It's early in the process, and, remember, a verbal commitment is non-binding. But Will Muschamp and his staff are off to a good start recruiting the Class of 2012.
The Gators have commitments from nine 4-star prospects (per rivals), three 3-stars and a 2-star kicker (most at that position aren't exactly graded with constellations).
Today, we'll take a look at the commitments on offense, as well as that kicker. And at a later date, we'll take a look at the defenders.
The highest-rated of the offensive prospects is 6'6", 315-pound tackle Jessamen Dunker of Boynton Beach, Fla. He is Rivals' 49th-rated prospect overall and its 11th OT. An athletic big guy with quite possibly the best name in the country, Dunker was the recruiting responsibility of Aubrey Hill, who landed his man in March. Florida beat out Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Tennessee and others for Dunker, who is planning to enroll at UF in January.
The Gators also remain very much in the running for 5-star offensive tackle D.J. Humphries (6'5", 265; Mallard High School in Charlotte), Rivals' No. 3 overall prospect and top OT. Florida also is among the current top six for Jacksonville Bolles' OL John Theus (6'6", 292; Rivals' No. 7 overall and No. 2 OT), but also in the running is Georgia, where his brother plays. Andrus Peat (6'7", 305), the No. 3 tackle and 15th overall prospect, would be the first player I can ever remember Florida signing from Arizona, but he also includes the Gators as a team he is interested in possibly visiting. And the nation's top-rated offensive guard (and 45th overall prospect), Jordan Simmons (6'5", 333) from Crespi High School in Encino, Calif., also includes UF in a yet-to-be-shortened list of about 25 schools.
In-state products Avery Young (6'6", 273; Palm Beach Gardens, Rivals' No. 10 OT and 38th overall) and Evan Goodman (6'4", 290; Lakeland, No. 33 OT) are high on Florida and the feeling is mutual (particularly with Young). Also, don't be surprised if Seffner Armwood's Kevin McCoy (6'5", 275, No. 41 OT) joins prep teammate Matt Jones in Gainesville. Gigantic Fort Lauderdale University School offensive tackle Abraham "Nacho" Garcia is raw and coming off foot surgery, but he is 6'6", 340 pounds with a UF offer.
Don't count out UF for these linemen, either: San Clemente, Calif. OT Kyle Murphy (6'7", 275; No. 6 OT, No. 28 overall); Las Vegas Bishop Gorman OT Ronnie Stanley (6'7", 285; No. 17 OT and No. 149 overall); Pittsburgh's Adam Bisnowati (6'6", 275; 21st OT, 177th overall); Nashville's Blake Bars (6'5", 275; No. 34 OT); Buford, Ga. tackle Vadal Alexander (6'6", 310; 37th OT); and Oxford, Ala. OL Michael Flint (6'4", 303).
The Gators also have commitments from two different types of backs.
Matt Jones of traditional Florida prep powerhouse Seffner Armwood is listed at 6'2", 200 pounds, but look for him to go at about 215 or 220 by the time he is done at UF. Jones is rated 157th overall by Rivals and 14th among running backs. If he becomes a star, Jones, who ran for 1.438 yards and 26 touchdowns as a junior, will be the first big back to do so since Fred Taylor (whose son, Kelvin, will be a major Gator target in 2013). He spurned offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Nebraska, South Carolina, Tennessee, USC and others when Brian White and Derek Lewis reeled him in.
Mike Davis is more of the type of back Urban Meyer used to bring in, at 5'9", 192 pounds. The Stone Mountain (Stephenson High School), Ga. product is rated a little bit ahead of the more-heralded Jones, coming in 122nd overall and 10th among running backs. Davis was the MVP of the Athens (Ga.) Nike Camp and stiff-armed scholarship offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Kentucky, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee and others when he chose UF in February (the same month as Jones). Again, Derek Lewis (this time along with Travaris Robinson) was the lead recruiter.
Florida has a nice RB haul— Davis and Jones should provide nice complements for one another—but the Gators would love to add Keith Marshall (5'11", 190) of Millbrook High School in Raleigh, N.C. (the No. 1 all-purpose back and 55th overall prospect) and/or the nation's No. 3 back (and 33rd overall prospect) Rushel Shell (6'0", 210) of Hopewell High School in Aliquippa, Pa.
Like the Gators did when they signed Aaron Hernandez out of Connecticut, UF went to the Northeast to bring in a tight end. This time it was 6'5", 255-pound Colin Thompson of Archbishop Wood Catholic in Warminster, Pa. Lewis, and Charlie Weis helped pull a commitment last month from Rivals' 197th overall prospect (and No. 6 TE) over offers from Alabama, Michigan State, Boston College, North Carolina, Penn State, South Carolina, Stanford, Wisconsin and others.
Florida also remains very much in contention to land the country's top-rated tight end (and 68th overall prospect), Kent Taylor (6'5", 220) of Land O'Lakes, the school that produced former Seminoles' quarterback Drew Weatherford. The Gators also have offers out to Yulee, Fla. product Kelvin Rainey (6'3", 218), the No. 11 TE (as well as a South Carolina lean), and Buford, Ga. standout Kurt Freitag (6'3", 245), the No. 19 TE.
Quite possibly the most underrated of the commitment is 6'1", 190-pound wide receiver Latroy Pittman from Citra, Fla. North Marion High School, which is about 25 minutes from the UF campus. I saw Pittman, also a talented safety, two Octobers ago and asked his prep coach, Craig Damon, "Hey, whose looking at him? He's special." Damon's face lit up and he said, "Everybody, but I have him for a few more years—he's just a sophomore." Rivals ranks Pittman 240th overall and 37th among receivers. The current coaching staff can thank Meyer for Pittman, who committed to Florida over offers from Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, South Florida and Notre Dame last August.
No doubt Pittman would love to bring teammate Sean Price, a 6'4", 206-pound TE/WR prospect with him to Gainesville. Price has an offer from UF, but Alabama, Auburn, LSU, FSU, Miami, South Carolina, Nebraska, Arkansas and Michigan are among the numerous other major programs looking to sign him.
Will Muschamp and his staff would love to match Pittman up with Jacksonville First Coast WR Chris Black, a 4-star prospect who lists UF in his top three with Alabama and FSU. And never forget the nation's top prospect, Springfield, Mo. Hillcrest WR Dorian Green-Beckham, a 6'6", 220-pound freak who also is a legitimate D-1 basketball and track prospect, or Olney, Md. Our Lady of Good Counsel WR Stefon Diggs (6'1", 185; No. 2 WR, eighth overall), are major UF targets.
In-state possibilities include: Winter Park's D'Vario Montgomery (6'2", 205; No. 21 WR, 150 overall); Miramar's Malcolm Lewis (5'11", 170; 24th WR, 164 overall); Orlando Boone's Marvin Bracy (5'10", 162; 38th WR, 245 overall); Orlando Edgewater's Alton Howard (5'9", 170; 41st WR); and Belle Glade Glades Central's Jaime Wilson (5'11, 186; 65th WR).
The most recent Gator commitment is Austin Hardin from Atlanta's Marist High School. The nation's 10th-rated kicker pledged to UF on June 22, picking Florida over offers from Auburn, Buffalo and Tennessee.
Don't look for UF to sign a quarterback-thin 2012 after inking Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel last year, but the Gators do have an offer out to uncommitted Jameis Winston of Hueytown, Ala., the home of NASCAR's Allison brothers. Winston is 6'4", 200 pounds and is ranked as the nation's No. 1 dual-threat QB (and 52nd overall prospect) by Rivals.
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