Florida football recruiting: Gators secure first 2017 commitment from WR Lavarus Tigner

Who is Lavarus Tigner? He's Florida football's first commitment for the 2017 class, having pledge to the Gators after camping on campus on Friday.

Tigner — a future Deerfield Beach product, like fellow Friday night commit Aaron Robinson, and current Florida player Brandon Powell — is a 2017 wide receiver whose recruitment hasn't quite started yet: He isn't rated by any of the four major recruiting services, and 247Sports lacks a picture for his profile. His Hudl page is also seemingly highlight reel-free.

But, hey, maybe he's good? Scout's Corey Bender saw Tigner earlier this year, and gave this evaluation:

Tigner is very raw as a player, but he still has two varsity seasons left to play. He has size and speed, and attacks the football in the air. He needs more consistency catching the football, but that will come with age and experience. He has the skill set to be a multiple offer player, and a highly-rated prospect going forward.

Sure! (Note, though, that Tigner told Bender that Florida State would be his dream school.)

Tigner is Florida's first recruit in the 2017 class, and almost anything written about Florida's need for 2016 wide receiver recruits can also apply to 2017 recruits. As a reminder:

Florida may well take four or five prospects at wide receiver, depending on how the Sunshine State's very deep bench of talent at the position shakes out.

And Florida has good reason to take several receivers in the 2016 class. Just five scholarship receivers who will suit up for Florida this fall have more than two years of eligibility remaining, and it is a very real possibility that the Gators will also lose surefire No. 1 receiver Demarcus Robinson to the 2016 NFL Draft.