Florida Gators 2009 Recruiting Class

[Escambia94]

For historical purposes, here is the 2009 recruiting class, ranked number 7 in the country. If you count Jordan Reed as a QB, then this was the last complete recruiting class of the Urban Meyer Era.

This class had 3 five-star, 9 four-star, and 5 three-star athletes. 1 five-star, 2 four-star, and 2 three-star athletes transferred or retired from this class.

• OL - 5
• LB - 2
• WR - 1
• DB - 2
• RB - 1
• DT - 2
• DE - 1
• QB/TE - 1

1. Nick Alajajian OL 6-4 280 Naples/Naples (EE) 4*
   • OL/DL Nick Alajajian was plagued with injury throughout his UF career
2. Jon Bostic LB 6-2 225 Wellington/Palm Beach Central (EE) 4*
   • LB Jon Bostic added 20 pounds of muscle and became an impact player in his junior and senior years. He graduated from UF in December 2012 and made some good plays in the 2013 Sugar Bowl.
3. Gary Brown DT 6-4 275 Greensboro/West Gadsden 5*
   • DT Gary Brown was dismissed in 2010 after an arrest (domestic violence)
4. Andre Debose WR 5-11 176 Sanford/Seminole 5*
   • WR/KR/PR Andre Debose has battled injuries throughout his career, but he is top 10 in career kick/punt returns. Graduated in May 2014 and played a sixth year after getting approval from NCAA.
5. Josh Evans DB 6-2 185 Irvington, N.J./Irvington 4*
   • DB Josh Evans gained 20 pounds and played at various positions in the defensive backfield while maintaining speed required for indoor track. Graduated in December 2012.
6. Dee Finley S 6-1 193 Auburn, Ala./Auburn/Milford Academy (EE) 4*
   • S Dee Finley was arrested for illegally driving on a scooter. He later transferred to North Alabama.
7. Mike Gillislee RB 6-0 190 DeLand/DeLand 4*
   • After a good showing in the 2010 Sugar Bowl as the leading rusher, the Gator Nation demanded that coaches feed Gilly the ball more. He did not see meaningful carries until his senior year when he earned First Team All SEC honors. He graduated in December 2012.
8. Jon Halapio OG 6-4 300 St. Petersburg/St. Petersburg Catholic 3*
   • OG Jon Halapio has been shuffled around the offensive line with mixed results other than consistent injuries.
9. Jonotthan Harrison OL 6-3 279 Groveland/South Lake (EE) 4*
   • OL Jonotthan Harrison has been a steady contributor on the offensive line since 2010.
10. Edwin Herbert DT 6-3 295 Fairfield, Calif./Armijo (City College of San Francisco)(EE) 4*
    • DT Edwin Herbert simply quit the team after transferring in from City College of San Francisco
11. Jelani Jenkins LB 6-1 200 Olney, Md./Our Lady Good Counsel 5*
    • LB Jelani Jenkins was somewhat quiet in his career, only posting 29 tackles, 2 sacks, and an interception in his senior year. He was also plagued with injuries and was not even expected to be at 100% in time for the 2013 NFL Draft, much less the 2013 spring practices.
12. Kedric Johnson DE 6-4 215 Palmetto/Palmetto 3*
    • DE Kedric Johnson was mostly a backup. He will graduate in spring 2013 and leave the football program.
13. Kyle Koehne OL 6-6 300 Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral 3*
    • OG Kyle Koehne has been somewhat quiet in his Gator career, but has been steady.
14. Xavier Nixon OT 6-6 285 Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt 4*
    • OG/OT Xavier Nixon steadily frustrated coaches with his penchant for committing untimely penalties, but he has been a stalwart on the offensive line through various coaching changes.
15. Desmond Parks TE 6-6 215 Greer, S.C./Greer (EE) 3*
    • TE Desmond Parks was placed on medical hardship in 2011
16. Jordan Reed QB 6-3 225 New London, Conn./New London 4*
    • Jordan Reed was converted from QB to TE, then back to QB as part of the Three Headed QB Monster, and then back to TE. Drafted in Round 3 of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins.

 

[DRU2012]

Is this "The One"?--you know, the Class somewhere in that stretch (o8-09-10) that had ENORMOUS buzz/expectation, based on the number-of-stars and "expert's ratings", but turned out a bust, cited (depending on analyst's slant) as REASON for Meyer bailing and/or a RESULT of his inattention, the parallel decline in our once-sparkling outlook during the same period, and so on--it had a LOT of guys that LEFT over subsequent seasons, too, as I recall...

 

[Escambia94]

Here is how I would rate this class. This class gets a 2.25 GPA, or high C, mostly due to studs Gillislee, Reed, and Jenkins.

A:

1. Mike Gillislee
2. Jordan Reed
3. Jelani Jenkins
4. Jon Bostic

B:

1. Josh Evans
2. Johnnathan Harrison
3. Kyle Koehne
4. John Halapio

C:

1. Xavier Nixon
2. Andre Debose
3. Nick Alajajian

D:

1. Desmond Parks
2. Kedric Johnson

F:

1. Edwin Herbert
2. Dee Finley
3. Gary Brown

 

[DRU2012]

Gillislee, then, was "the difference maker" here, wouldn't you say, E-?--Especially in overall impression and "objective rating" of this class between last year at this time, and now--though he showed signs of his potential before now whenever he got a chance to do so (a source of frustration and "potential-game-changing-what-might-have-beens" in and of itself--though beside-the-point and too late to mean much NOW), that "chance to do so" only came in his last (senior) year. As an example of how arbitrary, even capricious "Fate" IS--and how those "Fates" are each both separate and discrete, on the one hand, yet interrelated--in the form of Coaching (who leaves, who stays, etc.), Recruiting (same as above, plus chemistry, history, family and greed), Health (and who is prone to injury--emotional as WELL as physical) and so on, I wonder how that "overall score" above would be affected if you took Gillislee out of the picture (and your calculations here), as the last regime (and Weis when he stepped in as OC) literally DID, in a practical sense.
(I'm just genuinely interested, as it goes a long way towards making a NUMBER of points about concerns I raise above, AND in the final analysis points to how complexly inter-connected these and OTHER choices, moves and less-and-less controllable EXTERIOR factors can affect and influence every part of a team and program's season and/or long-term development and success.)

 

[Escambia94]

Gillislee was absolutely the difference maker. Without him, this class GPA could have easily been a high D.