Florida Gators Land Commitment From Coveted OT Fletcher Westphal
Offensive line coaches Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton locked down a prized blindside protector for franchise quarterback commit DJ Lagway Monday morning.
Leesburg (Va.) Tuscarora offensive tackle prospect Fletcher Westphal committed to the Gators over Clemson, Arkansas, Auburn and Georgia, he announced via social media.
His additions fills Florida’s need for a blue-chip, bookend blocking talent in 2024.
At 6-foot-8, 330 pounds, Westphal presents the prototypical build Sale and Stapleton have prioritized in the transfer portal to fill voids at the position in the past two offseasons. Kamryn Waites (6-foot-8, 362 pounds), Jordan Herman (6-foot-8, 372 pounds), Damieon George Jr. (6-foot-6, 369 pounds), Kiyaunta Goodwin (6-foot-8, 353 pounds) and Lyndell Hudson Jr. (6-foot-6, 300 pounds) are similar in frame.
Possessing the length, strength, quick feet and balance to pair with his towering stature, the Tuscarora High product presents a vital element to the offensive line class the Gators are compiling in 2024.
He’s the fourth OL prospect to pledge to the Gators in the 2024 cycle, joining tackles Marcus Mascoll and Mike Williams and guard Noel Portnjagin.
However, the magnitude of his pledge is immense, giving Florida the high-caliber exterior offensive lineman that has eluded the unit in recent memory. He is the highest-rated tackle prospect secured directly from the prep level during the Billy Napier era in Gainesville.
Among high school blockers to commit to UF under Napier, only 2023 interior lineman Roderick Kearney earned greater recognition from consensus rankings.
The recruiting win makes a much-needed splash at the position as the staff attempts to build a wall of protection around its franchise investment at quarterback, Lagway.
Westphal is now slated to be the leading protector in that endeavor.
Westphal — the No. 288 player and No. 23 OT — joins the nation’s No. 3 recruiting class in the 2024 cycle, according to 247Sports Composite Team Rankings.
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