Florida Gators 2021 Early Enrollees Arrive on Campus
It's that time of the year again, and the Florida Gators' 2021 recruiting class has already begun to take a trip down to Gainesville, seeing the campus for the first time and beginning their collegiate careers as early-enrollees.
With plenty of players already posting on social media, we are taking a look at who has decided to join the University of Florida early, along with giving a quick snippet of their Sports Illustrated All-American recruiting profile, and what their future outlooks could be.
Headlining the class is Miami Palmetto cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., a top-five SIAA All-American for the class of 2021.
Marshall, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds is expected to be the "class cornerback" and should pair nicely opposite of rising-junior cornerback Kaiir Elam if he's able to show the Florida coaching staff that he is ready to play immediately.
Marshall is the class of the cornerback position in the 2021 recruiting cycle with about all the tools one could ask for. He’s big, fluid, physical and attacks the football with success while it’s in flight. With well advanced coverage technique, he can stand to improve intricacies like back pedal rate and develop into the type of cover man who is responsible for an entire side of the field. He won’t sit very long, if at all, once he gets to a big-time college program.
Another cornerback from the Gators' recruiting class, Tampa (Fla.) cornerback Jordan Young also announced he would be enrolling into the university early, arriving today, the official start of the spring 2021 semester. Young, 6-foot, 185 pounds should be able to earn playing time relatively early, although shouldn't be expected to instantly jump into a starting role.
Young has solid size and length for a cornerback, and at least partially compensates for middling physical tools with demeanor and anticipation. Could make an early impact in Gainesville as sub-package defensive back. Ceiling of multi-year starter, dependent on play speed relative to the competition.
Heard County (Franklin, Ga.) linebacker Chief Borders has also been seen arriving to campus early, a video surfaced on social media showing the standout playmaker walking around what appeared to be the freshmen dorms.
Borders, 6-foot-5, 242 pounds, is expected to play in various roles on the Gators' defense moving forward. He has the ability to rush as a BUCK rusher, while also possessing elite athleticism, able to run with running backs and tight ends in coverage. A jack-of-all-trades, Borders should fit well in Todd Grantham's defense fairly early.
I don’t exactly know what he’s going to play at the next level, but Borders is going to do it well. At the very least, he’s shown the willingness to be a difference maker on your special teams units, and do so with immense effort and intensity.
Below, you can find the entire group of Florida's early enrollees, as reported by Zach Abolverdi of the Gainesville Sun.
QB Carlos Del Rio-Wilson
QB Jalen Kitna
WR Daejon Reynolds
TE Nick Elksnis
DT Chris Thomas Jr.
DT Desmond Watson
DL Justus Boone
LB/DE Chief Borders
CB Jason Marshall Jr.
CB Jordan Young
DB Corey Collier Jr.
DB Donovan McMillon