Florida football recruiting: OL Griffin McDowell flips to Gators

Since 2016, the Florida Gators have imported many things from Mississippi State. On Tuesday, offensive lineman Griffin McDowell followed in the footsteps of Scott Stricklin and Dan Mullen by flipping his commitment from the Bulldogs to the Gators.

McDowell, rated a three-star prospect by the 247Sports Composite, got his offer from the Gators just before taking an official visit to Florida last weekend. Evidently, that was enough to get him to flip his commitment after having pledged to the Bulldogs under Mullen last June.

McDowell, despite being 6’4” and around 270 pounds, profiles as an interior lineman, so it’s not clear whether his commitment has any bearing on the crop of higher-profile offensive linemen — Nicholas Petit-Frere, William Barnes, Ed Montilus, and current Florida commit Richard Gouraige — the Gators are hoping to land as of next week’s National Signing Day. But given that Florida’s only got so many scholarships left to offer after enrolling eight players, inking five more as part of the early signing period, and having Gouraige and Justin Watkins committed, every accepted commitment looks like a tea leaf to read for some.

For now, though, McDowell is Florida’s 16th commitment for its 2018 recruiting class, and boosts the Gators’ class up to No. 17 nationally in the 247Composite.