This is the big weekend the Gators were pointing to. With the SEC East wrapped up and Steve Spurrier coming to town, The Swamp should be rocking Saturday night. The Gator coaches have decided to bring in some big time prospects for the weekend on official visits and there are also a bunch of unofficial visitors here to just watch the game. Tune in for the most accurate visit list, anywhere!
Last year’s FSU game was the one that saw an avalanche of recruits commit afterwards, could this be that game this year? The Gators seem to have nine slots left for a recruiting class that is supposed to go to 27. Last year saw Florida lose a few committed players before signing day, so don’t be surprised if that number is greater than nine. A large percentage of the remaining slots should be filled by visitors to this game.
The Gators are also really stepping up the recruitment of junior prospects and there are numerous that should be in attendance on Saturday.
Here is a look, by position, of the players that are expected to make it in on Saturday:
The Gators want to sign two quarterbacks for the class of 2007. One of the fan favorites so far this season is Cam Newton of Atlanta (GA) Westlake. The four-star Newton is already committed to the Gators and is taking his official visit to Gainesville this weekend. He has already been an excellent recruiter for the University of Florida. Also expected to attend is four-star Tampa Jefferson quarterback Stephen Garcia. Garcia hasn’t committed to anyone yet but the Gators and Gamecocks are very near the top of his his list. Most believe he is headed to South Carolina.
Florida needs to come up big at running back and the Gators will host their first official visitor of the season at the position in Armando Allen of Hialeah Miami-Lakes. The four-star back missed his entire senior season due to injury and subsequently slid down the rankings, but he is one the Gators would really like to get to say yes this weekend.
A big surprise visitor for the weekend is five-star running back Noel Devine of North Ft. Myers. Scout.com’s number one rated back is expected in attendance, but it is not certain how much interest there is between him and the Gators.
The Gators are also getting an early start for the class of 2008 with the expected arrival on Saturday of running backs Eric Smith of Seffner Armwood and Carlton (Ty) Jones of Tampa Middleton. Both are impressive runners and just juniors in high school.
Three five-star receivers highlight the wide receiver list along with one of the most underrated players in the country. The number two receiver in the country according to Scout.com, Terrance Toliver of Hempstead (TX), is expected in attendance. He is due to arrive Friday afternoon at 2:30pm and will be here until Sunday afternoon. LAst Wednesday night, Toliver told us what he’s looking forward to.
“I am just looking to have fun,” Toliver said. “I want to tour the campus and have fun sight-seeing for one. I also want to check out the facilities again. I heard it is real loud in the Swamp. They do the Gator chomp and are real loud. I am just ready to experience the atmosphere down there. I am calling Cam Newton tomorrow and talk to him about the weekend. I am looking forward to having a good time Saturday night.”
Five-star receiver Ahmad Paige of Sterlington (LA) is currently a soft commitment to FSU and will be in Gainesville this weekend on an official visit. Paige told me Wednesday night he is also ready for the weekend. He has a playoff game Friday night, so he will be arriving in Gainesville on Saturday morning.
“I want to see the facilities and I really want to meet the coaches,” Paige said. “I am excited to meet Coach Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow and some of those guys.”
“Man, I heard about the Swamp. I heard it is crazy down there. On my Georgia official visit, I talked to some players and they said the number one place they have been is the Swamp. They said it is just crazy.”
Gator commitments Paul Wilson and Chris Rainey from two-time defending 5A state champ Lakeland will be in attendance. Wilson is a wide receiver while Rainey, a high school running back rated four stars, is expected to be a slot receiver for the Gators. Four-star Panama City Bay athlete Bert Reed is also committed to the Gators and is expected to attend the game. Five-star receiver Deonte Thompson of Belle Glade Glades Central is one the Gators would love to land and he is expected at the game on an unofficial visit and his third trip this season.
While there are no official visitors on the offensive line, it is a great group of prospects expected to be in the stands for the game against South Carolina. Of course Maurkice Pouncey and Michael Pouncey are both committed four-star linemen from Lakeland. The Pouncey twins have been board favorites on Gator Country and provide us with a weekly journal of their season this year. They will be in the stands with three-star Gator commitment Linval Joseph of nearby Alachua Santa Fe.
Four-star offensive tackle Antwan Greenlee of Columbus (GA) is a Georgia commitment, but expected to be in the stands on Saturday. Greenlee should be joined by junior tackle Michael Brewster of Orlando Edgewater in the stands on Saturday.
If there is one group that may the most impressive in attendance on Saturday it will probably be the defensive line. The Gators will bring in two big timers for official visits on the weekend with five-star defensive end Ben Martin of Cincinnati (OH) La Salle and four-star Duke Lemmens of Westlake Village (CA) Oaks Christian. Both Martin and Lemmens visited Gainesville for Friday Night Lights camp in July and are back again.
Martin commented on what he is looking forward to.
“I just want to meet the players and see how they are,” Martin said. “I want to see what kind of atmosphere it is in Gainesville. I am pretty sure the atmosphere will be crazy down there but I want to see it first hand. I have heard it is a loud stadium and a tough place to play.”
Martin and Lemmens should be joined at game time by Gator commitment and five-star defensive tackle Torrey Davis of Seffner Armwood. Davis is the number two rated defensive tackle in the country according to Scout.com. Another defensive line commitment, four-star defensive end Jay Howard of Orlando Jones is also expected in for his fifth game of the season.
Five-star Jacksonville Jackson defensive lineman D’Angelo McCray will be making his fifth trip of the season to the Swamp. He was recently added to the US Army All-American Bowl roster and also will make his final collegiate decision known on Dec 14th on ESPN. Five-star Lakeland defensive tackle John Brown is expected to make it to Gainesville for the game on Saturday with his teammates. Brown is said to be down to choosing between Florida and Alabama. One of the newest recruits on the radar is four-star defensive end Carlos Dunlap of North Charleston (SC) Ft. Dorchester. Dunlap is a freakish end that is favoring the Gators right now.
A strong contingent of junior defensive linemen is also expected on hand for the game on Saturday. Vincent Williams of Davenport Ridge is a quick end that also packs some strength. Defensive tackle Marty Everett of South Sumter is a cousin of Earl Everett the Gators starting outside linebacker. Athletic Matt Patchan of Tampa Freedom can play both offense and defense and is said to be leaning to defense at this time. Justin Green of Palm Beach Gardens is another junior that has turned some heads this year on the defensive line.
A pair of Gator linebacker commitments headline the list at the position. Three-star Lakeland athlete Steven Wilks and three-star Sarasota Booker athlete John Jones are expected in attendance on Saturday. The two committed to the Gators earlier this year. Jacksonville Forrest four-star linebacker Brandon Hicks is one the Gators would like to get to pull the trigger soon. He is expected to make his second game of the season in the Swamp. Junior linebacker Nigel Bradham of Crawfordville Wakulla is expected to make his fourth appearance in the Swamp this weekend and will be near the top of next year’s list of top players at any position.
Listed as the number one weak side linebacker in the nation by Scout.com, Lorenzo Edwards of Orlando Edgewater is actually being recruited as a safety by Florida and other schools. Edwards along with Miami Monsignor Pace four-star cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke will take official visits this weekend to Gainesville. Edwards has been to Gainesville for a game this season and Van Dyke is currently a soft commitment to Miami.
Four-star Gator commitment Ahmad Black of Lakeland has been to all but one game this season. He will no doubt be trying to sell other Gator recruits to come and play for the Gators. Georgia commitment and four-star cornerback Vance Cuff of Moultrie (GA) Colquitt County is also expected in. Finally, athlete and Miami commitment Damien Berry is a four-star prospect from Belle Glade Glades Central and he should be riding up with Deonte Thompson to the game for an unofficial visit.
The list is as good as you will find to attend any game anywhere this year and includes and incredible nine five-star prospects and fifteen four star prospects along with several very high profile juniors. This is one game the Gators would do well to win big and get this group turned to the Orange and Blue. We have one more name (and yet another huge one…) to add to the expected list and that name will be revealed on our Insider Recruiting message board, so be sure to tune in here.