Updates

The addition of Elam is big for the Gators. His signing moved Florida's 2019 recruiting class to No. 9 overall in the latest ESPN.com and 247Sports.com rankings, a spot ahead of defending national champion Clemson's class.

Elam, listed at 6-1, 182, played at the Benjamin School in North Palm Beach. He was a two-way standout ranked the 48th overall prospect in the country by 247Sports. The nephew of former Gators All-American safety Matt Elam, Kaiir Elam played cornerback and receiver in high school.

#Gators land top-50 cornerback Kaiir Elam to close out their 2019 class. pic.twitter.com/hekmESst6d

— Zach Abolverdi (@ZachAbolverdi) February 6, 2019

Elam's announcement was broadcast live on ESPN.

"It's not a four-year decision, it's like a 40-year decision,'' Elam said. "That's why I felt comfortable. I just feel like that's where my family and I felt comfortable. I feel like Coach Mullen is building something special and I feel like I was a need."

Kaiir Elam chooses #Gators pic.twitter.com/SGPKcF8l51

— Ben Murphy (@BenMurphyTV) February 6, 2019

As we wait for another top prospect to make his announcement this afternoon (you know who I'm talking about), a recent Gators signee won an award named after one of Florida's all-time greats.

Gainesville Buchholz receiver Trent Whittemore won the inaugural Scot Brantley Trophy, an award created by the Ocala Quarterback Club to honor a North Central Florida player who displays excellence on the field and in the classroom.

Other factors include leadership, athleticism, character, faith and goal orientation.

Congratulations to Trent Whittemore(Gainesville Buchholz) on being named the inaugural Scot Brantley Trophy Winner @trentt_whitt @buddyshow pic.twitter.com/Qj0iy0z5sz

— The Scot Brantley Trophy (@ScotTrophy) February 1, 2019

Whittemore starred at receiver and defensive back at Buchholz and signed with the Gators during December's early signing period.

"It means a lot to me to win this and I think it is really cool how they started this award in honor of Mr. Brantley, who is a legendary player in the area,'' Whittemore said. "It is a humbling thing to win it considering how many great players are in the area."

Brantley applauded longtime Gators chronicler Buddy Martin for helping drive the campaign in starting the award and Whittemore as the inaugural recipient.

"We've got the right guy,'' Brantley said.

For more on Whittemore being honored, check out this story from Ocala.com.

Gators fans erupted on social media this morning when Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons outside linebacker Khris Bogle announced he was signing with the Gators.

Bogle's National Letter of Intent has arrived and his addition should give the Gators the state's top recruiting class in 2019 and helped UF move into the top 10 of the national rankings.

Khris Bogle said he will play outside linebacker in coach Todd Grantham's defense in Gainesville. https://t.co/UMMEAxLPLX

— (((Adam Lichtenstein))) (@ABLichtenstein) February 6, 2019

Bogle's decision came down to Alabama and Florida and his flip to the Gators is one of the biggest wins on the recruiting trail for Dan Mullen and his staff since they arrived in Gainesville.

"I just believe in Coach Mullen and what we have to get done at Florida now,'' Bogle told Adam Lichtenstein of the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. "When I went up there for my official visit, I enjoyed it. It was an unbelievable experience. And I just believe in him."

Listed at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Bogle is projected as an edge rusher and could factor into the mix following the departure of Jachai Polite. He visited the Gators along with another signee today, fellow linebacker Diwun Black.

When Bogle showed up for his National Signing Day ceremony on Wednesday morning, he carried a huge hint where he was headed.

Check out video of Bogle's announcement below: 

Cardinal Gibbons star defensive lineman Khris Bogle picks the Florida #Gators. pic.twitter.com/8HbsPOwf5m

— (((Adam Lichtenstein))) (@ABLichtenstein) February 6, 2019

Receiver Arjei Henderson is the second player to officially sign with the Gators this morning. His National Letter of Intent has arrived and been approved by UF compliance.

Congrats @king_hendi on signing to @FloridaGators! Big things ahead for you!! #RespectTheT #ProudOfYou pic.twitter.com/hcdTPMylQo

— Travis High School (@THS_Tigers) February 6, 2019

Henderson, out of Fort Bend Travis High in Sugar Land, Texas committed to the Gators at the Under-Armour All-America Game last month and adds depth at a position that includes another player from the Houston area: senior receiver Tyrie Cleveland.

Henderson had 38 receptions and six touchdowns as a senior.

As we wait for a certain player's National Letter of Intent to officially pass inspection, the Gators are moving up in the national recruiting rankings.

As with all rankings, these are subjective, but based on trends in the industry in recent years, 247Sports.com's composite database has become a leader in evaluating prep prospects.

With that said, the Gators are currently ranked 10th in 247Sports.com's composite rankings.

Thanks to a question on Twitter asking when was the last time Florida finished in the top 10 on National Signing Day, I did some quick research on 247Sports.com.

When is last time Florida had a top 10 recruiting class? @onlygators @GatorsScott

— Rj Nadroj Tlaw (@Mr_ShowOut15) February 6, 2019

Here is where the Gators have stacked up on National Signing Day this decade according to 247:

As you can see, Florida is trending in the right direction under second-year head coach Dan Mullen.

The Gators have added their first player on National Signing Day, one who has been a strong commitment to UF for a long time.

Linebacker Diwun Black has officially signed his National Letter of Intent after months of promoting the program on his social media accounts and showing his passion for the program to anyone who was paying attention.

Out of Forest, Miss., Black first developed a relationship with Gators head coach Dan Mullen when Mullen was at Mississippi State. Their mutual interest followed to Florida, where Black has visited on multiple occasions.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Black played in the 2019 All-American Bowl and in his final two seasons at Forest (Miss.) High, posted 159 tackles, 10 tackles for loss. He also had 12 interceptions as a sophomore.

More on Black later here on our blog.

Ohhh yeah brother, lets do this 🐊🐊🐊‼️ @khris_a1 pic.twitter.com/m7tGNGuVZh

— DIWUN BLACK🦉 (@diwunblack) February 6, 2019

The Gators are practicing this afternoon in preparation for their Dec. 29 game against Michigan in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Afterward, Florida head coach Dan Mullen will hold a press conference to discuss National Signing Day.

Florida signed 20 players Wednesday, 12 from the state of Florida and eight from out of state (Georgia 3, Alabama 2, Virginia 1, Louisiana 1, Maryland 1).

Watch Mullen's press conference at approximately 6:15 p.m. ET.

Randy Russell never shied away from contact as a hard-hitting defensive back at Carol City High in Miami. Running back Ney'Quan Wright would soon run over a defender as around him.

To keep two of the team's top players healthy, coaches limited their one-on-one battles.

"They felt like we would probably hurt each other at practice,'' Russell said Wednesday. "He is one of the hardest players to tackle I've ever played against."

A 5-foot-9, 195-pound mixture of speed, power and soft hands, Wright's addition to the roster Wednesday provides depth at a position that took a hit during the 2018 season. The Gators lost Malik Davis to a season-ending knee injury and Adarius Lemons exited the program early in the season, leaving veterans Jordan Scarlett and Lamical Perine as one of the SEC's top tandems.

Wright can relate to Davis, who has missed the majority of the past two seasons due to injury. Wright missed his junior season at Carol City due to injury but returned to have a strong senior season, drawing interest from some of the top programs in the country.

 

 

 

 

 

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They ain’t expect me to shake back like this but Ian do it God did .I give him all the glory ! I Owe God everything ! #LLP #POPBOY #LLK13 #LLT13 #LLCD #PlayforDre

A post shared by Nayquan Wright (@bossman_5) on Nov 18, 2018 at 5:24pm PST

Russell, who has been a teammate of Wright's since they were in youth football, never counted out his longtime friend.

"He's one of the best players I've ever seen, ever played with,'' Russell said. "He is going to work harder than everybody. When we were young, he was always like the heaviest player. He would have to run around in sweat packs, run around and lose weight. He would be in the car with the heater on. For him to be that big, he was always elusive, very fast. And he can catch."

Russell teamed with Wright to win a state championship in 2016. He signed with the Gators in the 2018 class. However, Russell's career was derailed by a heart condition. He remains part of the team and kept close tabs on Wright's recruitment.

He hosted Wright on an official visit and when Wright returned for unofficial visits, Russell like Florida's chances of landing one of the state's top prep running backs this season.

"He's an elite back,'' Russell said. "We're getting a great player."

Despite missing his junior season, recruiters never backed off Wright because of his versatility. Not only is he a powerful between-the-tackles runner with good top-end speed, he is a good receiver. Wright rushed for nearly 1,800 yards and caught 13 passes his first two seasons at Carol City.

Wright's ankle/knee injury wasn't the first time had faced adversity. During a youth football league practice, Wright was once struck by a stray bullet.

Russell recalled Wednesday from what he heard, the bullet went through a shoulder pad to strike Wright. However, he eventually returned to the field to develop into one of Miami-Dade County's top prospects in this year's recruiting class.

"He fought through adversity and became the person he is,'' Russell said. "To be able to bounce back from [missing a whole season] and make the most of it ... it tested his character."

The Gators and head coach Dan Mullen shined in the spotlight on ESPN2 when the network went live to Lakeland High School for the National Signing Day announcements of Deyavie Hammond, Lloyd Summerall III and Keon Zipperer.

All three Dreadnaughts signed with Florida, boosting the Gators' class ranking seven spots (from 22 to 15) in the 247Sports.com composite rankings.

ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill knows the Gators well. He served as sideline reporter at four Florida games this season and considers the signing of Hammond, a 6-foot-4, 350-pound prospect ranked one of the best at his position, a big get for the Gators.

"Huge positional need,'' Luginbill said. "Early on in the season, this was an abysmal offensive front. I could make the argument that throughout the course of the season, they really dramatically improved, but they don't have depth. That's why the addition here is huge because not only do you upgrade your talent, you upgrade your depth."

#SwampSquadXIX:

🐊 @DeyavieH
🐊 @HimsoHam
🐊 @_KeonZ #GoGators ➡️ #NSD19 pic.twitter.com/oCQR3xEpxk

— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 19, 2018

Fellow analyst Trevor Matich, a former offensive lineman at BYU, agreed Hammond filled a primary need.

"It takes time to build up that depth, but now they've got another piece of the puzzle,'' Matich said.

Meanwhile, the 6-foot-5, 209-pound Summerall is an edge rusher who can play linebacker and defensive end. Summerall will need to add weight to his frame to fulfill his potential with a similar build as that of former Gator Alex McCalister.

 The rest should take of itself.

"You see the initial first step, the explosiveness, the ability to close to the passer,'' Luginbill said. "This kid's got a tremendous ceiling for development. They get better along the trenches, especially the ability to rush the passer."

Meanwhile, tight end Keon Zipperer (6-2, 242) joins a young position group that returns Kemore Gamble, Kyle Pitts and Lucas Krull next season.

Luginbill is impressed at the way Zipperer moves.

"Still developing as an in-line blocker,'' he said. "Really a sharp route runner for a big kid. Boy, have they upgraded in terms of talent and depth."

Gators head coach Dan Mullen recently joined former UF receiver Chris Doering on the SEC Network to discuss Florida's signing class today.

Mullen is enthusiastic about his team's improvement heading into his second season this spring.

"There will be great competition in the spring,'' he said.

Here is the interview --

Florida's National Signing Day performance received a big boost in the last hour when three players from Lakeland High -- offensive lineman Deyavie Hammond, linebacker/end Lloyd Summerall III, and tight end Keon Zipperer committed to Florida on ESPN.

Check out Summerall's announcement --

#ESPN 4-Star pass rushing DE Lloyd Summerall commits and signs with the #Florida #Gators ... pic.twitter.com/dI9twK9lgI

— Gerry Hamilton (@HamiltonESPN) December 19, 2018

And here is Zipperer, rated one of the top tight end prospects in the 2019 recruiting class --

#ESPN300 TE Keon Zipperer commits and signs with the #Gators ... #Florida completes the Lakeland High sweep again pic.twitter.com/TdK9qdNZGQ

— Gerry Hamilton (@HamiltonESPN) December 19, 2018

Florida's National Signing Day performance received a big boost in the last hour when three players from Lakeland High -- offensive lineman Deyavie Hammond, linebacker/end Lloyd Summerall III, and tight end Keon Zipperer committed to Florida on ESPN.

Check out Hammond's announcement:

#ESPN300 OG Deyavie Hammond commits and signs with the #Gators pic.twitter.com/00MOzsoMra

— Gerry Hamilton (@HamiltonESPN) December 19, 2018

Dan Mullen's retooling of the Gators' quarterback room, highlighted by the improvement of starter Feleipe Franks this season, added another player to the mix today in signee Jalon Jones.

A former Mullen pupil played a key role in Jones coming to Florida.

"It’s Florida. I grew up watching Florida, watching Tim Tebow win the Heisman and going to the national championship. Watching him play the game, really, made me fall in love with football and made me realize this is something I really wanted to do,'' Jones said Wednesday. "That was my ah-ha moment: I want to do what Tim Tebow is doing. I want to be that guy for that campus, for the city, for the state, and just be that type of player. I knew the best place I could do that is Florida. My goal is to put another statue in front of the stadium.”

Lofty goals for sure, but Jones comes from an impressive background in athletics and understands the competitive nature elite athletes must maintain.

His father, former Colorado linebacker Michael Jones, was team captain on the Buffs' 1990 national title team. His mother, Tanya Hughes, competed in the high jump in the '92 Olympics in Barcelona, and his sister, Jocelyn, plays basketball for North Carolina.

After he sent in his National Letter of Intent to Florida, Jones took a moment to reflect with his dad.

“I didn’t even think I was going to get this far,'' he said. "All the hard work, to have this part of the journey out of the way, is big. I’ve gotten this far and all the hard work has paid off. Now it’s continuing to work hard and make everything a competition and keep pushing to go even further.”

I been a Gator long before it was official🐊🐊😂 https://t.co/csuzM6R5NU

— Jalon Jones (@j4ymyles) December 19, 2018

Jones first developed a relationship with Mullen and his staff while they were at Mississippi State. He committed to the Bulldogs at one point, but after Mullen came to Florida, their connection didn't dim.

The opportunity to be coached by someone with so much success at developing quarterbacks intrigued Jones.

“He’s just a great man and a great coach,'' Jones said. "He’s somebody I really trust and somebody I really appreciate. I feel like he’s the best person for the job of getting me ready for the NFL and getting all my talent out so I can show it on the field.”

Jones starred at Henrico High in Richmond, Va., this past season, and spent his junior season at St. Francis High in Baltimore.

Jones said he first started taking football seriously after his parents put him in tennis, volleyball, soccer, swimming and various other sports.

"It was inevitable,’’ he said. “They always knew the day was going to come when I was going to pick up a football and start playing.”

The mental approach of playing quarterback comes naturally, Jones said.

"The leadership comes from my father. He is a strong figure in my life, somebody I really looked to to model myself after,'' he said.

Jones knows his (recent) Gators history. When asked how a kid in Virginia gets away with being a Gators fan growing up, he reminded the curious mind that former UF receiver Percy Harvin is from Virginia.

On a visit to UF in October, Jones checked out the three Heisman statues outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Later, he met one of them in person.

Yeah, Tebow.

"I had a fanboy moment, I’m not going to lie,'' Jones said. "It’s very rare that I get star struck. Seeing him, I almost cried. I was about to tear up."

Just got off phone with Gators signee Jalon Jones, a quarterback from Virginia. Very impressive presence and maturity for a high school senior. Will post something on him soon.

First, linebacker Mohamoud Diabate is officially signed, the 15th player to send in his National Letter of Intent this morning.

Diabate starred at linebacker for Auburn High in Auburn, Ala. Diabate is already very familiar with Southeastern Conference football growing up in a town dominated by a program that produced SEC legends such as Bo Jackson and Cam Newton.

However, his story runs deeper than football.

"I am who I am,'' Diabate told Will Sammon of TheAthletic.com, "not who you want me to be."

If you are interested in a deeper look at one of the Gators' newest players, check out the story below --

went to Auburn, spoke w/ Florida commit Mohamoud Diabate about Islam, being Muslim in a very Christian town and how, at a place where football is often mislabeled as religion, Diabate found himself through his true faith

his story is one worth knowing https://t.co/cHSqitqZ2B

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) December 18, 2018

When Will Muschamp coached the Gators, he had some success in the flipping game, perhaps most notably snagging Dante Fowler Jr. from Florida State on National Signing Day.

Now at South Carolina, the Gamecocks made a strong push late for Gators commits Jaydon Hill, a defensive back, and linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper.

No go. Hill and Hopper stayed committed to Gators, giving head coach Dan Mullen and his staff a couple of big wins in the recruiting battle with their SEC East foes.

Both Hill (Huntsville, Ala.) and Hopper (Alpharetta, Ga.) are out-of-state products.

#Gators have 13 signees in the fold, six of those from out of state. (Georgia 2, Alabama 1, Virginia 1, Maryland 1, Louisiana 1)

— Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) December 19, 2018

For a closer look at the Gators-Gamecocks tug-of-war on the 2019 recruiting trail, check out story below --

Another big win for the #Gators. DB Jaydon Hill signs with #Florida.

And just like with Tyron Hopper, UF keeps away the #Gamecocks.

"They did a great job of showing me I was a priority for them."

Florida 2, South Carolina 0https://t.co/k5q5TabTR5 pic.twitter.com/E5D27nfoGW

— Jacquie Franciulli (@JacquieFran_) December 19, 2018

Defensive back Chester Kimbrough starred at Warren Easton High in New Orleans, a city that produced current Gators safety Brad Stewart.

Who can forget Stewart's interception return for a touchdown in Florida's win over LSU in October?

Kimbrough can't.

Kimbrough and Stewart are good friends and as Kimbrough weighed his college options -- he had offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU and others -- he kept telling Florida's recruiting staff that as a kid he always dreamed of playing for the Gators.

Kimbrough turned his dream into a reality this morning when he officially signed with the Gators, the 12th player to send in his National Letter of Intent so far.

DONE DEAL!!!!✅ #CNC🤙🏾#SwampSquadXIX🐊 pic.twitter.com/tvrnJGqiT2

— 饥饿 (@chaazz19) December 16, 2018

One of the first players to officially sign with the Gators this morning was athlete Trent Whittemore out of Buchholz High in Gainesville.

Whittemore was a two-way standout for the Bobcats whose versatility is a plus. Meanwhile, if his name rings a bell to longtime Florida fans, it should.

His mother is former Gators volleyball All-American Missy Whittemore, who remains close to the program as a TV analyst.

Missy Whittemore has been busy this month working as an analyst for ESPNU during the NCAA Tournament.

More on the football player in the family below:

WR Trent Whittemore signs with the Florida #Gators https://t.co/lITtlU0EKd

— Luke Stampini (@LukeStampini) December 19, 2018

The Gators signed QB Emory Jones a year ago.

They officially added QB Jalon Jones on Wednesday, a player with deep ties to UF head coach Dan Mullen and his staff. Jones committed to Mississippi State when Mullen was in Starkville.

However, he pulled back to explore other options after Mullen came to Florida and eventually settled on the Gators, providing more young depth at a position that is starting to take shape under Mullen and QBs coach Brian Johnson.

The newest Jones already has met the most famous Gators quarterback of all ... (sorry Steve and Danny) ...

 

 

 

 

 

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I got to meet one of my childhood heroes🐊🐊

A post shared by Jalon Jones (@j4y.myles) on Oct 7, 2018 at 6:27am PDT