Well, You can pop the cork folks. 28 Commitments, 11 Early Enrollees, The number 1 player in the country, 4 Five Star recruits, A LOT of Four star recruits(there’s so many I’m not sure) and the nation’s consensus number 1 recruiting class(Rivals.com has USC number 1, for some odd reason, nobody is sure why). I think it’s safe to say that Urban Meyer is truly the KING of recruiting this year.(Edit: Steve Addazio has been named the nation’s top recruiter this year.)

From top to bottom, left to right, this class could be the best ever assembled. And the thing I love about it the most is that it seems like this entire team is like a family. Urban Meyer said it himself, that these guys have been through the staff changes, and the hoopla all along. And that all of them have known each other through the process. We can give Trey Burton and Lynden Trail a lot of the credit as well, as they were contacting all of these recruits and keeping these kids on the ground and reassured that Urban Meyer would be back, and that the Gators would be just fine.

It’s kind of early to pick favorites of this class, but from who I’ve seen and heard, Ronald Powell is my one of my favorites. The nations number one player came from the backyard of USC(southern cal) and attended Florida’s camp this past summer. Meyer had worked with him, and created a bond with him. From hearing him talk about the Gators and Coach Meyer, I know this kid is going to be a BIG impact the next 3-4 years. Meyer has said that Powell is quite possibly the best football player he has ever seen. Now let that soak in and remember, we had Tim Tebow for 4 years, Percy Harvin for 3, Joe Haden for 3, and Brandon Spikes for 4. Four of the best athletes I have ever seen. But it’s not his athleticism or knowledge of the game that makes him so great. It’s his attitude, and humbleness of which he approaches it. The guy can quite possibly play every down of four seasons at Florida. And I think he’ll play most. Coach Meyer said he will be catching some balls at tight end as well, but his primary position is at defensive end.

Shariff Floyd is going to be a major impact on the defensive side of the ball as well, along with Dominique Easley, and Matt Elam. But Floyd’s case is not unlike that of Baltimore Raven’s offensive lineman Michael Oher. He hasn’t come from the greatest of circumstances or up-bringing. But as Meyer said “He gets up every morning and he’s on a bus for an hour and a half to get to school. He’s a 3.0 student who lives right and takes care of himself. He’s a great football player.” He won the Maxwell Football Club National High School Football Player of the Year award after recording 60 tackles, 5 blocked punts and 1 blocked field goal for Philadelphia George Washington in 2009. Floyd has come through great adversity to be where he is, and he’s not going to take it for granted. He will make it count.

Dominique Easley is an absolute beast. As most of you saw, He was the MVP of the 2010 Under Armour All-America Game. Recording 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Easley is primarily a defensive tackle, but also quick enough that he could see some time at defensive end.

Matt Elam is the kind of guy who likes the spotlight. As we know from seeing him decommit and recommit these past few months. But from a football standpoint, Elam is a tremendous athlete. He could see time running the wildcat, or at running back, linebacker, safety, and on special teams this fall. And as one of the 11 early enrollees this spring, he gets a jump on learning Urban’s/The Gator’s way of doing things. I would look for this guy to be a stand-out come spring practice. And Coach Meyer likes to get his best athlete’s on the field in some shape or form. So, Elam will get playing time this fall.

On the offensive side of the ball, Coach Meyer has spared no expense getting weapons for young Johnny Brantley to throw to. Chris Dunkley, Adrian Coxson, Solomon Patton, and Quinton Dunbar are all wide receivers of this 2010 class, along with tight ends Gerald Christian and Michael McFarland. These recruits combined with returning receivers Deonte Thompson, and Chris Rainey. And returning from injury Andre Debose, make up a surely stellar receiving corps for Brantley to light up defenses with in the fall.

I personally am looking forward to seeing Andre Debose at the “Percy” position. Seeing Debose on film looks like fireworks every single play. And Chris Dunkley is nothing short of spectacular himself. With both Dunkley’s and Debose’s 40 yd dash time being 4.4 seconds, defenses are going to have a hard time keeping up. As always with Coach Meyer’s recruits, “speed wins”.

Solomon Patton’s elusiveness in space is also going to be a problem for opposing defenses. Watching his film, you can tell that Patton is an all around football player. Making plays almost every time he gets the ball. He’s a bit undersized, but makes up for it with balance and strength. Patton gives coaches a lot of options to work with, and Coach Azzanni is going to have a blast with him. Newly acquired reciever Adrian Coxson I don’t know much about. But from what I’ve heard, He’s a great pick up for the Gators. Evaluations of him say that he is a great physical presence on the field, and uses his size against the defense. And he has top-end speed for a player of his size.

All in all this recruiting class speaks volumes for the job that Coach Meyer as well as Steve Addazio and staff have done at the University of Florida. Through all the uncertainty on whether or not Meyer would return(We now know that he WILL coach spring practice, and be back for the fall), The Gators have secured an elite class to say the least. And even though the Tim Tebow era is over, I see VERY bright things for the Gators in the future. I am looking forward to seeing the Brantley era begin. I think the offense next year will be like that of 2008. High-flying explosiveness with 80+ yard plays, and a defense the likes of which we may have never seen. Beastly in fact. Look out SEC. Look out Bama.

There’s no doubt about it. It’s Great To Be a Florida Gator.

Be Well Gator Nation.