Recruiting 2020 Recruiting Thread: Gervon Dexter gets 5th Star on Rivals

[GatorMan5K]

I miss the days when we worried about recruits about a month before signing day. This thread makes me long for uniform threads. Talking 2020 class before 2019 has even happened? Really? Do you guys just love to have ulcers? Or do you just like to see yourself type? You are getting all daisy with it on the whems of 17 year old kids.
Oh well, guess it beats playing halo.

 

[Theologator]

Actually it was a parent thing. Mama loved daddy Bowden but he wanted to go to UF. Going to Tommy Bowden was a compromise of sorts.

I thought we should have taken the other kid from Lake Butler - Kevin Alexander, a 3* LB/DE who was Bennie Alexander’s cousin. He seemed to be close to Spiller and they went to Clempson together. He may not have made it off the scout team, but Meyer always had room on the roster. We didn’t even offer the kid.

 

[Theologator]

:
I hope for the best but the evidence points elsewhere.

Great post. We’ve got to recruit those magical, difference making players and the odds are they’ve been identified by other big time schools and the recruiting services. There are fewer undiscovered gems than when Schnellenberger started thrashing the world with Belle Glade and Pahokee Guys. Or Mike Peterson was an unknown at Alachua Santa Fe. Or Doering was a walk-on.

And the fact is it’s extremely difficult and unlikely to 1. Get into the playoff and 2. Stay there consistently. It requires great players + great coaching + some luck to get there. It requires a great system/culture to stay there.

Mullen is a great coach. He’s getting some good fortune. He’s rebuilding the culture. He’s rebuilding the roster overall. But he’s got to bring in a batch of high 4 & 5-star guys to get the few that transform programs and win championships.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Great post. We’ve got to recruit those magical, difference making players ...

We used to be at the front if the line.

Just because Fooley vowed not to compete doesnt mean we cant fix this.

 

[neteng]

You’re right. You can’t lose what you never had and you can’t “lock down” a kid or a state. You cannot control it but you have to persuade.

Bowman reminds me of Spiller going to Clemson. It hurt. Can you imagine having Tebow, Hardin and Spiller on the same field instead of the parade of mediocre RBs in that era? But the program excelled without him.

In order to get there, we’ve got to snag elite game breakers that pressure the opponents into mistakes. You’re not going to out-execute Bama to the degree necessary to overcome a big disparity in talent.

So move on, but get a move on.

Who is Spiller? (I know who he is ... that question is my point)

You want to compete with Bama and Clemson ... then don't focus so much on the 5* RBs and focus on the top OL and DL/LBs. As for the skill positions, the O we run will never bring in the top RBs unless they are just diehard Gators from the womb. We need to get all the top ATHs along with the build of a OL.

 

[CGgater]

This statement makes such a rare appearance on this board, it looks like a foreign language.

 

[BMF]

Who is Spiller? (I know who he is ... that question is my point)

You want to compete with Bama and Clemson ... then don't focus so much on the 5* RBs and focus on the top OL and DL/LBs. As for the skill positions, the O we run will never bring in the top RBs unless they are just diehard Gators from the womb. We need to get all the top ATHs along with the build of a OL.

I disagree w/ that. Look at Urban's Ohio State teams....they had GREAT RB's. If we build this team the right way - like you said - by building the LOS, the offense will take off. Mullen wants to run the ball, weather it's the QB or a RB. He showed last year he's willing to hand the ball off. If Scarlett (or Perine) had gotten the lion's share of the carries we could have had a 1,000+ yard RB (instead they split the carries). Now I'm not sure we'll ever land "elite" WR's, but we can land top 300 type 4-star WR's who could end up being a star. And if we ever get a QB that is accurate we could see more down field throws. But right now, building the LOS is key....and we're not doing a great job of it (only 4 blue-chip OLs out of 11 signed).

 

[Sec14Gator]

I miss the days when we worried about recruits about a month before signing day. This thread makes me long for uniform threads. Talking 2020 class before 2019 has even happened? Really? Do you guys just love to have ulcers? Or do you just like to see yourself type? You are getting all daisy with it on the whems of 17 year old kids.
Oh well, guess it beats playing halo.

You should have just posted this:

 

[leogator]

And you think that these recruiting services actually looked at film? Even the highlights? They looked at the 1 to 1 drills at the Opening in Orlando. They probably also looked at the offers and that's about it. You and I can argue about technique or lack of it but I have absolutely no use for the recruiting services evaluations.

 

[BMF]

And you think that these recruiting services actually looked at film? Even the highlights? They looked at the 1 to 1 drills at the Opening in Orlando. They probably also looked at the offers and that's about it. You and I can argue about technique or lack of it but I have absolutely no use for the recruiting services evaluations.

I think the services actually do, especially Rivals and 247 (ESPN is understaffed, I'm not sure how they come up w/ anything). These writers that cover a team usually attend HS games and practices that are nearby where they are based out of (such as a guy covering Texas that lives in Austin will get out to local HS games where he sees/evaluates players). Then they give their inputs on certain players. Sure, the camps are a big factor - which is why when a kid who doesn't camp gets a lower rating then, out of nowhere, he has offers from every team in the AP Top 25 he suddenly shoots up the rankings. This is like saying that Mel Kiper or Todd McShay don't see draft prospects or talk to GM's, scouts, coaches, etc before making their rankings/predictions.

 

[leogator]

I think the services actually do, especially Rivals and 247 (ESPN is understaffed, I'm not sure how they come up w/ anything). These writers that cover a team usually attend HS games and practices that are nearby where they are based out of (such as a guy covering Texas that lives in Austin will get out to local HS games where he sees/evaluates players). Then they give their inputs on certain players. Sure, the camps are a big factor - which is why when a kid who doesn't camp gets a lower rating then, out of nowhere, he has offers from every team in the AP Top 25 he suddenly shoots up the rankings. This is like saying that Mel Kiper or Todd McShay don't see draft prospects or talk to GM's, scouts, coaches, etc before making their rankings/predictions.

So you're telling me that Luke Stampini who I think lives in S. Florida goes to a 1 game per week probably in S. Florida and then he goes to Jax the next and West Florida the next and the Tampa area the next and so on and so forth. Yeah, I don't think so.

 

[BMF]

So you're telling me that Luke Stampini who I think lives in S. Florida goes to a 1 game per week probably in S. Florida and then he goes to Jax the next and West Florida the next and the Tampa area the next and so on and so forth. Yeah, I don't think so.

No, that's not what I'm telling you. He goes where he can. Then if they have a guy living in Jax, that guy goes where he can. If they have a guy living in Gainesville, he goes where he can. If they have a guy living in Athens, he goes where he can. If they have a guy living in Tallahassee, he goes where he can.

THEN....they submit their notes and it's a group discussion/assessment.

I've read those guys say, "When we did our assessments, I had this guy as a 5-star, but not enough of the other guys felt that way, so he's a 4-star...."

It's not an exact science, but I think these guys see a lot of prospects. If they go to a Armwood vs. Plant game there's probably 20+ college prospects (among the soph to senior classes) in that game (not all D1/P5, but prospects that could/will eventually play college football).

 

[neteng]

I disagree w/ that. Look at Urban's Ohio State teams....they had GREAT RB's. If we build this team the right way - like you said - by building the LOS, the offense will take off. Mullen wants to run the ball, weather it's the QB or a RB. He showed last year he's willing to hand the ball off. If Scarlett (or Perine) had gotten the lion's share of the carries we could have had a 1,000+ yard RB (instead they split the carries). Now I'm not sure we'll ever land "elite" WR's, but we can land top 300 type 4-star WR's who could end up being a star. And if we ever get a QB that is accurate we could see more down field throws. But right now, building the LOS is key....and we're not doing a great job of it (only 4 blue-chip OLs out of 11 signed).

I guess my point was ... the only real 'feature back' in a Dan Mullen O (not Urban) is the QB. It is equal portions buffett to Athletes more so than a feature RB. If any other position is featured I would venture to say it is the HB type.

TBH, and I say this more as a probe to see if my opinion is correct because I believe you (and others here) know this as fact where it is just a recollection by me since I don't really follow (better put ... remember) recruiting as close ... the RBs on our roster that are true RBs were not recruited by Dan Mullen, correct? Perine and Peirce are guys he inherited. I can't think of true RBs that Mullen really went after like he does the HB/ATHs. Am I wrong on that?

 

[lizardbreath]

Great post. We’ve got to recruit those magical, difference making players and the odds are they’ve been identified by other big time schools and the recruiting services. There are fewer undiscovered gems than when Schnellenberger started thrashing the world with Belle Glade and Pahokee Guys. Or Mike Peterson was an unknown at Alachua Santa Fe. Or Doering was a walk-on.

And the fact is it’s extremely difficult and unlikely to 1. Get into the playoff and 2. Stay there consistently. It requires great players + great coaching + some luck to get there. It requires a great system/culture to stay there.

Mullen is a great coach. He’s getting some good fortune. He’s rebuilding the culture. He’s rebuilding the roster overall. But he’s got to bring in a batch of high 4 & 5-star guys to get the few that transform programs and win championships.

Very astute assessment. This class has some strong prospects already, but obviously needs several more - particularly on the LOS and at safety. Scatter a few high 4* types at the skill positions and we'll be on the way to getting to where we all want to be. Obviously, the next 2 or 3 classes are crucial, but the scenario you described is obtainable and I personally expect DM to pull it off. It will not be easy or certainly as quick as we might like. But after a decade of misery and decline, we actually have some good things happening in the program - and I for one am grateful. Think of how we would be reeling with the "recruiting" now going on at UCLA or Nebraska. And yes, I originally hated the DM hire too.

 

[leogator]

No, that's not what I'm telling you. He goes where he can. Then if they have a guy living in Jax, that guy goes where he can. If they have a guy living in Gainesville, he goes where he can. If they have a guy living in Athens, he goes where he can. If they have a guy living in Tallahassee, he goes where he can.

THEN....they submit their notes and it's a group discussion/assessment.

I've read those guys say, "When we did our assessments, I had this guy as a 5-star, but not enough of the other guys felt that way, so he's a 4-star...."

It's not an exact science, but I think these guys see a lot of prospects. If they go to a Armwood vs. Plant game there's probably 20+ college prospects (among the soph to senior classes) in that game (not all D1/P5, but prospects that could/will eventually play college football).

There's only one of them for UF, Luke.

Contrast that with a typical recruiting experience at UF or other Power 5 schools. Most of the time the first contact with the recruiting office is by the coach of the prospect although it also goes the other way, the recruiting office calls the coaches and ask them if they have any D1/SEC type prospects. Game film and not just highlights get sent. If UF Is interested then other conversations ensue such as any character issues, medical issues, etc. Also previous evaluations by the staff at FNL, OL/DL camps, April/May evaluation period. At the end the recruiting office has a ton of information on a prospect. They probably also look at who has offered whom and take a second look at a prospect.

 

[BMF]

There's only one of them for UF, Luke.

Blake & TG also attend games, practices, and camps. And it doesn't matter which college they cover if they're at a HS game. That HS game could have 15 prospects being recruited by dozens of colleges. So if he's there he can give his assessment of the TE who's only being recruited by Vandy & Wake Forest; it's still an assessment from one of their "scouts". I'm just pointing out that rivals and 247 actually do assess most prospects (not all, but most).

Like I said earlier, I've read their comments where they say they had/have a certain player ranked higher or lower than their current ranking...or that a kid is underrated, or they think this kid is overrated, etc. When they do their "Top 300" or whatever, every one of their analysts get a vote and the players fall where they fall.

 

[lizardbreath]

I guess my point was ... the only real 'feature back' in a Dan Mullen O (not Urban) is the QB. It is equal portions buffett to Athletes more so than a feature RB. If any other position is featured I would venture to say it is the HB type.

TBH, and I say this more as a probe to see if my opinion is correct because I believe you (and others here) know this as fact where it is just a recollection by me since I don't really follow (better put ... remember) recruiting as close ... the RBs on our roster that are true RBs were not recruited by Dan Mullen, correct? Perine and Peirce are guys he inherited. I can't think of true RBs that Mullen really went after like he does the HB/ATHs. Am I wrong on that?

I believe Perine and Davis were already here. Pierce, Clement and Wright are DM recruits.

 

[leogator]

Blake & TG also attend games, practices, and camps. And it doesn't matter which college they cover if they're at a HS game. That HS game could have 15 prospects being recruited by dozens of colleges. So if he's there he can give his assessment of the TE who's only being recruited by Vandy & Wake Forest; it's still an assessment from one of their "scouts". I'm just pointing out that rivals and 247 actually do assess most prospects (not all, but most).

Like I said earlier, I've read their comments where they say they had/have a certain player ranked higher or lower than their current ranking...or that a kid is underrated, or they think this kid is overrated, etc. When they do their "Top 300" or whatever, every one of their analysts get a vote and the players fall where they fall.

Except Wiltfong and Mansell are the big dogs at 247 and their evaluation carries a lot more weight than Luke's. That's why Luke has been crying underrated underrated about Emanuel Rogers out of Jensen Beach. He is rated 3* and ranked 1031. He did not attend any camps. They (the bigs dogs) attend most the camps or at least the major ones. That's why you have seen the evaluation of Georgia prospects jump over the last 10 years vis a vis Florida and Texas prospects. Now granted Georgia HS have actually plucked the best coaching talent from Florida and surrounding states and have paid them handsomely but still.

 

[BMF]

Hoover, Alabama QB Robby Ashford listed UF among his top 7 schools a few weeks ago. I didn't know, but he's a top baseball prospect as well, and plans to play both in college. Auburn seems to be the leader - and like UF, Auburn already has a QB committed in their 2020 class. He'd be a great pick up for us - or any team he goes to. He's a 4-star, 6'4 210lbs. Here's a good story on him:

Robby Ashford, 2020 Dual-threat quarterback - Rivals.com

Football or baseball? Elite 2020 QB prospect Robby Ashford faces tough decision