2014 RB Tony James of Gainesville High School, Gainesville FL

[pickle]

http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT/PHOTO/2014-TONY-JAMES_9_13_150.JPG


All-purpose back
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville

Ht:5'10"
Wt:163 lbs

7 offers including Florida

[LAGatorDoc]

http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT/PHOTO/2014-TONY-JAMES_9_13_150.JPG


All-purpose back
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville

Ht:5'10"
Wt:163 lbs

7 offers including Florida

Has sub 4.4 speed. Beat Kermit Whitfield in a track meet a couple weeks ago

[GATORAZ]

as fast as he is I am not sure he will be a take. If we had gotten Clark or Timmons he would def not be in this next class. But the staff needs to find somebody for the Jet sweep role I would probably look around the country some more the staff might decide to take the local kid.

tape
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1671102/highlights/27890373

[StrangeGator]

Kind of depends on who else we get at WR and RB. He's not in the top three or four at either position, but he might be a nice compliment to a couple of tall receivers and two big big backs, but I'd be surprised if we let him commit early.

[Zanso]

Staff doesn't have a big interest in this kid, dunno why he has his own thread.

[gatorr4life]

Lol ^^^

[Speedofsand]

I see nothing wrong with having a thread about a local 4* player. Its early, perhaps he could interest the staff this year. Nobody had interest in Clark until November.

[Dreamliner]

Listed at 5-10 as he is, I'm guessing he's 5-8.

[texasgator]

Who cares, we need a change of pace back! We need some speed since Urban stole Clark from us! James will be our Junior Days this weekend, there must be some interest!

[oldgator]

he is HS elite speed. Beat Levonte Whitfield at track meet during James junior season(and during Whitfield's senior track season). Whitfield is considered one of the fastest recruits of 2013 class.

Tony James is fast enough most likely to run track at UF. The main questions in regard to football are
---can he carry the football equipment weight and still have elite speed(weight as a junior is in the 160-170 pound range)
---does he have the durability for football.

I fail to comprehend why posters are blowing him off. He already has 7 offers(including UF). His on field performance in football is solid. If this were during the Meyer years I tend to believe posters would be giving him much higher marks since speed backs were the rage at that time for UF. Now that we have more of a downhill running game I sense posters have gone to the other extreme of over hyping powr backs and dissing speed backs.

I tend to believe that even though UF is more of a power run team. We still have need for speed at RB. To become one dimensional at RB is asking for trouble in the SEC.

To me, the ideal, prototypical RB of all time is Fred Taylor
---elite speed
---over 6' tall and weighing 210 plus
---able to run inside as well as outside with both power and agility
---and adept at the RB skills of receiving , blocking, etc
---if he did have a drawback it could have been that he was too fast for his height and weight which may have taken its toll on his knees(making cuts at high speed takes tremendous toll on the knees and with being heaver than most speed backs that weight would add on additional stress)

In regards to Tony James, the desire I have if he becomes a Gator is that he'd be a RB along the lines of Rainey/Demps

[GATORAZ]

This isnt the Meyer years and when you look at the numbers we might only have room for one back in this class. If we can only take one back I would hope it would be somebody better than James. James would help on jet sweeps and screens but I would rather take a WR for that position than a RB.

I dont think Florida, FSU, Ohio State or Miami would take his commit right now.

[woltes]

Don't we have a legit shot at Sony?

[StrangeGator]

I'm starting to change my mind about James. Partly because of his speed, but also because I'm not optimistic about getting two top drawer big backs in this class. We could get one of Hurd and Michel, or get shut out for both and the board drops off pretty steeply after that. James could easily weigh 195 by his sophomore year in college. We already have four 210 plus RBs on the roster, so it's not like he needs to be a 20 carry a game kind of back. Not saying we take him now, but I hope our coaches stay in touch with him throughout the cycle.

[GATORAZ]

Florida is probably behind on every big time back in the country. We are sitting 2nd- 4th with a lot of guys but that still doesn't mean we should take James. After looking at the numbers there is a decent chance we only take one back. It is early though a few more back will emerge. I would be really excited if we ended up with a Adam Choice.

[G8RNTN]

I see nothing wrong with having a thread about a local 4* player. Its early, perhaps he could interest the staff this year. Nobody had interest in Clark until November.

He was joking... Because some on here moan that certain things shouldn't have their own thread.

[Jaggator]

If we don't offer Tony James, so be it. There will be someone better come along. I have 3 words for you guys for at least the next 3 years.

KELVIN "STUD" TAYLOR

[GATORAZ]

James has an offer its just uncommitable

[elrongator]

It's so early that I could see offers that are contingent on both performance and academics being only semi-offers in reality. I will say this though, Muschamp is a Gainesville guy. He grew up there and likely knows what it means to be a local and get overlooked or bypassed.
I'm betting that he bases alot on local guys' desire, work ethic and response to the demands our staff places on them.
Like our local WR pickup this year, coaches responded to his interest and enthusiasm.
I like this concept.
It also doesn't hurt to have a speed guy. We don't have to play him at RB just because that's what he plays now.

[ETGator1]

Let the coaches decide. There is plenty of time for James and the staff to see if there is a place for him on the UF team, RB/CB/WR/Slot. One thing is certain, you can't coach up that kind of speed - speed kills.

[GATORAZ]

Let the coaches decide. There is plenty of time for James and the staff to see if there is a place for him on the UF team, RB/CB/WR/Slot. One thing is certain, you can't coach up that kind of speed - speed kills.

It really just comes down to if you are going to offer a player like James you would like it to be a WR with more wiggle . He will get his chance to earn a commitable offer at camp.

The offers that we are putting out suggest we will take a slot WR this cycle a long with 2 outside WR's.

[LimeyGator]

James interests me - it will be interesting to see how his recruitment plays out.

I don't get the "We are not interested" comments - reading quotes from James himself as far back as last summer, it seems quite clear he's had a good relationship with the staff for some time and has been involved in watching a fair few practices (he will be back during Spring Ball too, according to Rivals).

I understand the natural conclusion about jet sweeps etc but he returns kicks too for GHS - we've been missing one of those since as certain other guy called James, perhaps even less heralded, 5'7", 160ish was available to us and he did ok I suppose ;)

To my untrained, outsiders eye, RB doesn't look like a major position of need in the 2014 recruiting cycle. If we can get a speedy back who can fill roles in specific game situations like James, I'd be all for it. As of last summer we were clearly his leader and he seemed appreciative of the route his fellow GHS teammate (Thompson) took to the Swamp. That has to bode well doesn't it?

[ETGator1]

Mack Brown is gone after this season. I think a RB stable of 5 rather than 4 is optimal for player growth and injuries. IMO, we should use 2 of our 22 on RBs. I'd be selective and only go after the best of the best.

Bama has 8 RBs and they plan to take Bo Scarborough plus 1 more which is clearly overstocking at RB. How Saban does this when he admits 5 is optimal is a mystery to me.

[LimeyGator]

Mack Brown is gone after this season. I think a RB stable of 5 rather than 4 is optimal for player growth and injuries. IMO, we should use 2 of our 22 on RBs. I'd be selective and only go after the best of the best.

Bama has 8 RBs and they plan to take Bo Scarborough plus 1 more which is clearly overstocking at RB. How Saban does this when he admits 5 is optimal is a mystery to me.

I do agree with this concept.

However (and I appreciate you cite Alabama as a scenario where it works!) I don't see why an elite RB would consider Florida next year with 3 outstanding young backs on the roster as sophs/frosh, including the best RB in the previous class in Taylor. Surely the very best RBs will want playing time off the cuff and they are not likely to get it in Gainesville compared to another school with a shortfall, right?

I think that's one heckuva sell to make. Wouldn't it be more productive to fill the need this year and then prioritise the position the year after?

[GATORAZ]

I do agree with this concept.

However (and I appreciate you cite Alabama as a scenario where it works!) I don't see why an elite RB would consider Florida next year with 3 outstanding young backs on the roster as sophs/frosh, including the best RB in the previous class in Taylor. Surely the very best RBs will want playing time off the cuff and they are not likely to get it in Gainesville compared to another school with a shortfall, right?

I think that's one heckuva sell to make. Wouldn't it be more productive to fill the need this year and then prioritise the position the year after?

It is the job of the staff to convince an elite RB to come in and play. Tony James is a good RB but not elite. His skill set is better found in a WR that we will have more use for. We are not desperate for a RB so the staff has plenty of time to wait and convince 1 guy to jump on board James can wait. The staff is interested in James and in contact with him he is just not a take right now for us IMO. I dont think he is a take for any of the big schools that have offered him.

Basically I think we can find a WR that is better on the jet sweeps a better punt returner and kick returner. It also should not be that hard to find one elite RB to join the team this year when its all said and done.

[LimeyGator]

It is the job of the staff to convince an elite RB to come in and play. Tony James is a good RB but not elite. His skill set is better found in a WR that we will have more use for. We are not desperate for a RB so the staff has plenty of time to wait and convince 1 guy to jump on board James can wait. The staff is interested in James and in contact with him he is just not a take right now for us IMO. I dont think he is a take for any of the big schools that have offered him.

Basically I think we can find a WR that is better on the jet sweeps a better punt returner and kick returner. It also should not be that hard to find one elite RB to join the team this year when its all said and done.

Who is better that we have a strong shot at landing?

[GATORAZ]

Who is better that we have a strong shot at landing?

Pretty much everybody we have offered at RB besides Dee Johnson is better than James. We will have a great shot at whoever UGA doesn't take. Its early we only need one nothing to really worry about. We can always take Tony James Dee Johnson or somebody similar late in the cycle if it comes to that. IMO James isnt really fighting for a spot with the RB's he is fighting fo a spot with the slot WR's because thats the role he would be playing.

[GATORAZ]

speaking of slot WR's I want to see how this kid does at camp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySiaLE-PdpU