Gators 2014 Recruiting Needs: Offense

While Florida signed five offensive linemen last year, there is still a need for more offensive playmakers on the Gators’ roster going forward.

The biggest need for Florida is to sign a top notch quarterback for the Class of 2014, and the Gators have already filled that need by securing a verbal commitment from Will Grier.

Over the next week, GatorCountry.com will talk about the needs on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball in a two-part series.

Quarterback: Need 1

Committed Prospect: Florida has a commitment from Davidson Day (N.C.) High quarterback Will Grier, and unless something goes wrong with him, the staff is done at quarterback for this class.

Targets: None

Running Back: Need 1-2

Committed Prospects: None

Targets:

New Orleans (La.) St. Augustine running back Leonard Fournette — He visited Florida for a bowl practice in New Orleans but hasn’t visited Gainesville. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Fournette is likely headed to either Alabama or LSU.

Hendersonville (Tenn.) Beech Senior running back Jalen Hurd — The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Hurd told GatorCountry.com that Florida and Ohio State were his top choices back in November, and that still looks to be the case.

Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage running back Sony Michel — He named Florida in is his top 5 recently, but the thought is Georgia and Miami lead for him. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Michel said he may visit Florida this spring.

Tuscaloosa (Ala.)Northridge running back Bo Scarborough — He is an Alabama commitment, but after the Crimson Tide signed four running backs he is rethinking his pledge and will visit Florida in the spring.

Receivers: Need 3-4

Committed Prospects: Fort Myers (Fla.) Dunbar receiver Ryeshene Bronson while Bronson is committed his status is still a little shaky as he continues to visit other schools.

Targets:

Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) Dwyer receiver Johnnie Dixon — A high school teammate of Jacoby Brissett, Dixon seemed upset over the former UF quarterback’s transfer and hasn’t visited Florida in quite some time. However, Dixon has been seen wearing Gators clothes around a lot.

Grand Rapids (Mich.) Christian receiver Drake Harris — The Michigan State pledge is a soft commitment to the Spartans after deciding to quit basketball. Harris will visit Florida on March 23 and has said he would like to play in the SEC.

Gallatin (Tenn.) Station Camp receiver Josh Malone — He is a big receiver with a lot of interest in Florida. Malone and his mother value academics a lot, which could help Florida.

Tarpon Springs (Fla.) East Lake receiver Artavis Scott — He has visited Florida several times but has expressed at times that he may leave the state. Scott said he will visit UF this spring again.

Durham (N.C.) Hillside receiver Trevion Thompson — He grew up a Gators fan and has said he will visit this spring. If that visit happens, this one could fall in Florida’s favor.

Tight end: Need 1

Committed Prospects: None

Targets:

Ventura (Calif.) St. Bonaventure tight end Bryce Dixon — He picked up a Florida offer a week ago, and the staff told the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Dixon he is the top target on the board. It’s unclear when Dixon will visit Florida.

La Mirada (Calif.) High tight end Tyler Luatua- The top tight end in the country according to most recruiting experts, Luatua has a brother at Alabama, and the Crimson Tide look to be in good shape for him.

Opelika (Ala.) High tight end Jakell Mitchell — He visited Florida for Junior Day this past Saturday and picked up an offer. Mitchell had a good visit and it looks to be an Auburn and Florida battle.

Offensive line: Need 5

Committed Prospects: Deland (Fla.) High offensive lineman Benjamin Knox and Jacksonville (Fla.) Raines offensive lineman Travaris Dorsey are both solid Florida commitments.

Targets:

Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy offensive lineman Denzel Ward — The recent Michigan de-committment has moved to Florida from Chicago. Ward is scheduled to visit Florida soon and the Gators are now his leader.

Baton Rouge (Fla.) University Laboratory School offensive lineman Garrett Brumfield — The Gators want Brumfield at center for this class, and he has visited several times. However, LSU is giving Florida a good run for the talented offensive lineman.

Chicago (Ill.) De La Salle offensive lineman Jamarco Jones — He is scheduled to visit Florida for the Orange and Blue Debut.

Wellington (Fla.) Palm Beach Central offensive lineman K.C. McDermott — The Miami legacy is being pursued heavily by Florida and Alabama. McDermott is the top offensive lineman in the state for 2014.

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.