– 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.
