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.

An update on Ribault LB Jakob Johnson

Last Friday, I posted about Jacksonville Ribault linebacker Jakob Johnson and whether not he was a player to watch. I think we all have our answer now.

From the Florida Times-Union:

Ribault linebacker Jakob Johnson made nine tackles and forced two turnovers, and hard-rushing ends Gary Alexander and De’Andra Pinckney kept Baker County quarterback Jacob Carter under pressure throughout the game.

Johnson has given Ribault a boost on the defensive side of the football, as the Trojans are 2-1 through three games and appear to be in control of their district after a critical 17-9 victory over Baker County (and top 2015 D-Line prospect C.C. Jefferson) on Friday night.

Highlights of Ribault LB Jakob Johnson from his days across the pond.

While his highlights from Germany were intriguing, the lack of competition was very much apparent on film. Now that XOS Digital has posted a three-game cut of Johnson for the beginning of this year, it's clear that he was very much up to the test of what Florida high school football would provide him with.

(Let me add that Jeff Martin of XOS was clearly ahead of the pack in pegging Johnson as a big-time prospect, spotting him nearly the moment he got off the plane from Germany, it appears).

Sleeper OLB, @JohnsonJakob, transferred from Stuttgart Germany. Check out his highlights https://t.co/SDIWMW44ER
— Jeff Martin (@Jeff_XOS) July 28, 2013

Listed at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Johnson appears to be very fluid and comfortable playing in space. Frankly, he is a strikingly similar to Florida State LB commit Kain Daub, both in appearance and stature. One big difference that jumps out at me, however, is Johnson's ability to play in space. Daub, in past years, has shown he is a better player moving straight-ahead, but struggles playing side-to-side a bit. He's a little stiff in the hips, but otherwise an excellent prospect and superb pass-rusher. Johnson, however, does not have this issue. His movements on film are very fluid. And while he isn't the fastest guy in the world on tape, I could still see him being a very effective linebacker at the next level because of the ease of his lateral movement (think Brandon Spikes, if you will).

Now, there will likely be a period of adjustment for Johnson. I don't see him as a guy to step right in and star at the next level. But his upside is through the roof. And if the 6-4, 240 figures check out, he may bring a lot of positional versatility to the table as well, with the potential to possibly grow into a defensive lineman down the road.

Guess who got an offer from Tennessee....#GoVols
— JakobJohnson (@JohnsonJakob) September 20, 2013

Idaho and Tennessee have now offered in recent days, the latter doing so after assistant coach Tommy Thigpen evaluated Johnson in person at the Baker County-Ribault game last week. I find it hard to believe there won't be about 50 other schools blazing a trail to Jacksonville over the coming days to get in on the recruitment of Johnson, who now figures to be one of the rising stars of the fall.

For more highlights on Johnson, also give his Hudl page a look-see.