsewhere (Anzalone to Ohio State, then Notre Dame; Rolin to South Carolina). Cummings and Reed (who ultimately wasn't able to enroll at Florida this fall) were JUCO targets who emerged on the radar as the season wore on, which has been the emerging trend for how UF typically pursues prospects out of the junior college ranks. Davis became a possibility for the Gators as Auburn's season crumbled and Gene Chizik was run out of town. Townsend and Young emerged on the board right around National Signing Day for UF.

More names will emerge, that much is clear. Like Eric Lauderdale on Monday, the Gators are far from done in terms of evaluating players and extending offers. Some will of those tenders will go to names that will not surprise hard-core UF recruitniks. Others, like Lauderdale, may be names that surprise us a bit.

Just a little some to keep in mind as we project the recruiting board for Florida moving forward. It is an organic creature that will continue to change and develop all the way until National Signing Day.

Going further in-depth: Florida Offensive Line recruiting

I was a bit taken aback by some of the feedback I got regarding my post from yesterday regarding Florida's performance in recruiting elite offensive linemen in recent years. Then again, I guess I shouldn't have been. The post was designed to show the state of the offensive line in a somewhat positive light, when many hard-core UF recruitniks seem to be quite down on the performance of Tim Davis on the recruiting trail. But everyone is entitled to their opinion, so it doesn't matter if people disagree with me. Still, I do feel the need to explain myself a bit. So, bear with me, as I go a little more in-depth on my original post and try to clear up any confusion.

– First off,  I find the refusal of some Florida fans to credit Tim Davis for the additions of Max Garcia and Tyler Moore simply humorous. They don't count because they transferred in from other schools? How does that make sense? They do play for Florida right now, correct? I wholeheartedly agree that relying on players with resumes like Garcia and Moore to be available on the transfer market isn't a sound way to do business on a year-to-year basis. But circumstances allowed the Gators to go out and get those guys. Just like various circumstances caused the Gators to miss on a few of their higher-rated targets in recent years, some of which were simply beyond the control of the staff. I'm sure Muschamp and Davis are well-aware of the fact that there was a bit of luck involved with landing Garcia and Moore, but it happened nonetheless. They shouldn't have to apologize for it, and I'm betting they don't expect that particular scenario to play out again any time in the near future. Moore fell within the particular scope of top offensive linemen I was looking at. He originally signed with Nebraska, and is now at Florida. So I count him for Florida.

– My focus was on the big-name prospects for a reason. Those are the guys who draw the most attention on message boards, Twitter, etc. The latest news and buzz on guys like Laremy Tunsil and David Sharpe moves the needle considerably more than prospects like Octavius Jackson and Travaris Dorsey, for instance. This is, in part, of the rankings attributed to the prospects, as well as their projected positions. Sharpe and Tunsil, after all, do play the more "glamorous" left tackle position.

– Of course (and in looking back I realize I didn't point this out in the post from yesterday), finding the diamond-in-the-rough and sleeper prospects is just as important as landing the "national" All-American types. I avoided delving deeper into that side of offensive line recruiting from recent years because I was more interested in tying the post into the David Sharpe storyline that has dominated headlines for Florida fans in recent weeks. Being able to go toe-to-toe with the national powers for the top prospects and come away with victories is nice (and important), but an assistant coach being able to go out and find the other guys who are off the beaten path a bit is just as critical.

– While yesterday's post did focus more on the All-American prospects, as opposed to the quality of evaluations among those who were not highly recruited, I did note that of the "elite" recruits that Florida has hotly pursued in recent years, those guys very much proved to be a mixed bag as it relates to success at the college level: 

Does getting the elite talent even matter? Yes and no. Like recruiting in general, it's a bit of a crapshoot. Benedict was an excellent prep lineman, but he never fully recovered from a freak injury suffered during his senior season at Bolles and has never been the same. Green and Silberman have been largely quiet during their careers at Florida, while Linder has been solid at Miami and Flowers made a quick impact in Coral Gables as well. Dunker has already been dismissed at UF. It's a little early to say anything definitive on most of the other prospects at this time.

– I was asked about the importance in the using 2010 as the starting point for that post. It was simply to allow for a little perspective on the big picture, and also since the guys signed that particular year are still on the team and with eligibility remaining after this year. I realize and am aware that Addazio (Harrison, Halapio, Koehne) and Verducci (Humphries) deserve as much of the credit (if not more, in the case of Addazio) for putting this offensive line unit together as Davis does. But I didn't try to argue otherwise, either.

– One other note that I wanted to throw in. The Gators are currently in line to return 12 scholarship offensive linemen next year. Compare that with my (unofficial) tallies of what some of the other top programs in the SEC are slated to return in 2014:

South Carolina: 15

Auburn: 14

Arkansas: 13

Georgia: 12

Vanderbilt: 12

Alabama: 11

LSU: 11

Ole Miss: 11

Texas A&M: 10

That number puts Florida right about in the middle of the pack. They could probably get away with signing as few as four offensive linemen in this class. But as always, when projecting numbers, knowing what potential attrition lies on the roster after the season is key as it relates to how many players the Gators actually take come National Signing Day.

The Gators target a Tennessee commitment

Florida extended an offer to Saddleback College (Mission Viejo, Calif.) wide receiver Eric Lauderdale on Monday afternoon.

#Florida Offered 🐊
— Eric Lauderdale (@e_lauderdale) September 30, 2013

Lauderdale is originally from Fayetteville, Ga., which is about 40 minutes southwest of downtown Atlanta. Saddleback College has him listed on the 2013 roster at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. He's presently committed to play for Tennessee next year, which he made sure to reaffirm after announcing the offer from UF.

Still #VolNation though
— Eric Lauderdale (@e_lauderdale) September 30, 2013

However, it should be noted that Florida has had some success in recent years of prying away JUCO players who were already committed to Tennessee. The Gators landed defensive tackle Edwin Herbert out of the City College of San Francisco in 2009 (Oops!) and then Damien Jacobs from East Mississippi Community College in 2012. Herbert was a non-contributor at Florida and only lasted in Gainesville for a year, while Jacobs has been a valued rotational tackle since joining the Gators. With Tennessee's ongoing struggles this season, it's a situation that certainly bears watching.

It's also worth noting that Florida has not signed a receiver from the junior college ranks since Carl Moore out of Sierra Community College in Rocklin, Calif. back in 2008.

As I've maintained, the Gators need to land at least three more skill prospects in addition to the players they've already managed to bring into the fold. And that doesn't even take into account potential attrition at the wide receiver position (of which I suspect there could be some following the season). So that number could very easily rise from three before National Signing Day rolls around.

During his freshman season at Saddleback, Lauderdale made 60 receptions for 916 yards (15.3 avg.) and 7 scores. He has yet to play in a game for Saddleback this season through three contests.

JUCO Report, 9/30

The junior college football season is approximately half over in most regions of the country. With that in mind, here's a listing of 16 defensive linemen who have emerged as potential BCS prospects

Defensive End

Jhaustin Thomas (6-6, 270, Decatur, Ga./Trinity Valley C.C.) – Thomas signed with South Carolina in the 2012 class and has gave a pledge in June to re-join the Gamecocks as a part of the next year. Thomas currently leads all junior college defenders with 8.5 sacks on the season. With his size, he is potentially the most intriguing JUCO prospect on the defensive line for this class. (2013 stats through five games: 27 tackles, 6.5 for loss, 8.5 sacks, 1 PBU)

Whitney Richardson (6-5, 240, Pensacola/Mesa C.C.) – Because of his length and pass-rush ability, Richardson was tracked by a number of schools (including Florida) out of high school. It was well-known he was a sign-and-place guy coming out of the prep ranks, however. Richardson has been off to a slightly slower start this fall than last season at Mississippi Gulf Coast, where he notched eight sacks as a freshman. (2013 stats through five games: 23 tackles, 5 for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 FF)

Others to watch:

Demetrius Hill (6-3, 250, Kankakee, Ill./Fort Scott C.C.) – 35 tackles, 7.0 for loss, 3.5 sacks, 2 FF)

Kyle Holmes (6-3, 232, Beaumont, Tex./Blinn College) – 24 tackles, 7.0 for loss, 6.5 sacks, 1 PBU)

Anthony Olobia (6-5, 245, Renton, Wash./Arizona Western College) – 27 tackles, 7.5 for loss, 2.5 sacks

Dalyou Pierson (6-3, 260, Bakersfield, Calif./Pasadena City College) – 21 tackles, 11.0 for loss, 6.0 sacks

Tui Talia (6-5, 260, Pleasant Hill, Calif./Diablo Valley College) – 31 tackles, 6.5 for loss, 5.0 sacks, 2 PBU 

Brent Williams (6-4, 240, Los Angeles, Calif./El Camino College) – 24 tackles, 7.0 for loss, 6.0 sacks

Defensive Tackle

DaVonte Lambert (6-2, 275, Waynesboro, Ga./Georgia Military College) – Ranked as one of the top junior college prospects in the country for the 2014 class, Lambert has already given a commitment to Tennessee after being hotly pursued by Auburn, Georgia and Florida, among others. (2013 stats through six games: 15 tackles, 5.0 for loss, 3.0 sacks, 3 FF)

Steven Eddings (6-4, 285, Memphis, Tenn./Jones County J.C.) – Eddings has been off to a hot start. Impressive numbers early on. He could be the late-bloomer for this year's JUCO crop, comparative to Lavon Hooks of the 2013 class. (25 tackles, 5.0 for loss, 2.0 sacks, 1 PBU)

Jarran Reed (6-4, 305, Goldsboro, N.C./East Mississippi C.C.) – Signed with Florida earlier this year, but was unable to meet the academic requirements to get into school for the fall semester. Mid-year enrollee. Really hasn't made any statistical leaps since last year through the first half of the season. (2013 stats through five games: 20 tackles, 1.0 sacks)

Others to watch:

Raymond Coen (6-3, 295, Rio Linda, Calif./Sacramento City College) – 23 tackles, 11.0 for loss, 6.0 sacks

Calvin Heurtelou (6-4, 304, Nanuet, N.Y./Scottsdale C.C.) – 28 tackles, 8.0 for loss, 1 FR

Cory Johnson (6-3, 305, Chambersburg, Pa./Asa College) – 18 tackles, 2.0 for loss

Abu Lamin (6-4, 310, Raleigh, N.C./Fort Scott C.C.) – 17 tackles, 2.5 for loss, 1 FF

Daniel Ross (6-4, 310, Louisville, Ky./Northeast Mississippi C.C.) – 25 tackles, 4.5 for loss, 1.0 sacks, 1 FF)

Florida's OL recruiting from 2010-14: An Analysis

There's been a lot of venom directed at Tim Davis in recent weeks for his apparent inability to close on top offensive line talent. This, of course, is mostly a result of the Gators apparent inability to land Jacksonville Providence product David Sharpe after Florida appeared to be in the driver's seat of his recruitment earlier in the year. Combine that with the Gators' striking out last year on local product Laremy Tunsil (who ended up at Ole Miss), and it's enough to have fans grumbling a bit.

Fair enough. Missing out on Sharpe has to be a bitter pill for the recruitniks to swallow. But if you compare the Gators' ability to land the "elite" in-state offensive line talent in recent years with the other in-state programs, they've done a fairly good job. Going back to 2010, these are the prospects who were generally considered to be among the best in the state. These were the All-American-types who were highly-coveted by programs around the Southeast and beyond:

2010
Brent Benedict (Georgia)
Chaz Green (Florida)
Brandon Linder (Miami)
Ian Silberman (Florida)

2011
Bobby Hart (Florida State)
Tyler Moore (Nebraska/Florida)

2012
Jessamen Dunker (Florida)
Ereck Flowers (Miami)
Patrick Miller (Auburn)
John Theus (Georgia)
Avery Young (Auburn)

2013
Ira Denson (Florida State)
Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss)

2014
Kc McDermott (Miami)
David Sharpe (Undecided)

So, the breakdown of these players signing with colleges are as follows:

Florida: 4
Miami: 3
Georgia: 2 (will be 3 if they add Sharpe)
Auburn: 2
Florida State: 2
Ole Miss: 1

So, what can we take away from all of this based on the past five years?

– Getting the transfer of Moore obviously boosted the numbers, but Florida has fared well in being able to keep in-state offensive line talent home in recent years. Miami has generally been able to keep the South Florida talent at home, with the pairing of Miller and Young leaving for Auburn in 2012 being the major exception.

– Georgia has obviously done well in the state of Florida. A lot of that owes to the fact they have been able to get guys from Jacksonville (Benedict and Theus were from Bolles, Sharpe is from Jacksonville), as well as the fact that Stacy Searles and Will Friend (past and present OL coaches) have sterling reputations as talent developers and as recruiters.

– Does getting the elite talent even matter? Yes and no. Like recruiting in general, it's a bit of a crapshoot. Benedict was an excellent prep lineman, but he never fully recovered from a freak injury suffered during his senior season at Bolles and has never been the same. Green and Silberman have been largely quiet during their careers at Florida, while Linder has been solid at Miami and Flowers made a quick impact in Coral Gables as well. Dunker has already been dismissed at UF. It's a little early to say anything definitive on most of the other prospects at this time.

Just some things to consider. Sharpe will be considered a major loss in UF recruiting circles when he eventually decides to head elsewhere (likely UGA), but the numbers suggest Florida has generally done well in landing top in-state talent in recent years, although some will try to argue otherwise.