Rivals 250 for 2018

http://gridironnow.com/florida-2018-recruiting-needs-targets/

Florida’s biggest needs, top targets on the 2018 recruiting trail

Florida coach Jim McElwain and his staff did a solid job filling the voids on the roster with a furious close to the 2017 recruiting class.

But each year opens up new holes that must be addressed. So, which positions must McElwain and his staff emphasize in the 2018 class? Expect a haul heavy on offense after McElwain signed 14 defenders in his 23-man class this year.

Here’s a look at the biggest recruiting priorities for the 2018 class for the Gators.

1. Receiver: Antonio Callaway has been electric in his two seasons in Gainesville and likely will depart early to the NFL draft if he has another strong campaign this fall. Brandon Powell will a senior, and the Gators have little else behind Tyrie Cleveland. They need to sign two instant-impact receivers and should look to bring in as many as four.

2. Offensive line: Florida has signed just four offensive linemen in the past two classes combined. Expect at minimum a four-man group in 2018. McElwain has to prepare for the possible early entry of guard/tackle Martez Ivey and will lose senior guard Antonio Riles.


3. Running back: Jordan Scarlett certainly could declare for the draft if he puts together another solid season in 2017. The Gators know they are losing senior Mark Thompson. That leaves Lamical Perine and two 2017 signees, Malik Davis and Adarius Lemons. McElwain needs to sign two backs in ’18 and hope one can help immediately.

GatorBart said:

Heard on here? Making stuff up again?
According to Rivals, Cleveland was a 4-star with a rating of 5.9, same as Hammond, Swain and Robinson. Green's a 4-star as well, but with a 5.8 rating. Don't know why the writer thinks there's nothing behind Cleveland. That's 4 pretty solid young WRs.
And we're not getting a 5-star difference maker until the 4-star guys are successful.

Click to expand...

We're actually very thin at WR. We have 5 available for spring and will have 9 in the fall, if everyone is healthy. K. Jackson is likely moving to TE, but that hasn't been announced yet. We need at least 6 of those WR's ready to go by fall. I suspect both true freshman play this year. Toney would give us 10 scholarship WR's.

GatorJ said:

Here's an article that says we have a plethora of receivers:

https://www.seccountry.com/florida/5-key-storylines-monitor-florida-opens-spring-practice

Click to expand...

5 is a plethora?

Vols trying to flip CB commit Divaad Wilson:

http://florida.247sports.com/Article/Vols-attempting-to-sway-UF-pledge-51523959

Vols attempting to sway UF pledge

UF commit appears to be solid despite pursuit from rival.


Miami (Fla.) Northwestern cornerback Divaad Wilson received an offer from Tennessee nearly three weeks after he committed to Florida. The Vols staff reached out to Wilson again on Sunday prior to The Opening Regional in Miami.


“Three of the coaches texted me telling me good luck at The Opening,” Wilson said.


However, Wilson admits to knowing very little about Tennessee.


“I rarely know about them. I have to get to know more about them.”


Seemingly locked in with his Gators pledge, a trip to Gainesville will be a stop for Wilson this spring.


“Florida is one for sure," he said of upcoming visits. "They want me up there for a spring practice. I just want more details and stuff on the school.”


The last time Wilson was on campus was back in November.


“I was up there for when they played South Carolina. It was a great feeling with the fans and stuff.”

https://www.seccountry.com/florida/...nadab-joseph-whos-82-percent-committed-to-lsu


Florida trying to flip safety Nadab Joseph, who’s 82 percent committed to LSU

Miami ties

Nadab Joseph has been committed to LSU since last summer, but a recent hire at Florida could potentially change that.

The 4-star safety from Miami attends Edison High School, where new UF secondary coach Corey Bell played and coached.

Joseph knew of Bell prior to his hire, but he wasn’t aware of his alma mater.

“I was like, ‘He’s from Edison?’ That’s real cool,” Joseph said. “We can kind of connect (because of that). I’ve heard his name a couple times around school.”

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound prospect visited Florida last season for the South Carolina game and plans to return to UF this summer.

“I got to see the stadium, how they practice. I like the way they work,” Joseph said. “I like how the non-starters play against the starters so they can get a chance.

“The Gators are up there. I like them. I like their style. I saw the way they do their academics program. I really like their new building, it will keep my grades up.”

Joseph said he’s “82 percent” committed to LSU and being heavily recruited by Florida State and Georgia. The Gators have a chance to flip him, but need to pick up their pursuit.

“There’s a real shot,” Joseph said. “They would have to show more effort and really come after me hard.”


Positive energy

Jarrett Jackson also attended a Florida game last season and wants to get back to Gainesville as soon as possible.

The 3-star tight end from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., said he loves the UF staff, naming off head coach Jim McElwain, offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider and defensive line coach Chris Rumph.

“Coach McElwain has done a great job with the program,” Jackson said. “He’s been to the SEC Championship twice already. Every time I see him he has a smile on his face and he’s a very positive guy. You need to be around positive energy if you want to win football games.

“Coach Seider was the first one that offered me at West Virginia, so me and him have a great relationship. Coach Nussmeier, he’s a great guy. I love him. Coach Rumph, I like him also. When I went there, it just felt like home. They made me feel welcome and I really like it.”


3-star tight end Jarrett Jackson. (Zach Abolverdi/SEC Country)
The 6-foot-5, 257-pound prospect claims no leader at this time, but plans to release a top 5 at the summer’s end. He said Florida, Louisville and Pitt will make the cut.

A decision may come near the end of his senior season. Jackson revealed he could possibly play either side of the ball at UF.

“The coaches told me I can come in and hopefully play right away,” he said. “They like me at tight end, but it depends on how I come in. If I come in slightly bigger I might get move to D-end, so we’ll see. To me, it doesn’t matter.”

Gatorcountry's Mail Bag for March 1st, Andrew Spivey:

http://www.gatorcountry.com/feature/florida-gators-recruiting-mailbag-for-march-1st/

The Florida Gators recruiting class of 2018 is squarely underway as prospects are now taking visits and participating in 7-on-7 football as spring football is underway in Gainesville.

The Gators coaching staff will host a lot of visitors during spring football and then on junior day, which will be held on March 25th.


15gator05: What’s the strategy behind waiting to hold our junior day until late March?

AS: Get more kids on campus and allow them to watch a spring practice. McElwain likes guys to be able to watch his practices so that’s the biggest reason here. Also, it gave the new staff members time to identify their top targets so they could visit campus.



Dhainer24: So many great defensive backs and receivers in the state of Florida and we can’t take them all. Please help me figure out how they all fit onto our board.

AS: The one thing to always remember is that the numbers will take care of themselves. Some of the guys that look like top guys will struggle this spring or summer or become academic problems. Other guys will commit elsewhere or Florida will take another guy over them. What looks like a big board will be shortened a lot by fall.



Firefightinggator: Are you or Nick going to Dallas for the Michigan game?

AS: I will be there for sure and I believe Nick is planning on making the trip as well. It’s a trip I’m looking forward too.



McLeanti: Are we going after Tyson Campbell?

AS: Yes, Florida was one of the first schools to offer him and they’re recruiting him hard. They’re trying to get him on campus for junior day.




47Gator: Has Joe Milton changed your mind on Florida’s approach? I’m asking this based on what I have heard about his performance at the Opening. Secondary question, will Florida make a real push for Justin Fields to flip prior to Milton being on campus the 17th?

AS: I don’t think an offer to Milton happens until he throws for Florida this summer or until Florida sees him throw this spring. Florida is still evaluating him and making sure that he can make all of the reads and make sure he’s the right guy.



MrB-Gator: What does the offensive line board look like for us……and who are Gator leans?

AS: Here are the guys that Florida is in good shape with or are at least in the mix with. John Campbell, William Barnes, Nick Petit-Frere, Richard Gouraige, Cleveland Reed, Reuben Unije, and Ed Montilus.



G8trJasonB: Is this the year that the Gators finally crack IMG?

AS: I would love to tell you yes just because it’s about time they land someone from there but I can’t say that for sure. They’re targeting several guys from the school but until it happens, I won’t believe it.



Ufgatordad: What’s your take on Lorenzo Lingard and how solid he is to Miami? Even though it’s early, he seems very locked in with them. Will the staff stay on him until the bitter end, or will they move on to other backs?

AS: Florida will continue to recruit Lingard but the impression I get is that he’s pretty solid to Miami right now. I’ve been told that he may not even take other visits to other schools. Florida is recruiting several other guys at the position.




Haljordan: What is the staff’s process when it comes to evaluating quarterbacks?

AS: They identify the guys they like and then they like to see them throw in person before offering them. They have a board of guys they like and go through that list. They only difference with a quarterback versus other positions is that they want to see the guy throw in person before offering.




BCNGator99: Settle a reoccurring discussion:
Andrew Chatfield: Does he project as a defensive end in college or as a linebacker in a 3-4? What do you think the hold up on his offer is? Size, better options at defensive end, or a combination of both? Or something else entirely?

AS: He’s guy that you likely put his hand in the dirt some and stand him up some as well. He’s a good pass rusher but not sure of how good he is in coverage. Florida is just evaluating him and going to watch him this spring. I don’t think there is just one thing that is holding up an offer at this point.





Hickorygatorfan: What does our defensive back board look like this year? Who is the top defensive back? Surtain?

AS: Patrick Surtain is a top of the board kind of guy. Myles Sims, Tyson Campbell, Chris Smith, Sevyn Banks are all corners. At safety you have Nadab Joseph, Tyreke Johnson C.J. Smith, Gurvan Hall, and Jamien Sherwood are all up there.




Lurkingator1: What were you tweeting about when you wrote Alabama’s new pipeline to IMG or something to that effect.

AS: Alabama hired Chris Weinke on its support staff. It was more of me just joking around than anything, though.




Georgiagator478: What does the running back board look like? And who do you think will be the fist big name to pop?

AS: Asa Martin, James Cook, Leddie Brown and Chris Curry all on the board. Right now I like where Florida is at with Martin heading into his visit this month.




Macbgator: What does our defensive tackle and linebacker board look like for 2018??

AS: At defensive tackle Florida is after Robert Cooper, Stephon Wynn of IMG, Rick Sandidge and then Malcolm Lamar could grow into a defensive tackle.
At linebacker J.J. Peterson, Quay Walker, Channing Tindall and KeVaughn Pope are all on the board.




Juggernautz: Do we need to get a kicker for 2018?
Who do you think will be our starting quarterback?

AS: Florida is looking for a kicker in the 2018 class. And right now I will say Feleipe Franks is the quarterback to start the spring game.




Gatorwats: How solid is Justin Fields to PSU?
How hard will it be to beat out LSU and FSU for Patrick Surtain?

AS: Fields is keeping his options open while being committed to Penn State. Fields is going to listen to everyone’s pitch.
Surtain liked Corey Bell a lot during his recent visit to Florida and I think that at least gets Florida more visits. LSU has always seemed to be the team to beat and I think that’s still the case right now.




JacobRenda: Better chance with James Cook or Lingard?

AS: James Cook as hard as it’s to believe. I don’t think Lingard even takes any more visits, to be honest. Cook does plan to visit this spring so that’s why I say the better chance.




Gatorjack: Which of the Braves’ pitchers looked best in yesterday’s shutout of the Cards?

AS: Lucas Sims looked really good. To be honest though all week the guy that I liked the best was Max Fried. That guy is going to be special real soon. Lefty who has a nasty curveball and a fastball that is sneaky.




Bherny22: How many receivers do you think we take this class? A lot of really talented players in the state this year.

AS: Three receivers is the number I think they take but I also wouldn’t be surprised if they took four this year. They could take three outside receivers and one slot guy and yes, this year is a loaded year at the position.




Gator_nica: Are we potentially looking at two quarterbacks for this class?

AS: I think they will ultimately take two quarterbacks in the class but I think it also depends on whom they land. If they land one elite quarterback than they can get away with one taking one in the class.

Notes from the South Florida The Opening:

http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...t-miami-nike-opening-florida-lauderdale-state

Notes on 23 top South Florida football recruits to know for 2018

MIAMI, Fla. — The South Florida stop on Nike’s The Opening Camp tour was Sunday, and many of the Sunshine State’s best were in attendance. SB Nation spoke with more than 20 prospects.

The day started off on a sour note when Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage cornerback Pat Surtain Jr., a five-star prospect, showed up on crutches. Surtain injured is hamstring in a track meet earlier in the week, and will miss six to eight weeks, but hopes to be back for spring football.

Surtain still has LSU on top, followed closely by Florida State. He said he doesn’t see himself signing with anyone else. He will visit LSU on March 25, and will also visit FSU. Clemson, Ohio State, and a few others are still pursuing. I like LSU’s chances.

The top defensive back I saw was Josh Jobe, of Miami Columbus High School.
The Miami commit is every bit of 6’1 and 190 pounds. Jobe may have the athleticism to stick at cornerback, as he displayed quick feet for his size to cut off and mirror receivers. And he is much more physically advanced than his peers. On that note, several Miami media members I spoke with expect Jobe to attend Chesterfield Academy, a prep school in Connecticut, as players in Florida cannot play high school if they turn 19 before September. Jobe will miss that cutoff by a half-year. That’s not a bad thing — former South Florida stars like Calvin Ridley and Kelvin Benjamin also aged out as seniors. Jobe declined all interviews Sunday and earned an invite to The Opening Finals.


The most talkative prospect was, as usual, Al Blades Jr. The corner out of Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas School had some good reps at cornerback, and also had some good work at safety during seven-on-seven, which is intriguing. Blades is the son of the late Miami standout of the same name, the nephew of NFL Canes Brian and Bennie, and the cousin of former Pitt LB H.B. Blades. Blades is not committed to Miami, but he talks as if he is.

Haha @AlBlades_Jr to @thegreat__4 after a drop "that's why you need to be going to Miami. That FSU stuff makes you drop balls." #smacktalk

— SB Nation Recruiting (@SBNRecruiting) February 26, 2017
I asked Blades if he has a leader, and he said no. But if he had to make a top five, the only school he knows would make it is Miami. He said Ohio State and FSU “might” make it. Blades earned an invite to The Opening Finals.

Many elite schools are size snobs when it comes to the cornerback position. So when a smaller prospect garners the big offers, it’s likely he can really play. That is the case with Asante Samuel Jr., of Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas. At 5’9.5, Samuel does not have length, but what he does have are great feet, acceleration, technique, and instincts. Alabama, FSU, Miami, Michigan, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Clemson, Oklahoma and about 30 others have offered, and FSU is out in front.


Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage DB Tyson Campbell was also quite impressive. At 6’2 and 180 pounds, the four-star prospect, who does not turn 17 for another month, might not be done growing. Listed as a corner, his future may be at safety, and he is very athletic. Campbell has no leader, but Clemson, LSU, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State have all offered. Look for his recruitment to blow up. Campbell earned an invite to The Opening Finals.

LSU commitment Nadab Joseph, of Miami Edison, also had a good day, garnering the top Nike Ratings (previously known as SPARQ) score. The four-star said schools are recruiting him at corner — which he said he prefers, since “corners get paid” — but the 6’2 prospect is also open to playing safety. He earned an invite to The Opening Finals.

Joseph was having some fun with the media Sunday, claiming he was “82 percent” committed to the Tigers. Yes, 82 percent. Joseph added that he now has Georgia over Florida State for second place, but he wasn’t sure what percentages to assign to the Bulldogs and Seminoles. Ultimately, he settled on 11 percent for Georgia and 7 for FSU, with a chuckle. Joseph plans to enroll early.

Do others have a shot at Dalvin Cook’s little brother?
Miami Central High School five-star running back James Cook, the little brother of Dalvin, was clearly tired of interviews by the time I spoke with him. He said that he is “80 percent” committed to Florida State, and that Miami is pursuing him the hardest. Florida, Georgia, and USC (where cousin Jamel Cook plays safety) are also pursuing. Cook was invited to the Opening Finals, an elite camp taking place later this summer. He said that he is benching 275 pounds and thinks he could hit 300 for a one-rep max. Cook earned an invite to The Opening Finals.

Miami commitment Camron Davis, of Miami Carol City High School, also earned an invite to The Opening Finals, one of three Hurricanes stars to do so. Davis is well-built.

Continued:


South Florida always shows out with top receivers.
The most impressive on the day was Dominick Watt, of Hollywood (Fla.) McArthur. A size (legitimately over 6 feet) and speed prospect, Watt also set up defensive backs well. Watt is rated three stars as of this writing, the No. 65 receiver in the country on the 247Sports Composite. Recruiting rankings are accurate at the end of the cycle, but 11 months before Signing Day, they are incomplete. Watt’s top offer at this point is Florida, and I look for his recruitment to continue to blow up.

Kevin Austin Jr. of North Broward Prep, is a rising prospect. He has excellent size at 6’2 and 200 pounds, having put on more muscle since I last saw him eight months ago. Austin has decent speed, but excellent hands, strength, and feel for running routes. The Michigan State legacy has recently added offers from UCLA, Oregon, Florida, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Austin earned an invite to The Opening Finals.

Shocky Jacques-Louis, of Ft. Myers (Fla.) Dunbar, showed smooth speed and set up opposing defensive backs well. He also caught balls underneath in traffic. His top schools include Kentucky, South Carolina, and UCF. Jacques-Louis also plays basketball and baseball.

Xavier Williams, of Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna, earned an invite to The Opening Finals. The Alabama commitment will be one to watch as he continues to learn the position.

Anthony Schwartz earned an invite to The Opening Finals. The three-star from American Heritage is perhaps better known for his track skills, and he was the fastest man in attendance on Sunday. He showed some intriguing skills at receiver. I did not speak with Schwartz, but media I spoke with believe Florida is in a good position with him.

With the emergence of the spread offense, it is becoming tougher to find true in-line tight ends, or “Ys,” as opposed to “H” types.
But Naples (Fla.) Gulf Coast High’s George Takacs is a throwback. The 6’7, 236-pounder has room to continue to add size, and posted a Nike Rating of over 100, which is excellent. He spoke with SB Nation and named a top-three for Georgia, Florida, and Wisconsin, in no order. Takacs earned an invite to The Opening Finals.

Two offensive linemen to know.
Curtis Dunlap, of IMG Academy, earned an invite to The Opening Finals. Dunlap has recently moved to center, and perhaps even more encouragingly, has continued to drop bad weight. He is down more than 30 pounds, and should only unlock more quickness as he reshapes his body. The in-state programs, as well as several out-of-state schools, are after Dunlap.

Miami commitment Delone Scaife, of Miami Southridge High School, had a good day. The three-star worked at tackle, though he projects as a guard at the next level. Scaife earned an invite to The Opening Finals.

While the interior rushers were lacking in Miami, there were plenty of pass rushers on the outside.
Andrew Chatfield, of American Heritage, earned an invite to The Opening Finals. On the day he showed good explosiveness, motor, and moves. Chatfield is not all that muscular yet, but has the frame to put more on his 6’3, 210-pound profile. LSU is trending for Chatfield, though his recruitment is just beginning.

Miami Edison’s Kayode Oladele, a Florida State commitment, has improved a lot. I first saw him in the summer of 2016, and the Nigerian import had never played football before. He was lost. But in just a year, Oladele has found a way to put his 6’4, 236-pound body to good use, improving his stance and hand use.

Patrick Joyner, out of Homestead (Fla.) South Dade, also showed great burst off the edge. Florida State has recently offered the three-star as an outside linebacker.

Several younger guys stood out.
Kaiir Elam, of North Palm Beach (Fla.) Benjamin School, is a 2019 corner to watch. He has good length and speed. Elam is the son of former NFL safety Abe Elam.

Leonard Manuel, a receiver out of Ocala (Fla.) Vanguard, is someone who exploded onto my radar. At 6’4 and 200 pounds, the class of 2020 prospect may well grow into a tight end, but he looks like a shoe-in for FBS. He already has offers from North Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, and Miami.

Quickly
Here is an excellent review of Sunday’s camp from a Miami perspective.

Houston receiver Brennan Eagles released a top 10, consisting of Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, UCLA, and USC. I do not see Eagles leaving the state. The video, below, shows Eagles awesome size and speed combination.


Brennan Eagles is too big and too fast
Superstar receiver recruit Brennan Eagles is just too much for even the best high school defenders to handle. He reminds us of a young David Boston. He has more than 30 scholarship offers, including Texas and Oklahoma.

Another big TE prospect:

http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...akacs-florida-uga-wisconsin-recruiting-offers

Big 3-star TE George Takacs has Georgia, Florida, and Wisconsin at the top of his list
A big-bodied three-star tight end from Florida likes two SEC teams and one from the Big Ten.


Student Sports
Three-star Gulf Coast (Fla.) tight end George Takacs has a top three of Georgia, Florida, and Wisconsin “in no order,” he told SB Nation’s Bud Elliott on Sunday.

Takacs profiles as a prototypical, in-line tight end who can help an offensive line in run blocking, so it’s not a surprise that pro-style teams like UGA, UF, and UW like him.

“I can go out in space, but I might even be better in line, as an extension of the O line,” Takacs said.

In Miami, Takacs measured in at 6’7 and 236 pounds. He has more than 20 scholarship offers nearly a year before he’ll be eligible to sign.

He’s the No. 28 tight end in the class of 2018, according to the 247Sports Composite. It’s still early in the 2018 cycle, and recruiting rankings can change a great deal during prospects’ senior years in high school.

Takacs offered brief notes on his current top three schools.
On Georgia: “I love the coaching staff up there. I’ve built a pretty good relationship with all of them. I like what they’ve done with Isaac Nauta and the other tight ends right there. So their offense excites me, and the recruiting class they brought in last year.” Nauta, a former blue-chip recruit, had a big freshman season in 2016.

On Florida: “I watched them a lot growing up. It’s close to home. I like their offense. Their offense really excites me. I know the coaches pretty well up there, too.”


On Wisconsin: “The offense is great up there. I love what they’ve done with tight ends, too, developing talent. They don’t [land top recruiting classes] but they always have a top-15, top-10 team, so I love what they do, especially developing.”

He’d like to get offers from Ohio State and Michigan.
“I think I fit Big Ten football, that style, really well,” he said.

But, Takacs said, no school that hasn’t offered him a scholarship yet could skyrocket to the top of his list simply by extending an offer.

When he spoke with SB Nation, Takacs was participating in Nike’s Regional Opening recruiting camp in Miami. He was one of 14 out of nearly 300 players to earn an invitation to the Opening finals this summer in Oregon.