The Florida Gators coaching staff has done a good job of putting together an impressive 2021 class already before the season even starts.
Dan Mullen and the coaching staff has a few more spots remaining in the class as they look to finish off on some needs in the class.
GatorCountry brings you a recruiting mailbag to answer your questions on the 2021 class as well as the 2022 class.
Check out the mailbag here to get all the answers to your questions.
OklahomaGator: I will throw out the easy question first, what is maximum class size?
AS: Florida can take a 3-4 more in the class right now. There isn’t an exact number they can take at this point.
Ufgatordad: How are we looking with top 2022 guys like Singletary, Shemar Stewart, etc? Any idea when some guys for this class will pop?
AS: Florida sits in good shape for both Jaheim Singletary and Shemar Stewart right now but with the dead period going on for so long, I think it will be awhile before you see guys committing in the 2022 class. Most of those guys want to take visits before deciding and unlike the 2021 class, they have time to wait.
Macbgator: Who are our most likely recruit candidates on the offensive line to sign??
AS: Florida is still recruiting Tristian Leigh, Diego Pounds, and Yousef Mugharbil for the final spot in the class on the offensive line. Right now Florida isn’t leading for any of those guys but they’re in the discussion to get visits from each of those guys.
Gatorfantone247: What is going on with Grad Transfer Right Tackle Jaquay Hubbard…. do you think he chooses us?
AS: Hubbard picked West Virginia.
Gatorfantone247: Who do you think could be a surprise commit to our Gators when to 2021 class is all said and done?
AS: One of the offensive linemen picking Florida would be a surprise right now but besides that, all of the remaining targets on the board for the Gators wouldn’t be a shock as the Gators are in the thick of it for those guys.
Dpgator: If you could pick one player that’s left on our board, who would be the most important get for meeting/exceeding needs for a position?
AS: Tunmise Adeleye is a guy that I believe could be a difference maker for this class. He’s a guy that plays day one and can help lead a defense to big things so he would be a guy that I would say is most important.
Uthater: It’s been mentioned that Tyreak Sapp is waivering. If we land Tunmise and/or Langston, Is he def gone? What’s the chance we lose Sapp no matter what?
AS: Right now I lean towards Sapp going elsewhere but he continues to say the right things in regards to Florida. If Florida did/does land Tunmise and Langston, they would still go after Sapp but I think it would be toug to keep him.
Matherly87: Which freshmen signees from last year have the best chance of not taking a redshirt after this season, based on practice info, depth charts, and coaches comments? My guess would be WR Henderson, OL Braun, DL Dexter and Powell, S Wilcoxson and Torrence, CB Rogers and K/P Chawshaw.
AS: Josh Braun, Xzavier Henderson and Jaquavion Fraziars could all play significant time on offense this year for the Gators. On defense, I think you have to start any conversation with Gervon Dexter. Derek Wingo is another guy that I think will play a good bit this year and should contribute.
Juggernautz: IYHO, do you think Mr. Charles Montgomery will have more touches as a WR or RB?
AS: I believe he will be more of a slot receiver that will see some reps at running back but mainly will be a receiver.
TebowNut6: Our recruiting this year has been a roller coaster. One minute we can’t get anyone we want, and then we get a few highly-coveted prospects within a week. So clearly there is SOME recruiting ability on this staff, albeit spotty. But the Brewster hire has many of us expecting HUGE things. Has he had any real impact to date? Or is COVID truly to blame for stifling some of his abilities? Are his fingerprints on these most recent big-time verbals, or does he have irons in the fire we just have yet to really hear about?
AS: Brewster has definitely helped with landing the two tight ends and then he was big in helping land Jason Marshall and Corey Collier from South Florida. Brewster has had and will have an impact on recruiting but I think some people expected him to come in and just land everyone and that wasn’t going to happen. However he has been a big upgrade for the staff.
TebowNut6: Oh, and one more question… For the past few years you’ve alluded to those staffs recruiting either average or fringe-SEC guys – which might keep you somewhat competitive, but hardly elite to where you’re a legit championship contender. We needed to get back to landing the true “day 1” blue chip guys to prove we were back to elite standards. What recruit in this years class would convince you UF is back to recruiting at a championship level? Or would it take more than just 1 or 2 in this class?
AS: The biggest thing for me so far this cycle was the staff’s ability to land Corey Collier and Jason Marshall even when things were tight with other schools. Landing top flight instate kids is a major step in the right direction now they just have to hold onto them and continue to improve instate every year. But winning the battle for those two was a big win after losing Jacorey Brooks and Christian Leary to out of state schools.
IAmBornAGator: Any defections or kids the staff might encourage to look elsewhere given we filled up pretty quickly but still have lots of top prospects interested in UF.
I know not PC to talk about kids encouraged to look elsewhere but are there kids on their own who are looking elsewhere for whatever reason?
AS: A few guys are worth watching in the class but I believe for the most part everyone that’s in the class right now is wanted by the coaching staff.
The main guys looking around right now are Tyreak Sapp and Chief Borders. Borders likes Stanford a lot but remains solid to Florida. I believe Borders sticks with the Gators.