ORLANDO – It’s not every day that this kind of young football talent gets together in one place. More than 80 of the top football prospects in the country have come together to put on a show Saturday at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg in the third annual Under Armour All-America Game (11 a.m., ESPN).
The event has turned into one of the very best all-star games of its kind. While there are a few changes this year, the one thing that hasn’t changed is that fans will not find this kind of talent assembled in one place for one game anywhere else.
The Florida Gators are well represented in this game, with eight verbal commitments as participants. Among those who have proclaimed their intentions to play in Gainesville: running back Mack Brown (5-11, 190, Lithonia, Ga./Martin Luther King H.S.), defensive back Demar Dorsey (6-1, 185, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla./Boyd Anderson H.S.), defensive back Jonathan Dowling (6-3, 185, Bradenton, Fla./Southeast H.S.), defensive tackle Leon Orr (6-4, 320, New Port Richey, Fla./Gulf H.S.), wide receiver Solomon Patton (Mobile, Ala./Murphy H.S.), defensive back Cody Riggs (5-9, 160, Fort Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas H.S.), defensive back Joshua Shaw (6-1, 185, Palmdale, Calif./Palmdale H.S.) and offensive lineman Ian Silberman (6-6, 265, Orange Park, Fla./Fleming Island H.S.).
Those eight prospects are joined by a number of talented players still being targeted by the Gators:
Chris Dunkley, WR, 6-0, 180, Pahokee, Fla./Pahokee H.S.: Dunkley is considered one of the top offensive skill prospects in the entire country. He will make his college decision known during the game.
Chaz Green, OL, 6-6, 295, Tampa, Fla./Tampa Catholic H.S.:
The big man was long considered a lean to Florida despite the fact he was a double legacy to the Tennessee Volunteers. An official visit to Knoxville changed things considerably, and while Green will visit Florida in January, Tennessee figures to have the upper hand in his recruitment.
Jordan Hicks, LB, 6-2, 220, West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West H.S.: One of the top linebackers in the entire country, Hicks is an incredibly athletic defensive prospect who makes plays all over the field. Hicks was very much wowed by an official visit to Gainesville in December, but Texas and Ohio State are very much in the mix for his services as well
Christian Jones, LB, 6-4, 225, Casselberry, Fla./Lake Howell H.S.: The Gators don’t seem to have much of a chance here, but since Jones is still listing Florida, he gets mention here. Jones is among the top prospects in the entire state of Florida and could potentially line up at a number of spots on defense. The safe bet is that he follows the path blazed by father Willie Sr. and brother Willie Jr. to Tallahassee where both suited up in the Garnet and Gold for the Seminoles.
Eric Mack, OL, 6-4, 315, St. Matthews, S.C./Calhoun County H.S.: Although Mack is currently committed to South Carolina, he has opened his recruitment up a bit in recent weeks. There is a strong interest in the Gators by Mack, and he intends to make a mid-January visit to Gainesville to see what the University of Florida has to offer. Also be on the lookout for Auburn here as well.
Dietrich Riley, DB, 6-1, 200, La Canada, Calif./St. Francis H.S.: In the wake of Urban Meyer’s sudden turnabout where he decided to resign and then take a leave of absence, a few of the Florida commitments still seem a bit unsettled about their status with the Gators. Riley could be lined up for a visit if Gatorade Player of the Year Matt Elam (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer H.S.) opts to look elsewhere.
GAME STORYLINES: Some of the key storylines to follow this week:
How will Florida commitments and targets handle the flip-flop by Urban Meyer?
For the most part, there has been a positive response by the Florida commitments, in addition to several of the top targets remaining on the board for the Gators. Many recruits have declined to speak on the situation, however. It will be interesting to gauge the mood among those headed to Florida and what they expect to happen down the stretch run to National Signing Day.
What will Chris Dunkley do Saturday?
The top wide receiver prospect has long had Jan. 2 circled as the day he would make his college declaration known. While Florida has long been thought to be the frontrunner for Dunkley’s services, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and West Virginia remain in the mix as well.
Can the Gators nab anyone else playing in this game as well?
Obviously, with eight commitments playing in the Under Armour Game in addition to another three playing in the Army All-American Game, Florida is well represented in these national showcase games for top high school seniors.
However, the Gators are not yet done on the recruiting trail. Jordan Hicks remains one of the top targets on the board for Florida, and he figures to get a hard sell over the course of the next month as a heated three-team race builds between Florida, Ohio State and Texas. Most observers believe the Longhorns have the lead in his recruitment.