Florida Gators Make Top 2 for Elite 2021 DT Leonard Taylor
First there were five, and now it’s down to two.
The Florida Gators have cracked the top two schools for elite 2021 Palmetto (Miami, Fla.) defensive tackle Leonard Taylor, he announced on Twitter today. The Miami Hurricanes occupy the other spot on Taylor’s list and will battle Florida for his services throughout the remainder of his recruitment.
Taylor, 6-4, 245 lbs., is one of Florida's priority targets in the 2021 cycle, and one of several Palmetto prospects the Gators are vying to get into their class. The 247Sports Composite considers Taylor to be a five-star, the No. 3 defensive tackle, and No. 29 national prospect of 2021's batch.
Florida originally joined Miami, Auburn, LSU, and Tennessee in Taylor's top five schools. released May 24th. The Gators have long been a suitor for Taylor, sending an offer his way in November 2018. He's visited UF campus at least four times since, most recently for March's junior day event before in-person recruiting shutdown amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Related: Leonard Taylor's 2021 Recruiting Profile
A three-technique defensive tackle that plays with a great motor, Taylor wins with immense length that he effectively uses to swipe away blocks and swim-move over the heads of offensive linemen, while carrying solid pad level that has led to the use of an effective dip-and-rip move. Taylor should have no issue adding plenty of good weight to his long frame at the next level without losing his explosion off of the line of scrimmage and speed moving into the backfield.
Fellow Palmetto defensive prospects, defensive tackle Savion Collins, cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. and safety Corey Collier Jr., are also being pursued by Florida. Collins is currently committed to Miami, but Marshall and Collier both recently placed UF in their top schools' lists.