Florida is heading into another major recruiting weekend with momentum continuing to build in Gainesville. And this one will be a little different — it is an official visit weekend.
Jon Sumrall and his staff already hold 16 commitments in the class, but the Gators are far from finished. Sources around multiple recruitments believe Florida is positioned to add more talent soon as official visit season ramps up.
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Who’s next? And how soon?
One major name to watch closely is offensive tackle Kenneddee Jackson. Jackson has two official visits behind him and will announce his commitment June 10.
Multiple sources continue pointing to Florida as the team to beat entering this weekend. I am not ready to log that prediction just yet, with Georgia and LSU still heavily involved.
The four-star out of Lithonia (Ga.) has already taken his official visit to Baton Rouge and he will be in Athens the weekend of June 5. Still, the buzz around Florida is real heading into the weekend, and the Gators will look to build on their momentum.
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Another target Florida continues trending strongly for is safety Kamauri Whitfield out of Orlando (Fla.) The First Academy.
Even before Whitfield decommitted from Tennessee, Florida generated momentum behind the scenes. The Gators have hosted him on campus multiple times this spring, and Sumrall’s staff has consistently made him feel like a top priority.
Florida continues sitting in a strong position there, and confidence remains high in the existing prediction for the Gators.
One recruitment shifting more noticeably toward Florida lately is four-star linebacker Ja’Bios Smith out of Swainsboro (Ga.).
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Earlier this spring, many around the recruitment viewed Georgia as the team to beat, while South Carolina also carried significant momentum at one point. Over the last few months, however, the race has changed.
Florida and Texas A&M have emerged as the primary contenders, while Texas Tech continues trying to work its way into the mix.
Nobody has recruited Smith harder than Florida. Greg Gasparato has led the charge, while multiple members of the staff have remained heavily involved throughout the process. Smith’s commitment date is set for June 17, but Florida is picking up steam in this race.
Because of that, a new prediction has been logged for Florida on the Rivals Prediction Machine.
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Another linebacker worth monitoring closely is Ellis McGaskin. Florida will host McGaskin in Gainesville for the second time this spring as the Gators continue trying to chip away at LSU’s lead in that recruitment. The Tigers still hold the edge, but Florida continues making this much more competitive behind the scenes.
This upcoming weekend could become another important moment for Florida’s class.
The Gators already hold 16 commitments, momentum continues building with multiple defensive targets and sources believe Sumrall and his staff could move significantly closer toward the 20-commitment mark before the weekend ends.
