Greg Dent Jr.

[CSpantheGatorFan]

Luke Stampini of SoFlafootball.com has recently said that Greg Dent Jr. (miami commit) is one of the top 5 players he has seen in person this year along with Lamarcus Joyner, Corey Miller, Chris Dunkley, and Ivan McCartney (Pretty good company). I have also heard him say that had Dent attended FNL, he would have more than likely been awarded a scholarship by UF.

Now I bring this up not because I think this recent top 5 list will change the coaches minds, but I believe Dent was a visitor for the vanderbilt game and oh by the way is great friends with Kelvin Benjamin who is quite possibly our top target for 2011. In landing Dent, we would get an outstanding player and would be instantly the favorite to land Benjamin from what I understand.

If you are wondering why we haven't offered Dent yet if he is so great, I think it is mainly due to questions about his speed and the fact we have several other prospects at his position(s) (S/CB/WR I believe). He is described as simply an outstanding football player who constantly makes plays and has good football speed despite not being a player that will necessarily test well at combines and such. Dent sounds to me kind of like an Ahmad Black type of player with maybe a little more speed.

Dent has also been the MVP of the Muck Bowl the last two seasons.

Was wondering what anyone else has heard or thinks about us possibly trying to flip Dent into a Gator. I hope it happens personally and hope we are at least trying. Although, like I have said many times before, I trust that Urban and the staff will make the right decision.

[TheOriginalTexGator]

crickets lightly chirping in the background!

[BahamianCane]

He will be in the NFL in 3 years after dominating in college. Whoever lands him will be lucky (UM or FSU).

[gator7_5]

^ good lord...

[MiracleMax]

Dent is a great player, but who would you drop?

We already have great players and it wouldn't make sense to trade any of them for Dent.

PS - Connection with Kelvin Benjamin is noted and he's a big time stud, but Benjamin is not even close to our # 1 priority for 2010.

(Think Lemay, Jernigan, Clowney, Bellamy and several others are first)

[CSpantheGatorFan]

Originally Posted by MiracleMax

Dent is a great player, but who would you drop?

We already have great players and it wouldn't make sense to trade any of them for Dent.

PS - Connection with Kelvin Benjamin is noted and he's a big time stud, but Benjamin is not even close to our # 1 priority for 2010.

(Think Lemay, Jernigan, Clowney, Bellamy and several others are first)

Dent wouldn't be taking the place of anyone already in the 2010 class. I don't even think it is clear what position he would play yet. We would just be adding Dent instead of someone else who has not yet signed with us. But, I do get what I think you are trying to say as we have a lot of other prospects lined up.

I disagree about Benjamin not being close to our top target in 2011 (I assume that is what you meant). He is at the very least our top WR target. Other than Alli, we don't have any 6-5, 6-6 receivers who will be around in 2011. Receivers with the size, hands, and athleticism that Benjamin has are very hard to find. If we miss on Benjamin, we miss on landing a 6-5 receiver with great hands and athleticism for the 2011 class (Unless there is another one that I haven't heard of that we are recruiting). There is also no guarantee that one would be around in 2012, 2013, 2014, etc.

To me, Benjamin's talent is too rare for him to not be one of our top prospects in 2011, but I don't know for a fact that he is. I was basically just making that assumption, which I thought was a pretty safe one.

I have to ask though, what is it that Benjamin lacks that makes him any less important than some of the others?

[GallantGator]

Dent is an incredible player...I had a chance to see him with my own two eyes this weekend.

I would make an offer to him right now as a CB. He deserves it.

In any case...he is a top ten prospect in the state of Florida. Just an incredible all-around prospect.

[MiracleMax]

Originally Posted by CSpantheGatorFan

Dent wouldn't be taking the place of anyone already in the 2010 class. I don't even think it is clear what position he would play yet. We would just be adding Dent instead of someone else who has not yet signed with us. But, I do get what I think you are trying to say as we have a lot of other prospects lined up.

I disagree about Benjamin not being close to our top target in 2011 (I assume that is what you meant). He is at the very least our top WR target. Other than Alli, we don't have any 6-5, 6-6 receivers who will be around in 2011. Receivers with the size, hands, and athleticism that Benjamin has are very hard to find. If we miss on Benjamin, we miss on landing a 6-5 receiver with great hands and athleticism for the 2011 class (Unless there is another one that I haven't heard of that we are recruiting). There is also no guarantee that one would be around in 2012, 2013, 2014, etc.

To me, Benjamin's talent is too rare for him to not be one of our top prospects in 2011, but I don't know for a fact that he is. I was basically just making that assumption, which I thought was a pretty safe one.

I have to ask though, what is it that Benjamin lacks that makes him any less important than some of the others?

I have no knocks on Benjamin. It's just that he plays a position that isn't as important as the others.

Lemay is the most important guy on our list even though we will chase 15 guys who are more highly rated. The reason is simple...the QB touches and distributes the ball every play. Clearly most important position.

Belllamy would see 12-15 touches per game in our offense and bring a Percy like feature of having the defense devote more resources to him. Benjamin would get maybe 4 touches per game.

Guys like Clowney and Jernigan play positions that are factors on nearly every play.

As you can see this year, we are making a title run with less than stellar WR talent. I don't think you could say the same if we had a mediocre QB or mediocre front 7.

I would LOVE to get Benjamin. But if I had to choose, I'd take the other guys first.

Edit: It looks like Miami is the team we would need to beat for Benjamin. Also, he may project as a tight end and there are other guys out here with similar measurable at TE. Jay Rome might be a guy we would take ahead of Benjamin.

[CSpantheGatorFan]

Originally Posted by MiracleMax

I have no knocks on Benjamin. It's just that he plays a position that isn't as important as the others.

Lemay is the most important guy on our list even though we will chase 15 guys who are more highly rated. The reason is simple...the QB touches and distributes the ball every play. Clearly most important position.

Belllamy would see 12-15 touches per game in our offense and bring a Percy like feature of having the defense devote more resources to him. Benjamin would get maybe 4 touches per game.

Guys like Clowney and Jernigan play positions that are factors on nearly every play.

As you can see this year, we are making a title run with less than stellar WR talent. I don't think you could say the same if we had a mediocre QB or mediocre front 7.

I would LOVE to get Benjamin. But if I had to choose, I'd take the other guys first.

Edit: It looks like Miami is the team we would need to beat for Benjamin. Also, he may project as a tight end and there are other guys out here with similar measurable at TE. Jay Rome might be a guy we would take ahead of Benjamin.

Yeah, after I thought about it, I figured that was probably your line of thinking. In all honesty, the coaches are probably thinking along the same lines as you. I know we weren't really arguing (More like discussing) but if we were, this is the part where I would say, "Yeah, you are probably right."

I was thinking more along the lines of if we miss on Benjamin, we miss on a 6-5 with great athleticism and hands (Like I said in my last post). If we miss on a guy like Bellamy, we move on to speed back #2 (Yes, I know Bellamy has decent size). While he may not be quite as good as Bellamy, we would still get a back with similar skills.

To me, Benjamin is one of the top 3-4 Gator prospects I am hoping we land, but that is just my opinion. Luckily, we don't have to chose only 1 recruit.

With locks/heavy favorites like Wilder, Bellamy, Jernigan, Watkins (Just to name a few) and Saunders already commited, the 2011 class appears headed in the same direction as the 2010 class.

Also, know that I didn't take it as you knocking Benjamin. Was just wondering (At the time) what you thought the difference between him and the other elite talents on our board were.

Peace.