Florida Gators: Defensive line recruiting board

Between spring practice and junior days, the Florida Gators hosted well over 100 prospects and those efforts have a lot of recruits thinking about the Orange and Blue.

Over the next two weeks Gator Country is going to break down each position and take a look at who the Gators have the best chance of landing at each position. To start off the series we talked about the offensive line board, receiver position, the running back position and the much needed quarterback position.

Last week we broke down the offensive side of the ball so this week we will break down the defensive side of the ball and we will start on the defensive line.

Florida would like to sign 3-4 pass rushers and 2-3 defensive tackles in this class and here’s who the Gators have the best chance with as they currently have two defensive ends committed.

 

Defensive end commits

Jaquan Bailey (6-3, 235, Jacksonville, FL Raines

Commitment Status: Bailey is a solid commit to Florida and would take something strange to happen for Bailey to back out of his commitment to the Gators.

 

Eric Mitchell (6-1, 228, Miami, FL Central)

Commitment Status: Mitchell is solid commit but says he plans to take some visits this summer and fall so with that could come some wavering but Mitchell really likes linebackers coach Randy Shannon. Mitchell could end up being an outside linebacker in college.

 

 

Defensive ends with offers

Shavar Manuel (6-3, 262, Bradenton, FL IMG Academy)

Teams in contention: Florida State is considered the leader but Florida and Clemson are two schools he talks to a good bit.

What are Florida’s chances: Manuel talks about committing soon and if he does then Florida State is the school of choice but Robinson has visited Florida twice this spring and he talks a good bit with defensive line coach Chris Rumph. Florida needs Manuel to continue to visit Florida to have a chance here.

 

Janarius Robinson (6-5, 224, Panama City, FL Bay)

Teams in contention: Florida State commit but talks to Florida, Alabama and others still.

What are Florida’s chances: Robinson has made two trips to Alabama as of late and one to Florida sandwiched in between a trip to Florida State. Robinson, like Manuel, talks to Rumph a lot, but right now the Gators are fighting a huge up hill battle.

 

Jordan Woods (6-3, 235, Ocala, FL Trinity Catholic)

Teams in contention: Florida, Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville and Miami are schools Woods like but he has backed away from naming a top school.

What are Florida’s chances: Florida is the team to beat right now but the Gators must continue to recruit Woods hard as he plans to visit several schools this summer. Rumph is doing a great job of recruiting Woods early on. Woods also visits Florida more than any other school.

 

Defensive tackle with offers

 

Keyshon Camp (6-3, 274, Lakeland, FL Lake Gibson)

Teams in contention: Florida, Miami and Kentucky are the schools Camp says he talks to the most right now.

What are Florida’s chances: Florida has done a good job of recruiting Camp hard early on and if the Gators continue to push here then Florida has a great shot at landing the big guy.

 

Dexter Lawrence (6-5, 290, Wake Forest, NC High)

Teams in contention: Florida, Florida State, Clemson, Alabama, North Carolina and Ohio State are schools Lawrence mentions that he talks to frequently.

What are Florida’s chances: Lawrence has a very close relationship with FSU defensive line coach Brad Lawing and that hurt Florida’s chances when he left the Gators. Lawrence says he will visit Florida this summer so that will be something to watch closely.

 

Nyles Pinckney (6-3, 290, Seabrook, SC Whale Branch)

Teams in contention: Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Clemson and Miami are schools recruiting Pinckney the hardest.

What are Florida’s chances: Pinckney has been planning to visit Florida for months but hasn’t visited yet but he says that will change this summer. The Gators were a team he grew up pulling for so the visit could go along ways in helping Florida get in a good position.

 

Darius Whitfield (6-1, 268, Mobile, AL St. Paul’s)

Teams in contention: Alabama, Auburn, Miami and Florida

What are Florida’s chances: Whitfield grew up rooting for the Gators and he visited Florida this spring but his step brother is Alabama offensive lineman Josh Casher. If Alabama offers then it will be tough for the Alabama lineman to turn them down.

Andrew Spivey
Andrew always knew he wanted to be involved with sports in some capacity. He began by coaching high school football for six years before deciding to pursue a career in journalism. While coaching, he was a part of two state semifinal teams in the state of Alabama. Given his past coaching experience, he figured covering recruiting would be a perfect fit. He began his career as an intern for Rivals.com, covering University of Florida football recruiting. After interning with Rivals for six months, he joined the Gator Country family as a recruiting analyst. Andrew enjoys spending his free time on the golf course and watching his beloved Atlanta Braves. Follow him on Twitter at @AndrewSpiveyGC.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Emotionally I hope I can make it through this very long and difficult slog ahead. In reading the recent Gator Country articles about recruiting one thing, at least to me, is apparent. In terms of attracting the very best players the Gators must win and win impressively, SOS-style! Until that happens we will remain recruiting ‘also-rans’. I will be impressed when the 4- and 5-Stars express a strong interest in the Gators rather than Clemson, FSU and Ohio State. I am be a minority of only one but it is really depressing to me when Clemson is able to out recruit UF for the best Florida high school talent.

  2. I agree Landport. I swear our football team is cursed and I don’t see it getting better anytime soon. We will really struggle this year, IMO-which in return will not help our recruiting. I can’t stand how other schools come in to Florida and take all of the top talent. It is what it is and my bitching isn’t going to help. The only thing that will help is winning games and that’s not going to happen for a while.