Billy Napier Talks Florida Decommitments, Recruiting: 'It's a Battle'
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The Gators' formerly-No. 3 ranked class of 2024 recruiting class began to tumble when Picayune (Miss.) Memorial edge rusher Jamonta Waller backed out of the group and flipped to Auburn during Florida's 52-35, negative-record-smashing loss to LSU on Saturday.
Waller's decommitment was the first of three in a five-day stretch for the 5-5 (3-4 SEC) Gators. Marrero (La.) John Ehret cornerback Wardell Mack followed Waller's lead on Sunday, flipping to Texas, before Dublin (Ga.) High defensive lineman Nasir Johnson's Wednesday departure to Georgia.
Corresponding with Florida's third loss in a row, the moves appeared reactionary to the program's current trend.
But UF head coach Billy Napier, asked about the challenges that come with recruiting during a losing stretch at this time of year on Wednesday evening, considers the withdrawals in a broader sense. He stated that decommitments "come with the territory," although he could not address the specific prospects in accordance with NCAA recruiting rules.
"It's a battle," Napier said. "It's not this time of year. It's every day of the year. It's part of the job. Look, I would tell you, you win some, you lose some. I think it's highly competitive.
"I think it's good to have some players that everybody wants, truth be known."
Florida's class now ranks No. 5 in the country, per the 247Sports composite, maintaining 19 pledges with two consensus five-stars and 10 top-250 prospects, led by prized quarterback commitment, DJ Lagway of Willis (Texas) High.
Defensive linemen LJ McCray of Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland and Amaris Williams of Clinton (N.C.) High, linebackers Myles Graham of Gainesville (Fla.) Buchholz, Adarius Hayes of Largo (Fla.) High and Aaron Chiles of Olney (Md.) Our Lady Good Counsel, McKinney (Texas) High safety Xavier Filsaime, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy wide receiver Jerrae Hawkins Jr., Portal (Ga.) High tight end Amir Jackson and Leesburg (Va.) Tuscarora offensive tackle Fletcher Westphal are among those who constitute the core of the commitment class, by the rankings.
Although Waller, Mack and Johnson's exits hurt — especially along the defensive front, a unit of need for Florida this cycle — the group as a whole remains filled with promising prospective athletes. While that bodes well for the Gators as the early signing period nears, it's safe to assume other programs will continue to pry at the haul in an attempt to bolster their own.
"It's what we sign up for, right?" Napier pondered. "It's part of the challenge. It's part of the competition. I think recruiting is highly competitive. I enjoy it. There's always going to be some of that. It's not going away. So you've got to get used to it."
The next part of Florida's challenge will be to add the finishing touches to what could still finish as its highest-ranked recruiting class since 2013, when the Gators signed the nation's No. 3 composite haul. UF has closed a cycle ranked No. 9 three times since, in 2014 and 2019-20.
Calling momentum "real," Napier stated his hope to take it back on the recruiting trail by thoroughly competing for talent — and holding onto Florida's own — over the next month and some change. He believes in the product his program has to sell to prospects, on and off the field, and that certain recruits will realize that despite the Gators' recent losses.
"I think recruiting challenges your resiliency," Napier suggested.
"Ultimately for me, I think it's important that we get it right in the front end. We want players that have conviction about being here, that believe in the experience that they're going to have at the University of Florida relative to the degree, all the things that come along with being an alumni here, the resources that we have to offer as a football program."
The class of 2024 early signing period will stretch between Dec. 20-22.
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