The Cody Jones recruiting report

This is the dead time for recruiting. Two-a-days have begun on every college campus in the country and in some states, the first high school games will be played this Friday night. Even with the lack of unofficial visits or one-night camps that pique everybody’s interest such as Friday Night Lights, recruiting goes on even if it isn’t so high profile.

The Florida Gators have about half their recruiting class filled for 2009 and they’re already working on the 2010 class. Two high profile recruits for 2010 have that class off to a great start.

Here is a look at the 2009-2010 recruits that I stay in touch with on a regular basis and here’s an August update of where they stand:

CLASS OF 2009

JON BOSTIC, LB (6-3, 225, Wellington, FL Palm Beach Central): The cliché in recruiting is that there is no such thing as a lock. I won’t say Bostic is a lock to Florida, but I would say there is a very good chance that he ends up a Gator. He won’t openly say the Gators lead right now because he wants to go through the recruiting process. His parents are encouraging him to take as many visits as he can to make a well-informed decision. Expect him in Gainesville for the Miami and LSU games.

MARLON BROWN, WR, (6-6, 210, Memphis, TN Harding Academy): You couldn’t find a more hyped recruit last February and March, but Brown’s stock has taken a hit since his average performance at the USC Rising Stars Camp. I think he is a little down on the board right now as the tall receiver in this class, particularly behind Jheranie Boyd. The other thing that sticks out is Brown’s insistence on playing both football and basketball in college. I just don’t see that happening in Gainesville. Gators basketball coach Billy Donovan hasn’t spoken to him in almost half a year and only saw Brown play at Peach Jam because some of the Gators’ other top basketball targets were in attendance. He’s a good basketball player but good enough to play for Florida? That might be a stretch. He will visit Florida officially, but right now I don’t see him in this class.  I’m thinking LSU or Tennessee.

ORSON CHARLES, TE (6-3, 230, Tampa, FL Plant): Obviously he said that he almost publicly committed to Miami over a week ago, and at this point I would be shocked to see him go elsewhere. This is another case of a guy who grew up in awe of a school and wants to play there, regardless of how much they actually throw to their tight end. Florida still has a chance, but it would take a massive implosion by Miami and a letdown type season from Georgia. The only reason Florida is still in this is because Charles likes tight ends coach John Hevesy.

JARVIS JONES, LB (6-4, 210, Columbus, GA Carver): His plan was to get to Gainesville by the time his season started, but that looks less likely by the day. He is one of the recruits who likes to be quiet about the process, but everything that I’ve heard from him and others is extremely positive for the Gators. He has come out and said that he grew up rooting for the Gators, so that never hurts. The staff feels good about the linebackers already on the team, plus they feel good about Bostic, so signing Jones is not a necessity. Still, if a talent like Jones wants to come, they won’t turn him down.

BRAXTON LANE, WR (5-11, 183, Tyrone, GA Sandy Creek): The Gators’ contact has faded somewhat from Lane, but he’s an exceptional athlete who could get a harder look if Andre DeBose heads elsewhere. The reason the contact between the Florida staff and Lane may have become limited is that Lane is considered a top baseball prospect. He was recently named an Aflac All-American and played in the Under Armour All-American baseball game, the two most prestigious achievements for an amateur baseball player.

DESMOND PARKS, TE (6-4, 225, Greer, SC): The word is that Parks is doing his best to enroll early at Florida. Coach John Hevesy has been up to meet with his guidance counselors to overlook the transcripts to see if it’s possible, and while nothing is certain, it looks like Parks will be enrolling early. I particularly like this because it gives him an extra semester to put weight on and learn the offense. If he adds the necessary weight to play as a freshman, they could bring back the two tight-end set with Parks and Hernandez next fall.  That would give the Gators two very athletic, pass-catching tight ends. COMMITTED TO FLORIDA

JAMAL PATTERSON, WR (6-3, 200, McDonough, GA Henry County): He will take an official visit to Gainesville this fall and his interest in the Gators remains high. The date of his official visit may be undecided, but I expect it to come late in the process. This will give the Florida coaches an opportunity to see how they feel about Jheranie Boyd and Marlon Brown. Patterson would be a good fit in the Florida class as the taller receiver, but the Under Armour All-American also has decent speed.

GREG REID, ATH (5-9, 170, Valdosta, GA): There’s never been a more solid commitment than Greg Reid. Even when the Florida State and Georgia fans thought they would at least get a visit from him, Reid continued to insist he was all Orange and Blue. This is a kid that I wouldn’t care if he did visit another school. He will end up at Florida as long as his grades are solid. Reid actually called me to insist that Gator fans stop by Valdosta this fall on their way down to Gainesville. COMMITTED TO FLORIDA

CLASS OF 2010

TREY BURTON, QB (6-2, 195, Venice, FL) The Gators got the top-notch quarterback they wanted in the 2010 class more than a year-and-a-half before he will sign. It’s obvious Burton absolutely bleeds Orange and Blue, and he will be one Gator fans won’t have to worry about during the process. He and the other 2010 commitment, offensive tackle Ian Silberman, have been in constant contact with each other since Burton committed and they are already trying to establish a relationship. Watch for a blowup season from Burton this fall during only his second year playing quarterback. COMMITTED TO FLORIDA

TYRONE CORNILEUS, LB-S (6-2, 185, Stone Mountain, GA): It’s funny when you look at the 2010 class and see so many players with ties to the university. Cornelius is one – his sister is a current student and his parents graduated from Florida. Multiple sources agree that he was the second best prospect at linebacker during Friday Night Lights behind Jon Bostic.  He needs to add some weight as some people see him as a cross between linebacker and safety. If he does that and the Florida staff stays on him hard, expect him to be a Gator.

CHRIS DUNKLEY, WR (5-11, 175, Royal Palm Beach, FL): He ready to get the season started. He’s been working out at wide receiver and cornerback for the team and performing very well on both sides. After he got the Florida offer, the Gators rocketed to the top of his leaders by a large margin. That is the still the case for Dunkley, one of the top receivers in the state, and he continues to say it will be difficult to change. Coach Billy Gonzales told him that they would love him to make it to every game he can in Gainesville this year, but right now the only game he will attend is Miami. He recently got offered by South Carolina and South Florida, and the Southern California coaches have told him that he will be getting an offer soon.

MATT ELAM, S (6-0, 202, Palm Beach Gardens, FL Dwyer): You’d be hard pressed to find a recruit more interested in Florida. Even those like Dunkley, who say that Florida is their first choice, can’t compare to Elam’s enthusiasm. You can try to talk to him about other schools which are in contact with him or which have offered, but he will always bring the conversation back to the Gators. I think they want him to hold off with committing, but the staff could basically get him to announce publicly whenever they want.

JAKE HEAPS, QB, (6-2, 195, Issaquah, Wash.): A lot of people have written him off with the commitment of 2010 quarterback Trey Burton, but I’m not for several reasons. Heaps maintains that he wants to get to Gainesville bad. He is interested in getting to the Southeast to visit Florida and South Carolina. Then there’s the thought of he and Burton combining as the two quarterbacks in the class. It brings back thoughts of Cam Newton and John Brantley in the same class, with two of the top prospects heading to Gainesville.

IAN SILBERMAN, OL, (6-5, 275, Orange Park, Fla.): He made his commitment before Friday Night Lights started – a big statement – and he then went onto the field and dominated. He was adamant about recruiting for the Gators when I spoke to him Friday night. It would be tough to top Silberman and Burton when it comes to cornerstones for a recruiting class, and they are only the first two. The two are building a relationship and will be recruiting other guys for Florida.