Florida's Class of 2012 recruiting cycle is finally (probably) over, but the ending the Gators got is about as unsatisfying as the one that a National Signing Day full of misses brought: Five-star Maryland wideout Stefon Diggs has committed to play at Maryland, opting for the home state Terrapins over Florida, Ohio State, and Auburn.
Diggs was Florida's last hope to add an instant impact on the perimeter this year, and was seen as a vital target for a team with a receiving corps that struggled mightily in 2012. But despite being seen as a Florida lean for a long time, then as a Florida lean as recently as Thursday, Diggs picked Maryland, probably thanks both to proximity and some late work by Maryland offensive coordinator Mike Locksley, a former Ron Zook assistant and tireless recruiter.
This stings, of course, and leaves Florida with a class of recruits that is very heavily weighted toward Will Muschamp's defense, but Diggs' choice to drag out his decision until more than a week after Signing Day and announce his commitment at a three-hour ceremony in a bar in Maryland has probably left most Gators fans with a reminder that recruiting is often a window into the more ridiculous side effects of the attention given to athletes.
On the bright side: Andre Debose remains a Florida Gator.