Dan Mullen's Recruiting 2018-2021

[Escambia94]

Billy Napier is currently flipping the majority of Dan Mullen's remaining recruits. Some Gator fans will panic over this, but I see this as a good thing. The equivalent of an entire Mullen recruiting class has transferred out since Billy Napier took over, which gets the roster to 50% of his recruits one year ahead of schedule not counting recruits on the walk-on roster. Removing the walk-ons, Napier's recruits will hold 62% of the scholarship spots in 2023, so the roster will look very different. Each of Mullen's classes experienced a high rate of DNQ (did not qualify academically or otherwise), and many could not hack it on Napier's more structured football program.

2018 Recruiting Class​

Dan Mullen's class of 2018 was ranked #14 in the nation with an average recruit score of 0.9080. 2 recruits were dismissed before the season started. 1 did not medically qualify. The 1 transfer was medically retired a year later. Only 11 recruits lasted 4 years or more, with 8 transferring out. 3 recruits (Pitts, Pierce, and McPherson) were drafted into the NFL. Only 1 made it to an All-American list (Pitts). [2018 recruiting class]

2019 Recruiting Class​

Mullen's second class finished at #9 and an average recruit score of 0.9096, but fell apart before the season started with the dismissal of two of its recruits and the failure for 3 recruits to qualify academically or other reasons (visa). Only 12 players remained after four years. This class had 12 transfers. Only 1 member of this class was recruited to the NFL (Elam), with one potential in 2023 (Zipperer). This class finished at #6, but did not perform better than its preceding class. [2019 recruiting class]

2020 Recruiting Class​

The class of 2020 had a slightly lower score of 0.8985, but it finished slightly higher than last year at #7. The higher ranking did not result in better athletes. 2 recruits failed to qualify. 9 members of this class would transfer by 2022. [2020 recruiting class]

2021 Recruiting Class​

Dan Mullen's final recruiting class was not much different from his previous ones except this was the first class where all his recruits qualified to enroll. Each of Mullen's classes had a weird quirk to it, and this one was no different with the last-minute transfer of Demarckus Bowman. This class had 7 transfers, 1 dismissal, and 1 medical retirement. [2021 recruiting class]

2023 Roster​

The 2023 roster will only have 32 of Mullen's recruits from the classes of 2018-2021, including exactly one 5-star.

First​	Last​	Position​	Rating​	'23 Class​
Jason​	Marshall Jr.​	CB​	0.9855​	Jr. (2021)​
Ethan​	Pouncey​	CB​	0.9728​	Jr. (2020)​
Derek​	Wingo​	LB​	0.9705​	Jr. (2020)​
Xzavier​	Henderson​	WR​	0.9700​	Jr. (2020)​
Scooby​	Williams​	LB​	0.9679​	So. (2021)​
Tyreak​	Sapp​	DL​	0.9578​	So. (2021)​
Ja'Quavion​	Fraziars​	WR​	0.9317​	Jr. (2020)​
Antwaun​	Powell-Rowland​	LB​	0.9251​	Jr. (2020)​
Marcus​	Burke​	WR​	0.9245​	So. (2021)​
Princely​	Umanmielen​	DL​	0.9117​	Jr. (2020)​
Jaelin​	Humphries​	DL​	0.9059​	Sr. (2019)​
Jaydon​	Hill​	CB​	0.8969​	Sr. (2019)​
Justus​	Boone​	DL​	0.8950​	So. (2021)​
Rashad​	Torrence II​	S​	0.8950​	Jr. (2020)​
Will​	Harrod​	OL​	0.8904​	Sr. (2019)​
Desmond​	Watson​	DL​	0.8891​	Jr. (2021)​
Jordan​	Young​	CB​	0.8872​	So. (2021)​
Jadarrius​	Perkins​	S​	0.8860​	Sr. (2019)​
Chris​	Thomas Jr.​	DL​	0.8817​	So. (2021)​
Dakota​	Mitchell​	S​	0.8809​	So. (2021)​
Riley​	Simonds​	OL​	0.8809​	Sr. (2019)​
Ja'Markis​	Weston​	WR​	0.8763​	Sr. (2019)​
Kingsley​	Eguakun​	OL​	0.8689​	Sr. (2019)​
Jake​	Slaughter​	OL​	0.8656​	So. (2021)​
Richie​	Leonard​	OL​	0.8633​	Jr. (2020)​
Jonathan​	Odom​	TE​	0.8633​	Jr. (2020)​
Kaleb​	Boateng​	OL​	0.8572​	Sr. (2019)​
Mark​	Pitts​	OL​	0.8390​	So. (2021)​
Austin​	Barber​	OL​	0.8272​	So. (2021)​
Rocco​	Underwood​	LS​	0.8117​	So. (2021)​
Jeremy​	Crawshaw​	P​	0.7940​	Jr. (2020)​
Noah​	Keeter​	LB​	0.7300​	Sr. (2019)​

 

[DRU2012]

(@Escambia94, LOL ...Really liked the Darth Vader-trophy/bust up top, btw: Particularly appropriate, harkening back to that weird moment--right after the Mizzou game that season, I believe? Which ended in controversy and a full-on multi-player brawl onfield, Mullen running around in the middle of it all...then showing up at the postgane presser in that cheap-ass dimestore Vader costume that looked like he'd just sent an assistant out to the Dollar General or somewhere to grab (it was the week of Halloween, as I recall)...In retrospect, that one rivaled only by his leading the whole TEAM in a loud, rollicking post game lockeroom celebration after an otherwise frankly embarrassing SHOOTOUT win over SAMFORD, of all opponents, AT HOME in the SWAMP, of all places, for "Bad Looks" by our squad on Mullen's watch, most would agree...)
ALL of which, all in all, goes a long way in explaining how far we'd fallen in the years since Tebow, Meyer et al, for good or ill, all in fact moved ON--and how huge the gap between where we were and who we in fact ARE...
WHO WE EXPECT OURSELVES...to be.
There are so many things I see, have LONG seen that ere wrong with this team and program--we could and CAN find them woven among the mistakes and glaring ongoing regimes of the coaches during that time--including Mullen's tike here, as referred to above. But we are here NOW: All we can do is (as the song goes) "pick up the pieces and move on...", go from here.
Which is exactly what this Coach is trying to do.
Let us do our best to support him:
Step 1 is now pretty well accomplished:
As you note, E--, more than half of "Mullen's guys" (WELL more, now) are gone, replaced with Napier's heading into 2023 (and accelerating in that direction with each passing day).
Step 2, upgrading the general LEVEL OF RANKED TALENT, is also on the rise. Still some disappointments, but trending upwards, no doubt about that either. There've been disappointments...but talk is cheap, as they say: I'd prefer to SEE improvement rather than TALK about it. However, we can talk about all that elsewhere, at another time,
Here and now, I'd prefer to stay "on topic"--that is, to keep going, give this TEAM, this "TEAM THAT IS TO BE", a chance to be built and begin to fulfill this Coach's vision.

 

[Escambia94]

(@Escambia94...
Step 1 is now pretty well accomplished:
As you note, E--, more than half of "Mullen's guys" (WELL more, now) are gone, replaced with Napier's heading into 2023 (and accelerating in that direction with each passing day).
Step 2, upgrading the general LEVEL OF RANKED TALENT, is also on the rise. Still some disappointments, but trending upwards, no doubt about that either. There've been disappointments...but talk is cheap, as they say: I'd prefer to SEE improvement rather than TALK about it. However, we can talk about all that elsewhere, at another time,
Here and now, I'd prefer to stay "on topic"--that is, to keep going, give this TEAM, this "TEAM THAT IS TO BE", a chance to be built and begin to fulfill this Coach's vision.

The goal of this thread is to close the door on the Mullen era, so we can look back in 4 years to see if Napier has improved upon the program that he inherited. Step 1: list Mullen's guys that remain in 2023 and see if Napier can develop them or if they are a lost cause.

Looking at the same chart above with depth you will notice that a few of the Mullen athletes listed as "TBD" have never seen the field and may never do so. They are no better than the 30+ walk-ons in many ways. Last year it was mostly Mullen players who started, but by the end of the season we saw more Napier recruits and Mullen backups overtaking Mullen's best athletes.

Once we get past national signing day in February I can show just how much Napier has improved the talent level from top to bottom. The early signing day results show a 10% increase in talent level.

​

First​	Last​	Position/ Depth​	Rating​	'23 Class​
Jason​	Marshall Jr.​	CB-1​	0.9855​	Jr. (2021)​
Ethan​	Pouncey​	CB-2​	0.9728​	Jr. (2020)​
Derek​	Wingo​	LB-1 *​	0.9705​	Jr. (2020)​
Xzavier​	Henderson​	WR-1​	0.9700​	Jr. (2020)​
Scooby​	Williams​	MLB-3​	0.9679​	So. (2021)​
Tyreak​	Sapp​	DT-2​	0.9578​	So. (2021)​
Ja'Quavion​	Fraziars​	WRZ-3​	0.9317​	Jr. (2020)​
Antwaun​	Powell-Rowland​	JACK-1 *​	0.9251​	Jr. (2020)​
Marcus​	Burke​	WRX-2​	0.9245​	So. (2021)​
Princely​	Umanmielen​	EDGE-1​	0.9117​	Jr. (2020)​
Jaelin​	Humphries​	DL-TBD​	0.9059​	Sr. (2019)​
Jaydon​	Hill​	CB-1​	0.8969​	Sr. (2019)​
Justus​	Boone​	EDGE-2​	0.8950​	So. (2021)​
Rashad​	Torrence II​	FS-1	0.8950​	Jr. (2020)​
Will​	Harrod​	OL-TBD​	0.8904​	Sr. (2019)​
Desmond​	Watson​	NT-1​	0.8891​	Jr. (2021)​
Jordan​	Young​	CB-TBD​	0.8872​	So. (2021)​
Jadarrius​	Perkins​	STAR-1​	0.8860​	Sr. (2019)​
Chris​	Thomas Jr.​	DL-TBD​	0.8817​	So. (2021)​
Dakota​	Mitchell​	S-TBD​	0.8809​	So. (2021)​
Riley​	Simonds​	OL-TBD​	0.8809​	Sr. (2019)​
Ja'Markis​	Weston​	WR-TBD​	0.8763​	Sr. (2019)​
Kingsley​	Eguakun​	OC-1​	0.8689​	Sr. (2019)​
Jake​	Slaughter​	OC-2​	0.8656​	So. (2021)​
Richie​	Leonard​	LG-1​	0.8633​	Jr. (2020)​
Jonathan​	Odom​	TE-3​	0.8633​	Jr. (2020)​
Kaleb​	Boateng​	OL-TBD​	0.8572​	Sr. (2019)​
Mark​	Pitts​	OL-TBD​	0.8390​	So. (2021)​
Austin​	Barber​	LG-2​	0.8272​	So. (2021)​
Rocco​	Underwood​	LS-1​	0.8117​	So. (2021)​
Jeremy​	Crawshaw​	P-1​	0.7940​	Jr. (2020)​
Noah​	Keeter​	TE-4/ ST-1​	0.7300​	Sr. (2019)​

 

[Escambia94]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1608652368538906624

 

[DRU2012]

R⁰¹

The goal of this thread is to close the door on the Mullen era, so we can look back in 4 years to see if Napier has improved upon the program that he inherited. Step 1: list Mullen's guys that remain in 2023 and see if Napier can develop them or if they are a lost cause.

Looking at the same chart above with depth you will notice that a few of the Mullen athletes listed as "TBD" have never seen the field and may never do so. They are no better than the 30+ walk-ons in many ways. Last year it was mostly Mullen players who started, but by the end of the season we saw more Napier recruits and Mullen backups overtaking Mullen's best athletes.

Once we get past national signing day in February I can show just how much Napier has improved the talent level from top to bottom. The early signing day results show a 10% increase in talent level.

​

First​	Last​	Position/ Depth​	Rating​	'23 Class​
Jason​	Marshall Jr.​	CB-1​	0.9855​	Jr. (2021)​
Ethan​	Pouncey​	CB-2​	0.9728​	Jr. (2020)​
Derek​	Wingo​	LB-1 *​	0.9705​	Jr. (2020)​
Xzavier​	Henderson​	WR-1​	0.9700​	Jr. (2020)​
Scooby​	Williams​	MLB-3​	0.9679​	So. (2021)​
Tyreak​	Sapp​	DT-2​	0.9578​	So. (2021)​
Ja'Quavion​	Fraziars​	WRZ-3​	0.9317​	Jr. (2020)​
Antwaun​	Powell-Rowland​	JACK-1 *​	0.9251​	Jr. (2020)​
Marcus​	Burke​	WRX-2​	0.9245​	So. (2021)​
Princely​	Umanmielen​	EDGE-1​	0.9117​	Jr. (2020)​
Jaelin​	Humphries​	DL-TBD​	0.9059​	Sr. (2019)​
Jaydon​	Hill​	CB-1​	0.8969​	Sr. (2019)​
Justus​	Boone​	EDGE-2​	0.8950​	So. (2021)​
Rashad​	Torrence II​	FS-1	0.8950​	Jr. (2020)​
Will​	Harrod​	OL-TBD​	0.8904​	Sr. (2019)​
Desmond​	Watson​	NT-1​	0.8891​	Jr. (2021)​
Jordan​	Young​	CB-TBD​	0.8872​	So. (2021)​
Jadarrius​	Perkins​	STAR-1​	0.8860​	Sr. (2019)​
Chris​	Thomas Jr.​	DL-TBD​	0.8817​	So. (2021)​
Dakota​	Mitchell​	S-TBD​	0.8809​	So. (2021)​
Riley​	Simonds​	OL-TBD​	0.8809​	Sr. (2019)​
Ja'Markis​	Weston​	WR-TBD​	0.8763​	Sr. (2019)​
Kingsley​	Eguakun​	OC-1​	0.8689​	Sr. (2019)​
Jake​	Slaughter​	OC-2​	0.8656​	So. (2021)​
Richie​	Leonard​	LG-1​	0.8633​	Jr. (2020)​
Jonathan​	Odom​	TE-3​	0.8633​	Jr. (2020)​
Kaleb​	Boateng​	OL-TBD​	0.8572​	Sr. (2019)​
Mark​	Pitts​	OL-TBD​	0.8390​	So. (2021)​
Austin​	Barber​	LG-2​	0.8272​	So. (2021)​
Rocco​	Underwood​	LS-1​	0.8117​	So. (2021)​
Jeremy​	Crawshaw​	P-1​	0.7940​	Jr. (2020)​
Noah​	Keeter​	TE-4/ ST-1​	0.7300​	Sr. (2019)​

I'm not clear on how one arrives at that "10% increase in talent level" number--but whatever the number IS, I too sense that it is trending upwards and will continue to do so under this Coach.
More than ever, I continue to read, understand and support Napier's longterm plans.
He came in with certain statements and promises concerning a "change of culture" ALONG with that "increase in talent level".
I am finally understanding the very real importance of the former, and the degree to which the two necessarily go hand in hand.
I also see and more firmly grasp how and why it is the driving force behind the "turnover" so many are concerned about. However, it had to happen: the truth is, it's GOOD news.
It will take some time, though. This coach and his staff are "taking the long view". They didn't come in here to get to double digit wins asap, like most "up'n'comers", then hope to maybe catch lightning in a bottle with maybe a coupla freak-athletes once every few years and get a shot in the playoffs...No: He and they are here to build a perennial WINNER--one of the "Elite" who annually challenge for CHAMPIONSHIPS.
And that happens to be what a somewhat spoiled, and presently still blindly unrealistic (given what we've sunk to over the last decade-plus) Gator fan-base still expects.
But the only way they, WE will indeed attain that level once more will be in somewhat patiently allowing just this kind of TOTAL REBUILD, one that is as much philosophical as physical, tactical and/or strategic, to be instituted and allowed to play out.
We will see its progress, albeit sometimes in fits and starts, but to fully JUDGE it imho one will have to wait a few seasons.

 

[Escambia94]

R⁰¹

I'm not clear on how one arrives at that "10% increase in talent level" number--but whatever the number IS, I too sense that it is trending upwards and will continue to do so under this Coach.
More than ever, I continue to read, understand and support Napier's longterm plans.
He came in with certain statements and promises concerning a "change of culture" ALONG with that "increase in talent level".
I am finally understanding the very real importance of the former, and the degree to which the two necessarily go hand in hand.
I also see and more firmly grasp how and why it is the driving force behind the "turnover" so many are concerned about. However, it had to happen: the truth is, it's GOOD news.
It will take some time, though. This coach and his staff are "taking the long view". They didn't come in here to get to double digit wins asap, like most "up'n'comers", then hope to maybe catch lightning in a bottle with maybe a coupla freak-athletes once every few years and get a shot in the playoffs...No: He and they are here to build a perennial WINNER--one of the "Elite" who annually challenge for CHAMPIONSHIPS.
And that happens to be what a somewhat spoiled, and presently still blindly unrealistic (given what we've sunk to over the last decade-plus) Gator fan-base still expects.
But the only way they, WE will indeed attain that level once more will be in somewhat patiently allowing just this kind of TOTAL REBUILD, one that is as much philosophical as physical, tactical and/or strategic, to be instituted and allowed to play out.
We will see its progress, albeit sometimes in fits and starts, but to fully JUDGE it imho one will have to wait a few seasons.

The player ratings are in the column labeled “rating”. I use the 247Sports rating since they have numbers going back to the year 2000 or so. Ratings are not everything, but they give us something to measure and Napier is already performing better than Mullen, McElwain, or Muschamp by at least 10% in terms of bringing highly rated “blue chip” talent. Napier’s classes are the best since Urban Meyer, with the weakness of not getting consensus 5-star talent on campus yet. To Mullen’s credit, he did improve upon Muschamp’s and McElwain’s “blue chip ratio”, but with the same overall talent score. Mullen also had more balanced recruiting classes between offense, defense, and special teams, so he gets credit there.

 

[DRU2012]

OK...I had already accepted/assumed our overall "improvement since Mullen" and before, as I noted above. But having delved deeper into it all at your specific commendation I now have a better grasp of its concrete numerical/statistical underpinnings. As for "giving Mullen SOME credit", like many I was a supporter for much of his tenure: He DID bring us that kind of "early double-digit WINS"-improvement that to this day tends to encourage and (for a time) even satisfies a formerly frustrated, once more successful program's fan-base for a time in the SEC (I offer UK, and maybe now Tennessee as well as latter day examples of similar "flashes"--we'll see)...we ourselves witnessed how temporary all that can be with a longer term inability to "complete the quest": the DREAM fades with the failure to realize ultimate "consistent success"--as in moving on to annually make the playoffs and to challenge for Championship status.
That takes a specific plan from the start--a process envisioned and (somewhat flexibly) enacted and applied over time. I believe we have seen exactly that, Billy Napier's vision of how it could be accomplished at a particular place, time and situation. He waited, then jumped when enough of the predispositions were extent, a certain threshold of circumstances were in place and in effect WAITING for someone with the right plan to come in and pull it all together...
Make it work. It was here at UF, and when we asked, he JUMPED.
That wouldn't make it EASY. It was never going to be some quick and easy race to the top; fortunately, the Gator braintrust understood that implicitly from the start--so Billy was able to be frank, if hopeful enough to describe his eventual goals, the obstacles and how he'd go about overcoming them and "GETTING there", I think.
He came in late in the LAST season (at its END, basically)--so we 're only JUST completing his Season 1. Some of our more vocal fans may be freaking out, but NOT those who hired him.
And THEY recognize all the things that are so worrisome to some as "likely inevitable" and "to be expected" coming INTO the past season!
Like our still lagging BEHIND in grabbing our share of 5-star rated recruits...and the whole "new territory" that "N.I.L.", "the Portal", and the way no one appears to be either regulating nor enforcing whatever vague "rules" there are even purported to BE at this point has left every Coach and program to its own judgement and devices for now in envisioning and in turn BUILDING its own future. We are already SEEING the first signs of some (and nowhere NEAR ALL) of the possible "unforeseen consequences" of this ill-defined, so far mainly unregulated "Brave New World" of CFB Playoff Present and Future we all now find ourselves inhabiting. There'll be more--most as or MORE "unforeseen".
I too expect and foresee our grabbing more and more, as necessary in times ahead--HELL, it won't even be THAT long a wait, not THAT part, anyway.
BUT as for all the rest, well, who can really say?
WE aren't the only "players" here, are we? It is not exactly clear now when Texas and Oklahoma make their (now accelerated) planned move into our conference:
The SEC has already announced it will dissolve the East/West divisions when they DO; with all the other programs to varying degrees already well-INTO THEIR OWN "upgrades", how will it all affect OUR plans and eventual onfield performance and SUCCESS?
I am ALL for asking every ONE of the same old questions, ask them every damn time you play, if necessary.
ASSUME NOTHING: We WILL be a good, eventually a GREAT team--a consistent winning participant in the CFB Playoffs that we'll all be playing to be a part of. We have SEEN the growing devaluation of those bowl games that AREN'T a part of those "playoffs"...whatever meaning or importance they retain, it will be mainly for "all the rest"--the many who just aren't a part of the "REAL action", right?