Breaking Down the Florida Gators Top 2021 Defensive Line Targets
With in-person recruiting remaining on hold, many football coaches around the country are adapting to phone calls and virtual visits, something that Florida's staff has been conducting over the past few days.
As of now, the Gators are looking to fill in a few more spots in the defensive trenches for the 2021 class. Florida already holds commitments on the defensive front from Christopher Thomas (Dunbar - Fort Myers, Fla.), Justus Boone (Sumter - Sumter, SC), and Tyreak Sapp (St. Thomas Aquinas - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.).
While Florida is recruiting nationally across the defensive line, the in-state talent in the trenches is rich in this cycle. Expect the Gators to prioritize the in-state prospects before going beyond state borders in the near future.
1. DT Leonard Taylor, Palmetto (Miami, Fla.)
No surprise here. Florida's top target on the defensive line is undoubtedly the five-star from Miami Palmetto High School.
The 6-4, 245-pound trench monster has been frequently visiting Gainesville, making trips for the Auburn game and for junior days' before they were shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. The familiarity between Taylor and the Florida staff is apparent, and defensive line coach David Turner has grown very close with the South Florida standout. Taylor is in contact very often with the Florida staff, and he is aware that the Gators have him as their #1 priority in the trenches.
It is unclear when Taylor will announce his commitment, but Florida is in the lead for his services at this point. Taylor could also join his teammates, defensive backs Corey Collier and Jason Marshall, as they both plan to announce their decisions on National Signing Day. Other teams after Taylor include Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee, and LSU.
2. DT Desmond Watson, Armwood (Seffner, Fla.)
Another in-state defensive line that is a priority for the Gators is three-star Desmond Watson, hailing from Armwood High School, located in Seffner, Florida.
Watson is an excellent nose tackle who will fit right in Florida's scheme but will need to get acclimated to the strength program early on to lose some weight from high school while currently standing at 6-6, 350 lbs. Watson dominated on the field and in camp settings this offseason, which is why I have him ranked highly on the board.
Texas A&M and UF seem to be the frontrunners as of now, but multiple SEC teams such as LSU, Georgia, and Alabama are also keeping tabs on the massive defensive lineman. Watson made multiple trips to Gainesville before the coronavirus struck, making the three-hour trek with Armwood teammate and possible future Florida Gator, Charles Montgomery, who announces his commitment on May 24th. Watson has made it clear that he plans to commit only after he has taken all five of his official visits.
Update: Watson will announce his top three schools on May 18th at 1 P.M.
3. DE Bryce Langston, Vanguard (Ocala, Fla.)
A former UF commit, Langston is still heavily interested in the Gators and has included them in his top two, joining LSU.
Langston has been a frequent visitor to UF, even after his de-commitment from the program last May. For what its worth, the 6-3, 250 pound DE has yet to visit LSU in person. Langston and his teammate Trevonte Rucker, a Florida commit, have stated their plans to go to the same school and play in the SEC, and Florida checks off both those boxes for each.
4. DT Savion Collins, Palmetto (Miami, Fla.)
Another defensive lineman to monitor would be Palmetto product Savion Collins, a 6-4, 290 lb. freak athlete of an interior lineman who the Gators are also courting to join the 2021 class, along with his high school teammates. Notably, Collins has recorded a 4.85-second 40 yard dash and jumped nearly 33 inches vertically.
Collins, a current Miami commit, has made over six trips to Gainesville and was on flip watch throughout the 2019 season. Collins has remained solid in his Miami commitment, but if the Gators apply enough pressure, he could end up in the orange and blue. Landing both Taylor and Collins to the interior defensive line would be a huge win for the Gators during this cycle.
5. SDE Kelvin Gilliam, Highland Springs (Highland Springs, Va.)
Although Gillam has just been recently been offered by the Gators, the interest between the two programs is high after Monday's virtual visit. He broke down that visit with AllGators here, calling Florida a leading school.
Florida offered on April 22nd, and UF's staff has been in contact consistently since. Gillam is also considering South Carolina, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, Penn State, and Michigan State, among others. The 6-3, 250 lb. could play both sides of the edge, but with added weight, Gilliam would be an ideal fit on the strong-side which is a position of importance in this class.
The Gators have two natural strong-side ends on the current roster in Zachary Carter and Princely Umanmielen.
As spots get slim, the Gators will have to be picky about which targets they take on pass on, especially at defensive lineman. Due to the Gators already having three commitments along the line and taking six last cycle, Turner should only be taking impact players.
At this point, the Gators are going to wait out Taylor's decision, and react accordingly around the five-star prospect. Taylor is a class changer, and it only makes sense the Gators wait out their top prospect at the position. Florida is also looking to add another defensive end to the class, which explains the quick pursuit of Gillam.
As we progress throughout the summer, head coach Dan Mullen and his staff would like to assemble most of his class, so he doesn't have to recruit during the season.
Overall, the defensive line class for the 2021 class seems to have taken shape, but the Gators are still looking to take it to the next level with some outstanding in-state prospects.