Reaction to Three Blue-Chip Recruits Signing With Florida Gators
Billy Napier's first task as the Gators head coach was to build a serviceable transition class that plugged the holes along the Florida roster he inherited.
Officially announced as the head coach at the University of Florida on Dec. 5 — just a day removed from winning the Sun Belt Championship with Louisiana-Lafayette — Napier entered his introductory press conference emphasizing patience in the talent-acquisition business of college football.
Attempting to temper outsiders' expectations, the new man at the helm prefaced Early National Signing Day by saying there would be a thorough evaluation process that would hinder their ability to land high-caliber prospects, if any at all.
Prioritizing the trenches first and foremost, the Gators elected to remain involved with four of the five linemen the previous staff left for them. Adding an additional OL prospect on Dec. 10, Napier saw five big men sign to UF on Wednesday, an uneventful but much-needed reality.
Unexpected to some, he didn’t stop there. The splash landings he warned were far-fetched turned out to not be.
In reality, Napier outdid himself in just ten days despite only having previous contact with one of the nine Florida signees, drawing in three program-altering prospects in the early signing process. His diligence on the trail marks a potential turn of the tide where Florida’s recruiting efforts are concerned.
To put it simply, he undersold to overdeliver.
Those three unexpected landings include Naples (Fla.) defensive back Devin Moore, Faith Academy (Mobile, Ala.) inside linebacker Shemar James and IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) safety Kamari Wilson. Each signee is a member of the SI99, Sports Illustrated All-American's top 99 prospects in the country in the class of 2022.
To capture the magnitude of the acquisition, AllGators provides you with our reaction and analysis on the three blue-chip defenders.
Safety Kamari Wilson
If it weren’t for Travis Hunter shell-shocking the entire recruiting world with his choice to join Deion Sanders at Jackson State, Wilson’s decision would have arguably been the biggest news of Wednesday’s slate of announcements.
Choosing Florida after months of being considered a heavy Georgia lean, Wilson provided Napier and Co. a monumental recruiting victory in the early stages of their regime.
Drawing him onto campus for an official visit on the last weekend before ESD, the recently compiled staff attempted to sell their vision of rebuilding UF into one of college football’s powerhouses.
However, Wilson did not step into the fire blind, as many others would have due to his previous relations.
Building strong relationships with cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond during his time at LSU — a reason the Tigers were included in his top five — and fellow Fort Pierce native Jamar Chaney, Wilson was able to pick up contact with the new Florida staff at an advanced stage.
As a result, the Gators sent a full-court press for the elite safety. Their efforts weren’t in vain, as the game-changing entity chose UF as the destination to continue his career.
Providing the versatility, physicality, and aggressiveness to set the tone in the run game and make plays in coverage, Wilson is a multifaceted athlete who can be a star in the orange and blue.
Excelling when working downhill toward the line of scrimmage, Wilson is a fearless run stopper that can plug holes and work sideline to sideline to contain the boundary. His most redeeming factor is his ability to deliver bone-crushing hits, a common occurrence throughout his high school career at IMG Academy.
However, his playmaking ability isn’t limited to the occasional popping of the pads. As a coverage man, Wilson presents the Gators an opportunity to operate in single-high looks if they so choose, a luxury they’ve been unable to afford in recent years.
Co-defensive coordinator Patrick Toney solidified a vital part of his defense with the enforcer on the defense's back end. His flashes of athleticism and instincts — which project to provide range in the middle of the field — and power to make ball carriers feel his presence puts him in a firm position to be vying for near-immediate playing time when he steps foot on campus.
His commitment is the splash of the cycle, no matter what happens going forward.
To make things better, the Gators kept him away from their SEC East rivals, a necessary step to close the talent gap between the programs in the next few years.
Defensive Back Devin Moore
Virtually buried in the excitement of Wednesday’s festivities due to his announcement coming early in the morning, Moore is the lone official flip the Gators were able to connect on.
After decommitting from Fighting Irish following the departure of Brian Kelly to LSU, the Gators' strong push for the talented Naples product paid dividends. Not only did they acquire a piece at a position that can never have too many, but they also lucked into Moore being one of the first signees of the day, kickstarting the onslaught of decisions to be made after him.
Unlike Wilson — who visited Gainesville on the same Dec. 10 weekend — Moore did not have the deep ties with a new or readded staff member. Instead, his relationship with Gators staffer Corey Bell was one of the factors that made the difference in Moore’s recruitment.
Moore — who stands at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds — is a lengthy, quick and instinctual player on the backend and presents a valuable piece to the Gators puzzle.
Despite flashing signs that suggest he would be a safety at the next level, Moore told AllGators that he continues to be pursued as a cornerback. As a result, the Gators get a player that they can use at nearly any position in a diminishing secondary, making it that much bigger that he climbed aboard the bus Napier is conducting at UF.
Linebacker Shemar James
As a former Florida Gators commit when the previous staff operated at full numbers, James highlighted an overall below-average recruiting effort.
Decommitting from the school in October, James looked to reassess his options on the table but kept UF as a realistic option.
However, seemingly cutting Florida out of his recruitment down the stretch, James was prepared to choose between Alabama and Georgia.
The Gators found a way to climb back in with little time remaining, finding themselves into a three-way race for the Mobile (Ala.) standout. But, in the end, Florida secured the nation’s No. 2 linebacker prospect, giving them another huge victory for the 2022 transition class.
James, who stands at 6-foot-2, 212 pounds, bring a favorable frame and elite athleticism to the linebacker position. Showing he can win in coverage, against the run and as a pass rusher, James is expected to occupy a spot on the weak side of the defense at the next level where his versatility can be utilized in its fullest form.
His talent led him to tally 114 tackles, 13 sacks, 20 tackles for loss and two interceptions over three seasons at the high school level.
For more on James and his skillset, you can get AllGators' scouting report on him here.
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