Florida Gators recruiting is going well and this week’s recruiting mailbag had a lot of great questions about how prospects view the Florida Gators after their win over the Georgia Bulldogs.
As you have noticed Gator Country and Andrew Spivey have mixed things up and we have taken our Florida Gators recruiting mailbag to podcast form, as well as continuing the written version of the mailbag.
Make sure to listen as Andrew answer’s everyone’s questions from this mailbag and don’t forget to get your questions in every week so he can answer your question next time on all things Florida Gators recruiting.
Here’s the written version of this week’s Florida Gators recruiting mailbag:
Trader5jl14849: AS do you feel confident we will grab 3-4 stud linebackers with us being skinny at linebacker? Next year we will be scary thin if we do not get some studs who can play immediately.
AS: I think they get three linebackers in this class. I think they keep Vosean Joseph and Jeremiah Moon and then add one more. They would love four but I just don’t see two more guys right now for the Florida Gators.
Msgator1981: So far I hear talking about potentially flipping one of the following QB recruits: Jacob Eason, Feleipe Franks, Dwayne Haskins, and Jack Allison. From various murmurings on here and other sites, it seems we have the best shot of flipping Feleipe Franks over others. What are your thoughts on which of these guys is most likely to flip? Which of these guys are the coaches pressing the most? Am I missing anyone?
AS: The staff is talking to a lot of quarterbacks behind the scenes, but right now I don’t think there is one guy that I feel great about flipping. I do expect them to flip someone, but right now I’m not 100 percent on any of them. If I had to say one guy then I would say Feleipe Franks, because he’s at least looking around, unlike the other guy’s.
Juggernautz: Will the FSU game carry any weight on us getting any more commits?
Are we looking at any more tight ends?
When is NSD?
AS: The FSU game will be a huge game for the Florida Gators recruiting class as far as getting visitor’s in the stadium, but the result doesn’t have as much effect as a good showing does. As far tight ends go, they’re recruiting Nick Eubanks, Jamal Pettigrew, Isaac Nauta, Jacob Mathis and recently Kelvin Lucky. National Signing Day is February 3rd.
Wilbur11: In honor of our new Homecoming helmets, do recruits talk uniforms with you? If they do, what are their thoughts on the Gator unis and brand? Do they like the current helmet?
AS: I honestly haven’t asked them yet because I haven’t seen the helmet. I wouldn’t be able to describe the helmet to them. Once I see the helmet then I will ask the recruits.
Macbgator: In your opinion, whom will we end up with at defensive tackle?
AS: Dexter Lawrence and an under the radar prospect, I’m just not sure who that prospect is at this time. They could flip North Carolina State commit Ben Frazier.
Dhainer24: There is a lot of excitement about possible top WRs and maybe flipping a QB, but I think the position that can look vastly different between now and NSD is d-line. Isn’t it possible that we could end up with 4 or 5 d-linemen, and only one (Clayton) is currently committed? Mitchell and Bailey seem like candidates to go elsewhere. Please give me your best d-line mock.
AS: Janarius Robinson, Antonneous Clayton, Dexter Lawrence, Jachai Polite and Josh Uche. I also think they find one more defensive tackle.
Actuating: Any updates on Reese (Mich LB)? When is he making a decision?
AS: David Reese will visit Florida for the Florida State game but right now he doesn’t have a decision timeline set. He’s planning on early enrolling so it will have to be soon.
Gatordon: Assuming we have many departures in the secondary how does that affect our DB recruitment?
Any announcements in the near future or will we be waiting on a bunch of NSD decisions?
AS: The Gators already have six defensive backs committed, so they’re going all in on the position and trying to replace the depth they’re losing there. As far as announcements go, there will be a few pop up here and there but nothing scheduled yet.
Hoganmac97: Which 2016 and 2017 Miami Commits are the Gators targeting right now with the coaching situation?
AS: DE/LB Josh Uche, DE Joseph Jackson, WR Sam Bruce, 2017 TE Tre McKitty and 2017 athlete Robert Burns are the main ones they’re after right now.
OklahomaGator: Are we looking at taking any kickers? If so, who is on the recruiting list?
AS: Alabama Crimson Tide commit Eddy Piniero is the most likely guy here and the only one with an offer at this time. The Gators will host him for the Florida State game.
Ol2ange: Should we be worried about any of our commits decommitting when they visit other schools? If so, which ones?
AS: At this time, all of the commits seem very solid in their commitments to Florida but I’ll let everyone know if that changes. Of course there are a few guys that will probably split from Florida but it will be mutual.
Msd: Have any high profile OL become interested, given our success and ongoing need to add at that position? I assume Tatum still looks good, but is a redshirt candidate. Anyone that would provide immediate depth?
AS: They’re still trying for JUCO OL Malcolm Pridgeon but right now no visits are set up. Maryland OL Terrance Davis is also interested in Florida but that’s all of the big names that have really talked about visiting Florida.
Jmike131014: Speaking of this year OL, Is Sandifer, Mccoy, Buchannan and Desir-Jones still in play for a redshirt
AS: Yes, Brandon Sandifer, T.J. McCoy, Nick Buchanan and Richerd Desir-Jones will redshirt this year but be ready to play next year. All of them are improving.
The6thbit: Is Keyshon Camp looking around with USC having lost their coach?
AS: Florida hasn’t shown much interest in USC defensive tackle commit Keyshon Camp.
FriendlyGator: I don’t following recruiting as closely as I used to–don’t have the time. But obviously I’m interested especially now with our success. I’m interesting in the big picture outlook.
Given our phenomenal success this year, is this class about to blow up to be a blockbuster-recruiting year for us?
This is the year you usually see that happen. I would think we are primed to a big time year.
AS: I think Florida has a great end to the class with guys like Eli Stove, Tre Nixon, Nate Craig-Myers, Dexter Lawrence and others still on the board are looking good for the Gators. Florida should finish strong.
Dhainer24: Just in the past day, in two separate threads, I have read that Eason is wavering and we would be one of the top two choices should he flip…but also read that Franks is almost a sure thing to flip to us. How accurate is any of this info? Who is most likely QB to flip, Eason, Franks, Haskins, Allison? What would happen if Franks flipped to us, then Richt got fired and Eason de-committed? Would we still go after him if we had Franks?
AS: Florida is likely only going to flip one of those quarterbacks and they would be happy with that. They want someone else to go with Kyle Trask and right now I lean towards that guy being Feleipe Franks, but we will see if he ever visits.
Nickelgators: Bruce seems to be hot and cold; will he sign with the Gators? Who else do you think will round out the wr class? Do you feel that Grier will win the appeal and start back at the beginning of 2016? One final question who is the one recruit that Florida will sign that will surprise everyone?
AS: I think Will Grier is back for 2016 and he filed his appeal on Wednesday so that’s good news. I don’t think Sam Bruce goes to Florida but I think Florida adds Nate Craig-Myers, Tre Nixon and Eli Stove. The surprise one will be Dexter Lawrence, in my opinion.
Brainstorm: Are we going to get lucky with Lucky?
Is there anyone else other than the Bama commit on the board at kicker?
AS: That’s the only kicker on the board right now and if Florida pushes for TE Kelvin Lucky then the Gators have a great shot here.
Gator_nica: Is Coach Mac hands on with recruiting, or does he let his assistantt coaches do the heavy lifting? Who is Mac personally recruiting?
AS: Coach McElwain does a lot of recruiting but he also allows his assistant coaches do their jobs as well. Coach Mac talks to all of the recruits but he’s personally recruiting Eli Stove, Nate Craig-Myers, Feleipe Franks and a few others.
Caleb2815: Take it for what its worth, but in talking to a couple players who have played against Allison this year, they have expressed to me they don’t see what all the hype is about. Where do you rank him among the QB’s we are after this cycle like Franks, Haskins etc as far as skill level and his ceiling at the next level?
AS: I like Haskins, Franks and several others first as far as quarterbacks go.