What Are Florida's Remaining 2024 Recruiting Needs?
Holding the No. 3 commitment class in the nation with a total player score that surpasses its 20-person 2023 cycle in its entirety, per 247Sports' Composite Team Rankings, the Billy Napier-led Florida Gators have been on a tear in the talent-acquisition department.
After a serviceable bump class put the Gators in a spot to quickly flip the roster in favor of the new leadership's desired mold, the 2024 cycle presented the opportunity to further improve the personnel department by landing high-caliber talent.
Quarterback DJ Lagway, safety Xavier Filsaime, and linebackers Myles Graham and Adarius Hayes kickstarted the class by jumping onto the bandwagon early. And, where the early stages of the cycle brought quality, the summer months have brought quantity to pair, continuing the program's upward trend.
Acquiring 10 pledges across two weeks in June, adding coveted offensive tackle Fletcher Westphal to the mix on Monday and hometown defensive lineman Kendall Jackson on Wednesday, the Gators are well on their way to compiling their best recruiting class in over a decade (No. 3 class in 2013). Holding 19 commitments currently, UF boasts a borderline elite mix of offensive and defensive players and is just a handful of pieces away from twisting a lid shut on the full glass of talent.
Presumably, there are six holes left to meet the 25-player sweet spot, although the number is always subject to change.
As the Gators attempt to fill those gaps, All Gators analyzes the remaining positional needs for the unit to put a neat bow on a championship-level class.
Cornerback
Secondary coach Corey Raymond made an immediate impact upon arrival in Gainesville for the cornerbacks unit when he pried Devin Moore away from Notre Dame in the closing stages of the 2022 class.
He continued that success in 2023, doing the same with one-time Ohio State pledge Dijon Johnson to add to an early evaluation grab of late bloomer Ja'Keem Jackson and long-standing pledge Aaron Gates.
Raymond reinserted long, athletic talent into the room in a short period. However, the returns in 2024 haven't been the same. He'll look to change that reality in the coming weeks and months, adding up to three to account for the potential departure of several veterans in Jason Marshall Jr., Jaydon Hill and Jalen Kimber following the 2023 campaign.
Fortunately for the unit, a reliable pool of options remains.
The spot could receive its first pledge on Friday as underrated but oft-praised coverage man, Teddy Foster, is set to make a birthday commitment decision. Jalyn Crawford, arguably the top prospect on Florida's board at this stage, will also come off the open market this weekend as he shares his collegiate destination on Saturday.
Other targets include in-state prospects Zavier Mincey, Jamari Howard and Alabama commit Jameer Grimsley — who the Gators remain involved with despite his July 1 pledge to the Crimson Tide.
Florida Gators cornerback target Zavier Mincey with secondary coach Corey Raymond.
Beyond the Sunshine State, John Ehret (Marrero, La.) High product Wardell Mack presents a viable piece to fill in the puzzle. Raymond and Co. have developed a strong relationship with The Boot native since their March offer.
Traveling to campus on two occasions — highlighted by a June 16-18 official visit — Mack named the Gators to a recently released top four: Florida, Florida State, LSU and Texas.
The options still open for the taking, paired with Raymond's illustrious history, provide considerable optimism for the spot come Early National Signing Day in late December. However, without a body at the position in the class, cornerback sits as the most glaring need for Florida's remaining recruiting efforts at this stage.
Wide Receiver
The acquisitions of Jerrae Hawkins Jr. and Izaiah Willaims are monumental in Florida's efforts to replenish speed at the skill positions.
However, with each expected to occupy the slot at the next level, there remains a glaring need for a boundary target to serve in Lagway's arsenal. The options at the position have dwindled, leaving the Gators to take shots at committed pieces with hopes of flipping one-to-two of them to bring in a three-to-four-man receiver class.
The top name on the list is a best-case scenario grab in the form of Chaminade-Madonna standout Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State pledge). Florida will leave a spot open for Smith no matter the stage of the class, given the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder's irreplicable skillset and nuance for a player his age.
He's endured a full-court press from the Gators throughout the summer, leading to a June 2-4 official visit and raising intrigue from Smith's camp. Rumors swirled regarding the level of Smith's interest, but it never amounted to any moves being made.
Gators wide receiver target Chance Robinson with Florida head coach Billy Napier during a visit to UF.
From there, his South Florida Express 7-on-7 teammate and Miami commit Chance Robinson arises as a feasible flip target, with Florida State pledge TJ Abrams and Georgia bond Ny Carr as other names floating on UF's radar.
A sleeper prospect to fill a spot in the class is the No. 2 option in the Chaminade-Madonna offense, Joshisa Trader, as he wants to stay in-state for his collegiate career. However, Florida State and Miami seem better suited to earn his commitment when one eventually surfaces.
In the months ahead, landing just one true X-receiver is the mission for position coach Billy Gonzales. After cornerbacks, it's the spot in most need of help in an otherwise balanced 2024 class.
Offensive Line
The Florida Gators' emphasis on the offensive line is evident in multiple spheres. Upon arrival, Napier brought in two assistants to maximize the progression of the members lining the unit.
However, despite the added coaching resources, the Gators struggled to add quality pieces to the tackle position across the 2022-23 classes. During that time, Caden Jones was the lone tackle to join the Florida roster from the prep ranks, forcing Florida's hand to target adequate replacements for the spot via the transfer portal.
Until now.
The Gators have compiled three offensive tackle pledges in the form of Westphal, Marcus Mascoll and Mike Williams in the 2024 class. And, in an attempt to further supplement the roster with exterior offensive line talent, they're not done yet.
Florida has two targets in mind for that endeavor: San Marcos' (Texas) Ory Williams and IMG Academy's Jordan Seaton.
Gators offensive tackle target Ory Williams with head coach Billy Napier during his official visit to Florida June 2-4.
Williams, who officially visited Gainesville June 2-4, better fits the standard mold of OTs pursued by Sale and Stapleton. Since that trek, the Gators have risen to the top of his recruitment and will host the highly-rated prospect on their board again on campus later this month for the July 29 cookout.
Perhaps they can get both. In that case, Mascoll — although evaluated as a tackle — possesses the traits to move inside as needed. Florida floated the possibility to him before his commitment.
The tactic, if executed, presents a long-term patch on the outside of the line and along the offensive trenches as a whole.
Big Fish
How can you decipher the contenders from the pretenders? Big fish.
Florida needs them.
Dan Mullen's final season as head coach from the University of Florida put the Gators under the microscope in several aspects. When the dust of his departure settled, a substandard SEC roster emerged for Napier's early tenure.
The well-documented roster-building malpractice from the previous staff furthered the talent disparity between Florida and the schools competing in the College Football Playoff each season, including SEC foes Georgia and Alabama.
Both the 2023 and 2024 (in its current form) Gators classes' have aided the reconciliation of the roster in an attempt to shrink the gap. The next step in that endeavor will be landing elite prospects with game-changing attributes.
The core of the class is relatively complete, or at least will be when the 2023 season arrives, allowing Florida to swing for the fences in the final four months in an attempt to lure in those big fish.
Unlike the other areas of need, this category isn't a necessity. Instead, it's merely the difference between a great and an elite class.
The Gators understand that and have cast their line for premier talents such as wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, edge rusher Jordan Ross and defensive lineman LJ McCray, among others.
Smith, an Ohio State commit, is the top-rated player in the 2024 cycle and one of if not the best pass-catching prospect to come out of the prep ranks since Julio Jones in 2008. His sheer dominance from the wideout spot would present Lagway with an immediate No. 1 weapon in the offense, expediting the development process for both the talented signal caller and the offense under his leadership.
Florida 2024 quarterback commit DJ Lagway and elite wideout target Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State commit) at the 2023 Elite 11 Finals.
Zach Goodall
Accordingly, the Gators have prioritized his recruitment, especially during the summer.
It's an uphill climb to flip Smith from the Buckeyes. Although several teams are working tirelessly to do so, Smith hasn't budged from his alignment with OSU. However, the Gators are considered the program with the best chance to pluck him away from coach Brian Hartline's grasp.
It doesn't mean much to stand as a distant second come Early Signing Day, but it could provide a valuable window of opportunity in the fall.
On the defensive side of the ball, Ross and McCray are players taking the No. 1 spot on Florida's board at their positions, respectively.
The former, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound edge rusher, is a fast, athletic and long 3-4 outside linebacker who presents the distributive value to bolster Florida's defense considerably if to dons orange and blue. He's reportedly seen UF and Tennessee rise to the top, with Georgia also in the mix to obtain his talents when his awaited decision is made.
The Gators' attempt to lock down Ross' commitment when the time comes could create an elite duo of pass rushers in him and Jamonta Waller at the JACK spot.
McCray, a fellow member of the defensive front, is another top piece the Gators yearn for in 2024.
Displaying lauded disruptiveness upfront as a versatile defensive lineman, the Mainland (Fla.) product would provide a Swiss army knife along the trenches to utilize both inside and outside, depending on the formation and situation within the game. Florida, pitching him that role since his June 22, 2022, offer, has found itself as a top team in contention for several months.
He may not boast the five-star status of the other two examples. Still, his presence within the Florida class is equally coveted as edge rushers coach Mike Peterson and defensive line coach Sean Spencer work in tandem to earn the in-state DL's pledge.
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