Former coach on new Gator Elijhah Badger: ‘Some kids just move different’
It didn’t take Folsom (Calif.) coach Paul Doherty long to realize Elijhah Badger, the new Florida Gators transfer addition, was a special talent.
“He was on a different level genetically than everyone else,” Doherty told Gators Online. “That was obvious from the first time I coached him.”
Badger, an Arizona State receiver transfer, committed to Florida on Friday afternoon over Arizona and Washington. He’s the No. 12 receiver in the On3 Transfer Portal rankings.
Doherty is Folsom’s head coach today and also held that title during Badger’s senior season at the school. Doherty also worked with the program prior to that and thus has great insight into the Gators’ newest transfer pickup.
At Folsom, a well-respected program with multiple California state championships, Badger was a 4-star prospect. He checked in as the No. 23 receiver and No. 121 overall recruit nationally in the On3 Industry Rankings for the 2020 class.
Elijhah Badger put up big numbers in high school — and in the Pac-12
During his three-year varsity career in high school, Badger recorded 183 catches for 3,398 yards and 52 touchdowns.
“Great kid, great player with tons of ability,” Doherty said.
Badger, today listed at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, had all the attributes one would want in a high-level receiver as a recruit.
“Some kids just move different,” Doherty told Gators Online. “I’ve coached a long time, and just the way his body was built, the way he moves — he was smooth. The size of his hands, the confidence and comfort and the ease of catching the ball, the physical strength, and the run after the catch — that’s probably his most exceptional skillset.”
At Arizona State, Badger continued to produce.
He had 65 catches for 713 yards and three touchdowns, along with 11 carries for 51 yards last season. Over his Sun Devils career, Badger recorded 142 receptions for 1,640 yards and 10 touchdowns. His most productive season came in 2022 (70, 866, 7).
Now, he figures to be a valuable piece of the Gators offense in 2024 — his final season of eligibility. The Florida receiver room needed to add talent and experience in the portal and got both in Badger, who should complement returning star Eugene Wilson well.
Doherty thinks the Gators are getting a stud.
“I think he’s going to thrive athletically anywhere he goes,” Doherty told Gators Online. “He’s going to be the best player, whether it’s at Folsom, Arizona State, Florida or the Green Bay Packers. He kind of rises to the level of competition.”
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