Alligator Army - 2014 National Signing Day: Florida hits the finish lineChampionship Mode: It's when we thrive.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46671/ali_army_fave.png2014-02-12T11:00:04-05:00http://www.alligatorarmy.com/rss/stream/51452632014-02-12T11:00:04-05:002014-02-12T11:00:04-05:00Video: Breaking down Florida's recruiting class
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<figcaption>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>SB Nation's Bud Elliott and Dan Rubenstein give you the skinny (and not-so-skinny) on Florida's 2014 class.</p> <p>Florida landed a lot of recruits in the 2014 cycle. Here, let SB Nation's Bud Elliott and Dan Rubenstein give you the skinny (and not-so-skinny) on Florida's 2014 class.</p>
<p>And for the record: No, we're not giving up on the position-by-position reviews. Yes, today's may show up in the late afternoon because of basketball. Yes, I will probably reflect on the joy that came with unfollowing a certain former Florida commit at wide receiver on Twitter.</p>
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https://www.alligatorarmy.com/2014/2/12/5404574/florida-gators-2014-recruiting-class-video-breakdownAndy Hutchins2014-02-07T12:45:37-05:002014-02-07T12:45:37-05:00Will Grier: When will the future come?
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<figcaption>Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Will Grier is the biggest name and most fascinating prospect in Florida's 2014 recruiting class.</p> <p>Will Grier's been a Gator. You didn't need National Signing Day to reveal that much to you; he's been on campus since January. It's everything else about him that fascinates.</p>
<h3>Recruitment</h3>
<p>Grier's been a Gator longer than every other member of the 2014 recruiting class; he was the only recruit from the class to commit in 2012, in fact. And though <a href="http://www.alligatorarmy.com/2012/12/19/3784806/will-grier-commits-florida-gators-football-recruiting" target="new">he committed to Florida in December 2012</a> back when Brent Pease looked like a genius — Florida's last game was that 37-26 thumping of Florida State — he was the most solid recruit throughout 2013. No one else was (sub)tweeting this (at Dalvin Cook and Ermon Lane):</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>commitment - 1a) the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, ect.
<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gators&src=hash">#Gators</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23inallkindsofweather&src=hash">#inallkindsofweather</a></p>— Will Grier (@willgrier_) <a href="https://twitter.com/willgrier_/statuses/406884242648739840">November 30, 2013</a>
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<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>Grier was the real deal back in 2012, when he looked like the No. 1 QB in the 2014 class after his record-setting <i>junior</i> season at Davidson Day School in North Carolina. Grier threw for 837 yards in a 104-80 game (of football) that year, eclipsing the national high school record for passing yards in a game; that record, and most of the ones Grier would have set in high school, isn't recognized, for reasons that boil down to <a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/blogs/maxwire-national-blog/y4zTn6mU20qgEhF6af_Sbg/will-griers-passing-record-will-not-be-recognized-as-a-national-record.htm" target="new">the politics of high school football in North Carolina</a>. Grier still finished his 2012 campaign with <a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/blogs/maxwire-national-blog/OM2UzKyjBUy1JRg4kjpEsw/will-grier-ends-junior-year-with-69-td-passes,-state-title.htm" target="new">69 passing touchdowns and 5,785 yards</a>, and a state title.</p>
<p>And though he would essentially repeat his 2012 and add to <a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/will-grier/V10EnPTpEeKZ5AAmVebBJg/default.htm" target="new">his incredible list of accolades</a> in 2013 — <a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/news/NgSzjCJrS0e2pbahax9OJA/maxpreps-national-high-school-football-stat-stars.htm" target="new">4,989 yards, 77 touchdowns, state title</a> — and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V60UjLIeI0" target="new">starred at camps like Nike's The Opening</a>, concerns about his weight and throwing motion — a three-quarters delivery that's more Philip Rivers than Peyton Manning — helped keep him just out of contention for consensus five-star status. He's still the nation's No. 2 pro-style quarterback in the 247Sports Composite rankings, behind Texas A&M early enrollee Kyle Allen, and the No. 3 quarterback behind Allen and Clemson early enrollee Deshaun Watson, and No. 48 player in those same rankings.</p>
<h3>Highlights</h3>
<p>And, well, watch the first play of this highlight compilation — in which Grier evades three rushers, drops back 20 yards, and throws a 50-yard dime on the run — and you'll kind of get it.</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ednqy8EpR1c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Watch all the other highlight compilations, and you'll <i>really</i> get it.</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/H1766VKSutM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
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<p>There are <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=will%20grier&sm=3" target="new">many more videos</a>, for the record; I don't want to slow down this page.</p>
<h3>Future Impact</h3>
<p>Grier comes to Florida with a pedigree that triangulates (rectangulates?) the last four primary Gators quarterbacks. Like Chris Leak, he's a record-setting prep quarterback out of North Carolina. Like Tim Tebow, he's the sort of hard-working leader who gets lavish praise and respect from teammates. Like John Brantley, he's a national player of the year who played for a small private school and carved up small private schools, which prompts concerns about his ability to do the same in the SEC. And like Jeff Driskel, he was the unquestioned star of a new high school football program that he has led since its inception, and has significant, surprising athleticism for a quarterback billed as a pro-style passer.</p>
<p>There's obviously cause for celebration and concern in that pedigree. Any comparison to Leak is fine by me; having any of Tebow's heart and will is a good thing; being placed in the same sentence Brantley probably worries many; being freighted with the same worries about an adjustment to college defenses that were present (and have been borne out as valid) with Driskel probably petrifies some.</p>
<p>But I think Grier's a rather sure thing, and I don't think Will Muschamp would have been quite <a href="http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=27218" target="new">as effusive in his praise of Grier</a> on National Signing Day — he's "doing an outstanding job" and "you see he's got all the intangibles to be successful as far as the leadership things and positively affecting guys around him" — without thinking something similar. The primary question, for Grier, is less "Will he become Florida's starting quarterback?" than "When will he become Florida's starting quarterback?"</p>
<p>Those same concerns about weight apply here: Grier <a href="https://twitter.com/willgrier_/status/412712672996503553" target="new">says</a> has bulked up what was a spindly frame to near 200 pounds, and certainly looks fairly solid in this Instagram shot from this week.</p>
<p><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/kFj1VamrFx/embed/" width="612" height="710" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowtransparency="true"></iframe></p>
<p>But Grier will also have to adjust to the speed of play in the SEC, and the disparity between small-school football in North Carolina and a game against Tennessee is probably larger than the one any other 2014 recruit save Wyoming product Taven Bryan faces.</p>
<p>Grier will also have to battle Skyler Mornhinweg, who has started games at Florida, and Treon Harris, battle-forged by games against elite South Florida teams, for the backup role behind Driskel — who is Florida's starter at QB, barring injury, as disappointed as some may be to hear that. Fortunately, Grier <a href="http://recruiting.blogs.gatorsports.com/16622/grier-impressed-with-uf-offense/" target="new">was totally fine with redshirting</a> as of September 2013, Harris has significant positional flexibility, and Kurt Roper's offense is likely to feature multiple quarterbacks; the chances of a quarterback competition mirroring the one between Driskel and Jacoby Brissett are slim. And if one happens, it will probably not go down in the exact same way, as some hierarchy is likely to be established prior to a season under a new offensive coordinator.</p>
<p>There's no doubt that Grier is a tremendous quarterback prospect, and arguably the best passer Florida has reeled in since Leak. He's got a few great tests before him, from figuring out how to apply his natural leadership skills to best serve this Florida team while preparing himself for action that might not come for a while to beating out another excellent prep quarterback for the starter's job when the time comes. How well he performs those tasks will largely determine how great he becomes, and will largely depend on how hard he works.</p>
<p>I suspect a lack of hard work will never be an issue for Will Grier.</p>
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<p>The main difference between me and <a href="https://twitter.com/Nashgrier">@Nashgrier</a> is he goes to sleep when I wake up. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23around5am&src=hash">#around5am</a></p>— Will Grier (@willgrier_) <a href="https://twitter.com/willgrier_/statuses/431781327260893184">February 7, 2014</a>
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https://www.alligatorarmy.com/2014/2/7/5380568/will-grier-florida-gators-recruiting-future-impactAndy Hutchins2014-02-07T10:30:31-05:002014-02-07T10:30:31-05:00CAB: Chalk up Signing Day as a W
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<figcaption>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Florida hit it big on National Signing Day, so much so that it felt like a win for the program.</p> <p><i>Chomping at Bits comes stocked with the best <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-gators">Florida Gators</a> links and news we can find. Got a link we should check out? Email us at <a href="mailto:alligatorarmy@gmail.com">AlligatorArmy@gmail.com</a>, subject line CAB, or find us on Twitter at <a target="new" href="https://twitter.com/AlligatorArmy">@AlligatorArmy</a> or on Facebook at <a target="new" href="https://www.facebook.com/AlligatorArmy">Facebook.com/AlligatorArmy</a>.</i></p>
<p><b>Count Signing Day as a Gators W:</b> Nice to have one on the board for 2014. (<a href="http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=27224" target="_blank">Scott Carter, GatorZone</a>)</p>
<p><b>Signing Day Ws don't impress some columnists:</b> Yeah, I mean, I guess that if you want to be really pessimistic and columnistic about it... (<a href="http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/sports/college-football/dave-george-given-talent-level-of-florida-gators-w/ndFRr/?ecmp=pbp_social_201418200374" target="_blank">Dave George, <i>The Palm Beach Post</i></a>)</p>
<p><b>C'yontai Lewis's path to Florida:</b> Right place, right time. (Maybe the right teammate, too.) (<a href="http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/gatorbytes/2014/02/06/unique-story-leads-te-cyontai-lewis-to-sign-with-florida-gators/" target="_blank">Phillip Heilman, Gator Bytes | <i>The Palm Beach Post</i></a>)</p>
<p><b>The "run-off" waiver:</b> Ah, The Alabama Loophole. (<a href="http://www.athleticscholarships.net/2014/02/06/the-ncaas-little-known-run-off-waiver.htm" target="_blank">John Infante, The Bylaw Blog</a>)</p>
<p><b>Florida No. 4 in some other guy's power rankings:</b> And there are pictures of Chris Walker pointing skyward. (<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basketball/news/20140206/power-rankings-syracuse-arizona-wichita-state-florida-san-diego-state/?mobile=no" target="_blank">Luke Winn, <i>Sports Illustrated</i></a>)</p>
<p><b>What makes a defense slow?</b> Key to know, because Florida's defense is <i>super </i>slow. (<a href="http://kenpom.com/blog/index.php/weblog/entry/what_makes_defenses_slow" target="_blank">Ken Pomeroy, Kenpom.com</a>)</p>
<p><b>Walker's debut a successful one:</b> It wasn't quite as flashy or long as other star freshmen's debuts. It didn't need to be. (<a href="http://www.gatorzone.com/harry/blog/1624" target="_blank">Chris Harry, Harry Fodder | GatorZone</a>)</p>
<p><b>SEC expands Media Days:</b> Muschamp's still going first, though. (<a href="http://auburn.247sports.com/Board/42/SEC-expands-media-day-25695721/1" target="_blank">Bryan Matthews, Auburn Undercover | 247Sports</a>)</p>
<p><b>SEC baseball TV schedule:</b> Florida's got nine games. (<a href="http://secdn.com/NEWS/tabid/473/Article/249005/2014-sec-baseball-television-schedule-announced.aspx" target="_blank">SEC Digital Network</a>)</p>
<p><b>Stop being awful, people:</b> The kicker here is great. (<a href="http://gabedelahaye.tumblr.com/post/75811078572/r-i-p-everyone" target="_blank">Gabe Delahaye</a>)</p>
<p><b>Your Gators moment of zen:</b> <a target="new" href="http://distilleryvesper10-18.ak.instagram.com//8432f622900111e3886712ac01958366_101.mp4">#NaeNae and/or #HUAHH.</a></p>
<p><i>The comments are yours.</i></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/images/blog/star-divide.v59c7267.jpg" alt="Star-divide"></p>
<p><i><a href="https://twitter.com/AndyHutchins" target="_blank">Andy Hutchins</a> is Alligator Army's managing editor. Follow Alligator Army on <a href="http://twitter.com/AlligatorArmy" target="new">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://facebook.com/AlligatorArmy" target="new">Facebook</a>.</i></p>
https://www.alligatorarmy.com/2014/2/7/5389704/florida-gators-win-national-signing-day-2014Andy Hutchins2014-02-06T16:45:14-05:002014-02-06T16:45:14-05:00Jalen Tabor: Recruitment, highlights, impact
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<p>Jalen Tabor shocked the recruiting world by flipping to Florida just before his enrollment. It might be less shocking if Tabor starts for Florida this fall.</p> <p>On National Signing Day, Jalen Tabor signed his National Letter of Intent at his high school, Friendship Academy — yes, really — in Washington, D.C.</p>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23FloridaKnows&src=hash">#FloridaKnows</a> 🐊🐊 <a href="http://t.co/22C6Sy3sye">pic.twitter.com/22C6Sy3sye</a></p>
— #⃣1⃣ (@HesSuchATEEZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/HesSuchATEEZ/statuses/431181504103084032">February 5, 2014</a>
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<p>But Tabor has been a Gator for a month now — and that may make him the freshman who does the most and earliest in this 2014 recruiting class.</p>
<h3>Recruitment</h3>
<p>Tabor is one of the top cornerback prospects in the country, and Florida's only consensus five-star signee in <a target="new" href="http://247sports.com/Player/Jalen-Tabor-10537">the 247Sports Composite ranking</a>. As the consensus No. 14 player in the nation, he had a sheaf of offers, including one from Florida, but was considered a lost cause for the Gators heading into the Under Armour All-American Game, where he surprised many by picking Arizona — where his high school teammate, Jonathan Haden, is headed — over Alabama and Maryland.</p>
<p>Instead Tabor, followed a different Haden — Joe. He <a target="new" href="http://www.alligatorarmy.com/2014/1/9/5291564/jalen-tabor-flip-florida-gators-recruiting-arizona-wildcats">pulled the biggest flip</a> of the early enrollee pack in the class of 2014 outside of <a target="new" href="http://www.alligatorarmy.com/2013/12/31/5261884/dalvin-cook-flips-florida-fsu-recruiting-impact">Dalvin Cook flipping to Florida State</a>, shocking the recruiting world by announcing a commitment to Florida and showing up in Gainesville shortly afterward.</p>
<h3>Highlights</h3>
<p>And that flip was partly huge because Tabor is <i>fantastic</i>.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/brCQ1Lmuyrg" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<h3>Future Impact</h3>
<p>Tabor is well-established as one of, if not the, top defensive backs in the 2014 cycle, and there are only a few players — Jabrill Peppers, Marlon Humphrey, Tony Brown, and Adoree' Jackson — who are arguably better than him in coverage.</p>
<p>But Tabor also <a target="new" href="http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=10268123">wowed scouts all week at Under Armour practices</a> with his physicalist, and his size — he's a tall 6'1", and around 190 pounds — makes him competing for the spot opposite Vernon Hargreaves III at cornerback for Florida very possible.</p>
<p>With the transfer of the only other established field/boundary corner on Florida's roster, Cody Riggs, Tabor was a big get at a position of need, and while Tabor would absolutely have seen the field in some capacity in 2014 had Riggs stayed, his departure might well make Tabor a starter.</p>
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https://www.alligatorarmy.com/2014/2/6/5381210/jalen-tabor-florida-gators-impact-recruitment-highlightsalexjmarty2014-02-06T15:59:24-05:002014-02-06T15:59:24-05:00Thomas Holley: Recruitment, highlights, impact
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<img alt="Future news: Florida coaches look at video board, stunned by Thomas Holley highlight." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UalXShD_utaR9Bh3n0pIgSRDj8o=/21x0:3976x2637/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/28070337/20131209_kkt_sv7_799.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Future news: Florida coaches look at video board, stunned by Thomas Holley highlight. | Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Florida signee Thomas Holley is new to football, and reminiscent of Dominique Easley and Sharrif Floyd in the best ways. Could he be the best of both worlds?</p> <p>Thomas Holley has a lot in common with a couple of former Gators greats — Dominique Easley and Sharrif Floyd — at defensive tackle. And, in time, he might be the best of both worlds.</p>
<h3>Recruitment</h3>
<p>Holley, one of the top defensive tackles in the 2014 cycle, hails from Easley's old New York City stomping grounds, but comes from Brooklyn, while Easley's from Staten Island. He attended Abraham Lincoln High School, transferring there from Christ The King, a athletic powerhouse that produced former Florida point guard Erving Walker; Easley went to Curtis High School.</p>
<p>And after committing to Penn State, the school Easley was ticketed for before an eleventh-hour offer from Florida, Holley flipped to Florida in January, shortly after former Nittany Lion coach Bill O'Brien departed for the NFL and Larry Johnson left for Ohio State. Holley, a consensus four-star player, pocketed offers from schools such as Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Miami, Notre Dame and Penn State, among others, during his recruiting process.</p>
<h3>Highlights</h3>
<p>And this is why Holley got those offers.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/N2ZJ7PLUevM" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<h3>Future Impact</h3>
<p>There's no questioning Holley's ability as a defensive tackle. Holley ranks as one of the top defensive tackles in the country and could be an immediate contributor at almost any program, given his blend of power and quickness. He's 6'4", and carrying about 285 pounds, and will be a force once he gets into a collegiate weight program, likely blending that Floyd-like power with reflexes that give him something closer to Easley's unfathomable quickness.</p>
<p>At a lot of schools, Holley would be an impact freshman. Yet Holley walks into a good situation at Florida, as the Gators return a slew of defensive tackles: Leon Orr and Darious (Bear) Cummings will start, and Joey Ivie, Caleb Brantley, and Jay-nard Bostwick will back them up, with possible help from Antonio Riles inside. Despite Holley's talent and upside — he's new to football, and has played more basketball in his life — I expect Will Muschamp to do with his touted tackles what he did in 2013 — when Bostwick, Brantley, and Ivie came in behind Easley, Orr, Cummings, and Damien Jacobs — and redshirt Holley. The disparity between the incoming talent and the more experienced talent Florida brought in last cycle will be too great for the true freshman to contribute immediately on the defensive line.</p>
<p>Down the line, though, Holley could be a monster.</p>
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https://www.alligatorarmy.com/2014/2/6/5380658/thomas-holley-florida-gators-recruiting-profile-projectionalexjmarty2014-02-06T15:30:00-05:002014-02-06T15:30:00-05:00Nolan Kelleher: Recruitment, highlights, impact
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<p>Florida's most game-ready offensive lineman recruit also says calculus comes naturally to him.</p> <p>Nolan Kelleher has been a Gator since enrolling at Florida in January. And he's going to be a good one: You can skip down to his highlight video, the one that shows him mauling lineman after lineman, if you need reassurance of that.</p>
<p>But I mostly want to linger on the idea that he is <a href="http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=27168" target="new">way, way smarter than us</a>:</p>
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<p>"Calculus is my favorite class." "It comes naturally to me." WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE BADASS STANFORD NERDS, YOU GUYS.</p>
<h3>Recruitment</h3>
<p>Kelleher is from Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, where he attended Wando High School and played all over the offensive line. We project him as an offensive guard at Florida, but he's got a lot more talent than your average offensive guard, as a consensus four-star player, who has been heavily recruited since his junior season. Kelleher, who has an ideal guard's frame, at 6'5" and 290 pounds, had offers from Arkansas, Clemson, Florida State, South Carolina and Virginia Tech before committing, and subsequently signing, with the Gators.</p>
<h3>Highlights</h3>
<p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/FRJcnb-n814" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>He could do your homework <i>and</i> block you into next week.</p>
<h3>Future Impact</h3>
<p>Kelleher projects as a skilled offensive guard as he arrives in Gainesville. He has ideal size, but will probably need to reshape his body and put on around 10 pounds of muscle before he can effectively compete in the SEC.</p>
<p>Out of the guards the Gators are bringing in, I think Kelleher will have the best chance to contribute early. Kelleher is more solid with his technique than Travaris Dorsey, and quicker on his feet, which suits the spread offense Kurt Roper is bringing in.</p>
<p>Kelleher might redshirt, but with a good spring, he could contribute early, due to lack of depth on the line and Tyler Moore's injury status. Florida will have to replace departed offensive guards <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78471/jon-halapio">Jon Halapio</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/111920/ian-silberman">Ian Silberman</a>, and Kelleher could put himself in the mix for the fall with a solid spring.</p>
https://www.alligatorarmy.com/2014/2/6/5380798/nolan-kelleher-florida-gators-recruiting-calculusalexjmarty2014-02-06T15:05:28-05:002014-02-06T15:05:28-05:00Duke Dawson: Recruitment, highlights, impact
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<p>Florida got a potential lockdown nickel back in Duke Dawson. That should make Will Muschamp happy<a class="footnote" title="see footnote" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a>!</p> <p>Duke Dawson's been a Gator for a long time, and a Gators freshman for about a month, having enrolled early. And there's a chance he could get lost in the mix when discussing how Florida's secondary will shake out.</p>
<p>That would be a mistake.</p>
<h3>Recruitment</h3>
<p>Dawson hails from Cross City, where he attended Dixie County High School. <a target="new" href="http://www.alligatorarmy.com/2013/1/8/3851508/2014-db-duke-dawson-commits-to-florida">Dawson committed to Florida in January 2013</a>, trolling Florida State really hard in the process.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/aOTRk2YVfSM" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p>Dawson was a highly recruited player out of high school, receiving offers from Alabama, Florida State, and Tennessee, among others, and Alabama's late run at him — he unofficially visited the Tide in November — is telling.</p>
<h3>Highlights</h3>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/YP2S0uqJ_2Q" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<h3>Future Impact</h3>
<p>Dawson isn't the fastest, tallest, or most hyped corner, but he's got excellent ball skills and plays with a tremendous motor. At 5'11" and 195 pounds — yes, that's a consensus weight among recruiting services — Dawson can be physical at contact, and will ultimately contribute down the road at the cornerback or safety spot. He might also be able to provide depth at the nickel back spot immediately, especially if Florida needs to move Brian Poole outside to field or boundary corner.</p>
<p>With the addition of Dawson and Jalen Tabor in 2014, Florida adds depth to an already stellar defensive backfield unit.</p>
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<p>Yes, that was a Nickelback joke.</p>
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https://www.alligatorarmy.com/2014/2/6/5379658/duke-dawson-early-enrollee-florida-gators-2014-recruitingalexjmarty2014-02-06T13:38:06-05:002014-02-06T13:38:06-05:00Andrew Mike: Recruitment, highlights, impact
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<figcaption>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Florida's last pre-Signing Day commitment is another depth play on the offensive line.</p> <p>Andrew Mike was the last player to join Florida's class prior to National Signing Day, and <a target="new" href="http://www.alligatorarmy.com/2014/2/5/5380750/andrew-mike-commits-florida-gators-recruiting">his commitment to Florida</a> came during the middle of a rather interesting basketball game, so you could be forgiven for missing it. But he's yet another offensive lineman that Florida fans might be happy to have in the future.</p>
<h3>Recruitment</h3>
<p>Mike is a lineman from Tucson, Arizona's Sedona High School, who Florida and other schools really started pursuing late in the recruiting cycle. Mike took in Gainesville on an official visit over the weekend of January 24, and was thought to have the Gators as his favorite after that cross-country trip. But Florida's pursuit of Damian Prince continued, and with both Prince and eventual Florida State signee still on the Gators' board, Mike opted to commit to Vanderbilt this past Monday.</p>
<p>News leaked Monday night that <a target="new" href="http://www.alligatorarmy.com/2014/2/4/5377522/damian-prince-lorenzo-carter-florida-gators-football-recruiting">Florida's confidence in landing Prince had dwindled</a>, though, so Florida turned up the heat on Mike — and, one day after committing to Vanderbilt, Mike switched his pledge to Florida late Tuesday night.</p>
<p>Mike also held notable offers from Arkansas and Penn State.</p>
<h3>Highlights</h3>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/iWHlgQdmNd4" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p>There's really not a lot on Mike on the Interwebs, at least in terms of highlights.</p>
<h3>Impact</h3>
<p>Mike was a three-star lineman according to the <a target="new" href="http://247sports.com/Player/Andrew-Mike-20487">247Sports Composite rankings</a>. There's nothing in his game or frame — which is excellent, at 6'7" — to dislike, but he'll need to add strength (he's listed at 270 pounds, but appears very slim for an offensive lineman in the above video from May 2013) to be a consistent performer for Florida's line.</p>
<p>Expect Mike to redshirt in 2014 and make his contributions down the line at left or right tackle.</p>
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https://www.alligatorarmy.com/2014/2/6/5386770/andrew-mike-impact-florida-gators-national-signing-day-2014Andy Hutchins