Hear are some storylines to keep an eye on as the week comes to an end. High school football practices start across the state of Florida starting next Monday (August 9th)...
- I confirmed this afternoon that Under Armour All-American CB Nick Waisome (5-10, 168, Groveland, Fla./South Lake) has pegged August 18th as his decision date. He has engaged in talks these past several days to have his announcement broadcast on ESPNU. In regards to who he will select -- the Gators have been considered the favorite for some time, but I have heard that Florida State made up some major ground during a trip Waisome took to Tallahassee last month. Georgia has also been a major factor in his recruitment, but seemed to fade over the summer (I was told the Bulldogs were out in front at one point during the spring). LSU and South Carolina comprise his other two finalists. Realistically, however, this is a battle between the two in-state rivals from the state of Sunshine for the commitment of Waisome. We will know in just under two weeks who the winner is...
- The Gators had a star-studded group attend their first practices of fall camp on Thursday. Two prospects in particular -- OL/DL Chase Hounshell (6-5, 265, Kirtland, Ohio/Lake Catholic) and RB Savon Huggins (5-11, 200, Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) -- made long treks down to Florida to check out what The Swamp has to offer. It appears Hounshell is being targeted as a potential tackle candidate on the offensive line. Meanwhile, Huggins is a highly-regarded running back who could give Florida another every-down type in the backfield to go along with true freshman Mack Brown. A pair of Florida commitments, quarterback Jeff Driskel (6-4, 225, Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty) and fullback Hunter Joyer (5-11, 245, Tampa, Fla./Tampa Catholic) also were in attendance for the first day of fall workouts.
- As I posted on Twitter on Wednesday, defensive back Chris "Juice" Johnson (5-9, 205, Ocala, Fla./Trinity Catholic) is very close to making a commitment to the Gators public. At a media function for Marion County high school football teams, held at the Florida State Fire College on Wednesday, Johnson sported a blue Florida baseball hat and said "you could basically say I'm committed right now," of his current intentions as to what he will do for a college decision. Right now, it seems only a couple of points on the ACT are keeping Juice from going forward with that commitment. Expect it to happen in the near future, however.
- I think you really have to commend the efforts of Notre Dame wide receivers coach Tony Alford, and his imprint on the state of Florida this year. Alford has secured commitments from offensive lineman Jordan Prestwood (6-6, 275, Plant City/Plant City), defensive end/linebacker Clay Burton (6-3, 235, Nokomis/Venice) and defensive lineman Aaron Lynch (6-6, 265, Cape Coral/Island Coast). Burton had interest from around the Southeast, with offers from Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, LSU and Tennessee among others. The younger brother of Florida Gators true freshman quarterback Trey Burton, Clay settled in at defensive end last fall after bouncing between the offense (as a tight end) and defense as a sophomore to record 13 sacks in 2009. Prestwood is a tight end who will likely make the transition to offensive tackle in college. He had offers from Florida and Florida State along with many others before deciding on the Fighting Irish. The real prize of this group is Lynch, who is a massive prospect with tons of upside. He recorded 16 sacks last year at Island Coast, and would be a great fit at defensive end in Notre Dame's 3-4 scheme. He could also potentially grow into an offensive lineman, however. He has the frame to easily put on another 30-40 pounds without any problems, and he could be extremely effective as a left tackle on the next level. In any case, the efforts of Alford to grab this trio out of Florida (along with defensive end Anthony Rabasa, a native of Miami, who was recruited by defensive line coach Mike Elston) have given Notre Dame a strong presence in the Sunshine State this year.
Why does this get mention here, you ask? Because Alford was reportedly the first choice of Florida head coach Urban Meyer to replace departed assistant Kenny Carter, who followed Charlie Strong to Louisville. It seems Meyer had a good read on Alford's talents as a recruiter if those reports were in fact true.
- I keep getting questions on the recruitment of RB/LB James Wilder (6-2, 220, Tampa, Fla./Plant), and to be perfectly honest, I don't know what to think in regards as to what he will do anymore. Florida State clearly made a big push on his recent weekend stay in July, that much is clear. But the Seminoles were a bit late to the party, which makes me wonder if the positive post-visit vibes will wear off a bit as Wilder starts moving towards a decision. I maintain that UGA is a strong presence in this battle as they are they seem to be the best fit for his talents both on offense (Mark Richt has traditionally employed a Pro-Set base for his offenses since arriving in Athens in 2001) and defense (the 3-4 that new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has installed would allow Wilder to feature his talents as a superb pass-rusher out of the outside linebacker position). Florida has been the longest, most consistent, and most steady presence in the recruitment of Wilder. If it's a matter of which staff have built the best relationship with the talented prospect, I think it would be hard to argue anyone has Urban Meyer and Dan McCarney beat in that aspect.
So now, the question remains -- when does Wilder announce? It could happen this month, possibly at the nationally televised kickoff classic (preseason) game between Plant and Manatee High School of Bradenton (which features top RB prospect Mike Blakely, also a target of the Gators). Or perhaps Wilder will wait until after the season. In any case, his recruitment should continue to provide as much speculation around it as any in the country until that final decision is handed in.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Where the Gators stand: Linebacker
Last week, we started a position-by-position analysis as to where Florida currently stands in regards to the Class of 2011, and what needs still have to be met across the board. After wrapping up the offense, the defense is now on tap as to where Florida currently stands on the recruiting trail. Today, we focus on the linebackers...
Current Florida depth chart:
WILL
40 - Brandon Hicks (6-2, 228, Sr.)
52 - Jon Bostic (6-1, 238, So.)
49 - Darrin Kitchens (6-2, 218, Fr.)
MIKE
43 - Jelani Jenkins (6-0, 223, R-Fr.)
26 - Lorenzo Edwards (6-1, 240, Sr.)
51 - Michael Taylor (5-11, 218, Fr.)
23 - Chris Martin (6-4, 240, Fr.)**
SAM
16 - A.J. Jones (6-1, 226, R-Sr.)
13 - Dee Finley (6-2, 222, S0.)
48 - Neiron Ball (6-2, 225, Fr.)
25 - Gideon Ajagbe (6-2, 212, Fr.)
**Martin must redshirt his freshman season after transferring from Cal, where he enrolled in summer courses.
Committed to Florida for 2011:
Ryan Shazier (6-2, 205, Plantation, Fla./Plantation)
Top of the board:
Stephone Anthony (6-3, 224, Wadesboro, N.C./Anson)
Curtis Grant (6-3, 230, Richmond, Va./Hermitage)
Tony Steward (6-1, 225, St. Augustine, Fla./Menendez)
Lamar Dawson (6-2, 235, Danville, Ky./Boyle County)
A.J. Johnson (6-3, 235, Gainesville, Ga./Gainesville)
Others to watch:
Kent Turene (6-2, 230, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla./Boyd Anderson) - Committed to USC
Norkethius Otis (6-3, 205, Gastonia, N.C./Ashbrook)
Dexter Staley (6-2, 225, Williston, S.C./Williston-Elko)
Graham Stewart (6-1, 220, Middletown, Conn./Xavier)
Lateek Townsend (6-2, 205, Bennettsville, S.C./Marlboro County)
Jack Tabb (6-3, 235, Red Bank, N.J./Red Bank Catholic)
Jason Gibson (6-3, 210, Gardena, Calif./Junipero Serra)
Anthony Harrell (6-1, 220, Tampa, Fla./Jesuit)
Gionni Paul (6-0, 220 Lakeland, Fla./Kathleen)
Miles Pace (6-1, 240, Miami, Fla./Central)
Anthony Wallace (6-0, 220, Dallas, Tex./Skyline)
Analysis: The transfer of Brendan Beal in the offseason cut into the depth for Florida at linebacker just a bit. However, this is still an extremely talented and fast (albeit young) group at the position. The biggest issue with this bunch is that there simply isn't a lot of leadership. Who will make the line calls? The two players who could do that over the last two years (Brandon Spikes and Ryan Stamper) are both gone. That will be the biggest thing assistant coach D.J. Durkin looks to work on in fall camp. He knows he has an athletic bunch that can run to the football. However, they need to be able to get the defense set, and they need to be able to read and diagnose opposing offenses, and as the spring game showed, the linebackers have a long way to go to get to that point.
Looking ahead, the Gators would clearly like to add some size to this group. Adding a player (or two) who can project in the middle is a key goal. Curtis Grant tops the list of players who can fill that role in the 2011 class. Lamar Dawson is high on the board as well, in addition to USC commitment Kent Turene and Georgia product A.J. Johnson (who could ultimately project as a defensive end in college as well).
On the outside, Florida has already added a superb athlete in Ryan Shazier, who will have to make the transition from defensive end to linebacker on the next level. Perhaps the top linebacker on the board is Stephone Anthony, who has the athleticism to play on the outside, but the size to be a factor in the middle as well. His versatility is extremely intriguing. Tony Steward is considered one of the top linebacker prospects in the entire country, and he resides just an hour up the road from Gainesville in St. Augustine. Currently, he appears to be leaning more towards Florida State or Clemson, however. Norkethius Otis is a hybrid linebacker/defensive end who has the athleticism to contribute in a number of ways at the next level.
Three names to keep a close eye on down the stretch:
- Graham Stewart visited Gainesville twice this summer, and tested extremely well. He is a native of Connecticut, and the Gators have been quite active in the Nutmeg State over the past few years due to the presence of Steve Addazio (a native of the region) on the staff.
- You could call him the "poor man's James Wilder" of this class. Dexter Staley is a two-way star who could be an impact linebacker or big back on the next level a year for now. He has had some academic issues to push through, but the Gators are still a factor in his recruitment. If Florida does not land James Wilder, Staley could be the guy the Gators look to next to play on either side of the ball at the next level.
- The son of former UF and NFL linebacker James Harrell, look out for Tampa native Anthony Harrell. He has a strong interest in the Gators, and an offer down the road (no matter how late) would likely result in Harrell taking a really long look at spending his college years in Gainesville.
In some circles, the Gators are considered the favorite for both Anthony and Grant, which would be a home-run for linebackers coach D.J. Durkin if he can pull it off. Adding another option, such as Dawson, Turene, Johnson, or one of the many other options on the board would only make this group that much better heading into 2011.
Current Florida depth chart:
WILL
40 - Brandon Hicks (6-2, 228, Sr.)
52 - Jon Bostic (6-1, 238, So.)
49 - Darrin Kitchens (6-2, 218, Fr.)
MIKE
43 - Jelani Jenkins (6-0, 223, R-Fr.)
26 - Lorenzo Edwards (6-1, 240, Sr.)
51 - Michael Taylor (5-11, 218, Fr.)
23 - Chris Martin (6-4, 240, Fr.)**
SAM
16 - A.J. Jones (6-1, 226, R-Sr.)
13 - Dee Finley (6-2, 222, S0.)
48 - Neiron Ball (6-2, 225, Fr.)
25 - Gideon Ajagbe (6-2, 212, Fr.)
**Martin must redshirt his freshman season after transferring from Cal, where he enrolled in summer courses.
Committed to Florida for 2011:
Ryan Shazier (6-2, 205, Plantation, Fla./Plantation)
Top of the board:
Stephone Anthony (6-3, 224, Wadesboro, N.C./Anson)
Curtis Grant (6-3, 230, Richmond, Va./Hermitage)
Tony Steward (6-1, 225, St. Augustine, Fla./Menendez)
Lamar Dawson (6-2, 235, Danville, Ky./Boyle County)
A.J. Johnson (6-3, 235, Gainesville, Ga./Gainesville)
Others to watch:
Kent Turene (6-2, 230, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla./Boyd Anderson) - Committed to USC
Norkethius Otis (6-3, 205, Gastonia, N.C./Ashbrook)
Dexter Staley (6-2, 225, Williston, S.C./Williston-Elko)
Graham Stewart (6-1, 220, Middletown, Conn./Xavier)
Lateek Townsend (6-2, 205, Bennettsville, S.C./Marlboro County)
Jack Tabb (6-3, 235, Red Bank, N.J./Red Bank Catholic)
Jason Gibson (6-3, 210, Gardena, Calif./Junipero Serra)
Anthony Harrell (6-1, 220, Tampa, Fla./Jesuit)
Gionni Paul (6-0, 220 Lakeland, Fla./Kathleen)
Miles Pace (6-1, 240, Miami, Fla./Central)
Anthony Wallace (6-0, 220, Dallas, Tex./Skyline)
Analysis: The transfer of Brendan Beal in the offseason cut into the depth for Florida at linebacker just a bit. However, this is still an extremely talented and fast (albeit young) group at the position. The biggest issue with this bunch is that there simply isn't a lot of leadership. Who will make the line calls? The two players who could do that over the last two years (Brandon Spikes and Ryan Stamper) are both gone. That will be the biggest thing assistant coach D.J. Durkin looks to work on in fall camp. He knows he has an athletic bunch that can run to the football. However, they need to be able to get the defense set, and they need to be able to read and diagnose opposing offenses, and as the spring game showed, the linebackers have a long way to go to get to that point.
Looking ahead, the Gators would clearly like to add some size to this group. Adding a player (or two) who can project in the middle is a key goal. Curtis Grant tops the list of players who can fill that role in the 2011 class. Lamar Dawson is high on the board as well, in addition to USC commitment Kent Turene and Georgia product A.J. Johnson (who could ultimately project as a defensive end in college as well).
On the outside, Florida has already added a superb athlete in Ryan Shazier, who will have to make the transition from defensive end to linebacker on the next level. Perhaps the top linebacker on the board is Stephone Anthony, who has the athleticism to play on the outside, but the size to be a factor in the middle as well. His versatility is extremely intriguing. Tony Steward is considered one of the top linebacker prospects in the entire country, and he resides just an hour up the road from Gainesville in St. Augustine. Currently, he appears to be leaning more towards Florida State or Clemson, however. Norkethius Otis is a hybrid linebacker/defensive end who has the athleticism to contribute in a number of ways at the next level.
Three names to keep a close eye on down the stretch:
- Graham Stewart visited Gainesville twice this summer, and tested extremely well. He is a native of Connecticut, and the Gators have been quite active in the Nutmeg State over the past few years due to the presence of Steve Addazio (a native of the region) on the staff.
- You could call him the "poor man's James Wilder" of this class. Dexter Staley is a two-way star who could be an impact linebacker or big back on the next level a year for now. He has had some academic issues to push through, but the Gators are still a factor in his recruitment. If Florida does not land James Wilder, Staley could be the guy the Gators look to next to play on either side of the ball at the next level.
- The son of former UF and NFL linebacker James Harrell, look out for Tampa native Anthony Harrell. He has a strong interest in the Gators, and an offer down the road (no matter how late) would likely result in Harrell taking a really long look at spending his college years in Gainesville.
In some circles, the Gators are considered the favorite for both Anthony and Grant, which would be a home-run for linebackers coach D.J. Durkin if he can pull it off. Adding another option, such as Dawson, Turene, Johnson, or one of the many other options on the board would only make this group that much better heading into 2011.
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