Watch: Florida Gators OT Commit Bryce Lovett's Spring Game
Photo: Bryce Lovett; Credit: Zach Goodall
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Jones vs. Rockledge spring game on Friday night featured four Florida Gators recruiting targets in the 2023-24 classes: Jones '23 edge rusher Malik Bryant and '24 defensive lineman D'Antre Robinson, as well as Rockledge '24 defensive back Jaylen Heyward and, most notably, '23 committed offensive tackle Bryce Lovett.
Each prospect made their own share of plays, but AllGators' eyes were primarily on Lovett, who pledged to the program on May 16.
Often lining up against Bryant, one of the top recruits in the nation this year, Lovett had some blocking wins and losses throughout the exhibition. But for the most part, looked the part of a future SEC offensive lineman, one that Florida hopes can play numerous positions at the next level.
Florida Gators OT commit Bryce Lovett
Zach Goodall
Perhaps, that could be due to the advice he's gotten from Gators' offensive line coaches Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton.
"They were just texting me this morning," Lovett admitted to AllGators. "Like, make sure I get my first two steps before I touch somebody, and then punch hard and always finish."
Lovett was certainly tested on Friday evening when he took Bryant on in pass protection. At one point in the first half, Bryant left Lovett in the dirt with an outside speed rush, but Lovett rebounded by stonewalling separate swim and spin rush moves as the game went on.
Bryant, although projected to play off-ball linebacker in college, broke out with 14 sacks as a freshman at Jones before transferring to IMG Academy (Fla.) and earning MaxPreps All-American honors two years in a row. He's since returned to Jones for his senior season.
"He's a great athlete," Lovett said of Bryant. "We had our words on the field but after the game it was all love. I mean, he beat me, I beat him. It was just a good game."
Lovett was one of the first recruits that new head coach Billy Napier and his staff hosted at Florida after taking over the program, and the Gators quickly emerged as the favorite to land his services. Before his commitment announcement, Lovett had quietly pledged to the staff in April and visited an additional four times.
The 6-foot-5, 330-pound lineman is convinced Napier and Co. have UF trending in the right direction after Florida moved on from former head coach Dan Mullen late last year.
"The new coaching staff and what they've got planned and what they're doing already for the program," Lovett explained regarding his commitment. "When they offered me, they'd been there for I don't even think a month, maybe a month at most, and they already switched the food plans, switched the parking and got them into a new apartment to live in.
"They're obviously very focused on what the players want and need."
Lovett's commitment to Florida came just over a week after IMG Academy's Knijeah Harris became the first offensive lineman in UF's 2023 recruiting class. The two linemen became friends at an Under Armour camp during their sophomore years and have kept in contact since.
Lovett believes, given their knowledge of each other's skill-sets, that he and Harris can become a "deadly duo" at the next level with the Gators.
"They always talk about how they need depth and they're losing a lot of people when we come in," Lovett said. "They want us to come in there and play early, and if not [then] get a lot of reps."
Lovett will officially visit UF on June 3 and plans to make trips across the state for games this year. He doesn't have any intention of visiting other schools now that his recruitment is wrapped up.
You can watch Lovett's spring game performance in the featured video at the top of this story.
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