Talking Top Committed Recruits for Florida, Florida State, Miami and UCF

A look at the top prospect in each school’s 2022 recruiting class.

Author:
Brian Smith
Publish date:
Nov 24, 2021 9:53 AM EST

Seeing recruits get better and better during their respective high school careers and then select a college program to play for has been rewarding. With the state of Florida, the programs for the Gators, Seminoles, Hurricanes and Knights have brought in really talented top-of-the-board prospects for the 2022 recruiting class.

While one player does not mean total success, in this particular situation it will allow for prospects to make the transition to the college level and make an immediate impact. Here’s a look at the top recruit for each of the four Florida football programs.

This list was conducted in alphabetical order of the name of each school.

Jayden Gibson, Florida

Vitals: 6’5”, 185 pounds

Position: Wide Receiver

High School: Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange

A player that did not receive his first offer from Louisville until his junior year has completely blown up. With over 30 offers, Gibson has earned the right to be considered elite.

With his length, Gibson often plays like a basketball player, high pointing the football and taking it away from opposing cornerbacks and safeties. His ability to twist and turn in the air that allows him to reach for those passes, that’s actually Gibson’s best skill.

Maximized his chances to make plays with his reach. Additionally, he’s far more gifted with lateral quickness than most people know.

Gibson actually played cornerback, despite his height, in helping West Orange throughout this season. He’s quite capable of backpedaling, planting his back foot, then driving on the football.

The other aspect of Gibson’s game that allowed him to be productive would be top-end speed. He can definitely run by defenders. Combined with that reach, his over-the-top skills convinced most teams to double cover him all season long.

Gibson will head off to the SEC to play for the Gators, and he is a player that should be considered a very likely candidate to play his freshman season.

Travis Hunter, Florida State

Vitals: 6’1”, 165 pounds

Position: Wide Receiver/Cornerback

High School: Suwannee (Ga.) Collins Hills

Finding a more twitchy player than Hunter has yet to happen. He’s as close to a human joystick as one will find. What’s unique about Hunter would not be his great quickness, his moves like the jump cut, dead leg, or stop and start. It’s about determination.

Hunter hates to lose at anything, and he’s proven that for two years. He absolutely demolished the competition in Georgia as a junior, catching 137 passes for 1,746 yards and 24 touchdowns.

You read that correctly.

Name the route, he won that route. Keep in mind, Hunter played in Gwinnett County throughout his high school career, and the east suburb of Atlanta provided the stiffest competition as one could find. He’s been banged up for part of the 2021 season, but Hunter still has 50 receptions for 766 yards and six touchdowns. Now, for the ironic part as Hunter transitions to Florida State, which side of the football he plays on may not be the same as the one mentioned above.

Brandon Inniss and Travis Hunter — Left - Travis Hunter (FSU commitment - 2022), Right - Bradon Inniss (Oklahoma commitment - 2023)
Brian Smith, Inside The Knights

Hunter is also a top-notch cornerback. That’s also the position he prefers to play at the college level. While hard to imagine Hunter’s skills not being utilized on offense, his overall skills do translate just as well to the defensive side of the football.

The Seminoles need defensive help, especially in the passing game. Florida State earned the No. 74 position in this week’s FBS rankings by having allowed 234.5 yards passing per game. Hunter can certainly help to alleviate those mediocre statistics.

Khamauri Rogers, Miami

Vitals: 5’11”, 160 pounds

Position: Cornerback

High School: Lexington (Miss.) Holmes County

Rogers should be considered a true field cornerback that can run with any wide receiver during a deep ball, or break on a five yard hitch route and make a tackle. He’s still developing physically, which means he’s going to gain more speed and quickness. That’s scary.

He already demonstrated that he can also change direction like few other high school athletes can do. That’s why he’s so dangerous as the field cornerback, a player that often lines up against receivers that catch slants and screens and work to gain yards after the catch.

Rogers’ ability to shoot in and make a play on the football will take away some of those routes, limiting an opposing team’s short passing game. Once He’s gained more weight, he will also be better adept at moving past blockers within the screen game, too.

Rogers did not receive the national recognition he should have received already, but that’s likely because he’s in Mississippi where few players get much attention. He’s going to make his mark at the college level, however.

Thomas Castellanos, UCF

Vitals: 5’11” 195 pounds

Position: Quarterback

High School: Waycross (Ga.) Ware County

The definition of dynamic. That’s Castellanos. Many college programs would prefer that he play cornerback or another skill position. That’s not what he desired heading into his recruitment, and that’s why he’s going to sign with UCF. Castellanos has been a true playmaker throughout his high school career, and that’s what he shall be in Orlando for the Knights behind center.

Playing quarterback for Ware County provided him with playing in big high school games and understanding the pressure that comes with being a signal caller. Combined with his elite athleticism, Castellanos will be able to help the Knights from the time he steps on campus, and it’s just a matter of how the UCF coaching staff finds ways to place the football in his hands.

With the uncertainty of quarterback Dillon Gabriel and whether he comes back in 2022 or not, it’s hard to project the specific role for Castellanos. What will happen, however, is seeing him on the field at some point.

Much like quarterbacks Joey Gatewood and Parker Navarro, Castellanos can be a ‘package’ quarterback if need be. He’s adept at operating run-pass option plays, and he’s also capable of throwing bullets to receivers.

Will Castellanos be the 2022 red zone quarterback? Quite possible. There’s also the possibility he competes for the quarterback job outright.

Despite the moniker of being a runner, Castellanos can absolutely throw the football. Scouting him live proved that to this writer. He needs continued refinement, but he’s also a player with the tools to take over a college game from the quarterback position.

Once Castellanos takes over the quarterback position he will be an explosive player. He fits the mold of players like Johnny Manziel and Kyler Murray in that he can beat a team inside or outside of the pocket. Just wait and see.

For UCF coverage and recruiting information go to: The Daily Knight podcast. For more college football, UCF and recruiting information, go to Twitter: @fbscout_florida and @UCF_FanNation, as well as my YouTube Channel and Instagram page. Like and Subscribe!