Which Florida Gators Recruiting Targets Made the SI99?
Photo: Cormani McClain; Credit: Zach Goodall
The 2022 Preseason SI99 was released on Tuesday morning, providing a 99-player ranking of the nation's elite.
Two Gators commits made their way onto the list, giving Florida some credibility for the commitment class it currently boasts following an impactful finish to the summer. However, some of the uncommitted players on the list are written prominently on Florida’s big board as the staff continues to pursue talent to capitalize on the newfound momentum on the trail.
Which Gators targets rank atop the best 99 players in the country for 2023?
CB Cormani McClain
No. 1 CB, No. 2 overall
The second overall player in the nation according to the SI99 has long been a top target of the Florida Gators. The interest has been mutual.
Dating back to the previous staff, Cormani McClain has served as a mainstay stop Florida’s recruiting board. He has made numerous trips to UF under each regime as result. The elite cornerback has displayed natural coverage ability with impeccable length and recovery speed since switching to the position during his sophomore season.
Now, with Corey Raymond in the fold, the Gators continue their attempt to close out on the Lakeland product. That relationship has the boat sailing in the right direction.
"Coach C-Ray, me and him have a great relationship, I think it's there," McClain told AllGators. "He's produced a lot of great athletes. I look up to coach C-Ray as one of the guys that you know is going to get you to the league and [has the] things that you need to get there."
McClain was most recently in Gainesville during the Friday Night Lights and Cookout event to end July.
He stated that he will likely take his recruitment to Early Signing Day in December, with the Gators remaining a firm contender alongside Alabama and Miami for his services.
He has yet to officially visit Florida, but plans to do so at some point in the fall.
RB Cedric Baxter
No. 1 RB, No. 21 overall
With Treyaun Webb already in the Gators 2023 class, Florida continues to look for an accompanying piece in the backfield in the cycle.
The first name on the list is Orlando (Fla.) back Cedric Baxter.
Labeled as the best running back prospect in the nation (and rightfully so), Baxter possesses the intangibles to complement the power rushing style of Webb with his one-cut-and-go speed back style as he wins with patience behind the line of scrimmage and elite burst when the holes open.
Florida’s new system will largely cater to the rushing game unlike in years past. During a campus visit in the spring, Baxter had the ability to see what practice looked like as a spectator.
He left impressed with the opportunity the running back-friendly scheme could provide him.
“They use a lot of backs. I think they used like three or four when I was there," he told AllGators in April. “Then, on top of that, they have, I think, two full-time [offensive] line coaches. So it's like, they're [going to] dedicate to their line. That's a good thing.”
Although it seems Florida has fallen behind in their pursuit of Baxter, a late surge to re-establish their name in consideration isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
The Edgewater running back will announce his commitment on Aug. 10.
DE Samuel M'Pemba
No. 6 DE, No. 27 overall
The Florida Gators have cooled in their pursuit of edge rushers in the 2023 class due to the acquisition of two top guys in T.J. Searcy and Isaiah Nixon.
However, one of the few they’ve remained in contact with is IMG Academy prospect Samuel M’Pemba.
M’Pemba recently returned to the University of Florida for FNL alongside some of his high school teammates.
“At Florida, you know, you're in Gainesville, it's more like a business mindset and you're in the SEC,” he said. “I mean [from] an education point, you know, they're a top five best program. I'm already in Florida, and they're in the SEC. Coach Napier, he's a really good coach, and they're building.”
His positive words about Florida show the Gators that an open door to close an evident gap in his recruitment at this time.
However, fending off the likes of in-state foe Miami, the top-ranked recruiting team in the nation Notre Dame, conference rival Georgia and others will be no easy task.
OT Monroe Freeling
No. 4 OT, No. 42 overall
As the new Gators staff attempts to reconcile the roster on the recruiting trail, the biggest remaining need at this time is offensive tackle.
They’ve struck out swinging on multiple offensive tackle prospects so far this cycle, notably including fellow SI99 members Lucas Simmons and Roderick Kearney, both of which are committed to Florida State.
With many of their top offensive tackle prospects off the market, Monroe Freeling could be Florida's last shot at a truly elite offensive lineman to man the exterior of the line in the future.
Pairing his relationship with offensive line coaches Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton with the unique emphasis the Gators have put on the offensive trenches with up to five staff members manning offensive line coaching duties, Freeling left Gainesville in mid-June enthralled with the program.
"I can say that I think Florida will be up there, and [will] probably be in some of my final decisions to make.”
The Gators just have to find a way to close.
CB Dijon Johnson
One Gators target who didn't quite make the SI99 but teetered on the bubble as a top player in the nation is Wharton (Tampa, Fla.) cornerback prospect Dijon Johnson.
Johnson's name has circulated consistently in the past month as a potential flip from Ohio State to Florida was rumored to be in the works. While he did de-commit from the Buckeyes, the rumors failed to come to fruition as he looks to re-evaluate the option at hand before making a final decision in the coming months.
The Gators remain hot on his trail, with elite cornerbacks coach Raymond leading the charge as his primary recruiter.
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