DL Derrick LeBlanc Pledges to Oklahoma Over Florida Gators
Photo: Derrick LeBlanc; Credit: Zach Goodall
DAVENPORT, Fla. -- Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola 2023 defensive lineman Derrick LeBlanc announced his commitment to Oklahoma over Florida and Penn State on Thursday evening.
LeBlanc was long considered to be leaning Florida's way after new head coach Billy Napier and his coaching staff got to town. This offseason, LeBlanc has made the trek to Gainesville over ten times for program visits — a level of interest in a program relatively unheard of before — including on an official basis from June 10-12.
However, his trip to Norman, Okla. the week prior must have left a much stronger impression on the versatile defensive line prospect, as LeBlanc had been trending the Sooners' way ever since June's in-person recruiting window was closed.
LeBlanc's teammate, fellow defensive lineman and Gators' target John Walker, pledged to UCF at the same commitment ceremony shortly before LeBlanc revealed his destination. Another Osceola defender and UF recruit, cornerback Ja'Keem Jackson will share his pledge at 7:30 P.M. on Thursday evening at the event.
Despite LeBlanc and Walker's pledges elsewhere, expect the Gators to remain in each defensive lineman's ear up until the early signing period in hopes of flipping at least one of them, as both hovered around the top of Florida's defensive recruiting board throughout this year and reciprocated the UF's intrigue.
However, it would be wise of the Gators to increase their efforts to secure defensive line talent in this class sooner rather than later. UF is currently without a committed player across the defensive line in the 2023 cycle, as pledges in Thomaston (Ga.) Upson-Lee's T.J. Searcy and St. Petersburg (Fla.) Lakewood's Isaiah Nixon project as edge-rushing outside linebackers.
Prospects such as Orlando (Fla.) Olympia's Kamran James, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy's Will Norman and Suwanee (Ga.) North Gwinnett's Kayden McDonald, among others, will be worth monitoring for Florida moving forward.
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