Florida Gators recruiting targets official visit schedule part 1

The dead period officially ends on January 14th and the Florida Gators recruiting efforts will take off after that, as they look to finish the class of 2016 off strong.

Starting on January 15th the Florida Gators recruiting weekend will be filled with official visitors as the Gators are expected to have three big weekends in January.

GatorCountry.com broke down the remaining Florida Gators recruiting targets into offense and defense and broke down where they will take official visits too and what the Gators chances are.

Here’s part one that feature the offensive targets for the Florida Gators:

 

Maryland QB commit Dwayne Haskins
Official visit schedule:
Florida: November 27th
Ohio State: December 11th
Maryland: January 15th
Decision Date: Signing Day

Florida’s chances: Florida is still in the mix here, but the Gators will have to do so without getting another visit. Florida Gators head coach Jim McElwain and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier will visit him this month and that will include Nuss visiting him weekly.

 

WR Nate Craig-Myers
Official visit schedule:
North Carolina: September 18th
Auburn: January 15th
Ole Miss: January 29th
Decision Date: Signing Day

Florida’s chances: Craig-Myers says he may take unofficial visits to Florida and Florida State this month but he wasn’t sure of when. He does have the weekend of January 22nd open, so it could happen then. Right now the Gators are falling in his recruitment.

 

Auburn WR commit Eli Stove
Official visit schedule:
Auburn: January 15th
Florida: January 22nd
Miami: January 29th
Decision Date: Signing Day

Florida’s chances: For the first time, I feel like the Gators have a shot at flipping Stove, who is an explosive athlete that can play all over the field. Stove could help the Gators in the return game as well as at receiver. If he follows through with his plan to visit the Gators, then I like Florida’s chances even better.

 

WR Binjimen Victor
Official visit schedule:
West Virginia: September 25th
Ohio State: October 17th
Tennessee: January 15th
Florida: January 22nd
Decision Date: Signing Day

Florida’s chances: Tennessee is the team with a lot of momentum right now and while most people expect Victor to go to Ohio State, I believe they’re running second to Tennessee or even third to Tennessee and Florida. Victor has been talking to Florida a good bit as of late but the official visit will be a tell tale sign for the Gators and Victor.

 

Miami WR commit Sam Bruce
Official visit schedule:
Ohio State: October 17th
South Carolina: January 15th
Florida: January 22nd
Miami: January 29th
Decision Date: Signing Day

Florida’s Chances: Since Kevin Beard left Miami the chances of Bruce ending up at Miami have decreased some, but the Gators have yet to push real hard for Bruce at this time. If Florida were to push hard for his commitment then I think Florida would have a shot but right now I say he sticks with Miami. South Carolina is a dark horse here.

 

WR Tre Nixon
Official visit schedule:
Georgia: possible visit in January
Florida: possible visit in January
Penn State: possible visit in January
Decision Date: Nixon has been planning to decide for sometime now so a decision could really come at anytime now.

Florida’s chances: For awhile it seemed like Nixon was going to announce for Florida, but now it seems as if Penn State is the team to beat for Nixon and a lot that could do with Florida focusing more on Stove now. Nixon always seemed as if he wanted to go to Florida but never pulled the trigger.

 

Houston WR commit Tyrie Cleveland
Official visit schedule:
TCU: January 15th
Arkansas: January 22nd
Florida: January 29th
Houston: maybe
Decision Date: Signing Day

Florida’s chances: A lot of buzz around Cleveland during the Under Armour All-American week was that he wouldn’t stick with Houston and that Florida and TCU would battle for his signature. The question remains to be seen whether or not Cleveland will visit Houston or not. If he doesn’t then I think Florida can steal the Jacksonville native.

 

Tight end Nick Eubanks
Official visit schedule:
Alabama: coming in January
Florida: January 22nd
LSU: maybe in January
Miami: maybe in January
USC/Oregon: maybe in January
Decision Date: Signing day

Florida’s chances: Florida is Eubanks’ leader and the Gators are the team to beat but will Mike Rumph (Eubanks’ high school head coach) be able to lure him to Miami where he just took over as cornerbacks’ coach.

 

LSU tight end commit Jamal Pettigrew
Official visit schedule:
LSU: January 15th
Florida: January 29th
Texas: still possible he visits them
Decision Date: TBD

Florida’s chances: Florida is a long shot to even get Pettigrew on campus, which makes it an even bigger long shot to land the long time LSU Tigers commit. Tim Skipper has done a great a job of recruiting him, but I think the hometown Tigers hold onto Pettigrew.

Offensive lineman Marcus Tatum:
Official visit schedule:
Tennessee: November 6th
Florida: January 15th
Miami: January 22nd
Decision Date: Tatum says he wants it done before signing day.

Florida’s chances: Florida has been the leader for quite sometime now and I expect the Gators to land Tatum sometime in January. Tatum is the Gators top target at the offensive line position.

 

Offensive lineman Jauan Williams
Official visit schedule:
Florida State: December 11th
Florida: coming in January
Oklahoma: coming in January
LSU: coming in January
Oklahoma: coming in January
Decision Date: Signing day

Florida’s chances: Florida State leads right now, because that’s the only visit he took so far, but the Gators and Oklahoma are two schools to watch this month. Florida is looking for another tackle in the class and Williams would be a good fit.

 

Offensive lineman Landon Dickerson
Official visit schedule:
Florida State: October 10th
Auburn: November 28th
Florida: January 15th
Alabama: January 22nd
Tennessee and Georgia: possible for January 29th
Decision Date: Dickerson wants to announce his decision before signing day.

Florida’s chances: Florida State and Auburn are the teams to beat with Florida State leading the way right now. Florida got in late on Dickerson but they have done a good enough job to get him on campus and they will have a chance to impress the big lineman during his official visit.

JUCO offensive lineman Malcolm Pridgeon
Official visit schedule:
Baylor: June 26th
West Virginia: November 13th
Florida: December 11th
Virginia Tech: Possible visit in January
Decision Date: Signing Day

Florida’s chances: Florida, Baylor and Virginia Tech are considered to be the top schools for Pridgeon with Baylor probably having the edge. Pridgeon really liked his trip to Florida in December and the Gators will send coaches to see him throughout the month of January.

 

Offensive lineman John Simpson
Official visit schedule:
LSU: November 14th
Florida: January 15th
Clemson: January 22nd
Alabama: January 29th
Decision Date: After official visits are over with. Simpson wants it done before signing day.

Florida’s Chances: Clemson is the team to beat heading into visits but the Florida Gators and LSU Tigers are both trying to overtake Clemson. Simpson was considered a heavy lean to Clemson but that no longer appears to be a for sure thing anymore.

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.

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