The Florida Gators 2018 recruiting class currently sits at 17 members, but the UF coaching staff will not have to wait all the way until the summer to get some of these guys enrolled on campus. Quite a handful of UF's 2018 commitments are planing and on track to enroll early, which will be a big boost for the Gators during spring ball.
GatorBait.Net outlines some names expected to be enrolling for the spring semester.
Commits:
4-star Athlete
Amari Burney
Benefits for UF: The Gators have been recruiting Burney as an athlete, but he likely projects as a safety at the next level. Burney has been adding size over the last year and is very athletic dropping back into coverage. This will be quite a weapon for the Gators with Burney's athleticism on the back end combined with his size, which can allow him to play in the box. Burney has also played wide receiver and impacted the return game thus far in his high school career.
4-star Running Back
Iverson Clement
Benefits for UF: Florida will graduate
Mark Thompson and could lose
Jordan Scarlett to the NFL draft barring a stellar season. This will open the door for Clement to get a better grasp for the playbook in the spring as well as work more with the young stable of backs the Gators will return. This is a position the Gators have recruited very well at since McElwain's arrival.
5-star QB
Matt Corral
Benefits for UF: With graduate transfer
Malik Zaire only here for a year the Gators will replace him with five-star Corral. The Gators have a young nucleus on the team at the quarterback position, and will add a heavy hitting into the fold with the west coast gunslinger. With the Gators QB room not deep with actual game experience, Corral will have a chance to compete for a spot on the depth chart in the spring.
4-star Guard
Curtis Dunlap
Benefits for UF: The Gators are looking to add several big bodies to their front line this cycle, and are happy to get Dunlap in Gainesville early. He has a bit of bad weight, but has been on the right track over the spring and summer months to shape his body. Dunlap has solid feet for his size and is an athletic guard. Getting him on campus early will better help him shape his frame and get him into the rotation early. Going against studs on the daily during practice at IMG Academy will bring Dunlap in battle tested.
3-star Safety
Randy Russell
Benefits for UF: With Florida graduating some bodies at the safety position, it's very beneficial to get Russell in to learn the playbook and make his growing pains out of the way early. The Gators can see Russell moving around their secondary, and feel he can be an asset playing in the box as well. Coming from a program that won a state championship last season, Russell will know enter the UF program knowing the workload it takes to be a champion.
3-star Defensive End
Taylor Upshaw
Benefits for UF: This coming season will be Upshaw's second ever playing football. He's learned much over the last year about the game, and feels his senior season will be with much less hesitation. The Gators getting him on campus early gives them a chance to continue to shape his body, as well as perfect his craft with the wealth of knowledge college coaches possess. Upshaw has a ton of upside at the position and getting there in the spring gives defensive line coach
Chris Rumph a chance to get a jump start on teaching.
3-star Safety
Deontai Williams
Benefits for UF: Florida will graduate
Marcell Harris and
Nick Washington after the season, which will leave the Gators with quite a bit of youth at the safety position. Brining Williams in gives some college game ball experience to the back end for the Gators. Williams also is very versatile as well and could play nickel, safety, or even some former for the Gators if needed.
3-Star Cornerback
Divaad Wilson
Benefits for UF: The Gators signed five defensive backs last cycle, and aim to get Wilson on campus in the spring. This gives Wilson the chance to get the scheme under his belt early as he battles for snaps agains the rest of Florida's defensive backs already on the roster. Wilson has showed he is very solid in one-on-one coverage thus far in his high school career, and he hopes to translate that to the next level.
Targets:
4-star Wide Receiver
Mark Pope:
Benefit for UF: The Gators would have to flip Pope's commitment from Miami first and foremost. However, Pope has recently stated that an official visit to UF will happen at some point this fall. The Gators have really built a strong roster of wide receivers, and could lose the headliner of that group, Anonio Callaway to the NFL draft after this season. Pope would bring that same home run threat to Florida's offense that Callaway did, as they both are electric and exciting with the ball in their hands.
4-star Cornerback
Brendan Radley-Hiles
Benefit for UF: This current Nebraska commitment is definitely keep the door cracked, and looking at possible official visits down the line. Florida has been one of the trips mentioned by this four-star defender, and he is close with current west coast commit
Matt Corral. Radley-Hiles or "Bookie" as he's been dubbed, is short in size, but plays much bigger than his frame. This type of player would brings a certain swagger with him wherever he goes.
4-star Defensive Back
Tyreke Johnson
Benefit for UF: The Georgia Bulldogs have been the team trending here since the spring, but despite quite a few visits there Johnson still has not committed to UGA and is still letting his recruitment take it's twists and turns. Johnson was on Florida's campus at the end of July for Friday Night Lights, where he was around several commits and targets for the Gators. Johnson can play some cornerback, but he projects more of a safety at the next level. Florida has certainly hit this position hard in the 2018 cycle, and are looking for bodies that can be tested early.
https://florida.247sports.com/Artic...uiting-commit-and-targets-planing-t-106170307