Florida’s 10 Most Wanted … in the Sunshine State
Who are Florida’s top recruiting targets?
Welcome to the Ten Most Wanted.
Here, we’ve considered where we think each player sits on the Florida board, the program’s need at the position, the Gators’ chances of landing the prospect as well as the recruit’s skill set. Also, Florida must have at least a somewhat realistic shot of landing a prospect for him to make our list.
The Ten Most Wanted is extremely fluid. In recruiting, things can change on both sides in an instant. Florida’s recruiting board will shift — and shift a lot — all the way up until National Signing Day in December.
Finally … please remember, this is our list, not the Florida staff’s.
The Gators have the No. 4 recruiting class in the country for On3, with seven prospects in the fold for Billy Napier’s program. Today, Gators Online takes a look at Florida’s 10 Most Wanted targets in the Sunshine State.
Ohio State wide receiver commit Jeremiah Smith
Flipping Smith away from the Buckeyes is going to be difficult for any program, but the 5-star prospect is keeping the door cracked open. Additional official visits are expected to take place as well.
One of those schools on the radar is Florida. Smith recently logged a return trip to Gainesville, and to sweeten it up more, Gators quarterback commit DJ Lagway flew in the night prior to make sure he was present for Smith’s visit. I’m told that move by Lagway made a major impression on the wide receiver.
However, I believe Smith’s relationship with Billy Gonzales is the key here. The presence of Keary Colbert was arguably the No. 1 reason why the Gators were previously in the picture. so that bond with Gonzales is something we will be monitoring.
UF will need to land an official visit in order to have a real shot at changing the mind of the South Florida native. Georgia, Miami and Alabama are schools actively in pursuit as well.
Five-star running back Jerrick Gibson
Gibson has official visits scheduled with Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Miami and Alabama. Those are on the calendar for June, while schools such as Florida, Oklahoma and Ohio State are also in the picture.
The former Gators commit was recently back home in Gainesville for Easter, so he made sure to make another stop on campus. He was then in attendance for the Orange and Blue Game as well, so Billy Napier’s staff has already received a trio of visits in 2023.
However, Texas is the school positioned the best right now. Gibson does not need to officially visit the Gators due to proximity and his familiarity with the program, but it’s a stinger for Miami to receive one, especially with him being a former commit from Gainesville.
The Gators have catching up to do either way, and with two running backs already committed, Gibson’s position is not a big priority right now. We are obviously continuing to track his recruitment though.
Michigan State cornerback commit Jamari Howard
This is a recruitment that could go in several directions.
Back in the fall, the top-50 prospect made a commitment to Michigan State. He continues to say all the right things about that pledge as well, so don’t be surprised if the four-star prospect stays put. That commitment remains intact despite additional programs consistently trying to flip him.
However, Florida and Florida State have been surging in recent months; in fact, if you are asking me, staying put in the Sunshine State seems like the most-likely scenario right now.
Howard grew up a huge Seminoles fan and has been in Tallahassee a whole lot. That is where I was leaning for several months, but I’m giving the Gators the slight edge right now.
The South Florida native has been to Gainesville several times over the past month and is planning to return for an official visit. Corey Raymond has also been turning up the heat as of late and has the full respect of the rangy defender. His resume is something other DB coaches do not have; it’s that simple.
Additional programs are still in the picture, but I am focused on Michigan State, Florida and FSU.
Top-100 safety Zay Mincey
Earlier this month, I submitted an On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine for the Gators to land Mincey. My confidence level for the pick is currently at 65 percent.
Right now, I still don’t see Mincey leaving the state for college. The likes of Alabama, Tennessee, Notre Dame, LSU and Michigan have also offered, but most of the attention is on Florida and Florida State.
The Gators, however, have received the most visits and already hosted Mincey multiple times this year. UF is doing a good job of building trust and having that face time with him, especially Corey Raymond.
It’s a different feeling when you know you are a priority for arguably the top secondary coach in college football. Raymond’s presence is Gainesville is a major appeal for the Daytona Beach native.
There is some versatility with Mincey. He can operate as a bigger cornerback or roam in the back end of the defense at safety or nickel. There is a good chance he would start out at cornerback for UF though.
Nothing is guaranteed in recruiting, but intel suggests that UF holds the advantage heading into May.
On300 wide receiver TJ Moore
Florida is currently the No. 1 school for Tampa (Fla.) Catholic’s star pass catcher. Tennessee and Clemson are likely the Gators’ top competition right now, but all momentum is favoring the Orange and Blue.
The proximity advantage is huge for UF. That will allow Moore to visit several times over the summer, during the season, or even both; however, that obviously benefits additional in-state programs as well, as Miami, Florida State and UCF have received visits in recent months as well.
In addition to feeling like a priority, Moore has really connected with Billy Gonzales. They have only met one time, but it was a strong first impression that led to UF climbing to the top. It sure does not hurt that Moore’s mother is a big Gators fan as well.
All in all, 40-plus schools have offered and Moore is only a junior with one year of football experience. And while he is a member of the On300, one could say he deserves another bump nationally. The 6-foot-4 Moore is coveted by the nation’s best and deservedly so.
On300 safety Jordan Pride
Although he didn’t flip from FSU and remains on the market, I still feel strong about where the Gators stand with the blue-chip defensive back.
Price received an offer last summer and then attended Friday Night Lights and multiple home games. He was also present for one of UF’s junior days in January and the Orange and Blue Game, so that comfort level in Gainesville is different than most. Pride will return in the summer for an official visit as well.
However, even before Pride reopened his recruitment, the Gators were making a whole lot of noise. He was in Gainesville more than he was in Tallahassee, at least for a good portion of his junior year, and continues to feel like a big need for several staff members.
Earlier this month, I submitted an On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine pick for the Gators to come out on top. My confidence level for the pick is at 75 percent, and as of today, nothing has changed.
Four-star defensive lineman Kendall Jackson
The 2024 prospect has already set foot on campus nearly a dozen times and most recently visited for the Orange and Blue Game. He has major ties to the SEC program as well, as his mother is a Florida graduate along with his late uncle and former Gators wide receiver, Aubrey Hill.
Additional schools are getting the opportunity to make an impression though, as the likes of Miami, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas, Florida State, Kentucky and Georgia Tech were included in Jackson’s spring visit schedule. Several official visits will be taking place as well.
Jackson has yet to name a clear-cut leader, but there is no doubt who is trending. Those odds, according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, are sitting at 96.5 percent.
Sean Spencer, Kali James and Billy Napier are among those in communication with the hometown star.
Top-100 defensive lineman LJ McCray
Due to proximity and the amount of visits he has taken to both schools, I believe Florida and Florida State are positioned best for McCray, who is teammates with Zay Mincey at Daytona Beach Mainland.
When McCray attended a spring practice in early March, it marked his second visit to Gainesville this year, as he journeyed up to campus in late January as well. His stock is soaring from a rankings standpoint, but he has also emerged as one of the Gators’ priority targets in the trenches.
The Gators, according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, are trending with odds of 34.2 percent; however, I’m giving the slight edge to the Seminoles right now. There is not much separation between the two, but the ACC program has generated more buzz to this point.
They don’t draw them up much better at 6-foot-6.5, 260 pounds, and because of that, McCray is being pursued by a boatload of additional programs as well, including Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, LSU, Michigan, Auburn and Texas A&M.
Four-star defensive lineman D’antre Robinson
You can expect the lifelong favorite Gators to be in the mix until the end. On top of that, Napier’s staff is prioritizing Robinson on a daily basis. He previously told me that donning that Florida uniform would be a “dream come true.”
The Orlando native has already visited UF multiple times this year and recently scheduled an official visit. That multi-day experience at the Swamp is set for June 2-4. Billy Napier and defensive coordinator Sean Spencer are among those recruiting Robinson on behalf of UF.
The Gators, according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, are trending with odds of 33.7 percent. I’m not ready to submit a prediction though, as Texas, Georgia, Miami, FSU, USC and Oklahoma are some schools in pursuit as well. I believe Florida and Texas are the schools sitting in the best spot though.
We will see if the Gators can lock this one up while he is in town for his OV.
IMG Academy wide receiver Jerrae Hawkins
Will it be Florida, Penn State or West Virginia for the top-200 prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking? Those are the schools sitting out front for Hawkins, who is a native of West Virginia.
However, only Florida has secured an official visit date to this point. That second trip to the Swamp is locked in for June 10-12. The Gators just offered over a month ago but quickly made up ground to become a major contender for Hawkins.
While on campus earlier this spring, Hawkins relished the family-like atmosphere within the program. He also enjoyed his conversations with Billy Gonzales, saying his skill set was mentioned in the same sentence as Percy Harvin. The Gators definitely check the box for on-field fit, as Hawks can see himself flourishing in their offensive attack. He previously mentioned the “vibe” in Gainesville as well.
This recruitment is very close at the top. It’s nearly a coin flip between the Gators and Nittany Lions, while the Mountaineers are likely sitting in third.
Stay tuned to Gators Online.
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