Gators ink top 10 recruiting class including 2 Dade stars; FSU class just outside top 20
The Florida Gators, who were reeling earlier this year with rumors of coach Billy Napier’s imminent firing, have made an amazing comeback.
First of all, Napier wasn’t fired.
Secondly, the Gators won their final three regular-season games, beating 22nd-rallied LSU, ninth-ranked Ole Miss and rival Florida State to become bowl eligible at 7-5.
Third, as the early-signing period opened on Wednesday, Florida’s recruiting Class of 2025 is ranked 10th in the nation by 247 Sports.
That’s four spots ahead of Miami and 11 better than FSU.
Of Florida’s 22 signees, 10 of them are four-star recruits, including Booker T. Washington cornerback Ben Hanks Jr.
“I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a kid,” said Hanks, whose father and namesake played for the Gators. “I never had doubts (about Napier). He’s doing a great job.”
The Gators got a little bit of everything in this class, including their top-ranked recruit, wide receiver Vernell Brown III. The Gators also got a quarterback, three-star recruit Tramell Jones Jr. of Jacksonville.
And the Gators even got special-teams help: kicker Evan Noel and punter Hayden Craig.
FSU
The Seminoles signed 15 players, including three four-star recruits, as their class is ranked 21st in the nation.
FSU signed the Desir twins from Miami Norland – edge rushers Darryll and Mandrell. They each had 17 tackles for losses this season.
The Seminoles’ four-star recruits are defensive lineman Kevin Wynn; cornerback Gregory Xavier Thomas (from Plantation’s American Heritage); and offensive lineman Mario Nash Jr.
For the Seminoles, it’s a good start to this recruiting cycle, especially considering the Seminoles went 2-10 this past season.
In addition to losing to both Miami and Florida, this was FSU’s first double-digit-loss season since 1974.
USF
The Bulls’ class of 23 players is ranked No. 66 nationally.
Coach Alex Golesh, who is taking his team to the Hawaii Bowl this year to play on Christmas Eve, signed a solid group made up exclusively of 3-star recruits.
The biggest names are quarterback Locklan Hewlett, running back Tray Kinkle and Central defensive back Herlin Perry.
USF also got an Australian punter, Luke Goater.
UCF
The Knights, who do not have a coach at the moment, signed 12 players in a class that is ranked No. 71 in the nation.
Gus Malzahn resigned on Nov. 30 to become FSU’s offensive coordinator, leaving UCF without a coach.
UCF’s top player so far in this cycle is four-star running back Taevion Swint of Osceola.
Next up on the rankings are two players targeted for the secondary: safety Tony Williams from Miami Central and cornerback Rukeem Stroud of Tampa Bay Tech.
FAU
Zach Kittley – who at age 33 is the youngest head coach in college football (FBS) – has hit the ground … signing.
Kittley, hired just two days ago, signed a class which includes 17 players and is ranked 75th in the nation.
“This is an incredible class,” Kittley told FAU’s website.
All of FAU’s signees are listed as three-star recruits, and 15 of them are from Florida. Of those, eight are from South Florida.
FAU’s top-two recruits, according to 247 Sports, are a pair of wide receivers: Jade Card of Norland and Mykel Calixte (Orlando Dr. Phillips).
Kittley, who had served as Texas Tech’s offensive coordinator, replaced Tom Herman, who was fired on Nov. 19. Herman lasted just two years, going 6-16.
FAU athletic director Brian White has hailed Kittley as having “an innovative mind.”