Football season is back in full force as the Florida Gators and high schools have both officially started fall practice in preparation for the upcoming season.
This also officially closes the summer portion of the Florida Gators Recruiting season, as prospects will now visit the Gators to either watch practice or to take in a game this fall.
Now that the Florida coaching staff has had the opportunity to look at prospects in camp and on visits the coaching staff has a better idea of where they stand with the top prospects in the country.
GatorCountry.com now brings you the latest recruiting board for the offense and defensive side of the ball heading into the fall.
This is Gator Country’s opinion of the board and not anyone else’s. Let’s start off with the offensive side of the ball.
Quarterback
Target number: 2
Committed: Kyle Trask (6-6, 212, Manvel, TX High) camped at Florida twice this summer and earned his offer. Trask is a solid commit to Florida and he understands that the Florida Gators plan on taking two quarterbacks in the class of 2016.
Top targets:
Clemson Tigers commit Zerrick Cooper (6-2, 203, Jonesboro, GA High) visited the Gators for Friday Night Lights and has interest in the Gators despite continuing to say he’s solid to Clemson. Right now it’s just a wait see approach with Cooper to see if he visits the Gators again, but he does in fact talk to the staff in Gainesville.
LSU Tigers commit Feleipe Franks (6-6, 203, Crawfordville, FL Wakulla) continues to talk to the Florida Gators coaching staff but he has been to Baton Rouge several times this summer and a flip seems unlikely at this point.
Miami Hurricanes commit Jack Allison (6-5, 181, Palmetto, FL High) just signed his FAA agreement with Miami, but just like in year’s past, prospects flip even when they sign that paperwork. If things continue to go down south in Coral Gables then Allison is someone to watch closely.
Running back
Target number: 2
Committed: JUCO running back Mark Thompson (6-2, 230, Dodge City, KS JUCO) and Lamical Perine (5-11, 211, Theodore, AL High) are both solid in their commitments to Florida. Thompson says he will still take official visits but it will take a lot for the running back to change his mind on the Gators. Perine on the other hand has no other visits planned and is a solid commit to the Florida Gators, a school he grew up loving.
Top targets: The Florida Gators are happy with the two prospects they have signed and at this point they are not after anyone else. This should stay the same throughout the next several months unless something happens with Thompson or Perine that changes their opinion on Florida.
Receiver
Target number: 5-6
Committed: Josh Hammond (6-0, 180, Hallandale, FL High), Isaiah Johnson (6-3, 190, West Palm Beach, FL Dwyer) and Rick Wells (6-0, 187, Jacksonville, FL Raines) are all committed to Florida. Of the three, Hammond is the only one not taking visits at this time as Wells has visited the South Carolina Gamecocks and still plans to take some official visits. Johnson also continues to mention a potential trip to the Auburn Tigers, but that is a visit he has been talking about for some time now. Of the three it seems as if Wells is the least solid of the bunch but the Jacksonville prospect continues to see say he’s solid.
Top targets:
Miami Hurricanes commit Sam Bruce (5-8, 179, Fort Lauderdale, St. Thomas Aquinas)- continues to visit Florida and the last time he was in Gainesville he stayed for two days with his good friend Jordan Scarlett. Bruce plans to take an official to the Gators and Florida is in a team that will be in the mix until the end.
Tyrie Cleveland (6-3, 180, Houston, TX Westfield)- Cleveland is probably the most unlikely out of the group of targets but Cleveland does have a good bit of interest in the Gators. Cleveland is from Jacksonville, and is good friends with Rick Wells.
Nate Craig-Myers (6-2, 205, Tampa, FL Catholic)- Florida trails the Auburn Tigers and the Florida State Seminoles at this time but Craig-Myers’ brother (Jayvaughn Myers) just committed to Florida last week and that certainly helps the Gators chances here. Florida needs to get him back on campus again to continue the momentum they created during Friday Night Lights.
Cavin Ridley (6-1, 190, Deerfield Beach, FL High)- Ridley was supposed to commit in June but didn’t and at that time the Florida Gators were the team to beat for him. Now that Ridley has pushed back his decision, the Alabama Crimson Tide are now heavily in the mix and appear to be the team to beat.
Freddie Swain (6-1, 174, Citra, FL North Marion)- for most of Swain’s recruitment the Gators and others were not pushing hard for his commitment but after a great summer that saw Swain dominate camp after camp, the Gators and others are pushing hard for his commitment. Florida and Tennessee are both high on the list and the receiver looks to commit in October.
Binjimen Victor (6-4, 173, Coconut Creek, FL High)- Victor, like Ridley, was supposed to commit in June but didn’t. Florida is still considered the leader for Victor but Ohio State and others are now in the mix as well.
Tight end
Target number: 1
Committed: The Florida Gators do not have a tight end commit at this time.
Top targets:
Nick Eubanks (6-6, 208, Plantation, FL American Heritage)- Eubanks just recently visited Florida in July, picked up an offer and the Gators are the team on the rise for him. Alabama is still considered to be the team to beat for him because his brother attends school there but Eubanks likes Jim McElwain’s offense and that could help Florida out.
Isaac Nauta (6-4, 235, Bradenton, FL IMG Academy)- Nauta just recently decommitted from Florida State, and while the Georgia Bulldogs are the team to beat right now, the Gators are still recruiting Nauta hard. Florida has a lot of ground to make up here and need to get him back on campus again but the Gators are definitely trying hard here.
LSU Tigers commit Jamal Pettigrew (6-5, 223, New Orleans, LA St. Augustine)-Pettigrew took a visit to Florida in June and he said that it was enough for Florida to get a return visit for an official this fall. Right now the Gators are a long shot to flip Pettigrew but it’s something to keep an eye on.
Offensive line
Target number: 5
Committed: JUCO offensive lineman Branton Autry (6-4, 320, Coffeyville, KS JUCO), Stone Forsythe (6-7 331, Winter Garden, FL West Orange) and Brett Heggie (6-4, 290, Mount Dora, FL High) are solid commits to Florida at this time. Heggie just recently committed to Florida and says that he’s solid and doesn’t have any trips planned elsewhere. Forsythe grew up rooting for Florida and has no visits planned at this time. Autry sees the opportunity to play from day one in Gainesville and is solid to the Gators and is recruiting his teammate Jamarcus King to the Gators.
Top targets:
Solomon Kindley (6-5, 345, Jacksonville, FL Raines)- Kindley doesn’t have a Florida offer yet due to his weight but he’s someone to keep an eye on this season as Florida will evaluate his senior tape.
LSU Tigers commit Jakori Savage (6-5, 276, Bay Minette, FL Baldwin County)- Savage just picked up a Florida offer in July and he says that he may visit Florida but no plan has been made as of this time.
John Simpson (6-4, 288, North Charleston, S.C. Fort Dorchester)- Clemson and South Carolina are the teams to beat here but Florida surprised Simpson during his spring visit to campus. Simpson says he will visit the Gators this fall.
Marcus Tatum (6-6, 254, Daytona Beach, FL Mainland)- Florida is considered the leader here but Tennessee is making a charge up his board and now Tatum doesn’t have a timeline of when he will make a decision. The Gators will try to continue to get him back on campus as they look to seal the deal.
Jauan Williams (6-6, 315, Washington D.C. Archbishop Carrol)- Williams visited Florida in July and liked his visit but right now Florida State and others are leading here.
Thanks, Andrew. Looks like a decent group. Sure would be good to snag a couple of receivers that are ready for prime time immediately! We had quite a few premier guys under Meyer, had a gaggle of great guys under Spurrier, even Zook, but I can’t figure out what happened as of late…coaching, QB’s, receivers, offensive coordinators, offensive philosophy, 3 yards and a cloud of dust? It’s been a while. It’d be nice to have more than one go-to guy. It would also be nice to have someone that can get the ball to the receivers. It would also be nice to have a line that can protect the guys that are trying to get the ball to the receivers. I think I just realised the problem. HA! Hopefully, Mac is building the dream and they will come. Go Gators.
I think Florida will get some playmakers out of the receiver class for sure. Isaiah Johnson is a big play target already committed and Wells and Hammond can also play receiver very well.