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Florida Gators 2021 Recruiting Class

Escambia94

Aerospace Cubicle Engineer (ACE)
Moderator
21 new Gators faxed in their Letters of Intent (LOI) and have secured their spots in the Class of 2021! #ChompDown21

The class of 2021 is currently ranked at #8 in the nation, #4 in the SEC, which is 2 spots ahead of where they finished last year. Factoring in Kamar Wilcoxson and Demarkus Bowman from last year puts this class at about #5 or #6. Hard commits to watch for in the next signing day include the following:
  • WR Trevonte Rucker 6-0 160 of Vanguard High School. Ocala, Florida. 4-star. 11.26.2018. Commitment.
  • ATH Charles Montgomery 5-10 185. Armwood High School. Seffner, Florida. 4-star. 5.24.2020. Commitment.
  • OT Javonte Gardner 6-5 240. Jones High School. Orlando, Florida. 3-star. 12.20.2019. Commitment.
  • OG Deyavie Hammond 6-3 330. Independence Community College. Independence, Kansas. 3-star. 12.16.2018. Commitment.
  • OT Adrein Strickland 6-6 330. A. Crawford Mosley High School. Lynn Haven, Florida. NR. 5.12.2020 Commitment.
Also welcome RB Demarkus Bowman to the class of 2021! Demarkus transferred to Florida to be closer to home.
  • RB Demarkus Bowman 5-10 190 of Lakeland High School, Lakeland, Florida. 5-star. 12.18.2019 signed with Clemson. 10.3.2020 transfers to Florida.
This class features two dedicated Gators originally part of the class of 2018: OG Deyavie Hammond and LB Diwun Black. Both signed LOIs with Florida in December 2018 but failed to meet academic standards to enroll at the University of Florida. Like the class of 2016, this class features two quarterbacks who will push each other throughout their tenures in Hogtown: Georgia product Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and a Texas gunslinger Jalen Kitna.

The Gators had a relatively quiet class with few surprises and a few misses. Here are the de-commitments:
  • DE Bryce Langston 6-3 212 of Vanguard High School. Ocala, Florida. 5-star. 12.2.2018. Commitment. LSU lean.
  • ATH Brashard Smith 5-9 177. Palmetto High School. Miami, Florida. 4-star. 1.7.2020 Commitment. Miami commitment.
  • OLB Terrence Lewis 6-1 185. Northwestern High School. Miami, Florida. 5-star. 1.22.2019. Auburn, Tennessee, or Miami.
Fans who love overreacting to decisions made by 17-year old kids will no doubt want to know who Mullen whiffed on.
  • OLB Xavian Sorey 6-3 214 of IMG Academy, Bradenton, Florida. 5-star. Georgia.
  • OT Tristan Leigh 6-5 270 of Robinson Secondary, Fairfax, Virginia. 5-star. OU, LSU, Clemson, or Florida.
  • ILB Trevin Wallace 6-2 209 of Wayne County, Jesup Georgia. 4-star. Auburn.

Overall, this is the Gators' best class in a long time. What this class lacks in star power it makes up for in dedication and passion for the Gator Nation!
 
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Escambia94

Aerospace Cubicle Engineer (ACE)
Moderator
The Gators moved om from OT Javonte Gardner (3-star, 6-5, 240, Orlando, FL) and offered OT Austin Barber (3-star, 6-7, 300, Jacksonville, FL). The staff had concerns about Gardner meeting academic qualifications at UF. Note that academic qualifications have plagued the Gators for many years. Remember that this recruiting class has two former members of the class of 2018 who failed to academically qualify and went to JUCO in order to qualify for the class of 2021.

Austin Barber was last committed to Minnesota in May, but he de-committed in November and was without any committable offers until the Gators offered him on December 17th--the same day he signed. He had offers from Kentucky, Louisville, Illinois, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Minnesota, and Miami (FL).

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/AustinBarber/status/1339744635166572549?s=20[/TWEET]
 

DRU2012

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Losing Sorrey was probably the biggest, most disappointing “miss” far as I’m concerned: We have playmakers galore here and/or on-their-WAY, especially at QB (Kitna, for eg, is rumored WAY under-rated at “3-stars”—mostly a function of playing in “the wilderness” of less-well-regarded competition “out in the Texas NW panhandle and plains”, he has nonetheless gained a kind of hard-charging notoriety for his supposed prodigious talent throwing, running and thinking, improvising while he does it ON THE RUN—Son of a player and Coach, he’s exactly the kind of QB that our Head Coach has himself gained a reputation for raising up and making great leading a high-flying offense—so we need freakish OLs to run, think and PERFORM WITH HIM...Sorrey looks like one of THOSE rare “blindside standouts”, so that may be the one undoubted “whiff”, difficult to fill.
You nicely minimize the reasons why the rest is much less worrisome: For example, I personally have VERY little concern, regret or indeed understanding, desire or sympathy for anyone who could commit to UF, then de commit and join MIAMI, of all programs, after one late-in-the-process weekend partying with the corruptible, partying loudmouths in Coral Gables...I know the type—knew them WELL in my day, and BELIEVE ME: You are either one, or the other.
 

Escambia94

Aerospace Cubicle Engineer (ACE)
Moderator
Losing Sorrey was probably the biggest, most disappointing “miss” far as I’m concerned: We have playmakers galore here and/or on-their-WAY, especially at QB (Kitna, for eg, is rumored WAY under-rated at “3-stars”—mostly a function of playing in “the wilderness” of less-well-regarded competition “out in the Texas NW panhandle and plains”, he has nonetheless gained a kind of hard-charging notoriety for his supposed prodigious talent throwing, running and thinking, improvising while he does it ON THE RUN—Son of a player and Coach, he’s exactly the kind of QB that our Head Coach has himself gained a reputation for raising up and making great leading a high-flying offense—so we need freakish OLs to run, think and PERFORM WITH HIM...Sorrey looks like one of THOSE rare “blindside standouts”, so that may be the one undoubted “whiff”, difficult to fill.
You nicely minimize the reasons why the rest is much less worrisome: For example, I personally have VERY little concern, regret or indeed understanding, desire or sympathy for anyone who could commit to UF, then de commit and join MIAMI, of all programs, after one late-in-the-process weekend partying with the corruptible, partying loudmouths in Coral Gables...I know the type—knew them WELL in my day, and BELIEVE ME: You are either one, or the other.
I knew the Gators were not getting Sorrey. The Gators have never snagged a recruit from IMG Academy. That was not a disappointment at all. Every class gets a tease from an IMG 5-star. What Mullen has done is grab players from the major high school pipelines that Michigan, Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia have been raiding since Urban Meyer left. That is a good thing. Where Mullen still falls short is in grabbing the 5-star athletes from those powerhouses.
 

Escambia94

Aerospace Cubicle Engineer (ACE)
Moderator
Kitna committed to Florida largely because of Dak Prescott. Jon Kitna was a QB coach for Prescott while he was with the Dallas Cowboys. Dak spoke with the Kitnas and had nothing but positive reviews for Dan Mullen. Kitna might be like others sons of NFL coaches Luke Del Rio, Brian Scottenheimer and Skyler Mornhinweg and is here to learn the game from a good coach.
 

DRU2012

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Kitna committed to Florida largely because of Dak Prescott. Jon Kitna was a QB coach for Prescott while he was with the Dallas Cowboys. Dak spoke with the Kitnas and had nothing but positive reviews for Dan Mullen. Kitna might be like others sons of NFL coaches Luke Del Rio, Brian Scottenheimer and Skyler Mornhinweg and is here to learn the game from a good coach.
Ever seen his highlight reel? I know, I know...but it IS an eye-opener, in its own right—and when you consider what “everyone” figured Mullen would eventually be looking for to build “his kind of offense” around, well, this was an easy “mutual marriage” to arrange.
I’m still curious and excited to see what Emory Jones might be able to achieve from here—but he will have to be ready to ACHIEVE come next Spring; otherwise he will be pushed, and possibly pushed aside soon thereafter, if he doesn’t step forward and step UP.
And neither Jones nor Kitna are the only alternatives in the pipeline OR on the horizon. Mullen, of all Head Coaches, clearly does NOT intend to find himself short on talented options at quarterback, no MATTER the forces of future fate.
I also am aware of the “dessert” that IMG has been for us; I had hoped it was merely mostly one of those “mainly a statistical anomaly” that a new Coach with his own experience afield, unique perspective and rep, and a different approach might change for the better. Same I hoped for that continued trouble with certain out-of-state pipelines that Mullen HAS been able to reopen upon returning to UF—but (to me at least) somewhat baffling, certainly FRUSTRATING difficulty breaking through that “glass ceiling” between 4-Star players (whom we ARE getting) and 5-Star ones (whom we still mostly aren’t). “Perception” may be everything there—making the loss last Saturday (especially it’s manner) particularly mis-timed! At least a good, strong performance tomorrow night against the Tide could go a long way in repairing some of that.
I daren’t hope for a win. Too many questions still out there with this team of ours before I will feel safe fully committing to hope and passion once more.
I love them regardless; SUPPORT them “regardless”. But while SOME questions HAVE been answered about this Gator team AS a “team”, others that HAD SEEMED as if they were BEING answered have reared themselves once more.
Have we ever SEEN such extensive demonstration of the proposition,
“The devil is in the DETAILS” ???
 

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