The Florida Gators recruiting efforts picked up momentum on Saturday as the Gators took the field in the Swamp and hosted prospects for the first game of the 2018 season.
The Gators picked up a lot of momentum during the dead period and that continued on Monday when they picked up yet another commitment.
Gator Country’s members have a lot of questions about how the 2019 class will shake out and who are the top prospects that the Gators are still after.
We answer your questions in this week’s Florida Gators recruiting mailbag.
Well let’s dive right in to this week’s recruiting mailbag:
RVG: Do you see any current commits being told to look elsewhere, or is everyone a keeper?
AS: Everyone is a keeper at this time but as the senior year tape comes out that could change but at this time everyone is solid.
Jump_pass: How is the Safety board looking? I’m not optimistic about the way it looks but haven’t heard anything in a while. Any chance we get Gant from F$U with Nick Cross there now?
AS: At safety it’s really just Jordan Battle, Lewis Cine and Cortez Andrews and Florida isn’t leading for any of those guys at the moment. The good news is that Florida should get all three of those guys on campus this fall to help turn the momentum.
Nickelgators: How do you feel about Trey Knox and Trey Sanders do you think they both will be Gators ?
AS: Florida is trending up with Knox and he says he may take an official visit to Florida this weekend. Sanders is still Alabama or Florida and the Gators are likely to continue to get him on campus this fall which helps their cause for him. Right now I would say Alabama has the leg up but it’s closer than it was.
OklahomaGator: I think we are at 4 offensive line commitments. It seems to be a position of need. How many more do you see us taking?
AS: The goal was to get five offensive linemen in the class and the last spot needs to be an offensive tackle as right now you don’t have a true tackle that is ready to play that position day one. I think the staff starts to look hard at the JUCO ranks for one.
LEMONHOPE: Now that FSU/UM have been embarrassed and shown their true selves on the national stage, are there any recruits that were committed to these schools or leaning that way, that could start looking around more and the Gators potentially capitalize on?
Momentum has for the moment completely flipped to the good guys and I’m curious if recruits have noticed as well.
AS: It’s tough to say after just one game that a recruits mind would change that much but if this patterns continues then guys like Derick Hunter and Quashon Fuller would be ones to watch as they’re both committed to Florida State. It could hurt Miami with guys like Keon Zipperer and Evan Neal if they continue to struggle as well. But again it’s just one game.
Gatorrick22: Every year someone that committed to us decommits from us before signing day. Are there any current recruits that you could see looking elsewhere? And of so, is that because we get better players or is it to stay at 85 recruits?
AS: Right now everyone is solid in the class. Tyron Hopper is still talking to Auburn and that’s one to monitor but Florida is still in good shape with him at the moment. If I was saying right now if anyone leaves the class I would say probably so because it always happens but it would likely be because they got better players.
SirRaj: I haven’t heard about Wardrick Wilson in a while. How solid is his commitment?
AS: He’s still solid to Florida but he doesn’t say much nor does he take many visits.
Firefightingator: With 4 offensive lineman committed do we take Kamaar Bell if he wants in or do we wait for an instant impact guy or top JUCO offensive tackle ?
AS: You take Bell in the class and still hunt for another offensive tackle with the possibility that it might be a JUCO offensive tackle. Bell is too good of a player to turn away when you need to upgrade the offensive line but finding a true offensive tackle is a must in the class.
Edwinvincent: Kayvon Thibodeaux was on an official with FSU last weekend. Do you think FSU is still his leader after they got smoked and looked terrible on offense?
AS: I don’t think Thibodeaux has a true leader right now and with USC coming on late, you can’t count them out at all. Alabama, Florida State and USC are the teams to watch for sure for Thibodeaux says he still plans to take an official to Florida.
Emaness: How important is it that we get offensive tackles who can contribute immediately next year, and who are the targets/commits that fit that description?
AS: Florida really needs an offensive tackle in this year’s class that can crack the two deep next year. I think that’s the biggest need left in the class and the staff may start to look hard at JUCO offensive tackles in the country to fill that whole. Harrod will eventually move to tackle so that’s one tackle in the class.
Polkgator: How many more defensive line will we take and what position does Lloyd Summerall line up at, Buck?
AS: Summerall is a BUCK/defensive end depending on how much weight he gains. Florida would like to add a defensive tackle and a true defensive end to go with another BUCK in the class.
Irgator12: What is the latest on Elijah Higgins?
AS: He’s still looking hard at Florida and Stanford with an official visit to Florida coming in October. Higgins pushed back his decision to wait and see if he gets into Stanford but that doesn’t mean he’s a lock to Stanford either. Both Florida and Stanford are battling here.