- Jun 11, 2014
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I meant more along the lines of owning recruits from there. I'm not sure that we've pulled elite recruits from there since Spurrier.
Recruiting UF Offensive Line Recruiting Board... who is left for us?
- Thread starter ATXGator
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I meant more along the lines of owning recruits from there. I'm not sure that we've pulled elite recruits from there since Spurrier.
- Jun 11, 2014
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http://www.gatorcountry.com/feature/florida-gators-offensive-line-recruiting-board-4/
The Florida Gators are in search of offensive linemen in the class of 2017 after Kai-Leon Herbert committed to Michigan on Wednesday morning.
Florida has offensive lineman Kadeem Telfort is currently committed in the class, but the Gators are trying to add three more linemen in the class of 2017.
The Gators board will certainly grow over the last month of the summer and into the fall but Gator Country looks at how the board shapes up now.
Auburn offensive line commit Calvin Ashley (6-8, 311, Washington DC., St. John’s College High) has been a target for the Gators for awhile but his move outstate will certainly not help Florida out. Right now Ashley is a long shot but as you can tell with his changing of high schools lately, the offensive lineman could change his mind on colleges.
Offensive lineman Toryque Batemen (6-8, 305, Gadsden, AL City) plans to visit and workout for the Gators at Friday Night Lights. Batemen is a prospect that Alabama and Tennessee are after as well but if the Gators offer him then they will be in the mix.
Offensive tackle Caleb Chandler (6-5, 295, Jefferson, GA High) just named a top six with Florida included in the list. Chandler plans to visit Florida in July and work out for the Gators and that will be a big test as to how hard the staff recruits him.
Miami offensive line commit Navaughn Donaldson (6-5, 335, Miami, FL Central) is a big target for the Gators. Donaldson is expected to visit Gainesville this summer with his parents for the first time. Florida State and Miami are also in the mix for Donaldson.
Offensive tackle Obinna Eze (6-8, 282, Nashville, TN Davidson Academy) is new to football but says he wants to visit Gainesville. Eze says he knows a little about Florida but wants to learn more about the Gators. A visit from Eze could put the Gators in contention.
Offensive tackle Tony Gray (6-4, 272, Lawrenceville, GA. Central Gwinnett) has said he may visit Florida this summer for his second visit this offseason. Gray visited Gainesville this spring and liked the trip and right now Georgia appears to be the team to beat. Florida is trying to overtake the Bulldogs lead.
Alabama offensive line commit Alex Leatherwood (6-5, 298, Pensacola, FL Washington) plans to visit Florida for Friday Night Lights. Leatherwood continues to flirt with Florida while saying he’s solid to Alabama. This battle will stretch into the fall for sure.
Offensive tackle Billy Ross (6-5, 295, Huntington, WV High) visited Florida this spring and may visit again this fall. Ross has interest in both Florida and Florida State.
Offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz (6-3, 313, Bradenton, FL IMG Academy) plans to announce his top five this week and official visit plans and the Gators are expected to make the cut. Florida has been recruiting Ruiz hard this offseason. Michigan and Alabama are also in the mix.
The Florida Gators are in search of offensive linemen in the class of 2017 after Kai-Leon Herbert committed to Michigan on Wednesday morning.
Florida has offensive lineman Kadeem Telfort is currently committed in the class, but the Gators are trying to add three more linemen in the class of 2017.
The Gators board will certainly grow over the last month of the summer and into the fall but Gator Country looks at how the board shapes up now.
Auburn offensive line commit Calvin Ashley (6-8, 311, Washington DC., St. John’s College High) has been a target for the Gators for awhile but his move outstate will certainly not help Florida out. Right now Ashley is a long shot but as you can tell with his changing of high schools lately, the offensive lineman could change his mind on colleges.
Offensive lineman Toryque Batemen (6-8, 305, Gadsden, AL City) plans to visit and workout for the Gators at Friday Night Lights. Batemen is a prospect that Alabama and Tennessee are after as well but if the Gators offer him then they will be in the mix.
Offensive tackle Caleb Chandler (6-5, 295, Jefferson, GA High) just named a top six with Florida included in the list. Chandler plans to visit Florida in July and work out for the Gators and that will be a big test as to how hard the staff recruits him.
Miami offensive line commit Navaughn Donaldson (6-5, 335, Miami, FL Central) is a big target for the Gators. Donaldson is expected to visit Gainesville this summer with his parents for the first time. Florida State and Miami are also in the mix for Donaldson.
Offensive tackle Obinna Eze (6-8, 282, Nashville, TN Davidson Academy) is new to football but says he wants to visit Gainesville. Eze says he knows a little about Florida but wants to learn more about the Gators. A visit from Eze could put the Gators in contention.
Offensive tackle Tony Gray (6-4, 272, Lawrenceville, GA. Central Gwinnett) has said he may visit Florida this summer for his second visit this offseason. Gray visited Gainesville this spring and liked the trip and right now Georgia appears to be the team to beat. Florida is trying to overtake the Bulldogs lead.
Alabama offensive line commit Alex Leatherwood (6-5, 298, Pensacola, FL Washington) plans to visit Florida for Friday Night Lights. Leatherwood continues to flirt with Florida while saying he’s solid to Alabama. This battle will stretch into the fall for sure.
Offensive tackle Billy Ross (6-5, 295, Huntington, WV High) visited Florida this spring and may visit again this fall. Ross has interest in both Florida and Florida State.
Offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz (6-3, 313, Bradenton, FL IMG Academy) plans to announce his top five this week and official visit plans and the Gators are expected to make the cut. Florida has been recruiting Ruiz hard this offseason. Michigan and Alabama are also in the mix.
- Jun 19, 2014
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yes, yes I am.
You think they started b/c they were SEC worthy? Seriously? Do you understand what our offensive line makeup was last year? There wasn't a single guy on the field that would have started for a quality team last year. They started b/c there was no one else to play.
Listen, Im not a doom and gloomer but good lord man, you've got sunshine and rainbows spraying out your azz with this post
- Sep 8, 2014
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Ruiz is likely our best option from that list....hopefully there's more. We need a minimum of 3 in this class. Curious if there's any JUCO's being pursued...but honestly, after this year, these "young" OLs we have will start becoming upperclassman. We need HS kids to prevent what happened under the previous dipsh*t coach...
- Sep 4, 2014
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The problem I see with this list is that it seems like once again we're banking on the unlikely and improbable flip with several of our targets. I understand that in years 1 and maybe 2. But we shouldn't be playing catch-up on this many prospects, most of whom we won't know if we've landed until late in the cycle when it's too late for legitimate plan B types.
Throw in the IMG kid, who would practically be making history if he ended up here, and it's even less of a confidence builder. And the fact that our lone commit has refused to close the door on other suitors, including miami, makes me feel like we're right back to where we've been in recent years with virtually zero momentum--all while having a top-notch QB commit recruiting for us every second of the day.
I agree with the some of the concern. Recruiting is geographical, not by position. So it's not all on Summers. But at some point, we have to either improve greatly or make changes.
- Jun 12, 2014
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yes, yes I am.
You think they started b/c they were SEC worthy? Seriously? Do you understand what our offensive line makeup was last year? There wasn't a single guy on the field that would have started for a quality team last year. They started b/c there was no one else to play.
Listen, Im not a doom and gloomer but good lord man, you've got sunshine and rainbows spraying out your azz with this post
NO. I clearly understand those guys had no business starting last year as true freshman. It is an indictment on the state of the program that those freshman showed up on campus and immediately passed the few remaining upper classman that we had. The previous lack of recruiting on the O-line was astonishing... an embarrassment... and is directly related the the amount of suckage that we laid on the field, last and previous years.
But I do propose that those guys are SEC quality lineman and it's not their fault that the previous staff did such a pathetically poor job recruiting that they were thrust into the starting lineup way before they were ready. Those guys looked like freshman out there but they also had moments where you could see their potential. I think they'll become very good lineman. I believe they'll really begin to come into their own around their junior year and rather than competing for starting time as redshirt sophomores, they'll be seasoned veterans with three years of experience. Again, an indictment on the previous state of the program.
Back to my original point. You and many have suggested that Summers sucks and his recruiting sucks. I was trying to look at it objectively. Based on the last couple of classes it seems like OL recruiting has improved with the quality and number of players we're taking. Again, I recognize we "took a chance on 1 or 2 in the 2015 class but I was happy with us taking 6 O-lineman. Maybe 7 actually with the addition of the freshman NC State player who will have 4 years left to play after sitting out last year. To me, that was a REALLY good OL class. The 2016 class signed only 3, I think. I wasn't satisfied with that. I think we need 4 or 5 in every single class to keep feeding the pipeline. But the ones we signed seemed like very good SEC recruits.
My point was the last couple of classes have seen a rise in the quality and the numbers of young OL we are signing. So my question was, "what gives?" Why does everybody think Summers sucks and can't recruit? Not saying you can't convince me... But why all the negativity? Is it because we are in the "NOW" and we're not happy with our current class and some misses we've had? I can understand the frustration...I'm starting to get a little nervous about this class. But based off the last couple classes it seems our OL recruiting is as good or better as it's been since Meyer forgot how important the guys are who actually block for the Timmy and Percy types...I'm hoping that trend continues...
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- Jun 9, 2014
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So, youre saying that OL recruiting went from putrid to on par with FAU and we should applaud? It wasnt a very good class as you say. Only one or two of these kids even sniff a UF offer under any other regime. There were numbers, and Im glad we have some guys with pulses, but please stop trying to pretend the quality, across the board, isnt worse than any time in modern history, probation years included.
Ancient Reptile
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Ivey, Jordan, and Fred Tackle . Isn't that three?
- Jun 9, 2014
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What is a Fred Tackle? Fred Johnson, I guess? No, he doesn't sniff a UF offer. Hell he was one of our last options as it was.
- Jun 19, 2014
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Once again, this is what you said. You thought we had SEC caliber lineman, and that some proved it by starting some games. Sorry bro, not trying to argue with you but you are wrong. Some of the guys we got may become SEC caliber but none of them were last year. They played not because they proved their SEC caliberness... but b/c they were either the best or only option available in a group of sad sacks.
We didn't have a single player on that roster that would have started for bama, lsu, ole piss, or even uga and probably Tennessee. They played their tales off, that's for sure and no one is bashing them by admitting how bad off we were/are. Its just a statement of reality. Im proud of how hard those guys worked and you may be correct about some of them turning out solid, but we weren't there last year. And last year and the last few years until now is what we are discussing.
Have you noticed that our oline recruiting got a good bit better (even tho its still poor) and more focused upon once Mac walked in the door? I ask this because summers was here long before then and it sucked. You really think summers is the reason we went from putrid to meh? C'mon man...
- Jun 12, 2014
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Speaking of FAU, FAU's DL absolutely manhandled our OL last season. There was not a play in which at least two to three OL were not picking themselves up off the ground. My opinion is that Summer's is a terrible recruiter and terrible OL Coach. His first year as OL coach, there were 4 OL Drafted by the NFL and, at best his OL was average. My opinion on our OL depth is we have the depth of a MAC school, not an SEC school. We need significant improvement on the OL this season. Not sure how Summer's was retained as OL coach, other than he was the lowest paid coach on staff last season.
- Jun 19, 2014
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How quickly this was forgotten. I can give a pass early on in the season for not understanding the blocking scheme and what not. But yea, getting pancaked and pile driven nearly every play when you are simply manning up against the guy in front of you is bad... its downright f###n criminal against fau.
- Jun 12, 2014
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Exactly, the FAU game was game 11 and, we were manhandled.
Ancient Reptile
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Really? Some observers are predicting great things for him.
- Jun 9, 2014
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Nah, he's the weak link right now, assuming Riles on the bench, and finding someone to play right tackle is the biggest question mark.
I don't think he has the feet. He may ultimately end up at guard, ala Big Trent, once we get sufficient talent on the OL.
I LIKE Fred Johnson. He's working hard and getting all he can out of limited talent. But he has limited talent.
I don't think he has the feet. He may ultimately end up at guard, ala Big Trent, once we get sufficient talent on the OL.
I LIKE Fred Johnson. He's working hard and getting all he can out of limited talent. But he has limited talent.
Ancient Reptile
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Probably a good attorney. You always sound very convincing.
- Jun 13, 2014
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I gotta disagree on on Fred Johnson. He is actually ahead of the curve imo. If I remember correctly he came in raw and a little under weight. I think he actually has pretty decent upside. As far as riles goes, he should be the 4th or 5th dt on the depth chart.
- Jun 11, 2014
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Ivey went from the #1 OT in HS to being assumed an OG. I was really hoping he could play right tackle by now, given how thin we've been
- Jun 11, 2014
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Doesn't surprise me. The style offense his high school ran doesn't do any pass blocking. It's all run blocking. Which may make him a better fit at G.
- Jun 19, 2014
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This was the one concern I had with him. Hope he pans out... We are going to be a passing team and need him.
