The National Signing Day Thread

[BMF]

Some updates from The Opening, w/ video's:

https://www.seccountry.com/florida/florida-gators-recruiting-opening-finals

 

[BMF]

5-star CB Patrick Surtain Jr. eyeing return trip to Florida, possibly for FNL


https://www.seccountry.com/florida/patrick-surtain-jr-visit-florida



BEAVERTON, Ore. — Patrick Surtain Jr., the nation’s No. 1 cornerback, could return to Florida’s campus this month.


Surtain hasn’t visited the Gators since February, but the 5-star recruit intends to make his way back soon.

“Hopefully during the summer, maybe FNL,” Surtain said, referring to Florida’s annual Friday Night Lights recruiting showcase on July 21. “The coaches have talked to me about it.”

The 6-foot-2, 181-pound Surtain said he communicates “often” with the UF staff, including defensive coordinator Randy Shannon and secondary coach Corey Bell. Bell attended Surtain’s spring game on May 24 along with defensive line coach Chris Rumph.

“I’ve been talking to them a lot,” Surtain said. “They’ve been doing a great job and recruiting me hard. We have great conversations with each other.”

LSU remains the leader for the U.S. Army All-American, and the Gators also have to contend with Florida State and Ohio State. But Surtain told SEC Country he’s still considering Florida, due in part to the success of Florida coach Jim McElwain.

“He’s a great coach,” Surtain said of McElwain. “I like what he’s done with the facilities and the program. I think he can win a national championship there.”

Surtain is ranked the nation’s No. 5 overall prospect in the 247Sports composite. His decision is still a few months away.

“Hopefully during the season,” he said. “If not, after the season or signing day.”

 

[BMF]

I really like this kid!

Gators Commit Recruiting Others to Join Him
Gators commit recruiting top targets to join recruiting class

https://florida.247sports.com/Artic...nt-is-recruiting-others-to-join-him--53415559

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. – The lone Florida Gators commitment out in Oregon this weekend for the Nike Opening Finals is Clearwater (Fla.) Calvary Christian safety Amari Burney. The four-star Gators pledge has enjoyed competing against other top prospects from around the country.


“I just am out here trying to show everything I have been working on,” Burney told 247Sports’ Luke Stampini. “There are top names here and the best of the best so I am just trying to show I can stick with them.”


Burney has been very locked in with the Gators after giving the staff his commitment last month. With his recruitment now in the rear view, Burney has been putting his efforts into recruiting others to join him in Gainesville.


So far this weekend there have been two prospects Burney has targeted.


“You know Justin Fields is one guy I am going after just like everyone else out here,” said Burney with a laugh. “Anthony Schwartz is another guy out here. Those are probably the top two guys I have in mind I really want to recruit.”


What is the 6-foot-1, 215-pounders pitch to other prospects about UF?



“They have visited a couple of times so I just ask them what they like about Florida and I tell them everything I know about Florida.”



The 247Sports Composite, an industry generated average, currently ranks Burney as the No. 10 safety in the 2018 class.

 

[BMF]

Gators offer committed RB
Gators offer RB committed to a Pac12 program


https://florida.247sports.com/Bolt/Gators-offer-committed-RB--53414327

After a standout performance at the Nike Opening showcase thus far, the Florida Gators have extended an offer to Washington (DC) Woodson H.D. running back Mychale Salahuddin. The Southern California commitment shared his latest tender through his Twitter account.

The four-star do it all back, recently gave his commitment to USC a few weeks ago after camping with the Trojans staff.

The Gators have a commitment at the running back position in four-star Iverson Clement, but still are looking to add another back into the fold to close out this position.

 

[BMF]

Positions recap from The Opening Finals: Quarterbacks
Utah commit Jack Tuttle shined Saturday, which is becoming a trend.

https://florida.247sports.com/Bolt/Positions-recap-from-The-Opening-Finals-Quarterbacks-53412932

BEAVERTON, Ore. – Friday evening at The Opening Finals saw players break up into a camp-like setting to work on position-specific drills and 1-on-1s. Here are 247Sports observations from watching the linebackers work out at the Nike World Headquarters.

Alpha Dog
Jack Tuttle had the best night out of all the quarterbacks. The Utah commit was crisp during the routes-on-air portion of the camp and simply a technician during 1-on-1s. He displayed a quick release and was accurate on almost all of his deep passes. The San Marcos (Calif.) Mission Hills product also impressed with his ball fakes, as he was able to freeze a number of defensive backs in coverage and allow his wide receivers to get open down the field.

Next 3
Matt Corral – Corral misfired on a few passes early in the camp, but he rebounded quickly and showed plenty of touch during 1-on-1s. The nation's No. 2 ranked pro-style quarterback per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite worked the route tree well and was able to hit on a number of slants. He also won the long ball competition with a 77-yard toss.

Justin Fields – Fields showed plenty of zip on his passes. He threw an interception early during 1-on-1s, but he didn't make many mistakes after that. The Georgia-based quarterback was also the best of the bunch when it came to putting the ball in places that only his wide receivers could make plays. Fields was the only quarterback that threw with an NFL football on Friday.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson – From start to finish Thompson-Robinson was the most accurate quarterback in the group. He shined during the offensive install segment of the camp and then clicked with almost all of the wide receivers during 1-on-1s. The UCLA commit's footwork also looked to have improved from earlier in the week.

Emptying the Notebook
– Kentucky quarterback commit Jarren Williams didn't have the best performance under the lights. He missed on a few deep balls and didn't look as sharp as he did on Friday. That was also the case with Washington State quarterback commit Cammon Cooper who wasn't all that accurate during 1-on-1s.

– Trevor Lawrence was solid. The nation's top-ranked quarterback prospect showed off a rocket of an arm, but a number of his passes fell incomplete sometimes because of drops. Lawrence threw a ball 73 yards to take third in the the long toss competition. Virginia Tech commit Quincy Patterson came in second with a 76-yard effort, TCU commit Justin Rogers was fourth with a 71-yard heavy while Tanner McKee's toss came in at 68 yards. Cooper's ball was sprayed into the stands.

 

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The Opening Finals: Top performers from Saturday
BEAVERTON, Ore. – The wide receivers dominated the first evening of competition at The Opening Finals. And now there's a new 5-star.

https://florida.247sports.com/Article/The-Opening-Finals-Top-performers-from-Saturday-53412986


BEAVERTON, Ore. – The wide receivers dominated the first evening of competition at The Opening Finals. We liked this wide receiver position heading into the event but through one day of competition, these guys are already exceeding even lofty expectations. Our top performers from Saturday are littered with wide receivers and with 7on7 kicking off on Sunday, the defense will be looking for some redemption.

Alpha Dog
Amon-Ra St. Brown was awesome. In fact, he was so good that we've made him a five-star on 247Sports. This wasn't a snap reaction. St. Brown has built a five-star resume in pads and throughout the offseason at other events but his showing against the best defensive backs in the country on Saturday night validated a move.

St. Brown was powerful, explosive, competitive and uncoverable. Defensive backs had to resort to holding him to slow him down. The 5-11.5, 191-pounder's signature play came when he had beaten Al Blades Jr. on a corner route but slipped and fell, allowing Blades what looked like an easy interception. Instead, St. Brown popped up, recovered and went up to make the grab. He won another rep after losing a shoe. Nothing was slowing St. Brown down.

Notre Dame, Stanford, Ohio State and USC are among the favorites for St. Brown who has brothers on the Notre Dame and Stanford rosters.

Next Ten

1. Channing Tindall, LB – The linebacker group dominated the running back group during their one-on-ones and Tindall was probably the best of a great group. He's extremely athletic and moves great laterally.
2. Cameron McGrone, LB – While Tindall doesn't let running backs get around him, McGrone doesn’t even let them get going. The Indiana native was regularly stopping running backs behind the line of scrimmage because of how well he accelerates to the football.
3. Jordyn Adams, WR – There are other wide receivers that made more spectacular plays, that talked more trash, that did more back flips after a catch but Adams was quietly one of the best out there. He's so smooth that he makes things look easy but his ability to stack defensive backs, beat press coverage and glide around the field continue to make him a big stock-up guy.
4. Justin Shorter, Wr – Shorter is the one receiver in attendance that looks like he's a different species. His size at 6-foot-4, paired with his speed makes him such a tough matchup. The Penn State commit is also physical. Defensive backs resorted to trying to knock him off his routes but he showed the strength to run through them and still make plays.
5. Azeez Ojulari, DE – This looks like the rare edge rusher in this 2018 class. Offensive linemen couldn't handle his edge speed and when they adjusted he showed the power to make them pay.
6. Brendan Radley-Hiles, CB – A lot of the cornerbacks took their lumps against the wide receivers but Radley-Hiles was the exception. He came to compete and showed the instincts and physicality to keep his guys in check. Even when he got beat, he bounced back and kept balling.
7. Terrace Marshall, WR – Marshall was maybe the best vertical threat of the receiver group. He continued to get behind cornerbacks and he would track down the football with ease to finish in the end zone.
8. Solomon Tuliaupupu, LB – He flashed from the moment drills began with his athleticism and fluidity during position work. Running backs should be happy this isn't a padded camp because Tuliaupupu seemed to be itching to light somebody up and certainly could have with the way he was smothering running backs in 1on1 drills.
9. Elijah Moore, WR – There may not be a better route-runner in the house than Moore. He took more reps than any other receiver and he competed like this was the Super Bowl. Moore was a tone-setter with his attitude and his play backed it up.
10. William Barnes, OT – A guy that could play tackle or guard, Barnes looked like the best offensive lineman in attendance in part because he was the most consistent. He's just very sound technically but also is powerful and competitive.

 

[BMF]

We better land Barnes!!


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Position recap from The Opening Finals: Offensive line
The Opening Finals kicked off on Saturday evening and several offensive linemen fared well.


https://florida.247sports.com/Bolt/Position-recap-from-The-Opening-Finals-Offensive-line-53412880


BEAVERTON, Ore. - The Opening Finals kicked off on Saturday evening from the NIKE headquarters in Oregon with a modified version of an Opening Regional Training Camp.

There was an extended period of one-on-battles between the offensive and defensive linemen. Overall, as is usually the case, the defensive linemen got the better of their counterparts on the other side of the ball but there will still some standouts on offense for sure.

ALPHA DOG

William Barnes - The 6-foot-4, 312-pound national Top 50 prospect from Apopka, Fla., is listed as a tackle but he spent most of his time at guard on Saturday.

He did a great job with an initial punch at the line of scrimmage and stopped the bigger defensive tackles from getting into his body and driving him back. He won almost every rep he took, which is impressive for a player on offense in this format.

Though he will likely play tackle wherever he ends up, Barnes proved that he is incredibly versatile and shouldn't have any problems moving inside if needed.

NEXT FOUR

Penei Sewell - Not many people had seen the 6-foot-4, 349-pounder in person since he hails from Saint George (Utah) Desert Hills. However, he showed that his ranking as the No. 57 composite player in the country is not a fluke. Like Barnes, Sewell is listed as a tackle but spent a lot of time on the interior on Friday. He did a great job of keeping his feet moving in order to hold his ground against the bulrush when a lot of his fellow linemen were not able to stop it. He had two great reps against Ronnie Perkins. He had quicker feet than you would expect from a player that is 349 pounds.

Jackson Carman - The 6-foot-6, 290-pound five-star from Fairfield, Ohio, looked like he was going to make a run at the Alpha Dog title before struggling against some of the quicker pass rushers toward the end. Still, he played on the left side all evening and did quite well against defensive ends lined in a wide-nine technique. He got out of his stance quickly and cut off their angles to the quarterback.

Jamaree Salyer - The 6-foot-4, 342-pound five-star guard from Atlanta Pace Academy had an up-and-down day but, in the reps he won, he was absolutely dominant. Salyer was probably the strongest offensive lineman there and that helped him hold his ground. As long as he got off the ball quicker than the defensive tackles, his technique allowed him to win those reps.

Trey Hill - Like Salyer, fellow Georgia prospect Hill had his moments while struggling at other times. Though he could end up at center in college, he worked at guard on Saturday. It took him some time to adjust to the level of the competition but, after he did, he more than held his own. There were some quicker defensive tackles that gave him fits early but he rebounded to win all of his late reps.

SIGNATURE PLAY

There was not necessarily a rep that the offensive line won that left observers saying 'wow' but Carman did a nice job against edge rusher Cameron Latu, not letting the defensive end get around the edge.

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OL Jackson Carman vs DE Cameron Latu


EMPTYING THE NOTEBOOK

-It was only the first day but things already got heated between the two groups. Syracuse center commit Tyrone Sampson Jr. and Miami defensive tackle commit Nesta Silvera were two that had multiple battles that ended up with both groups getting into a bit after. Michigan offensive guard commit Emil Ekiyor and uncommitted defensive tackle PJ Mustipher had to be separated by their fellow players as well.

-A couple offensive tackles struggled a bit on the right side most of the evening. Five-star Oklahoma commit Brey Walker did not have the best day as he was not able to get out of his stance quick enough vs. the rush ends. IMG Academy offensive tackle Reuben Unije did not use his arm length to his advantage as he would let the defender get into his body too often.

-Fellow IMG offensive tackle Daniel Faalele has several offers based on potential but the 6-foot-8, 400-pounder still has a ways to go. He's brand new to football so that isn't incredibly surprising though.

 

[BMF]

Position recap from The Opening Finals: Defensive Line
A review of the defensive line at The Opening Finals on Saturday evening.

https://florida.247sports.com/Article/Position-recap-from-The-Opening-Finals-Defensive-Line-53412907

BEAVERTON, Ore. — Saturday evening at The Opening Finals saw players break up into a camp-like setting to work on position-specific drills and 1-on-1s.

Here are our observations from watching the defensive linemen work out at the Nike World Headquarters.

Alpha Dog

Azeez Ojulari - The Marietta (Ga.) four-star weak-side defensive end has a great first step, impressive overall quickness, and the ability to bend and dip around the edge. He regularly showed the ability to blow around the edge with speed, but he wasn’t a one-trick pony. There was at least one instance where he got his hands inside on the offensive lineman and drove him off the spot and back towards the quarterback with leverage, strength and speed. As he continues to fill into his 6-foot-4 frame and round out his game, he has the potential to be a big-time speed rush end.

Next 3 Standouts

Nesta Silvera - The Miami pledge from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage had a very strong day at defensive tackle. He is competitive and if he wins, he is going to let his opposition know it. He doesn’t back down from any opposition. The 6-foot-2, 308-pound defensive tackle explodes off the ground, gets under the lineman, and uses strength and leverage to move his man off the spot. He showed the ability to win with both technique and brute strength. He stood out among a good defensive tackle group.

Brenton Cox - The Ohio State commitment from Stockbridge (Ga.) has a mixture of size, speed and strength on the edge. The 6-foot-4.5, 247-pound has advanced technique with using his hands to shed a blocker and going at different speeds to keep the blocker off-balance. He doesn’t approach any two reps the same way. He showed the ability to work inside, around the edge or to take the blocker on in a physical standoff. His overall game came off as advanced against the opposition compared to many of his peers.

K.J. Henry - The 6-foot-5, 234-pound weak-side defensive end from Clemmons (N.C.) West Forsyth lived up to his lofty billing as the nation’s No. 15 prospect and No. 2 weak-side defensive end. He made his presence known lining up wide of the line, staying low off the snap, and blowing by offensive tackles with a nice shoulder lean and impressive quickness. He also effectively uses his length to finish plays quickly making the distance between he and the quarterback as short as possible.

Signature Play

Xavier Thomas vs. Devontae Dobbs - Thomas was plenty impressive on the day, but never moreso than on a rep against rising junior offensive tackle Devontae Dobbs. Thomas, a five-star Clemson pledge from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, exploded off the line, got under Dobbs arms and put his hands firmly in his opponent’s chest, and then threw him a few feet towards the cone representing the quarterback. It was a dominating play and a welcome to The Opening moment for Dobbs, a 2019 five-star from Belleville (Mich.).

Emptying the Notebook:

- Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy five-star defensive tackle Taron Vincent, an Ohio State pledge, didn’t disappoint. The No. 1 defensive tackle in the nation according to both 247Sports.com and the Composite performed well flashing speed and strength on the interior.

- Jackson (Tenn.) North Side four-star defensive lineman Greg Emerson can work inside or outside. At this point in his development, he comes off as a strong-side defensive end in a 3-4 scheme who is easily capable of sliding inside. He performed well and moves very well for his size.

- Similar to Emerson, Kissimmee (Fla.) Gateway three-star defensive lineman Dennis Briggs and Concord (N.C.) four-star defensive lineman Rick Sandidge are both players capable of contributing on the edge or inside. Both likely end up inside in college as they fill out their frames. Each found mixed results on the day, but were competitive against strong competition.

- Saint Louis (Mo.) Parkway North four-star defensive tackle Michael Thompson was one of the bigger presences on the defensive line. He is north of his 291 pounds listed on his profile. With good size, at 6-foot-3.5, he does a good job of moving lineman off their spots and finishing plays with straight-line speed.

- The two youngsters of the group, Lewis Center (Ohio) Olentangy Orange five-star weak-side defensive end Zach Harrison and Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy five-star weak-side defensive end Nolan Smith, both stood out among their more senior competitors.

 

[BMF]

Position recap from The Opening Finals: Wide Receivers
Here's the breakdown on how the wide receivers looked on Saturday night at The Opening, including a huge showing from Amon-Ra St. Brown.

https://florida.247sports.com/Article/Wide-receivers-breakdown-The-Opening-Finals-2017-53412882

BEAVERTON, Ore. — Saturday evening’s event at The Opening Finals saw players break up into a camp-like setting to work on position-specific drills and 1-on-1s. Here are observations from watching the wide receivers work out at the Nike World Headquarters.


Alpha Dog
Amon-Ra St. Brown … The No. 3 wide receiver on the 247Sports Composite won the day on Saturday night. St. Brown rarely missed an opportunity to shine against some of the nation’s best cornerbacks, and he was the wide receiver with the most wins from start to finish. He’s a shade under 6-foot, but he plays big on the field on Friday nights and that competitive nature shined through during one-on-one drills. There are tons of talented wide receivers in this class, but as The Opening gets rolling, St. Brown’s power and strength put him a shade above the rest.


Next Three Standouts

Jordyn Adams … The 247Sports staff has Adams ranked as the No. 10 wide receiver in the country, while the 247Sports Composite has him slotted into the No. 23 wide receiver spot. Expect his stock to rise even more this week as recruiting analysts get an eye on the North Carolina native. He’s a fluid route runner who makes everything look effortless. North Carolina and Clemson are likely out front, but expect schools across the country to keep pressing for Adams. He’s got all the tools to be an elite college receiver.


Terrace Marshall … Marshall has a bit of everything you want in a wide receiver. He’s got the height at 6-foot-3, he’s already in the 200-pound range and he can get up and down the field in a hurry. Toss in that he’s got great hands and can win most jump balls, and Marshall will remain in the five-star conversation until National Signing Day arrives. Marshall heads into The Opening as the No. 1 wide receiver on the 247Sports Composite as LSU tries to fend off a handful of Texas teams for the nation’s No. 10 prospect.


Justin Shorter … New Jersey’s No. 1 prospect for the 2018 class came to play on Saturday night. At 6-foot-4 and 213 pounds, Shorter has great size and knows how to use it to his advantage. But what stands out most is how quickly he can get going and blow by cornerbacks on the deep ball. There weren’t many cornerbacks that could match his size and speed on the field during one-on-one drills, and the Top 50 prospect definitely belonged in the conversation as a top performer.


Signature Play

The signature play of the one-on-one session belonged to 247Sports’ Alpha Dog: St. Brown. The California standout took on Al Blades Jr., but went down after getting his feet tangled up with Blades coming out of his break. When it looked like Blades was set to celebrate an easy interception, St. Brown popped up off the ground and made the last second snag, which sent the crowd into a frenzy. Later on, St. Brown hauled in a touchdown on a deep ball after losing his shoe. Again, St. Brown’s competitive nature was in full force on Saturday night.



Emptying the notebook

Mark Pope … Pope is a Top 100 prospect and the No. 17 wide receiver on the 247Sports Composite, while 247Sports has him ranked as the No. 2 receiver in the country. Perhaps this week, the consensus opinion on the Florida native bumps him higher up the rankings. Pope is incredibly consistent, has elite hands and some very good ball skills. He made it difficult for any defensive back to win a rep. He could easily have landed in the top performers above. It’s evident Miami is getting a really good prospect in the Hialeah standout.


Elijah Moore … The St. Thomas Aquinas standout is on a high school team stacked with talent, but he stood out during Saturday night’s one-on-one drills. If the competition had stopped after the first 30 minutes, Moore might have won the day. Others eventually caught up to him, but he set the tone for the wide receivers, and he did plenty of trash talking along the way. Ole Miss has recently been trending on the 247Sports Crystal Ball after Miami took an early lead.


Ja'Marr Chase … Chase will announce his college decision on Monday once the competition ends for the day, and it’s going to be either LSU or TCU, but regardless of outcome, both teams are likely going to keep the pressure on him until NSD. Chase gets things done quietly, rarely ever opening his mouth to get into the back-and-forth jawing between receivers and defensive backs. He turned in a very solid night, consistently finding ways to get himself separation and make the grab. He will keep climbing up the rankings if that play continues.


Kamryn Babb … The Missouri wideout enters the week as the No. 1 wide receiver on the 247Sports Composite, so the target is on his back. Babb didn’t get as many reps as most of the others on the list, but when he got his chance, he shined. Babb will have plenty of chances in 7-on-7 to make his case for keeping his ranking atop the receiver group, but with names like St. Brown, Marshall, Shorter, Adams and more all starting out strong, it will be a fun week to watch what the shuffle at the spot might look like.


Isaah Crocker … The California four-star was another guy who quietly turned in a big day. He was always getting by receivers deep and caught everything that came his way. He is smooth with his route running and didn’t back down from any of the top defensive backs in attendance. Oregon remains the team to beat moving into the thick of the summer.


St Brown vs. Cook … Things got heated throughout the one-on-one competition, but the biggest battle came between St. Brown and five-star cornerback Anthony Cook. After getting tangled up on a route, St. Brown took Cook to the ground, complaining that Cook had held him on the route. By the time things got broken up, Cook’s shirt was ripped off and both guys were chirping. The jawing between these receivers and defensive backs is likely only going to heat up as the week goes on.

 

[BMF]

Recruits don’t have the same memories of teams that fans and coaches do. Teams can’t assume tradition means much.

In an article on SB Nation, writer Bud Elliott recounted a conversation with the college position coach of an All-Pro linebacker. That connection wasn’t as valuable in recruiting as you might think.

“They don’t know s***,” the coach said of current recruits. “And I don’t think they read about the past greats, or watch replays of them like we did, either. They don’t watch as many games going on now, either. If we don’t tell them, they don’t know.”

That last sentence is key. It’s why schools’ social media teams push that information out as much as they can.

 

[BMF]

How UF targets fared on Day 4 at The Opening
Recapping the performances of several Florida recruiting targets at The Opening.

https://florida.247sports.com/Artic...g-targets-fared-on-Day-4-at-The-Open-53422062

BEAVERTON, Ore. — Sunday marked the beginning of 7on7 pool play as well as padded offensive/defensive line drills at The Opening Finals. Here is a look at how Florida’s targets fared during day four of the event.

Five-star quarterback Justin Fields was clearly the best signal caller during 7on7 play. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound signal caller tossed four touchdowns and zero interceptions while completing 77-percent of his throws.

Conversely, it was a rough day for fellow five-star quarterback Matt Corral, who only completed 55-percent of his throws, the lowest of all the signal callers that competed. Corral was able to connect for three touchdowns, but he was picked off two times as well.

Florida is considered the heavy favorite to land tight end Kyle Pitts. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound prospect hauled in eight catches on the day, but he was unable to score. Pitts continues to look like a plus athlete at the tight end position.

Offensive guard William Barnes looked impressive during run game one-on-one reps which featured the Apopka, Fla. native driving five-star defensive end Xavier Thomas off the line. Barnes also looked sound during pass protection reps as well.

Top247 linebacker Channing Tindall showed why he is so high on Florida’s board Sunday. While he is a thumper in pads on Friday nights, he showed elite athleticism as he covered receivers in 7on7 play. In fact, Tindall moved so well, he looked to be another safety on the field.

Speedy wide receiver Anthony Schwartz was able to flash the ability to blow the top off a defense. He hauled in five catches including two deep touchdowns on vertical routes.

Defensive tackle Dante Stills looked good in line drills. The quickness was evident from Stills as he was able to work his way past offensive lineman. Edge rusher Azeez Ojulari did not flash as much as he did the previous day.

Recently offered running back Mychale Salahuddin, a USC commit, caught four passes out of the backfield.

Florida’s lone commitment in the camp, safety Amari Burney did not record any stats, but did not appear to get beat in coverage either.

 

[BMF]

Perkins interested in Florida Gators after Monday’s offer

https://www.gatorcountry.com/feature/perkins-interested-in-florida-gators-after-mondays-offer/

The Florida Gators coaching staff is suppose to be taking vacation time but that hasn’t stopped them from continuing the daily grind called recruiting.
This week the Gators coaching staff offered defensive end Ronnie Perkins (6-4, 250, St. Louis. MO. Lutheran North) after a conversation with two coaches.

“Coach [Drew] Hughes and Coach [Chris] Rumph offered on Monday,” Perkins said of his Florida offer. “They just told me I had a scholarship to Florida and now we gotta work on getting me down there.”

Defensive line coach Chris Rumph talked with Perkins for the first time on Monday and was basically getting a feel for the defensive end’s interest.

“We talked about my interest in Florida,” he said of what Rumph told him. “He asked me what I knew about Florida and he was telling me some things about the school. He talked to me about his coaching history and guys he’s coached.”

Rumph and Perkins didn’t get into a lot of details on Monday but they plan to expand on their conversation soon.

“Not yet,” Perkins said on if Rumph talked to him about where the Gators see him playing. “We kept the conversation brief because he was on vacation but we plan to talk about that soon.”

First impressions are always a key and Rumph made a good impression on Perkins on Monday.

“We’re still building a relationship and I’m still getting to know him,” he said of Rumph. “So far he sounds like a good coach and a great guy.”
Despite never visiting Florida, the Missouri product says the Gators offer caught his attention and spiked his interest level.

“I have a lot of interest in Florida,” Perkins said. “Florida has a lot of school history and a lot of history of putting players in the league at my position.”
The defensive end recently posted a top 12 but Perkins says that has changed a little bit now.

“No leaders right now,” he said. “I narrowed it down to a top 12 but Florida is now up there after they offered.”

This summer, Perkins plans to take a lot of visits and that includes a trips near Florida and he hopes to visit while in the area.

“Yes I want to,” Perkins said on if he plans to visit. “Hopefully when I go down south in July I can stop by there.”

INSIDERS TAKE: Perkins is a long ways away from making a decision and he doesn’t have a decision date in mind. Perkins does seem very interested in Florida and wants to visit Florida.

 

[BMF]

Corral planning to visit the Florida Gators this summer

https://www.gatorcountry.com/feature/corral-planning-to-visit-the-florida-gators-this-summer/

The Florida Gators recruiting class is solid but the one thing lacking so far is a quarterback commit for 2018.

For most of the spring the focus has been squarely on quarterback Justin Fields but there’s a new name floating around now.

Quarterback Matt Corral (6-2, 196, Long Beach, CA. Long Beach Poly) decommitted from USC in June and now says he talks to Florida offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier a lot.

“I talk to Florida every day,” Corral said of his talks with Florida. “I talk to Coach Nussmeier either on the phone or texting every day. He talks to me about my day and just about Florida and the offense.

Corral talks to Florida and Nussmeier a lot but the Gators coordinator wants to get the quarterback’s family on the phone soon and that’s something Corral likes.

“Coach Nussmeier has kids so he wants my parents to know that he will be the one taking care of me,” Corral said. “That made me feel a little more comfortable so we’re going to set up time to get my family on the phone with him.”

Despite not making it public, Corral says that he has already picked up an offer from Florida but he was asked to keep it to himself.

“I forgot, there was a reason why,” he said on Florida wanting to keep the offer quiet. “I’m not big on like the attention of the whole thing, so I don’t really care for that, so it didn’t really bother me when he said not to say anything.”

Corral hasn’t visit Florida yet but he says that he has a time frame in mind for when he wants to take that visit to Gainesville.
“It’s gonna be between July 13 and August 4. Between that period, I’m gonna knock all those visits out when I’m on the East Coast,” Corral said of visits. “Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Miami.”

Heading into this round of visits, Corral admits that one school has the edge because he has already seen that school once.

“Georgia obviously because that’s the only school that I’ve visited besides SC,” he said on if anyone has an edge heading into the visits. “Once I get all of those visits in, things will get interesting.”

While Corral may be tempted to make a decision while on one of these visits, the quarterback says he will take them all before making a decision but a summer decision is very likely.

“80 percent,” Corral said on the chances he commits before the season. “I’ve got to look at all of my options first.”

While out in Oregon, Corral won the quarterback long toss competition by throwing it 77 yards, which was four yards longer than the next closest quarterback, Clemson commit Trevor Lawrence.

Florida’s chase for a quarterback will something to watch closely this month as the Gators are trying to get both Corral and Fields on campus for Friday Night Lights on July 21st.

 

[BMF]

https://florida.247sports.com/Bolt/Decision-Day-For-OL-Campbell-53422814

Decision Day For OL Campbell
Three-star in-state offensive lineman John Campbell will announce his college decision today.

• David Lake - 7 hours ago

It is decision day for Orlando Dr. Phillips offensive lineman John Campbell.

(Photo: Andrew Ivins, 247Sports)

Campbell is set to make his commitment and is down to Miami and Florida.

He will make his commitment on local television at 6:15 ET.

The 247Sports Crystal Ball shows that Miami is the heavy favorite to land Campbell over Florida.




Campbell is a three-star prospect that is the No. 34 ranked offensive tackle in the country according to the industry generated 247Sports Composite ranking.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

College coaches aren’t allowed at the Manning Passing Academy, but Will Muschamp was there — because his son was a participant..

Muschamp's son is a highschool quarterback?

And he still claims him?

Dude needs a paternity test, stat!

 

[BMF]

Muschamp's son is a highschool quarterback?

And he still claims him?

Dude needs a paternity test, stat!

Yeah....no shlt! Talk about irony....

 

[rogdochar]

Muschamp's son is a highschool quarterback?

And he still claims him?

He was a caesarian birth, which means he throws to the sidelines.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

He was a caesarian birth, which means he throws to the sidelines.

as long as they cut along the midline...

 

[BMF]

https://florida.247sports.com/Bolt/Decision-Day-For-OL-Campbell-53422814

Decision Day For OL Campbell
Three-star in-state offensive lineman John Campbell will announce his college decision today.

• David Lake - 7 hours ago

It is decision day for Orlando Dr. Phillips offensive lineman John Campbell.

(Photo: Andrew Ivins, 247Sports)

Campbell is set to make his commitment and is down to Miami and Florida.

He will make his commitment on local television at 6:15 ET.

The 247Sports Crystal Ball shows that Miami is the heavy favorite to land Campbell over Florida.




Campbell is a three-star prospect that is the No. 34 ranked offensive tackle in the country according to the industry generated 247Sports Composite ranking.

WDWHA!!!

 

[BMF]

Florida Gators recruiting: What I learned at The Opening Finals 2017


https://www.seccountry.com/florida/opening-finals-florida-gators-recruiting


What I learned at The Opening
More than a dozen Florida Gators recruiting targets competed this past weekend at The Opening, an annual combine for the nation’s top high school football players.

SEC Country spent the past three days gathering news, notes and updates. Here’s the latest on Florida’s targets from The Opening:

5-star QB Justin Fields, Kennesaw, Ga.

Justin Fields is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 dual-threat quarterback and No. 3 overall prospect. (Chris Kirschner/SEC Country)

• After two visits to Florida in as many months, Fields told SEC Country he can picture himself playing for the Gators and will “probably” return to Gainesville for a game this fall. There isn’t much left for him to see at UF, but Fields said he’d like to check out The Swamp when it’s packed. That trip could potentially turn into an official visit for Fields, who still doesn’t have a decision timeline and may extend his recruiting process a few more months. His top schools are Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Georgia.

5-star DE Micah Parsons, Harrisburg, Pa.

Micah Parsons is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 weak-side defensive end and No. 4 overall prospect. (Jeremy Birmingham/Land of 10)

• Florida’s offer to Parsons in April peaked his interest right away and factored into his decision to de-commit from Penn State. He insists his recruitment is wide open and plans to visit UF this summer or during the fall. His teammate, 4-star wide receiver Shaquon Anderson-Butts, has a Florida offer and Parsons also is close friends with Gators running back commit Iverson Clement and Fields, a former Nittany Lions pledge. It may take a perfect storm for Florida to land Parsons when he decides in January, but the potential is there.

5-star CB Patrick Surtain Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Patrick Surtain Jr. is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 cornerback and No. 5 overall prospect. (Sam Spiegelman/SEC Country)

• Florida and more than a half-dozen big-time programs have long been chasing LSU for Surtain, and nothing has changed on that front. The Tigers hold a strong lead for Surtain and he returns to Baton Rouge this month. The U.S. Army All-American may also visit Florida on July 21 for Friday Night Lights. Surtain is complimentary of the UF staff and says all the right things about the Gators, but it’s clear the Gators are on the outside looking in. Surtain plans to commit during his senior season, sometime afterward or on National Signing Day.

5-star QB Matt Corral, Long Beach, Calif.

Matt Corral is ranked as the nation’s No. 2 pro-style quarterback and No. 17 overall prospect. (Chris Kirschner/SEC Country)

• Things picked up fast between the Gators and Corral after his de-commitment from Southern Cal last month. He plans to visit Florida with his parents in late July and wants them to connect with UF offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, his primary recruiter. Corral likes Nussmeier’s coaching style and the two of them have apparently hit it off. He wants to decide before his senior season and his top schools are Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Miami.

5-star DB Tyreke Johnson, Jacksonville, Fla.

Tyreke Johnson is ranked as the nation’s No. 2 safety and No. 20 overall. prospect (Chris Kirschner/SEC Country)

• UCLA was the leader for Johnson early in his recruitment, then Florida began to surge for him in March. Now, Georgia has emerged as the favorite for Johnson after his May visit to Athens with family members in tow. UF coaches are keeping tabs on Johnson, but he told SEC Country the Bulldogs are pursuing him the hardest. The U.S. Army All-American plans to decide in December and enroll early.

4-star RB James Cook, Miami (Florida State commit)

James Cook is ranked the nation’s No. 3 running back and No. 33 overall recruit. (Jeremy Birmingham/Land of 10)

• Cook told SEC Country he has eliminated Florida from consideration as well as LSU and Miami. His recruitment is now down to two schools: Florida State and Georgia. Despite his commitment to the Seminoles, Cook said UGA has pulled even with FSU. He plans to make a final decision by the end of his senior season.

UPDATE: Cook de-committed from FSU on Tuesday.

4-star OL William Barnes, Apopka, Fla.

William Barnes is ranked as the nation’s No. 4 offensive tackle and No. 50 overall prospect. (Chris Kirschner/SEC Country)

• Seven months remain in Barnes’ recruitment, but a pair of schools have separated themselves from the pack. Barnes called Florida and North Carolina his co-leaders, confirming what many have assumed for months. The U.S. Army All-American took trips to UF and UNC in June and returns to Gainesville on July 21 for Friday Night Lights. Barnes also plans to visit North Carolina again this summer and will make his decision on National Signing Day.

4-star WR Mark Pope, Miami (Miami commit)

Mark Pope is ranked as the nation’s No. 18 wide receiver and No. 88 overall recruit. (Sam Spiegelman/SEC Country)

• Pope has solidified his pledge to the Hurricanes. On May 25, the U.S. Army All-American said his recruitment was still open and then visited Florida the following week. But at The Opening, Pope told SEC Country he’s 100 percent committed to Miami and has decided to stick with the Hurricanes. He still hears from the Gators once or twice a week but doesn’t plan to officially visit UF.