Gators’ top-10 recruiting class could climb higher
Signing Deland’s Williams would be a big plus for UF
GAINESVILLE — After finishing the 2019 season ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press poll, the Florida Gators enter national signing day firmly inside the top 10 in the recruiting rankings.
On Wednesday, Dan Mullen will look to put the finishing touches on a class rated No. 8 by 247Sports.com. UF has a chance to leapfrog No. 7 Auburn. Little mystery generally remains, however, for Mullen’s Gators after 22 players signed scholarship papers during early signing day in December.
The Gators’ 2020 class would receive a boost if Tae Williams of Deland chooses UF over Miami.
The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Williams played offense, defense and special teams for the Bulldogs, earning a spot on Sport Illustrated’s All-America team as an “athlete.” In college, Williams is expected to line up at safety.
The Gators will lose three senior defensive backs — Shawn Davis, Brad Stewart, Donovan Stinter — after next season and the team struggled too often on the back end of the defense in 2019.
Williams is a onetime Miami commit who then was committed to Oregon until December. In UF’s favor, Williams’ cousin is running back Lorenzo Lingard, who recently transferred in from Miami.
The Gators also have a bead on 6-4, 249-pound defensive end Princely
Umanmielen, a four-star recruit from Manor, Texas. Auburn is UF’s main competition for Umanmielen, who had 36 tackles, including eight for a loss, in six games last season.
UF is expected to ink wide receiver Xzavier Henderson of Miami and Penn State transfer Justin Shorter, which will make his move official. Their additions were key given just one receiver, Jaquavion Fraziars of Dunnellon, signed with Florida during the early period.
The 6-4, 180-pound Henderson, the younger brother of former Gators star cornerback CJ Henderson, is the nation’s No. 66 overall recruit and 11th-ranked receiver. He caught 37 passes for 503 yards and seven touchdowns during 13 games for Columbus High.
The 6-4, 235-pound Shorter was ranked the nation’s No. 1 receiver and No 8 overall prospect in 2018. He caught 12 passes for 137 yards this past season as a redshirt freshman at Penn State.
UF would like to add a high school running back, but Lingard’s transfer did ensure the Gators picked up one back during the recruiting cycle.
When Lakeland’s Demarkcus Bowman signed with Clemson, Mullen and Co. turned their attention to Jahmyr Gibbs of Georgia. But Gibbs appears to be a lock for Georgia Tech, coached by former UF defensive coordinator Geoff Collins
Ashaad Clayton, a fourstar prospect from New Orleans committed to Colorado, also could be on the Gators’ radar. Clayton averaged 11.2 yards per carry as a junior at Warren Easton High.
Clayton’s high school teammate Sedrick Van Pran, the nation’s No. 1-rated center, is committed to Georgia, but he did visit Gainesville Jan. 31.
While a Van Pran flip is a long shot, the Gators would welcome his addition.