Gator Country recruiting analyst Andrew Spivey fields all the toughest questions from GatorCountry.com’s members in the latest edition of the Gators Recruiting Mailbag.
Find out who are the top offensive line prospects, whether the Gators will hold any scholarships for certain prospects who are announcing on signing day, the possible prospects who may become the first UF pledge of the Class of 2014 and much, much more!
Gator Country’s Gators Recruiting Mailbag is published every other week during the spring and summer, but it will be published once per week when recruiting picks up in August.
I appreciate everyone’s questions and look forward to doing this again next week.
Q.) Which OFFENSIVE recruits will we have an open spot for regardless of their decision date?
A.) No spot will be held open for anyone. Florida is going to fill their needs and they will not be left out like last year.
Q.) Is Daniel still our top BUCK prospect?
A.) Yes, he is. Elijah Daniel is scheduled to visit Florida in May.
Q.) Bosa to OSU and (if) Walker to Bama – who is next on the board at DE?
A.) Antonio Riles recently said Florida and Georgia were at the top for him. So, he would be one of the top guys on the board.
Q.) Who is left on our OL board (besides Tunsil)?
A.) Ethan Pocic, David Dawson, Derwin Gray and Tyrone Crowder are all guys left on the board. As the coaches visit schools this spring, more names could be added.
Q.) What about the big OL from Madison County? Has he been invited to camp or visit?
A.) Yes, I’m told he will camp at Florida in June. I’m not sure if he has any other visits planned right now or not.
Q.) On signing day 2013, do you feel coley will be a gator?
A.) Right now I do not.
Q.) I read that Michigan OG commit David Dawson is good friends with Cameron Dillard and that there is a chance he switches to Florida. Can you shed some light on any of that?
A.) They are very good friends. Dawson is scheduled to visit Florida in June, but whether that visit actually happens is up in the air due to a tragic car accident that took his father from him. If he visits, Florida has a chance but let’s wait and see if he visits.
Q.) Please help me understand this. Ira Deason is 6’ 4” and 320lbs. He just won the MVP lineman award at the NIKE Football Training Camp in Orlando, Fla. He was invited to the Opening and nobody wants him. Is he a hidden gem or just somebody who got lucky at a Nike camp?
A.) He is a guy that has drifted under the radar early on, but is coming up on a lot of boards lately. Alabama I know has reached out to him as well as Florida State. I expect Florida to get involved some.
Q.) What’s our best shot for a second DT? Adams, Gilmore, someone not on GC 50 list?
A.) Greg Gilmore needs to visit Florida first. He has said a number of times that he would and has yet to step foot on campus. Florida has a lot of work to do with Montravious Adams as Clemson and Georgia lead for him early on.
Q.) The latest, please, on our status with Hargreaves and McQuay.
A.) Nothing really new on either guys. Hargreaves has talked to Florida a lot lately but staying with his dad looks to be the way he goes right now. McQuay says all the right things to the public but doesn’t show them behind close doors. I think right now Vanderbilt leads for McQuay.
Q.) Who is the first 2014 commit?
A.) That’s tough to say early on. But guys like Kain Daub and Wesley Green have both expressed how much they like Florida early on.
Q.) How many recruits do you expect to be committed before the season starts?
A.) Anywhere from 16-19 guys I would say are in the class by the time September roles around.
Q.) Who will transfer?
A.) I do not get into that speculation but I have heard of a couple of names that could transfer.
Q.) Crowder a DT/NT?
A.) I do not see the Gators going that route right now with Crowder
Q.) Will Orlando Brown be the first 7-0 500 pound OL?
A.) That would not be healthy at all so let’s hope not.
Q.) As of today what is the biggest need (want) in this class???
A.) Florida need offensive tackles as well defensive lineman moving forward.
Q.) If Hays McMath has moved to the top of the qb board, does that imply that our chances of landing Cooper Bateman are diminishing, or do the coaches like Hays better?
A.) The coaches have Bateman ranked higher on the board but yes things are diminishing a little with Bateman. But McMath is not at the top of the qb board.
Q.) Will Connor Mitch get an offer? Are there any other new QBs that UF is looking at for 2013?
A.) I do think Mitch gets an offer from Florida. As Florida evaluates other quarterbacks I expect a few more names to pop up on the board.
Q.) Is walker really leaning towards Bama or have you heard different? hear he is visiting this weekend what are the chances he commits?
A.) I do not think Walker is leaning to Alabama. I think Florida is in good shape here.
Q.) With UF dishing out more scholarships at the QB position (among others), how do the gators feel about their chances with Cooper B.?
A.) Not very good right now. It looks like Utah and Alabama stand out for Bateman.
Q.) Is Florida going to recruit a TE this year?
A.) Yes, they are. I heard of a new name today that could be the next to receive an offer from Florida over the next several days.
Q.) How much influence does Pease have on the WR recruit board considering how much input he has with them in terms of coordinating with his QB(s) during practice?
A.) Pease is involved with all offensive recruits not just one position. But ultimately it’s up to Will Muschamp whether or not they get an offer.
Q.) With Fulwood and Adams, who are Florida’s top 2 remaining targets at the WR position?
A.) Marquez North, Stacy Coley and Demarcus Robinson are all guys high on the receiver board.