Preseason SI99: Three Gators Commits Among Nation's Top 2021 Prospects
The inaugural Preseason SI99, Sports Illustrated All-American's debut rankings of the 99 top high school football prospects in America, has been released today, with three Florida Gators 2021 commits among the group.
Jason Marshall Jr. (Miami Palmetto - Fla.) headlines the group, coming in as the No. 1 cornerback in the class and No. 14 overall player on the SI99. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) edge rusher Tyreak Sapp finds himself at the No. 76 as spot as an honorable mention edge prospect, while Marshall's Palmetto teammate, No. 5 safety Corey Collier Jr., is the nation's No. 77 prospect.
Florida's three prospects on the SI99 ranks fourth among SEC schools, behind Alabama (8), Georgia (5), and Tennessee (4).
"The list is as honest and objective as the industry has seen with true tape-first evaluation and a college projection in mind," Sports Illustrated football recruiting director John Garcia said of the SI99.
Marshall and Collier, both recent commits who pledged on back-to-back days on August 9th and 10th, lead the group of prospects and project as an elite, playmaking tandem in Florida's secondary for quite some time to come. Sapp, meanwhile, committed to the Gators long ago in December 2018.
Sports Illustrated All-American had the following to share after Marshall was named cornerback No. 1 in the class:
Marshall takes the top spot at one of the game's most important positions without much debate throughout the last few months. Through three varsity campaigns in tough and competitive south Florida, the big and fast cornerback has projected as the total package at the position. The Florida Gator commitment has the modern feel for the position, long enough to combat back-shoulders and 50/50 balls while challenging at the high point vertically -- but he has classic cornerback traits on his side as well. Marshall affects the football with elite instincts, savvy and some of the most fluidity in change of direction and/or breaking scenarios. He is polished enough to challenge wideouts in press-man with enough long speed to occupy a deeper zone as needed.
Across Sports Illustrated All-American's positional rankings and honorable mentions, nine Gators commits can be found: Marshall, Collier, Sapp, No. 8 nickel cornerback Dakota Mitchell, and honorable mentions wide receiver Marcus Burke, slot receivers Charles Montgomery and Trevonte Rucker, and tight ends Gage Wilcox and Nick Elksnis.
You can find the entire preseason SI99 rankings here, and watch Marshall, Sapp, and Collier's high school tape in the videos throughout this story.