Dan Mullen is officially the Florida Gators head coach so that mission is complete but now the Gators must get out on the recruiting trail and improve this roster.
Mullen and his assistant coaches will hit the road on Tuesday where they will be visiting prospects in hopes of getting them on campus for an official visit.
GatorCountry.com is going to break down each position and let you know who the commits are at the position and the needs for that spot.
First up is the offensive side of the ball and we will follow that up with the defensive side of the ball.
One note, I’m not going to add targets just yet as the board is changing with the new coaching staff.
Quarterback:
Need: Two: With the lack of depth on the roster at the position the Gators likely need to sign two quarterback this year. Mullen would also likely need to add a dual threat guy to the roster.
Commits: Matt Corral has been loyal throughout the process and early reports are that he likes the hiring of Mullen. The question becomes how does Corral like it if Florida decides to add a second guy to the class.
Running back:
Need: Two: Florida returns Lamical Perine, Malik Davis and Adarius Lemons next year so adding two guys would allow one of them to likely redshirt. The position might be the Gators best group right now.
Commits: Damien Pierce and Iverson Clement. Pierce has said he’s solid to Florida as long JaJuan Seider stays on staff and Clement hasn’t commented on the hiring yet. Right now Florida’s chances of keeping both are pretty high. Pierce is a perfect fit for Mullen’s offense with his power running style and he’s a good compliment to Clement who is a do it all back.
Receiver:
Need: Four: Florida needs to add speed to the position in a big way and they need to add consistent pass catchers. The position as whole has some good players and then some holes that need to be filled. Mullen likes to run different things with his receiver so that’s why speed is needed. The Gators also need that big play receiver and they lost that when guys like Jacob Copeland and Ja’Marr Chase left the class.
Commits: Tyquan Thornton, Jalynn Williams and Corey Gammage. Thornton and Gammage fit the bill as being fast speedy guys that Mullen needs. Mullen will have to fight off Miami for Thornton and get Gammage back in the fold as he’s been wavering since Jim McElwain was fired. Williams on the other hand has Auburn and Ohio State after him but admits he wants to stay with the Gators as long as Mullen wants him.
Tight ends:
Need: Two: The position has been a weak spot at Florida the last few years and some argue it was because of coaching and others say it was the lack of talent at the position. The Gators however need to upgrade the position and have some pass catching guys who can also stand in and block.
Commits: Kyle Pitts and Dante Lang. Both of those guys remain solid to Florida right now but haven’t commented on the hiring of Mullen yet. Both of these guys would be good fits for Florida as they can catch and block.
Offensive line:
Need: 4-5: This position might be the weakest position on the roster for the Gators and the depth showed this year when several starters were injured. Mullen likes linemen who are able to pull and zone block more than just block man to man so that could help some of these guys. At the end of the day though, the Gators need to add depth at the tackle positions and quality depth.
Commits: Richard Gouraige and Curtis Dunlap. Both guys seem solid in their commitment to Florida but Gouraige is coming off of a trip to Auburn and Dunlap has taken a few visits as well. Mullen will have to get with both of these guys and sell them on his plan as well as make them feel comfortable. Gouraige is a guy that could strive in Mullen’s offense as he’s very athletic and can move well for a guy his size.