This week, I'll be hitting each spot on the Gators depth chart with a position-by-position analysis on where Florida currently stands in regards to the Class of 2011, and what needs still have to be met across the board. This is the fifth part of the series, as the offense comes to a close with a look at the big guys up front.
Current Florida Depth Chart:
Left Tackle
73 - Xavier Nixon (6-5, 300, So.) OR
71 - Matt Patchan (6-6, 292, R-So.)
77 - Ian Silberman (6-5, 285, Fr.)
Left Guard
57 - Carl Johnson (6-5, 355, R-Sr.)
67 - Jon Halapio (6-3, 312, R-Fr.) OR
72 - Jon Harrison (6-3, 300, R-Fr.)
Center
55 - Maurkice Pouncey (6-4, 310, Sr.)
50 - Sam Robey (6-4, 293, R-So.)
58 - Nick Alajajian (6-4, 295, R-Fr.)
Right Guard
66 - James Wilson (6-3, 315, R-Jr.)
74 - Maurice Hurt (6-3, 320, R-Sr.)
78 - David Young (6-4, 304, R-So.)
Right Tackle
76 - Marcus Gilbert (6-5, 320, R-Sr.)
64 - Kyle Kohene (6-5, 300, R-Fr.)
75 - Chaz Green (6-5, 289, Fr.)
Committed to Florida for 2011
Tommy Jordan (6-4, 290, Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) - Jan. enrollee
Trip Thurman (6-6, 310, Dover, Del./Dover)
Top of the board
Cyrus Kouandjio (6-7, 320, Hyattsville, Md./DeMatha Catholic)
Josue Matias (6-5, 290, Union City, N.J./Union)
Xzavier Ward (6-7, 260, Moultrie, Ga./Colquitt County)
Marcus Jackson (6-2, 310, Vero Beach, Fla./Vero Beach) -- Committed to MIAMI
Kyler Kerbyson (6-4, 285, Knoxville, Tenn./Catholic)
Others to watch:
Uneik Crumbley (6-3, 340, Americus, Ga./Sumter)
Zach Hooks (6-4, 285, Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa)
Chase Hounshell (6-5, 260, Kirtland, Ohio/Lake Catholic)
Errin Joe (6-3, 285, Lakeland, Fla./Lake Gibson)
Kaleb Johnson (6-4, 285, Jacksonville, Fla./Ed White)
Dontae Levingston (6-4, 285, Harbor City, Calif./Narbonne)
Marquis Lucas (6-3, 305, Miami, Fla./Central)
Keith Lumpkin (6-8, 290, Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter's Prep)
Tyler Pierson (6-3, 265, Clearwater, Fla./Countryside)
Tony Posada (6-5, 315, Tampa, Fla./Plant)
Derrick Thorpe (6-4, 255, Neptune Beach, Fla./Fletcher)
Darrell Williams (6-5, 250, Orlando, Fla./Evans)
Analysis: It's always a safe bet for a college program to invest about one-third of their 85 allotted scholarships on the offensive and defensive lines (in other words, 28 or more of the scholarship players on a team should play along the line of scrimmage).
Looking at the Gators depth chart, Florida currently has 22 underclass players on the depth chart (23 if you include Chris Martin, who could end up at linebacker or defensive end in Gainesville). Florida will lose four seniors following this season who will have exhausted their college eligibility. Along with yearly attrition figured in, it would seem that the target number of linemen for this class would be something like eight, with four offensive linemen and four defensive linemen being a reasonable goal.
The real question here is, will Florida be able to get to four offensive linemen in the 2011 class?It doesn't seem like a sure bet at this point. It has been a down year around the state of Florida for the position (especially when compared with last year), and Florida has missed on a number of targets for one reason or another.
- Tyler Moore (6-6, 305, Clearwater, Fla./Countryside) was arguably the top lineman on the board for Steve Addazio early on. He narrowed things down to Nebraska and Florida before he decided to follow a long line of family members to play in Lincoln last fall.
- This spring, Florida targeted Jordan Prestwood (6-6, 275, Plant City, Fla./Plant City) as a potential left tackle candidate. The Gators would offer in March, shortly before Prestwood decided to commit to Notre Dame in early April.
- Although Bobby Hart (6-4, 290, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) was high on the Gators early on, Florida did not return the love, waiting until April to extend an offer. By that time, Hart had moved on to other schools, and would make a commitment to Florida State in July.
Beyond those three players, there may not be another offensive lineman from the state of Florida who gets an offer from the Gators unless something changes down the stretch. Clearly, Addazio is not all that impressed by the selection in-state this year, and has looked mostly to the Northeast to help replenish the reserves along the offensive front.
Say what you want about Tommy Jordan, but he was a September 1st offer for the Gators. Jordan impressed during a workout in Gainesville last summer, and was clearly high on the board for Florida from the outset. Jordan will be a versatile addition to the offensive line, and has the ability to line up at center, guard, or even possibly right offensive tackle.
Trip Thurman will join him, and he has the look of a future offensive tackle in Gainesville. More technically sound as a run blocker, he likely projects as a right tackle for the Gators. Thurman is every bit of 6-6, 310 pounds, and will give Addazio another big body to work with up front when he reports next fall.
The biggest priority now for Florida is that they add someone who can potentially contribute at left tackle down the road. Xavier Nixon has the look of a player who could go pro after the 2011 season and be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. If that scenario takes place, the left tackle Florida recruits in the 2011 class would get one year to prepare for the open position heading into the fall of 2012. As mentioned in the tight ends round-up, the Gators could elect for an tight end/offensive line 'tweener (Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Cameron Clear, Troy Niklas or Brandon Fulse) at the slot, or possibly look to prospects projected to play on the defensive line (Giorgio Newberry stands out there) to play left tackle down the road if some of the prospects at tackle do not pan out.
At the top, Cyrus Kouandjio is possibly the top offensive line prospect in the country, and he projects as a potential left tackle candidate. Florida does not appear to be a serious factor for his services at the present time, however. Josue Matias and Xzavier Ward are next on the board, and both currently look to have the Gators on their short lists. Ward is more of a true left tackle candidate, while Matias could project more as a right tackle. In any case, both are expected to visit Florida this fall, and they could be two of the names to closely watch at tackle as National Signing Day continues to creep closer.
Another name to watch is Chase Hounshell, who will visit Florida next week. A meeting with the Florida coaching staff could result in an offer. If that were to happen, Hounshell would draw strong interest at that left tackle slot as well.
An additional interior lineman would likely close out this class for the Gators along the offensive line. Keep in mind, true freshman Leon Orr could end up on the offensive line next spring, and that could be factoring in Florida's direction in regards to recruiting along the offensive front. In any case, the Gators are halfway to their goal, and look to need two more prospects to close this group out along the offensive line.
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