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.

Who is the best high school player you ever saw?

I love posing this question for others, and evidenced by this entry, answering it as well. Through covering high school recruiting and paying close attention to it for over 10 years now, I've had the opportunity to see a lot of great high school players. Some who went on to major success at the college level (Trent Richardson, Matt Barkley, Alshon Jeffery, among others) and some who didn't (Gary Brown and Nu'Keese Richardson come to mind). Still, of all the great players I've ever had the pleasure to witness, the play of one is still burned brightly into my mind. Perhaps the naivety of youth altered my view of his ability at the high school level, compared with many of the greats I've seen in the years since. But I'll still stand by this one until someone else changes my opinion.

The greatest high school football player I've ever seen in person is Reggie Nelson.

It bears mentioning, Nelson graduated from Palm Bay High School the same year I graduated from nearby Astronaut High School in 2003. I never had the honor of playing against Nelson on the same field, and I should probably be thankful things worked out as such. Although I was a member of a pair of state playoff teams in my two years of varsity football, Palm Bay was on another level at the time. We would have been run off the field if we tried to butt heads with the Pirates on a Friday night back in the fall of 2001 or '02, and I have no shame in admitting as such.

Unfortunately, I only had the opportunity to see Nelson play once. But boy did he put on a show. My junior year, in 2001, a buddy and I went south to Palm Bay to watch the Pirates host New Smyrna Beach in a regional final match-up the day after Thanksgiving. NSB was coached by Brevard County coaching legend Gerald Odom, who won two state championships at Merritt Island, and would revive moribund programs at New Smyrna and Cocoa before hanging up his whistle. The Barracudas featured a talent squad headlined by receiver/safety Cardan Alexander (a name that should be familiar to many Florida recruitniks). There were a number of players on the field that day who would go on to play Division I football, but Nelson was in a class by himself.

Despite the fact that Nelson only stood about 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds at the time, he flew around the field like a mini-Ray Lewis from his linebacker position. The speed and the ferocity in which he leveled opposing players was jarring to watch from the stands. I hadn't seen anything like it in person, in relation to someone I could reach out and touch before. Sure, I had been to college games at that age. I'd grown up watching guys like Marvin Jones, Lawrence Wright and Lewis himself light up people in person. But I'd never seen a peer play with that ability until that fateful day in Melbourne.

Nelson had a huge day for Palm Bay, and the Pirates went on to beat New Smyrna 36-7. I don't remember what his exact stats were, but he had somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 tackles on defense, while I also recall Nelson making a couple of big catches on offense. Palm Bay would lose the following week to a really good Tallahassee Lincoln squad in the state semis. But a year later, Nelson and Cohen would finish the job, leading Palm Bay to a state title over a Tampa Jefferson team headlined by another fellow future Gator in Andre Caldwell. Nelson was credited with over 150 tackles during both his junior and senior years at Palm Bay, earning two All-State nods and winning Florida Today Defensive Player of the Year honors as a senior. Sometimes high school football stats like that get inflated, and maybe Nelson's numbers were too. But to watch him on the field in person, you could actually believe those numbers were legitimate, based on the way he played the game.

A gifted offensive player in high school as well, I have no doubt Reggie Nelson could have been a very effective college wide receiver. But he eventually found the perfect role as a one-high safety on Florida's incredibly talented 2006 defense that was the lynchpin for a national championship-winning squad. Nelson moved on to the pros the following year, and has carved out a solid seven-year career to date with the Jaguars and Bengals. But that game with New Smyrna Beach will always stick out with me. Nelson played like a man possessed that day, and really put a stamp on a two-season run where he was unquestionably the best football player in Brevard County between during our final two years of high school.

Post-UK Recruiting Thoughts

First, a bit of week-in-review before we move on to other items:

– Jacksonville Ribault LB Jakob Johnson continues to establish himself on the recruiting scene during his first season of playing prep football stateside after coming over from Germany.

– Analyzing the trend of power forwards making the transition to tight end in college and the NFL. Could we see Will Yeguete or Patric Young make that move in the near future?

– Season-ending injuries are a fact of life in football. The Gators' recent spell is more the result of a string of bad luck, as opposed to anything Jeff Dillman and the strength & conditioning staff has done.

– How many high school prospects will Florida take in the 2014 cycle? What players are currently in the mix for the Gators? And how does "The Big Board" currently stand for UF?

– Some prep stars are establishing themselves in a big way over the course of their senior seasons in the state of Florida. Here are five names that you should get to know as they emerge on the radar of college recruiters.

Now, on to the new stuff ...

1. I've maintained for a few weeks now that Florida will not stop pursuing Jacksonville Providence OL David Sharpe until he commits elsewhere, nor should they. There's a reason for that. You never know what can happen in recruiting to make a kid sour on a school or change his mind in terms of perception as it relates to the decision-making process. That said, Will Muschamp and Tim Davis should probably start getting their back-up options in a row:

Don't do it David Just wait until the official
— David Sharpe (@SHARPECITYY) September 29, 2013

(EDIT: The above tweet has since been deleted, it appears.)

That's a tweet from Sharpe during his weekend trip to Athens to take in the LSU-UGA game, which included an overnight stay in Athens on Saturday night. He appears to be having a conversation with himself in which he decides to hold off on making a commitment to Georgia for now. In terms of the big picture for Florida, sure, there are names like Damien Mama and Jordan Sims on the board. Until either of those guys visit Gainesville, however, they should be consider long-shots for Florida to sign. The staff can look elsewhere as well, but with 30-plus offensive linemen in-state claiming at least one offer from a BCS program, I doubt the Gators really have to go too far to fill the remaining 2-3 slots on the offensive line they will likely project to take in this class. The one name I feel closely deserves monitoring is Weeki Wachee offensive tackle Marcus Applefield (6-6, 280). Despite claiming nearly 15 offers from BCS programs, Applefield has been somewhat overlooked in the recruiting landscape of Florida this fall. He currently claims a top-five list of Purdue, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, Virginia and West Virginia. He has scheduled official visits to all but West Virginia to date.

2. Florida fans continue to lament the offensive line recruiting under Muschamp and their failures to land elite in-state talent. There was Patrick Miller and Avery Young in 2012 (both of whom signed with Auburn, although Tim Davis can hardly be blamed for either miss) along with John Theus (who was lost long before Muschamp took the head coaching job at Florida). Last year it was Laremy Tunsil who headed off to Ole Miss. Now it appears Kc McDermott and David Sharpe will join that illustrious club. The Gators fortunes should turn around next year with Martez Ivey at Apopka, but of course his signing is still over a year away. Things can always change.

However, if you take a minute to stop and look at the offensive line, it is an upperclassmen-laden group and set up to be a strength of the squad over the course of this season and next. It's the 2015 class, where Florida is really going to have to hit on, in terms of both numbers and quality. Dipping into the JUCO ranks (or finding a talented transfer like Max Garcia and Tyler Moore) will likely be a major priority as well. To be frank, while I understand the frustrations of Florida recruitnik/fans, I would advise just to be patient, as the offensive line doesn't look to be an issue any time in the immediate future.

3. Something that interests me in looking over the stats: right now, only three linebackers on the roster have recorded more than three tackles on the season through four games. Antonio Morrison and Michael Taylor are tied for second on the team with 20 tackles. Then, go down a little further and there's Neiron Ball with six. Next, there's Jeremi Powell (who has mostly played on special teams) who has just three stops on the season. That's it. Darrin Kitchens hasn't recorded any stats on the season to date. The Florida defense has seen the field so little through four games, that some rotational guys aren't even getting on to the field. But in the bigger picture, I think this says something about the state of the linebacker position: it's not as critical in the recruiting process. That's not to say it isn't an important position. The contributions of Morrison, Taylor and Ronald Powell (who as a hybrid player, I don't count in the same vein as the others) clearly show that getting good players at the position remains important. But in terms of depth, the secondary is the position grouping that needs the numbers more than linebacker right now. This also explains why the Gators are being so picky about offering linebackers for 2014. Kitchens is the only expected loss for that unit, so why would there be a need to go out and sign a bunch of linebackers for next year if they frankly aren't playing a lot as it stands?

4. The Gators only have 12 scholarship defensive backs this fall. That's truly a low number in this day and age of spread/up-tempo offense. Even if you look at Urban Meyer's final years, Florida typically tried to carry upwards of 14 players on scholarship in the back end of the defense. Two of the current freshmen – Marcell Harris and Nick Washington – appear likely to redshirt as a result of injuries. In essence, UF is only playing with 10 scholarship guys in the secondary right now. But all 10 of them contribute in some form or fashion. With two seniors (Jeremy Brown and Jaylen Watkins) on the roster, as well as Loucheiz Purifoy and Marcus Roberson continually being mentioned as possibilities to turn pro early, the Gators could be down to just eight scholarship defensive backs after the season. If that scenario plays out, I would expect the Gators to target as many as six athletes in the 2014 class as a counter to the potential numbers issues that could play out. Of course, with four commitments in tow already (Duke Dawson, J.C. Jackson, Chris Lammons, Quincy Wilson) for Travaris Robinson and two more highly-rated prospects looking very possible for Florida in Adoree' Jackson and Jamal Adams, I'd say the Gators are in good shape here moving forward.

5. None of Florida's freshmen defensive linemen played against Kentucky. All five of them (Jay-nard Bostwick, Caleb Brantley, Joey Ivie, Antonio Riles and Jordan Sherit) appear to be in line for redshirts this year. Assuming the Gators return both of their of elder defensive tackles with at least a year of eligibility remaining next year (Cummings and Orr), it would seem a JUCO defensive tackle would make a lot of sense in terms of providing a bit of built-in class separation. However, Florida has yet to make a pursuit of any junior college defensive linemen, despite a need for at least one more tackle in the 2014 cycle. Certainly something that bears watching over the coming weeks as college start to hit the JUCO ranks a bit harder for immediate-impact types.