Florida Completes 2023 Recruiting Class With Four Enrollments
Photo: Billy Napier; Credit: Alex Shepherd
Class of 2023 Gators signees, wide receiver Eugene Wilson III, offensive tackle Caden Jones, defensive lineman Gavin Hill and cornerback Dijon Johnson, enrolled at the University of Florida on Monday.
Their enrollments complete head coach Billy Napier's first all-inclusive recruiting class as Florida's head coach, following the mid-year enrollment of the cycle's 16 other high school pledges.
Wilson, Hill and Johnson each signed with Florida during the Dec. 2022 Early Signing Period but continued their high school education up to graduation before officially joining the Gators. Jones, meanwhile, committed to the program in Jan. 2023 and put pen to paper the next month on National Signing Day.
Wilson, a two-way athlete from Tampa (Fla.) Gaither and son of former NFL defensive back Eugene Wilson II, profiles as a quick, shifty receiving option that the Gators gave lacked in their passing game since the 2020 departure of Kadarius Toney to the pros. Wilson caught 40 passes for 764 yards and 11 touchdowns in just seven games during his senior year.
"Tre Wilson is one of the more dynamic slot, run-after-catch returners. Just a very explosive, instinctive player," Napier said during the Early Signing Period. "He does some really unique things on tape, relative to adjusting to the ball, run after catch. He's dynamic. You can throw an intermediate short pass to this guy, and he's a one-touchdown player.
"I think he's one of these players, very polished. He'll bring a lot to our team right away."
Jones, from New Orleans (La.) De La Salle, was on Napier and offensive line assistants Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton's radar for several years, dating back to their time at Louisiana-Lafayette. Jones received a scholarship offer from UL in 10th grade with an offensive line projection despite playing on the other side of the ball at the time.
Napier claimed Jones' 36-inch arm length is "probably the longest arm we've measured" among offensive tackle recruits the coaching staff has scouted.
"Caden is one of those guys who made huge improvement junior to senior year if you really look at the senior film," Napier explained on National Signing Day.
"He got a late invite to the All-American Bowl, had a great week. The guy's 6-foot-7.5 and really can move and bend and he's a young person. Still some maturity physically and I think we're going to look up in a couple of years and be really glad we took him."
Hailing from local Gainesville (Fla.) Buchholz, Hill was described as "a Gator through and through" by Napier in December. He tallied 60 tackles, seven sacks and 22 tackles for loss during his career with the Bobcats, flashing inside-out flexibility as a trench prospect on film.
"Gavin Hill is a local player, 6-[foot]-3. He's up to 275 pounds," Napier said. "Unique in that he played some tight end in the past. I thought his senior tape was special. He played with a shoulder, tough as nails ... there's just a different level of passion that he's going to bring."
Johnson, like Wilson, was one of Florida's consensus highest-rated signees in the class of 2023. A former Ohio State commitment, the Tampa (Fla.) Wharton cornerback flipped his pledge to UF in Oct. 2022 to become a headlining member of secondary coach Corey Raymond's haul of defensive backs.
MaxPreps credits Johnson with four interceptions and 15 pass breakups between his junior and senior seasons of prep ball.
"Dijon Johnson, I think, is a very unique player for his size," Napier stated in December. "Plays corner, very physical, can make a play on the ball. 6-[foot]-1, close to 190 pounds, and a guy that you put him up there and he can put his hands on you. He's great in press coverage. I think he's instinctive, he's a great tackler, and he makes plays on the ball. Had a phenomenal year there."
Florida's 2023 scholarship roster stands at 83 players following the arrival of Wilson, Jones, Hill and Johnson.
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