Discussion: Florida Gators 2024 Recruiting

[Escambia94]

The 2024 recruiting class will be Billy Napier's third class, his second full class. Here are the rankings through the recruiting cycle:
- #8 - January 30, 2023 (UGA, LSU, FSU, ND, Bama, Texas Tech, Oregon, Florida, SC, Iowa)
- #4 - October 4, 2023 (UGA, tOSU, aTm, UF, Bama)
- #5 - November 10, 2023 (UGA, tOSU, FSU, Bama, UF, Oregon)
- #4 - November 21, 2023 (UGA, tOSU, FSU, UF, Bama, Oregon)

Name	Rating	Notes
DL LJ McCray Mainland (Daytona Beach, FL) 6-6 260	0.9721	Commit 10/21 (visit FSU 11/11/2023)
EDGE Jamonta Waller Picayune Memorial (Picayune, MS) 6-2 / 225	0.9641	Commit 6/19/2023; de-commit 11/11/2023 (Auburn; original CB 6/2/2023)
CB Xavier Filsaime McKinney (McKinney, TX) 6-1 / 180	0.9851	Commit 4/13/2023
QB DJ Lagway Willis (Willis, TX) 6-2 / 225	0.9875	Commit 12/7/2022
LB Myles Graham Woodward Academy (Atlanta, GA) 6-1 / 212	0.9817	Commit 8/14/2022
RB Jerrick Gibson IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) 5-10 / 200	0.9734	Attends Florida Junior Day 1/28/2023 (Texas)
EDGE Adarius Hayes Largo (Largo, FL) 6-4 / 210	0.9660	Commit 1/28/2023
RB Chauncey Bowens The Benjamin School (North Palm Beach, FL) 5-11 / 219	0.9065	Commit 9/18/2022; de-commit 6/10/2023 (Georgia)
Amaris Williams Clinton (Clinton, NC) 6-3 / 270	0.9344	Commit 6/17/2023
Aaron Chiles Our Lady Good Counsel HS (Olney, MD) 6-3 / 220	0.9607	Commit 6/17/2023
Jerrae Hawkins IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) 5-9 / 165	0.9166	Commit 6/26/2023
Amir Jackson Portal (Portal, GA) 6-4 / 223	0.9496	Commit 6/17/2023
Nasir Johnson Dublin (Dublin, GA) 6-4.5 / 300	0.9094	Commit 6/17/2023; de-commit 11/15/2023 (Georgia)
Wardell Mack John Ehret (Marrero, LA) 5-11 / 170	0.9439	Commit 8/14/2023; de-commit 11/12/2023 (Texas; original CB 7/4/2023)
Fletcher Westphal Tuscarora (Leesburg, VA) 6-8 / 335	0.9090	Commit 7/10/2023
Tawaski Abrams Dunbar (Fort Myers, FL) 5-11 / 175	0.9069	Commit 7/18/2023
Izaiah Williams Carrollwood Day (Tampa, FL) 6-0 / 172	0.8997	Commit 5/5/2023
Josiah Davis Berrien (Nashville, GA) 6-1 / 185 6-1 / 185	0.8853	Commit 3/27/2023
Kendall Jackson F. W. Buchholz (Gainesville, FL) 6-4 / 250	0.8942	Commit 7/12/2023
DL Michai Boireau Creekside (Hampton, GA) 6-5 390	.8753	Commit 6/19/2023 De-commit 9/11/2023 Commit 12/2/2023
Kahnen Daniels West Point (West Point, MS) 5-11 / 190	0.9002	Commit 4/10/2023
Teddy Foster Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota, FL) 6-2 / 170	0.8739	Commit 7/14/2023
Marcus Mascoll South Gwinnett (Snellville, GA) 6-4.5 / 292	0.8815	Commit 7/14/2023
IOL Noel Portnjagin Germany (Germany, GERM) 6-5 / 334	0.8656	Commit 6/14/2023
OT Mike Williams Charles Herbert Flowers (Upper Marlboro, MD) 6-7 / 310	0.8475	Commit 6/12/2023

 

[DRU2012]

Good start...MIGHT be on track for something special.

 

[Escambia94]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1619497097446981636

 

[Escambia94]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1558861478488317955

 

[Escambia94]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1619438351102386177

 

[Escambia94]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1617170559904911362

 

[Escambia94]

November de-commitments:

EDGE Jamonta Waller Picayune Memorial (Picayune, MS) 6-2 / 225

0.9641

Commit 6/19/2023; de-commit 11/11/2023 (Auburn; original CB 6/2/2023)

Nasir Johnson Dublin (Dublin, GA) 6-4.5 / 300

0.9094

Commit 6/17/2023; de-commit 11/15/2023 (Georgia)

Wardell Mack John Ehret (Marrero, LA) 5-11 / 170

0.9439

Commit 8/14/2023; de-commit 11/12/2023 (Texas; original CB 7/4/2023)

 

[DRU2012]

I no longer participate on "Twitter/X".
I would claim it a "matter of principle"--but I have recently gotten entangled by the influence of having (foolishly, I might add) involved myself reading the last two days' installments of "Hail Florida Hail"!...so I am no longer in any position to judge anything or ANYONE'S such "aimless wanderings".
However, that leaves me completely ignorant of those reference's implications.
As for your subsequent listing of our latest KNOWN AND ACKNOWLEDGED flips,, those I am indeed well-aware of...There is similar widespread reporting of several others that are pending with respect to assorted OTHER mostly in-state recruits. If these come to pass, we are suddenly down at 18th or LOWER in our 2024 class's recruiting ranking.
In which case, and as I have sadly remarked in response to this elsewhere: Goodbye to THIS particular "Rebuilding Plan", AND "GOODBY TO MR. NAPIER, LIKELY BY THE END OF THE 2024 SEASON!" (Latest--The combination of no great recruiting haul followed by another 5-win season and anything OTHER than a Number ONE Class at THAT point will very likely bring the necessary "Buy Out Cash" from SOME WEALTHY BACKER'S (or BACKERS') POCKETS.
At the risk of recommending the same "bad medicine" as is still afflicting ME, there is of course widespread consideration of Hail Florida Hail's latest offering, "Five Dream Solutions Should Billy Napier Be Fired", wherein they commence the theoretical blood-letting with the proposition of various potential entries on a "list of hottest replacement candidates possibly available RIGHT NOW".
I am NOT recommending ANY of it--just pointing to where this is all now inevitably heading::
ie.: DISASTER.

 

[Escambia94]

I no longer participate on "Twitter/X".
I would claim it a "matter of principle"--but I have recently gotten entangled by the influence of having (foolishly, I might add) involved myself reading the last two days' installments of "Hail Florida Hail"!...so I am no longer in any position to judge anything or ANYONE'S such "aimless wanderings".
However, that leaves me completely ignorant of those reference's implications.
As for your subsequent listing of our latest KNOWN AND ACKNOWLEDGED flips,, those I am indeed well-aware of...There is similar widespread reporting of several others that are pending with respect to assorted OTHER mostly in-state recruits. If these come to pass, we are suddenly down at 18th or LOWER in our 2024 class's recruiting ranking.
In which case, and as I have sadly remarked in response to this elsewhere: Goodbye to THIS particular "Rebuilding Plan", AND "GOODBY TO MR. NAPIER, LIKELY BY THE END OF THE 2024 SEASON!" (Latest--The combination of no great recruiting haul followed by another 5-win season and anything OTHER than a Number ONE Class at THAT point will very likely bring the necessary "Buy Out Cash" from SOME WEALTHY BACKER'S (or BACKERS') POCKETS.
At the risk of recommending the same "bad medicine" as is still afflicting ME, there is of course widespread consideration of Hail Florida Hail's latest offering, "Five Dream Solutions Should Billy Napier Be Fired", wherein they commence the theoretical blood-letting with the proposition of various potential entries on a "list of hottest replacement candidates possibly available RIGHT NOW".
I am NOT recommending ANY of it--just pointing to where this is all now inevitably heading::
ie.: DISASTER.

The class is at #5 with the latest decommitment.

 

[DRU2012]

The class is at #5 with the latest decommitment.

Yes, I'm aware of where we currently stand.
I am ALSO aware of Billy's "comes with the territory" comments in response to questions on the matter.
For our part, the POINT is that this is now looking more and more like "a trend"--a mirror (as in, "similar in movement-but in the opposite direction") image of what we faced, and how we FELT back when things were on the UPswing.
Look, I know that these so-called "Gator-sites" are more interested in attracting viewers than in helping either the team OR Gator-FAN'S sense of well-being (or optimism)...Right now, those fans are especially vulnerable to SCARE TACTICS!
I'm not so sure that the losses here at the end are much of a factor in these desertions. Billy may well be right about that...but the way things have turned certainly doesn't HELP.
These are kids, they do READ and HEAR all this stuff, are under tremendous seductive pressures from other programs--not to mention family, friends and strangers.
No matter what, we just cannot afford to lose much more ground here: If Coach can indeed hold the buck of what is left AND add a couple/few 4-and/or 5-star kids in tge final few weeks here all will be well for now--we'll go into the "inter-season" with hope and new determination, roll-the-dice abd see what happens...He'll GET 2024, of course, and in all likelihood 2025 TOO!
However, things continue gathering momentum in this downhill spiral, well...Hey, just a handful more decommits and we really WILL quickly drop down to 18th in those rankings--and that "safety net" will be looking pretty damn thin.

 

[Escambia94]

As of Missouri game day, 11/18/2023, the Gators have the #5 recruiting class for 2024. The class rankings are as follows:

Rank	Team
1	Georgia	28 Commits 93.49 4 19 5 315.03
2	Ohio State	23 Commits 93.53 5 14 3 304.09
3	FSU	23 Commits 91.72 3 13 7 288.95
4	Alabama	20 Commits 92.24 2 11 7 280.28
5	Florida	19 Commits 92.42 2 12 5 277.70
6	Oregon	24 Commits 91.71 1 19 4 277.54
7	Oklahoma	28 Commits 90.65 2 16 10 276.02
8	Notre Dame	23 Commits 91.34 1 15 7 273.51
9	Texas	20 Commits 91.77 3 14 3 272.82
10	Texas A&M	20 Commits 92.05 2 15 3 271.62

The class currently has 19 commits and has a composite ranking of 277.7. If the Gators lose LJ McCray as rumor has it, the class rating drops to 269.1, which would be between #11 Miami and #12 Tennessee. If the Gators lose another 5-star, the class rating would be around 258, or between #16 Auburn and #17 Clemson. The Gators have recruited at this level in the past.

Year	Coach/Year	Rating	Ranking	Transfer
2024	Napier/3	277.7	5
2023	Napier/2	278.2	12	16
2022	Napier/1	254.1	17	20
2021	Mullen/4	264.1	12	9
2020	Mullen/3	273.1	7	3
2019	Mullen/2	278.1	9	17
2018	Mullen/1	259.6	14	1
2017	McElwain/3	251.2	9
2016	McElwain/2	261.0	12
2015	McElwain/1	227.5	21
2014	Muschamp/4	267.4	9
2013	Muschamp/3	291.8	3
2012	Muschamp/2	290.3	3
2011	Muschamp/1	258.2	11
2010	Meyer/6	324.6	1
2009	Meyer/5	273.0	11
2008	Meyer/4	285.1	3
2007	Meyer/3	309.5	1
2006	Meyer/2	301.7	2
2005	Meyer/1	221.0	15
2004	Zook/3	260.2	7
2003	Zook/2	298.4	2
2002	Zook/1	236.7	20

Name	Rating	Notes
DL LJ McCray Mainland (Daytona Beach, FL) 6-6 260	0.9721	Commit 10/21 (visit FSU 11/11/2023)
EDGE Jamonta Waller Picayune Memorial (Picayune, MS) 6-2 / 225	0.9641	Commit 6/19/2023; de-commit 11/11/2023 (Auburn; original CB 6/2/2023)
CB Xavier Filsaime McKinney (McKinney, TX) 6-1 / 180	0.9851	Commit 4/13/2023
QB DJ Lagway Willis (Willis, TX) 6-2 / 225	0.9875	Commit 12/7/2022
LB Myles Graham Woodward Academy (Atlanta, GA) 6-1 / 212	0.9817	Commit 8/14/2022
RB Jerrick Gibson IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) 5-10 / 200	0.9734	Attends Florida Junior Day 1/28/2023 (Texas)
EDGE Adarius Hayes Largo (Largo, FL) 6-4 / 210	0.9660	Commit 1/28/2023
RB Chauncey Bowens The Benjamin School (North Palm Beach, FL) 5-11 / 219	0.9065	Commit 9/18/2022; de-commit 6/10/2023 (Georgia)
Amaris Williams Clinton (Clinton, NC) 6-3 / 270	0.9344	Commit 6/17/2023
Aaron Chiles Our Lady Good Counsel HS (Olney, MD) 6-3 / 220	0.9607	Commit 6/17/2023
Jerrae Hawkins IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) 5-9 / 165	0.9166	Commit 6/26/2023
Amir Jackson Portal (Portal, GA) 6-4 / 223	0.9496	Commit 6/17/2023
Nasir Johnson Dublin (Dublin, GA) 6-4.5 / 300	0.9094	Commit 6/17/2023; de-commit 11/15/2023 (Georgia)
Wardell Mack John Ehret (Marrero, LA) 5-11 / 170	0.9439	Commit 8/14/2023; de-commit 11/12/2023 (Texas; original CB 7/4/2023)
Fletcher Westphal Tuscarora (Leesburg, VA) 6-8 / 335	0.9090	Commit 7/10/2023
Tawaski Abrams Dunbar (Fort Myers, FL) 5-11 / 175	0.9069	Commit 7/18/2023
Izaiah Williams Carrollwood Day (Tampa, FL) 6-0 / 172	0.8997	Commit 5/5/2023
Josiah Davis Berrien (Nashville, GA) 6-1 / 185 6-1 / 185	0.8853	Commit 3/27/2023
Kendall Jackson F. W. Buchholz (Gainesville, FL) 6-4 / 250	0.8942	Commit 7/12/2023
Kahnen Daniels West Point (West Point, MS) 5-11 / 190	0.9002	Commit 4/10/2023
Teddy Foster Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota, FL) 6-2 / 170	0.8739	Commit 7/14/2023
Marcus Mascoll South Gwinnett (Snellville, GA) 6-4.5 / 292	0.8815	Commit 7/14/2023
IOL Noel Portnjagin Germany (Germany, GERM) 6-5 / 334	0.8656	Commit 6/14/2023
OT Mike Williams Charles Herbert Flowers (Upper Marlboro, MD) 6-7 / 310	0.8475	Commit 6/12/2023

 

[DRU2012]

GROAN!!! Now comes word that on the heels of the Mack flip, 5-star commit Xavier Filsaime has also now scheduled a visit to his homestate's powerhouse, Texas.
This once so promising a class is in process of being EVISCERATED.
If Billy cannot stop the bleeding AND somehow shore up a decent portion of what is already lost, we are doomed--as is HIS future as our Coach.
We are starting to get a picture of a guy who, like with his staff and gameday DETAILS, doesn't CLOSE THE DEAL--doesn't pay enough attention to FINISHING WHAT HE STARTS!
The thing is, it is all just BREAKING MY HEART:
And in the process, this is all just "breaking the collective heart of Gator Nation!"
Despite the other mistakes and misteps large and small, the promise of the FUTURE--embodied in that once oh-so-PROMISING 2024 recruiting class, now melting away BEFORE OUR EYES in parallel to this SEASON'S inescapeable decline--has simply become, more and more, TOO MUCH TO BARE.
I certainly can no longer bare it.
I was willing to "BE PATIENT",...there seemed little choice
--no good ones, at any rate.
But things have very quickly, sadly turned--are now spiraling downward, acceleratingly out of control! I see little sign that our Coach anticipated nor has any plan for staunching, let alone reversing, that decline.
And as I hinted elsewhere here in the last 12 hours, there ARE now stirrings of a sadly somewhat desperate "step in and take charge", make some big changes here by, perhaps even BEFORE the END of the 2023 season after ALL.
BUT...TO WHOM? OR WHAT???
It's an enormous mess--with potential to become enormously WORSE!

 

[DRU2012]

You KNOW the "next one"--the "news" that will amount to our true "death knell", right?
It will come from DJ's camp...
At which point:
I will be reduced to
"BOUNDLESSLY DISILLUSIONED HOPELESSNESS"
...That would probably then be my USER NAME.

 

[DRU2012]

Yikes.
Things have gotten VERY BAD
VERY QUICKLY
for me to be typing stuff like this on a Saturday gameday in November in the SEC!
And considering everything at stake, unless we somehow manage a STRING of Gator triumphs of SOME kind, well, it ain't likely to IMPROVE around here!

 

[Escambia94]

Gators back at #4 in overall rankings.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1726641569443520593

 

[Escambia94]

Michai Boireau re-commits to the Gators!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1730995718691651769

 

[Escambia94]

Kendal Jackson from Gainesville, FL de-commits from Florida in a mutual decision. The popular theory is he would not qualify academically.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1731049523634467312

 

[DRU2012]

Right now, with all the "smoke" out there I am mostly trying to stay AWAY from the rumor-mongering and tea-leave reading--never MIND those "crystal balls"!
The main one I AM still eyeing now is Filsaime...
Our sole clear 5-Star on the defensive side, he's one we can NOT afford to lose (to SEC-bound Texas, or anyone ELSE for that matter!).
I expected there to be SOME attrition, naturally, even before our ignominious wilting down the stretch. But at this point, taking all the various trends and "unfortunate realities" that seem to be playing out around, upon and of late against us, I feel all we can do is hunker down, hope for the best and see how it all in fact plays out.
I remain skeptical of any late-game faith in the transfer portal. Would love to be surprised, proven wrong, but our Coach hasn't shown a whole lot of interest OR acumen there so far.
We won't bother worrying or arguing about all that now. There's a limit out there, it is ticking down, and the next major signpost is "just up ahead"...

 

[Escambia94]

Expect the worst and pray for the best. I honestly have no idea how Napier plans on keeping the #4 or #5 recruiting class with back-to-back losing seasons.

 

[DRU2012]

@Escambia94,
And in that vein, funny how Texas keeps winning--and at the same time starts flipping its pick of some of our best pending recruits.
Meanwhile, Norvell brings FSU back with aggressive activity in the portal, and having mastered AND found success on THAT side of things, he now has our rivals solidly placed in that #3 recruiting ranking WE once held--and looking to now close the deal (and THEN some) in BOTH areas.
During that same period. we have witnessed/suffered Mullens' last gasps of futility and inactivity, immediately followed by Napier's "two losing seasons"--and now his once-promising jab at "recruiting prowess" appears to be inevitably slipping through his not-so-deft fingers after all.
In this latest light, I really do wonder if the "like it is not" time range we have come to assume is "at the very least how long he will get here" is really as solid as we think.
I won't go into what essentially amounts to the tight-lipped hints of someone I know who is close to the "insiders group at UF", except to say that I am getting the impression that two different lines, one following the "money available" and another tracing "building disillusioned impatience", are beginning (albeit "slowly but surely") to converge...and it is EASY to see WHY.
Sorry--having more or less myself also to have chosen the "wait'n'see", "expect the worst, pray for the best", bend-in-the-wind attitude in order to maintain calm and SANITY, I will NOT now revert to premature panic. Even those currently backpedalling, when pressed, themselves go to "Let's see what the next few weeks bring..."
But if things really do "go South" in coming days, we ALL might need to brace ourselves.
I too neither see much way forward nor much of a "way OUT".