3 Underrated Members of the Florida Gators 2021 Recruiting Class

Earlier this week, the Florida Gators and the rest of the nation wrapped up the 2021 recruiting class. While Florida largely underwhelmed, coming in at No. 13 on Sports Illustrated All-American's recruiting rankings, there are still a few hidden gems from the class that have largely been overlooked.

The hits are obvious. The Gators landed four players in the SI99, including cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. (Miami Palmetto), linebacker Jeremiah Williams (Ramsay, Birmingham, Ala.), defensive end Tyreak Sapp (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort. Lauderdale, Fla.) and safety Corey Collier (Miami Palmetto).

While not plentiful, Florida was able to make the moves needed to change the roster outlook for years to come in some areas. It will continue to do so via the transfer portal, too. But, there were also some targets that appear to have flown under the radar, perhaps for their national ranking or simply due to the position they play.

Here are three underrated players of the 2021 Florida recruiting class:

1. Safety/cornerback Dakota Mitchell (Winter Park, Fla.)

The Gators secured multiple defensive backs via the 2021 recruiting class, including two listed above in Collier and Marshall, however, Mitchell could be the most-intriguing DB of the bunch, able to play multiple positions within the secondary.

At 6-foot, 185 pounds, Mitchell packs a punch in a compact form as a safety, who has the natural ability to move inside to nickel when needed. That added ability allows him to be a potential fit for Todd Grantham's STAR position, essentially a hybrid player who plays on multiple levels, including as a mock linebacker at times blitzing off the edge.

The Gators have long needed a replacement for former Florida STAR Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. While some have attempted to fill the void he left when he was drafted in the 2019 NFL Draft, most have largely failed, not able to provide the same impact he once did.

With both cornerback Marco Wilson and safety Brad Stewart off to the 2021 NFL Draft, the Gators have just one player who played the position significantly in 2020 with rising sophomore Tre'Vez Johnson. That gives Mitchell an in as a player who may be able to get early playing time if Johnson is to get hurt, or unseated as the team's starting STAR.

Given his athleticism and pedigree, don't be surprised to see Mitchell on the field sooner rather than later.

2. Defensive tackle Desmond Watson - Armwood (Seffner, Fla)

It is no question that the Gators value the defensive line position group. With multiple defensive linemen declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft this year, Florida needed to act quickly, adding multiple defensive linemen via the transfer portal.

While the supplemental defensive linemen will certainly add to the depth at the position group, the Gators needed to add more fuel to the fire. That will come in the form of many ways, including the 2021 recruiting class. Enter Armwood defensive tackle Desmond Watson, who will look to develop into a run-stuffing presence upfront.

While he was not as highly thought of as other defensive tackles in the 2021 recruiting class, at 6-foot-5, 380 pounds, he already has the size needed to fill a major void in the middle of the Gators' defensive line.

Florida has routinely sought out big men, and their No. 1 target from a year ago in defensive tackle Gervon Dexter is a testament to just that. While Watson certainly is not expected to have the same impact as the former No. 12 player in the nation in Dexter, he has an opportunity to receive early playing time due to his size, ability and the lack of depth Florida still has at the position.

3. Tight end Nick Elksnis - Episcopal (Jacksonville, Fla)

It's easy to forget about the tight end position when thinking about the Gators' needs moving forward. Florida just saw one of the best tight ends in FBS history leave the program for the 2021 NFL Draft in tight end Kyle Pitts, and they just received former five-star transfer tight end Arik Gilbert (LSU).

However, with the depth at the position in question beyond this season, Elksnis presents an intriguing weapon for the Gators and tight ends coach Tim Brewster to further develop and eventually utilize. At 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, Elksnis presents ideal size at the position and has the receiving prowess to back that up.

In the 2021 recruiting class, the Gators targetted both Elksnis and highly-regarded tight end Gage Wilcox Jefferson (Tampa, Fla). While Wilcox will be an intriguing weapon in his own right down the line, Elksnis has an opportunity to provide significant depth at the position, and will certainly be used within Dan Mullen's tight end friendly scheme.

Don't expect Elksnis to see major playing time in 2021, though. He will likely be behind multiple players such as Gilbert, Keon Zipperer, Kemore Gamble and Jonathan Odom, but he does have the potential to see some form of playing time when a few of those members leave, or when he develops into the prospect many expect him to.