Take 2: Who is the Florida Gators’ most important remaining offensive recruiting target?

Welcome to Take 2, where Gators Online staffers Corey Bender and Keith Niebuhr give their thoughts on Florida Gators football recruiting. Today’s topic: Who is the Florida Gators’ most important remaining offensive recruiting target?

Here are their respective takes …

COREY BENDER: I have to go with Ohio State receiver commit Jeremiah Smith of Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna for this.

Part of me thinks I’m taking the easy way out with him being the country’s No. 1-ranked receiver; however, the Gators need a makeover in the wide receiver room and got things started the last cycle with Eugene Wilson III and Andy Jean.

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When looking at the remaining offensive targets though, none of them boast the combination of value and need like Smith does. It’s not even close. This is a generational talent who barring injury would likely be a Day-1 starter for the Gators. Receiver coach Billy Gonzales covets big-bodied pass catchers and Smith is exactly that.

Smith’s name is even more of a hot topic for Gators fans due to the receiver’s strong relationship with DJ Lagway. The star quarterback commit flew in on short notice when Smith visited in the spring, having made a strong impression on everyone involved. He also made sure to take his official visit the same weekend, so Lagway is going all in and then some for Smith.

There were some offensive linemen I considered for this spot, but Smith is an elite talent at a priority position for UF.

As the No. 2 player overall nationally, the Broward County native would be one of the Gators’ highest-ranked commits of all time.

Jeremiah Smith officially visited the Gators in June

KEITH NIEBUHR: For the Gators to truly take the next step forward, they’ll need a powerful offensive line to go along with Lagway. Sure, you can get guys from the portal every year. But that’s not the way to go up front.

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The rebuild of Florida football absolutely positively has to include studs on the offensive line. So that’s why I strongly considered offensive tackle Fletcher Westphal of Leesburg (Va.) Tuscarora.

Then I came to my senses … and went with Jeremiah Smith.

Yes, Florida’s offensive line recruiting is crucial. Yes, Westphal would be a heck of a prospect to land. I’m a huge fan of his game.

But Smith is the type of receiver talent who may only come along once every 10 years in the state of Florida. He’s committed to Ohio State, which arguably is Wide Receiver U (It’s the Buckeyes or Bama). But he has visited Florida multiple times. He’s close to Lagway.

And, he says a final decision won’t come until December.

Meanwhile, Smith plans to watch programs such as Florida closely this fall.

In other words, he hasn’t shut the door on the Gators. And as long as there’s even the slightest crack, there is hope.

Should Florida flip Smith it would send shockwaves through the world of college football recruiting. It also would give the Gators a truly elite playmaker who could help change the trajectory of the program.

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