Gut Feelings: Inside Florida Gators recruiting

With the current recruiting dead period at the halfway point, here’s the latest intel on Florida Gators football recruiting ….

*After chatting with Ben Hanks Sr. , the former Florida linebacker and father to 4-star cornerback target Ben Hanks Jr. of Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington, here’s the latest info on his son’s recruitment: 1. An August announcement is probable; 2. Florida, Miami, FSU and Louisville are the main players at the moment. Georgia has slipped some and is not believed to be one of the top factors as of Monday; 3. At this time, it’s unclear if Hanks will return to Gainesville the last week of July, when the Gators will host visitors during the program’s Grille in the Ville event. Now, my take: I really think this one comes down to Florida and Miami. Some in Gainesville felt better about the Gators’ chances after his official visit to Florida in mid-June, but that doesn’t mean it’s over.

*Since on-campus visits are allowed the last week in July before another dead period begins, it’s an all out battle to get the top prospects in town. As you can imagine, all the major players in the recruitment of Ty Jackson , the No. 1 linebacker in the country for On3, want him to visit. But as of Monday, he hasn’t decided where he will go that week. A decision about that will be made in the near future. Worth noting: The Gators were the first school to invite him to visit that week. Florida seems to be a factor in that recruitment with some in Gainesville viewing Georgia as the main competition.

*While confidence is running high at Auburn that the Tigers will keep 4-star offensive tackle Tavaris Dice of Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes in the class, there still is optimism in Gainesville that Florida continues to be in the picture. The Gators are hopeful they can get Dice back on campus for a game.

*Florida offered 4-star North Carolina quarterback commit Bryce Baker of Kernersville (N.C.) East Forsyth last week, but it doesn’t sound like flipping him will be easy. Technically, Baker hasn’t closed his recruitment, however he told me Sunday night he’s “100 percent” locked in with Carolina. While he didn’t entirely rule out a potential visit to Gainesville, he said the chances of that happening were “slim” right now.

A few things are working in the Tar Heels’ favor here:

1. Drake Maye , Carolina’s QB last season, just went No. 3 overall in the draft.
2. Max Johnson , whom many think will be the Tar Heels’ starting QB in 2024, has at most two seasons remaining. So Baker might not have to wait long to play.
3. Baker lives roughly an hour from Chapel, Hill, N.C.

So far, Florida has impressed Baker, especially from the academic side of things. However, his communication with the Gators only recently began. This feels like an uphill climb at the moment.

*Four-star safety Jaylan Morgan of Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Rockvale, who officially visited the Gators in June, will announce his commitment Monday at 3 p.m. ET. The arrow currently is pointing to Athens, Ga., on this one. Meanwhile, unless something significant changes it also seems likely 2024 offensive tackle Jahzare Jackson will pick Georgia on Monday.

If Morgan does what we expect, then the pressure grows for Florida at safety with a pair of 4-star targets – Bryce Fitzgerald of Miami (Fla.) Columbus and Lagonza Hayward of Lyons (Ga.) Toombs County. Both players officially visited the Gators the weekend of June 14-16 and the feeling afterward was that Florida was in a strong spot with both. But neither recruitment is a layup for the Gators. Fitzgerald plans to announce a commitment Aug. 16 and while he told 247Sports last week FSU led, we still think it’s too close to call. Hayward plans to announce July 27. Sources say confidence is growing at Tennessee.

*Don’t expect Miami to give up on 4-star receiver Joshua Moore of Pembroke Pines (Fla.) West Broward, who committed to the Gators over the ‘Canes and FSU two weeks ago. Apparently, there is some confidence in Coral Gables that Miami has the potential to make a move this fall. Meanwhile, Moore’s coach told Gators Online on Moore’s commitment day he thinks his player is locked in with Florida. And of note, the ‘Canes didn’t finish second. That was FSU.

*With Florida having missed on some offensive line targets this summer, one would expect new names to move up the board. We think 3-star IOL Bryan Auguste of Coconut Creek (Fla.) Monarch, who committed to Kentucky a couple weeks ago, potentially could be someone to track.

* Jeramiah McCloud , Florida’s 3-star defensive line commit, is transferring back to his original high school, Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County, for his senior season. He spent last season at Havana (Fla.) Gadsden County. Meanwhile, he still plans to visit other schools and hopes to check out games at FSU, Georgia, LSU and Texas this season. Do the Gators have anything to worry about with McCloud?

“No sir,” he told Gators Online. “I feel very confident with my decision.”

With McCloud returning to the Peach State, it’s worth keeping an eye on Georgia. But, we are told, the Bulldogs are more focused on some other defensive line prospects at the moment. Worth noting, McCloud already has visited the Gators at least three times since committing to them May 2. And … he plans to return to Gainesville the last week in July for the Grille in the Ville.

*Four-star receiver target Naeshaun Montgomery of Miami (Fla.) Central will be at the Grille in the Ville, too. We continue to hear the most chatter about Florida and Penn State, but On3’s boots on the ground in State College, Pa., tell us the Nittany Lions might have to miss on one or two receivers before putting the foot on the gas with Montgomery. That’s good news for the Gators, who love him and hope to take control of his recruitment that last week in July.

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