Although only one national publication had the Gators ranked among the nation's top ten (Max Emfinger, who slotted Florida in eighth), Steve Spurrier announced an 18-man recruiting class on February 2, 1994 that would prove to be one of the most talented groups ever hauled in by the University of Florida:
Reidel Anthony, Back (5-11, 165), Belle Glade (Glades Central)
Teako Brown, Back (5-11, 185), Miami (Carol City)
Ed Chester, Line (6-4, 270), Spring Hill (Springstead)
Antonio Cochran, Line (6-4, 235), Montezuma, Ga. (Macon County)
Willie Cohens, Line (6-3, 216), Starke (Bradford)
Mo Collins, Line, Charlotte, N.C (6-5, 265), Charlotte, N.C. (West Charlotte)
Tony George, Back (6-0, 180), Cincinnati, Ohio (Winton Woods)
Jacquez Green, Back (5-9, 170), Fort Valley, Ga. (Peach County)
Ike Hilliard, Back (6-0, 175), Patterson, La. (Patterson)
Mike Jackson, Line (6-5, 235), Wrightsville, Ga. (Johnson County)
Terry Jackson, Back (6-0, 200), Gainesville (P.K. Yonge)
Nafis Karim, Back (5-11, 165), Marietta, Ga. (Pope)
Travis McGriff, Back (5-11, 175), Gainesville (P.K. Yonge)
Mike Peterson, Back (6-1, 205), Alachua (Santa Fe)
Jamie Richardson, Back (5-11, 165), Tallhassee (Godby)
Dossy Robbins, Back (6-1, 235), Marathon
Deac Story, Line (6-4, 275), Winter Park
Fred Taylor, Back (6-1, 215), Belle Glades (Glades Central)
– Unlike Spurrier's prior classes, this one had a much stronger out-of-state feel to it. Only 11-of-18 players signed by Florida in 1994 hailed from inside the Sunshine State (61.1%).
– The Gators landed eight of the consensus top-50 prospects from inside the state borders in 1994, trailing FSU (9) by one. Miami finished with five. Auburn and Mississippi State led out-of-state programs with three signees each.
– Eventual UF Director of Player Personnel Jon Haskins makes an appearance in the top-50 rankings in 1994, as the 6-3, 228-pound linebacker out of Sarasota Riverview elected to sign with Stanford.
– Eventual UF Director of Player Personnel Jon Haskins makes an appearance in the top-50 rankings in 1994, as the 6-3, 228-pound linebacker out of Sarasota Riverview elected to sign with Stanford.
– Two of Florida's '94 signees failed to qualify. Antonio Cochran would later enroll at Georgia in 1997 after going the JUCO route (he started off at Okaloosa-Walton in Niceville before moving on to Middle Georgia College.) Jamie Richardson would eventually get to Florida after deferring his enrollment for a year.
Biggest Hits: Where to start. Ten members of this class went on to play in the NFL (Anthony, Collins, George, Green, Hilliard, T. Jackson, McGriff, Peterson,Taylor and Antonio Cochran, despite the fact he never ended up playing for Florida.) Ed Chester would have made 11, but his career would come to a grinding halt when LSU decided to take out his knees on a fateful night at the Swamp back in 1998. Teako Brown and Willie Cohens were also valued contributors during their time at Florida, despite the fact they never moved on to the next level.
Biggest Misses: Dossy Robbins was touted as the state's No. 1 fullback prospect, a player who even earned comparisons to Jerome Bettis from his high school coach for his combination of size and strength. Alas, Robbins never lettered at Florida. A suspected heart condition ended Mike Jackson's career after he collapsed during a workout in October of 1995.
The ones who got away: Merritt Island defensive lineman Antonio Ham (6-5, 235), went back-and-forth between Florida and Miami before deciding to sign with the Hurricanes on National Singing Day. Lake Worth defensive back Deon Humphrey (6-3, 218) – who converted to linebacker at Florida State – also passed on the Gators despite a spirited recruiting effort from UF. Both Ham and Humphrey would go on to play in the NFL.
Academic issues prevented Sarasota Riverview defensive back Amp Campbell (6-2, 175) from signing with UF. He had a solid, if unspectacular, career at Michigan State. Florida made a run at Ft. Lauderdale Dillard defensive lineman Charles Dorsey (6-2, 255), who elected to stick to school tradition and sign with Auburn. Dorsey was one of seven players from the high school to sign with Auburn over a four-year period.
Although the Gators heavily wooed Peyton Manning (6-5, 202, New Orleans, La./Isidore Newman), the future No. 1 overall pick wound up selecting Tennessee over a short list that included Florida, Ole Miss (where father Archie and brother Eli played) and Michigan. The Gators missed out on another highly-rated Louisiana prospect to Tennessee that year in Marrero offensive lineman Jarvis Reado (6-5, 284).
One guy who got away from Florida on Signing Day, but would eventually come back into the fold was Tallahassee Lincoln offensive lineman Zach Piller (6-5, 265). Piller transferred to UF after spending a year at Georgia Tech.
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Tennessee signed a consensus top-two class (along with Florida State), a 22-man group that included the above-mentioned Manning and Reado, along with DE Johnathan Brown, DT Ron Green, PK Jeff Hall, DB Terry Fair and WR Marcus Nash.
The Seminoles' class included Humphrey, along with USA Today Defensive Player of the Year Lamont Green, who failed to live up to the hype while suiting up for the 'Noles. Other significant contributors included CB Samari Rolle and DT Orpheus Roye in a group that was somewhat underwhelming considering it was considered by some services to be the nation's top class.
In terms of pure talent, there is little doubt that this is the greatest class Florida has ever signed, pound-for-pound. If you throw in Zach Piller (who signed with GT but ended up at UF a year later), 11 of the 19 players that either signed or played for Florida would up in the NFL. Three of them were first-round draft picks (Anthony, Collins and Taylor). Despite some misses for the Gators on the trail in 1994, particularly on the offensive line and at linebacker, their evaluations turned out to be spot on. Or they just got a little lucky. Either way, it worked out for Spurrier and staff.
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