Line-of-scrimmage a priority late for Gators on the recruiting trail

With a flurry of commitments coming out of Florida's biggest recruiting weekend of the year, Florida now stands at 13 pledges for the 2015 recruiting cycle, with the potential to add upwards of about 10 more between now and Wednesday, when those commitments can be put to paper. Potentially a great finish for Jim McElwain and his staff, to be sure.

That said, what is really impressive about this group, is the work being down down the home stretch on both sides of the line-of-scrimmage. All three of the commitments made to Florida this weekend have come from linemen and with less than three days to go until National Signing Day, 8 of the Gators' 13 pledges are from linemen.

There's still work to be done, however. The target number I assigned for this group a couple of weeks ago was 12. That's 12 total linemen in this class, since some of these targets and commitments -- Luc Bequette, G.G. Robinson, and possibly even Andrew Ivie and Luke Ancrum -- could ultimately project on either side of the ball in college.

A weekend visit to Auburn by Florida pledge Mike Horton potentially has his status with UF on shaky ground. So the target number for McElwain and staff to land over the next couple of days is 4-5 linemen -- a number very much attainable considering the number of prospects still on the board for Florida.

TE/OL/DT G.G. Robinson
OT Martez Ivey
OT Tyree St. Louis
OG Nick Buchanan
OG/OC Quarvez Boulware
OC/DT Luc Bequette

DE Byron Cowart
DE Keivonnis Davis
DE/DT CeCe Jefferson

Ultimately Florida may not land four (or five) of the nine prospects listed above, but it's not out of the realm of possibility, especially considering Florida seems to be trending very heavily for several of these prospects.

And the board may be bigger than this. Florida has seemingly been a bit cloak-and-dagger about some of the visits being taken. Is it possible that a player or two snuck in under-the-radar? Is a player like DT Kahlil Welsh, a Wake Forest commitment out of Jacksonville Sandalwood who was scheduled to visit UF this weekend but went to Illinois instead, still a possibility? Could there be others in that vein on the board?

In any case, the late push on both sides of the line of scrimmage has been mighty impressive by McElwain & Co. Even if Florida doesn't get to 12 as I have suggested they aim for, they're going to get awfully close. As much as Muschamp stressed that the SEC was a "line-of-scrimmage league" during his time in Gainesville, the numbers on both sides of the ball were often leaving a bit to be desired during his tenure. While McElwain hasn't stressed those words quite as much when addressing the media, his actions sure are backing that notion up.

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.

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.

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.

A note on 2015 OL Jake Fruhmorgen

Not that this really means much, but I came across an interesting blurb last night that may only interest me. It's from a recruiting column by Jack Hariston, two days after National Signing Day, on page 1D of the Feb. 10, 1984 edition of the Gainesville Sun:

But Florida gets a high grade for getting the percentage it did, particularly when Nebraska said the mere story that Mike Rozier was paid by Husker alumni hurt its recruiting.

Coach Tom Osborne said of the Rozier story, which the All-America running back has since denied: "It's been very devastating to our recruiting." 

One of the players Nebraska lost was Tampa Jesuit offensive lineman John Fruhmorgen (6-5, 298 pounds). Fruhmorgen had earlier dropped Florida because of the impending NCAA charges, and after the Rozier story came out, he switched from the Huskers and signed with Alabama.  

Jake Fruhmorgen, now a junior at Plant High School in Tampa, is one of the top 2015 offensive line prospects in the Sunshine State and very much on the radar of Florida, along with many other schools early on. He's an Alabama legacy prospect, as the above selection notes. However, a different set of circumstances – those that didn't conclude with Florida being hammered by NCAA sanctions under Charley Pell, for instance – might have led his father to Gainesville instead of Tuscaloosa.

It should also be noted that Hariston didn't directly quote John Fruhmorgen in the piece. The information came second-hand. So this could prove to be a somewhat apocryphal story regarding Fruhmorgen's decision to attend Alabama over Nebraska. Only one man knows for sure.

This piece is worth nothing, however, just as a little something to keep in mind for the future. The younger Fruhmorgen appears to be on his way to being a top target of both Florida and Alabama (and possibly Nebraska as well) just a few short months from now. Thankfully for Jake Fruhmorgen, it's highly unlikely that any NCAA sanctions will play a role in his decision as to where he will ultimately decide to attend college.

Breaking down the Class of 2015 (Offense)

A quick position-by-position look at the top prospects on the board for the Florida Gators at this early juncture for the recruiting class of 2015.

Quarterback

Needs: 1

Christian Alexander (6-3, 210, Lakeland Christian) – Plays for former UF quarterback Wayne Peace at Lakeland Christian. Big-bodied, strong-armed thrower with solid athleticism. Bit of an elongated delivery. Good production at the prep level (55.8% completion percentage, around 4,000 career yards passing, 49 touchdowns against just 16 interceptions.)

James Pensyl (6-5, 210, Land O'Lakes) – Tall, lanky lefty with a big arm. Athletic, good feet in the pocket, but not a huge threat as a runner. Fantastic start to his junior season (61.3% completion percentage, 813 yards, eight touchdowns against one interception on 93 passing attempts.)

Others to watch: Dwayne Lawson (Tampa Hillsborough), Torrance Gibson (American Heritage-Plantation)

Notes: Kind of wide-open at this spot right now, which is interesting considering quarterbacks are typically among the first prospects to give their commitments. 2015 is shaping up as a strong year for signal-callers in California, and I'm interested if the coaches with West Coast connections (Brian White and Brent Pease) tap into their contacts out there to make a run at a kid. As it stands, I expect the race to come down to Alexander and Pensyl. Gibson, like De'Andre Johnson and Deondre Francois, would seemingly be a better fit in more of a spread offense. Lawson is a player who impresses as an athlete – might even be a good fit at tight end – but I'm not sure he's a Florida-caliber player at quarterback for the moment.

Running Back

Needs: 1-2

Jacques Patrick (6-1, 220, Orlando Timber Creek) – Rushed for 2,032 yards (8.8 ypc) and 29 touchdowns as a sophomore. Great size, excellent speed. Could also project at linebacker, although he certainly seems to prefer offense. Is a Florida legacy through his grandmother, who ran track at UF.

Jordan Scarlett (5-11, 200, Ft. Lauderdale University School) – Already built like a college freshman, Scarlett is a thick, powerful, explosive runner. Excellent speed for his size. Teammate of UF pledge Quincy Wilson. Rushed for over 1,300 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2012 on a state championship team.

T.J. Simmons (5-11, 195, Lakeland Christian) – Like Alexander, plays for former UF quarterback Wayne Peace at Lakeland Christian. Sophomore campaign ended early due to a torn ACL. Off to a strong start in 2013. Very highly-regarded high school track athlete as well.

Others to watch: James Allen (Citra North Marion), Michael Ford (Tarpon Springs), Taj Griffin (Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern), Karan Higdon (Sarasota Riverview), Tim Irvin (Miami Westminster Christian), Ray Ray McCloud (Tampa Sickles)

Analysis: Plenty of names here. Florida should be able to meet their needs at the position moving into 2015, where they will have to replace at least Mack Brown. Patrick, Scarlett and Simmons make up what appears to be the top of the board, and UF will figure to eventually zero in on one of those guys. All three are extremely talented. There is enough depth shaping up at this spot that Florida should have no problems finding a quality second back in the class should they need to go that route.

Fullback

Needs: 1-2

Chandler Cox (6-1, 215, Apopka) – All-purpose threat plays QB and RB for Apopka. Great blocker. Could prove to be a multi-purpose threat in the mold of a Trey Burton.

Riley Nicholson (6-0, 220, Kissimmee/Osceola) – Primarily an outside linebacker at the high school level, Nicholson has the frame and size to make a move to fullback at the next level. Very talented defensive playmaker for a top program at Osceola. Has notched 28 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble through three games for the Kowboys. Could be a fit on either side of the ball at the next level.

Analysis: This is such a specialized position in football these days, that the process of uncovering fullback prospects will likely take a while for Florida. A player who might play fullback at UF could potentially play just about any position on the field at the high school level. Even offensive or defensive line. It would stand to reason that Florida might exercise some considerable patience as they look over their options to replace Hunter Joyer and Gideon Ajagbe down the line.

Wide Receiver

Needs: 2-3

De'Vante Phillips (6-1, 190, Miami Central) – Presently the only commitment for Florida in the 2015 class. Good physical tools and comes from a program known for producing excellent talent. Teammate of UF commit Dalvin Cook. Nearly 500 yards receiving and five touchdowns as a sophomore on a state championship squad.

George Campbell (6-3, 185, Tarpon Springs East Lake) – Michigan commitment. Incredible physical specimen, but still lacks consistent hands. Could also project as a safety on defense. Florida will continue to recruit Campbell, although I tend to think he will be a difficult target to flip from the Wolverines. Recorded 30 receptions for 766 yards and five touchdowns as a junior. Also notched 56 tackles and an interception on defense.

John Burt (6-3, 180, Tallahassee/Lincoln) – Long, lanky big-play threat. Emerged last year as a top receiver prospect on a team that sent two receivers to BCS schools in Reggie Davis (Georgia) and Taj Williams (Indiana.) Excellent start to the season with eight receptions for 264 yards (32.6 avg.) and four touchdowns.

Deon Cain (6-2, 185, Tampa Bay Tech) – As posted last week, Cain has been off to an excellent start at the quarterback position for Tech. A standout at Florida's Friday Night Lights camp, Cain figures to make the transition to receiver on the next level.

Devante Peete (6-5, 200, Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas) – Another big-bodied receiver who is already drawing plenty of interest at Aquinas. Has earned early comparisons to Plaxico Burress with his big frame and athleticism.

Others to watch: Almonzo Brown (Suwanee, Ga./North Gwinnett), Austin Brown (Vernon), Ryan Davis (St. Petersburg Lakewood), Kaleel Gaines (Frostproof), Nyheim Hines (Garner, N.C./Garner), Kalif Jackson (Neptune Beach Fletcher), Tavares Martin (Greenacres John I. Leonard)

Analysis: Like the RB position, it's a strong year in-state. Numbers shouldn't be a huge need here. Florida can certainly get away with two receivers in 2015 – assuming it's two good ones. Plenty of size available at this spot. Would be interesting to see if UF targets some slot options, and who those players might be who will emerge on the board down the road.

Tight End

Needs: 1

Devonaire Clarington (6-5, 220, Miami Westminster Christian) – Big receiving threat who is more receiver than tight end at the moment. Raw, but possesses top-flight tools as a prospect. Has grabbed 12 receptions for 181 yards and four touchdowns through three games this season.

Garrett Williams (6-4, 225, Orlando First Academy) – Talented two-way player has excelled on both sides of the ball as the prep level. Already claims numerous offers from programs around the South.

Others to watch: Jaason Lewis (Ocean Lakes, Va./Ocean Lakes), Jalen Wilkerson (Douglas, Ga./Coffee County)

Analysis: It's early, but the top two prospects in the state appear to be leaning elsewhere at the moment with Clarington favoring Miami and FSU legacy Williams appearing to be a strong candidate to end up in Tallahassee. The Gators will have to drum up some other names at the position over the next several months, although I do expect Clarington to continue being a major target of South Florida recruiting ace Travaris Robinson.

Offensive Line

Needs: 4-5

Martez Ivey (6-5, 275, Apopka) – Possibly the top prospect in the state of Florida for 2015, and considered a strong lean to UF early on. This is a guy the Gators need to lock down.

Mitch Hyatt (6-6, 270, Suwanee, Ga./North Gwinnett) – Considered the nation's top offensive line prospect for 2015. Florida coaches were in attendance for his game against Lorenzo Carter and Norcross last week. Considered a Clemson lean, but Florida will try and make a run at possibly the nation's top prospect for next year.

Jake Fruhmorgen (6-5, 280, Tampa Plant) – Despite the fact Fruhmorgen is an Alabama legacy, he's expressed an interest in staying in-state for college. The Gators have positioned themselves quite well early on for the Tampa-area product.

Tristen Hoge (6-5, 290, Pocatello, Idaho/Highland) – Hoge recently made it to Gainesville for a multi-day visit. With Brent Pease's Idaho connections, the Gators figure to have a shot they might not normally have with a prospect from that particular region of the country.

Matthew Burrell (6-5, 290, Woodbridge, Va./C.Y. Hylton) – No offer, but he's a top-100 caliber national prospect who claims early interest in the Gators. He's coached by former UF and Denver Broncos safety Tony Lilly, also a native of Woodbridge.

Christian Pellage (6-7, 250, Brooksville Nature Coast) – Also projected as a defensive end, those close to his recruitment believe Pellage is primed to play offensive tackle at the next level with his frame and growth ability. Definitely a name that is primed to be on the rise over the next several months.

Luke Hiers (6-3, 295, Lake Wales) – Tim Davis has expressed a desire to go out and get a center in each recruiting class. Hiers would seem to be the most likely prospect to receive such consideration in the 2015 class from the Gators early on.

Others to watch: Zack Bailey (Summerville, S.C.), Chuma Edoga (Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern), Ryan Fines (Bradenton Manatee), Isaiah Prince (Greenbelt, Md./Roosevelt), Drew Richmond (Memphis, Tenn./University), Brandon Sandifer (Warner Robins, Ga./Northside), Alec Shriner (Oviedo), Tyree St. Louis (Bradenton IMG Academy), Nick Wilson (Alpharetta, Ga./Milton)

Analysis: The pieces are there for Florida to put together a really stellar group up front. If numbers are an issue in 2015, UF can address that as well. But the key is quality, and there are plenty of quality prospects out there – with serious interest in the Gators – in looking ahead to next year.

Benjamin Knox decommits: What is Florida's next move?

In case you missed it last night, the Gators are now short one member of their 2014 recruiting class, as DeLand offensive tackle Benjamin Knox has withdrawn his commitment to UF:

Former #Gators three-star commit Benjamin Knox just told me with UF out of the mix, Louisville and USF are two schools under consideration.
— Landon Watnick (@LandonWatnick) September 11, 2013

This was not an unexpected development, as Florida and Knox seemed to be drifting apart for a few months. The move puts UF at 14 commitments for the Class of 2014, with three players projected to end up on the offensive line presently in the fold (Dontae Angus, Nolan Kelleher and Travaris Dorsey.)

Based on the numbers, Florida needs to add 2-3 more prospects to this class up front. The only problem here is, the Gators really don't have a ton of guys remaining on the board. Or, at least, that how it would appear to look from the outside. The top target is obviously David Sharpe (6-6, 290, Jacksonville Providence) and while the Gators are a strong contender there, Clemson and Georgia have made a real push with the big man in recent weeks as well.

Damien Mama (6-4, 370, Bellflower, Calif./St. Bosco Prep) and Jordan Sims (6-4, 340, Birmingham, Ala./Homewood) also claim offers, but I don't think anyone is particularly confident in the Gators' chances of landing either prospect at the moment. Miami commitment Trevor Darling (6-5, 330, Miami Central ) keeps getting thrown around as a possibility, but there's been no evidence to support the notion he's anything but solid in his commitment to the 'Canes.

In any case, regardless of what Sharpe, Mama, and Sims do, some other prospects will emerge on the radar between now and National Signing Day along the offensive line. Here's a list of six guys to keep an eye on over the coming months:

1. Jordan Prestwood (6-5, 310, Plant City/Arizona Western C.C.) – There should be some obvious concerns here, as Prestwood has already left two big-time programs (Florida State and Notre Dame) for various reasons. On the plus side, he is on pace to enroll in December, and would have three years of eligibility remaining. A big-time recruit coming out of high school, he may be the most likely candidate for UF if they elect to hit the JUCO ranks in 2014.

2. Montel McBride, (6-4, 350, Plant City) – With the recent pledge of Cameron Robinson, Alabama now has six offensive line commitments, and seems to be busting at the seems a bit at the position. McBride may be ripe for the taking, but UF has shown no indication to date they are interested in the two-way player, who is a product of Plant City High School, like Prestwood. I think that could change, depending on his senior film. McBride would be an excellent fit at guard at the next level, but he is going to have to drop some weight, as Florida offensive line coach Tim Davis clearly prefers his players to be mobile at the position.

3. Denzel Ward (6-8, 305, Chicago, Ill./Simeon) – Florida was heavily involved in the recruitment of Ward at one point. If David Sharpe decides to head elsewhere, it would come as no surprise if the Gators turn up the heat once again for the current Purdue commitment.

4. Delroy Baker (6-6, 270, Ocala/West Port) – Although the Gators offered Baker over the summer, they didn't seem to really push for the local product, who eventually committed to Indiana. With an impressive senior season, UF may re-evaluate their stance on Baker, who would presumably jump at the chance to stay closer to home.

5. Marcus Applefield (6-6, 280, Weeki Wachee) – Applefield plays at a new program, only in its third year of existence, and will prove to be the school's first player to sign with a FBS program. Applefield has great size and potential as an offensive tackle. He visited for Florida's first game against Toledo in August. Rutgers is thought to be the present front-runner for Applefield, but the opportunity to stay closer to home and attend Florida or Florida State is believed to greatly appeal to him.

6. Avery Gennesy (6-5, 305, Southaven, Miss./East Mississippi C.C.) – The Gators would be getting in late on the recruitment of Gennesy, but they do have ties to East Mississippi Community College, having signed a player out of the program each of the past two years (Damien Jacobs in 2012, Darious Cummings in 2013.)