Florida Gators 2021 Secondary Haul is Loading Up. Who’s Next?
Across a four-day stretch at the end of last week, the Florida Gators added not one, not two, but three defensive backs to their 2021 recruiting class.
The first domino fell last Thursday night when Winter Park (Fla.) safety Dakota Mitchell pledged to the class. A high school teammate of 2020 Florida signee, cornerback Ethan Pouncey, the Gators quickly gained Mitchell's services following his de-commitment from LSU on June 12th.
The next day, IMG Academy (Fla.) defensive back Kamar Wilcoxson flipped from Tennessee to Florida, his third and apparent final time committing to UF. On Sunday, Gaither (Tampa, Fla.) cornerback Jordan Young wrapped up Florida's hot streak in the secondary.
Mitchell, Wilcoxson, and Young join St. Frances (Baltimore, Md.) cornerback Clinton Burton Jr. as defensive backs in Florida's 2021 class of commits. Despite this, the Gators aren't done adding talent on the backend yet.
Florida remains in pursuit of several defensive backs, both to play cornerback and safety, in the 2021 class from different areas of the country. Two of the team's priority targets are Miami Palmetto defensive back tandem, cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. and safety Corey Collier Jr. Peters Township (Pa.) safety Donovan McMillon, John Paul II Catholic (Fla.) safety Terrion Arnold, among others, remain coveted by Florida as well.
Marshall and Collier, along with several other Palmetto teammates, have been on Florida's radar for some time. Marshall is considered a five-star prospect by the 247Sports Composite Rankings, and Collier is a top 100 player in his class by the same scale.
Marshall best projects as a boundary cornerback, similar to Young, setting the position up well in the long-term when starter Kaiir Elam eventually departs. Jahari Rogers and Avery Helm of Florida's 2020 signing class also fit well at the boundary.
Collier, on the other hand, presents legit range and length to be trusted in single-high coverage, skills that Florida hasn't had in a safety in some time, and has yet to gain in this class. Mitchell is a better fit as a STAR and box safety who can cover low zones and influence the run game, while McMillon offers similar strengths and Arnold is more of an all-around player.
That isn't to knock McMillon or Arnold as both would be welcome additions to the class, and Arnold offers the potential to play single-high as well - he just doesn't offer the same coverage production as Collier and may be better suited to roam the defense than just play at the top. That type of safety play would allow defensive coordinator Todd Grantham to expand his blitzing and man-coverage play calls even further.
McMillon, a hard-hitting safety who could flex to linebacker and STAR as well, visited Florida unofficially on June 13th after a virtual visit the month prior. After being offered on April 18th, the Pennsylvania safety's interest from Florida has blown up quickly. Arnold, who has been offered by UF football and basketball, visited Florida for March's junior day event prior to the recruiting moratorium put in place amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite crowding the cornerback room early on, Florida is far from done recruiting defensive backs in the 2021 class. That especially can be said at safety, as Florida is set to graduate four players at the position following the 2020 season.
The Gators signed two safeties in the 2020 class in Rashad Torrence II and Mordecai McDaniel, but until pen hits paper for the 2021 signing class, those two are the only safeties set to be on Florida's roster after this year.