Tracking Florida’s 2023 early signing period activity

Although the calendar may still show 2022, many of the best recruits for the class of 2023 have signed early. The early signing period begins Dec. 21, and many of these top recruits are already signing. Florida is expected to bring in a strong class in Billy Napier’s first full cycle as head coach, but nothing is ever set in stone until the pen hits the paper.

There are more names than expected, but the core class has already signed early. Gators Wire keeps track of every move and the signing date for February. Florida is on the lookout for potential targets who are not yet committed. They will make their decisions by Friday at the end of the period.

Each of Florida’s commitments below is listed in order of expected ceremony start time. As players sign their national letters of intent, the list will update to reflect Florida’s most recent additions.

4-star DL Gavin Hill – Buchholz (Gainesville, Florida)

Buchholz High hosted a Dec. 13 ceremony to make it official. [autotag]Gavin Hill[/autotag] His commitment to Florida was confirmed. He’ll be sending in his letter of intent in the morning and is one of a few players not having a formal celebration on Wednesday. Consider him a lock.

Hill is a consensus recruit of four stars who ranks just below the 300 mark in both the 247Sports composite and On3 (No. Hill is a consensus four-star recruit who ranks just around the 300 mark on both the 247Sports composite (No. 297). A local talent, Hill is a strong addition to Florida’s incoming defensive line class that ranks among the top 40 at his position.

3-star OL Bryce Lovett – Rockledge, Florida

Rockledge offensive tackle [autotag]Bryce Lovett[/autotag] Should be signed as the first during the early signing period. 247Sports lists him for a 7 a.m. EST ceremony.

Lovett is a three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN and On3’s measures. Rivals ranks him as No. 4 prospect. 34 among offensive tackles of the class. On3 consensus and the 247Sports composite are more negative about Lovett ranking around the mid 600s overall, regardless of position.

4-star DB Dijon Johnson – Wharton (Tampa, Florida)

Four-star cornerback [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] He will be next with an early ceremony. Sign him around 7:30 a.m. EDT  Already, he has confirmed his signing date of Dec. 21. Florida has been working hard to turn Johnson from Ohio State this summer, and has had a commitment from Johnson since October.

Johnson is a four-star consensus recruit and is considered a top 100 talent by the 247Sports composite as well as On3. He is ranked No. He was ranked 89th overall in the class to 2023. He is a top-10 prospect in the class and could play safety or cornerback for Florida.

4-star LB Jaden Robinson – Columbia (Lake City, Florida)

Columbia linebacker [autotag]Jaden Robinson[/autotag] He will sign with his teammates at 9 a.m.. Twitter confirmed the schedule the day before. He is the only linebacker to join the Gators during early signing (barring any surprises).

Robinson was able to flip from South Carolina in August, and has lived in Florida since. He’s a four-star recruit according to 247Sports and Rivals, but On3 and ESPN list him as a three-star talent. He is ranked No. He is ranked at No. 387 in his class and No. 28 among linebackers. Nos. 406 and 39 respectively.

3-star S Bryce Thornton – Milton (Alpharetta, Georgia)

Milton safety should be the first out-of state recruit to sign [autotag]Bryce Thornton[/autotag]Sign around, 9:30 AM EST. Thornton is expected to enroll early and is considered a difficult commit to Florida.

Rivals and On3 call Thornton a four star recruit. However, 247Sports & ESPN consider him a three-star recruit. Rivals rates him as the No. Rivals ranks him as the No. 15 safety in his class. However, ESPN and On3 have him listed at No. 29 and 32 respectively, while 247Sports lists he at No. 59 positionally. He is ranked No. He is ranked No. 467 overall, while the On3 consensus places him at No. 444.

4-star EDGE Isiah Nixon – Lakewood (St. Petersburg, Florida)

This is the first curveball that could be expected during the early signing period. Edge rusher [autotag]Isaiah Nixon[/autotag] He has been a Florida commit since he transferred from UCF six months ago, but some reports suggest that he could be joining the Knights. Nixon will sign at 10 a.m. It is possible that the coin will turn again.

Rivals, On3 and Rivals rate Nixon as a four-star recruit. 247Sports, however, rates Nixon as a three-star edge rusher. He’s the only EDGE under commitment in the class currently, but that could change soon.

3-star IOL Knijeah Harris – IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)

IMG Academy interior offensive linesman [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag] Is set to sign at 10:00 AM EST. He’s another expected early enrollee that should join the team in the spring.

Harris gets a three-star grade from every major service aside from ESPN where he’s the top-ranked interior offensive lineman in the class. He is ranked No.1 by the 247Sports composite. 29 player at the position and the On3 consensus feels he’s the No. 31 interior lineman during the 2023 cycle.

4-star DL/EDGE T. J. Searcy – Upson-Lee (Thomaston, Georgia)

[autotag]T. J. Searcy[/autotag] Sign at 10:30 a.m. EDTAccording to 247Sports, he is. He shut down his commitment in early November, so there shouldn’t be any surprises here.

Searcy is a four-star recruit consensus and ranks No. 247Sports composite ranks Searcy at No.207. On3 is more bullish about him, ranking Searcy as No. 180 overall, and No. 22 out of all the defensive linemen in this class.

4-star CB Ja’Keem Jack – Osceola (Kissimmee, Florida)

[autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] His signing plans were confirmed on social media. He is now set to make it official 11:05 a.m.. He is one of Florida’s highest-rated incoming players and is considered a top-100 prospect by both 247Sports (No. He is a top-100 prospect by both 247Sports (No. 72) and On3(No. 91). 91).

His composite rankings on both sites suffer from a lower national ranking on ESPN and Rivals doesn’t have an overall ranking listed for him. He’s still the No. 123 overall recruit on 247Sports composite, and the No. 138 prospect on On3 consensus

4-star IOL Roderick Kearney – Orange Park, Florida

Orange Park offensive lineman [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag] Is set to sign at 11:15 a.m. EST, according to a social media post from his high school’s football program. The Gators flipped Kearney from Florida State in October and provided a major boost to UF’s incoming offensive line class. He’s listed as an offensive tackle by some services but could end up inside the tackles once in Gainesville.

Kearney, a four-star consensus recruit, ranks among the top 100 on On3 (No. 70 and ESPN (No. 95). 95). 247Sports’ No. His composite scores have been hurt by his 147 ranking, but he still holds the No. 133 on On3 consensus.

4-star WR Andy Jean – Northwestern (Miami, Florida)

Wide Receiver [autotag]Andy Jean[/autotag] At 11:15 a.m. EST According to a Tuesday afternoon social media post, he posted Wednesday. Jean was initially a Miami commit, but he changed his mind in March. He was among the many players Florida vs. UM fought over for the past year before finally committing to the Gators on July.

The Hurricanes were considered a threat at one point, but now it’s the other member of Florida’s big three, FSU, that’s in the race. Jean will decide between the two on and is expected to stick with Florida, but there’s always some sort of drama on a national signing day.

4-star WR Aidan Mizell – Boone (Orlando, Florida)

Boone receiver [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag] Although Mizell will not be attending a formal ceremony, he is expected to sign during morning. Mizell has been a very vocal supporter of Florida since committing, so there’s no reason to fear a flip despite the lack of fanfare.

Mizell is a consensus talent of four stars and is a top 100 recruit on the 247Sports composite (No. 94 and On3 consensus (No. 96). The Gators are losing a ton of wide receiver depth this year, so there’s plenty of opportunity for Mizell to play early.

4-star RB Treyaun Webb – Trinity Christian (Jacksonville, Florida)

Running back [autotag]Treyaun Webb[/autotag] Another morning commitment, without any ceremony or scheduled time. He’s been a heavy recruiter for the Gators for months, so there’s no reason to expect any shenanigans with him either. He should be signed before the afternoon.

Webb should be Florida’s only running back in the class. He’s a four-star recruit by everyone’s measure but On3 and is ranked No. 300 on the 247Sports composite.

4-star ATH/WR Eugene Wilson III – Gaither (Tampa, Florida)

Gaither large receiver [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag] At 1 p.m. EST To begin the afternoon signings. Although he has confirmed his intentions to sign early, Wilson isn’t expected to enroll early at UF.

Although he’s a consensus four-star recruit, Wilson is ranked considerably higher by On3 compared to other services. On3’s standalone rankings have him at No. 31 overall and No. 5 among receivers. 5 among receivers. 247Sports and ESPN both have him outside the top 100, though, and Rivals doesn’t even give him a national ranking.

4-star DB Jordan Castell – West Orange (Winter Garden, Florida)

West Orange defensive back [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag] Sign around 4:30 p.m. EST, According to 247Sports. His teammates indicated that he would sign at 5 p.m., so there may be some delay. Castell recently visited the Swamp and appears to have been locked in with Gators.

He’s a four-star recruit by every measure but 247Sports’, and he still earned a four-star grade on the site’s composite rankings. He’s listed as the No. 247Sports composite’s 203 overall player and No. 13 safety in class 2023

4-star ATH Aaron Gates – Trinity Christian (Sharpsburg, Georgia)

Florida’s longest-standing commitment belongs to Trinity Christian athlete [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag]He was the sole recruit to remain with Florida after the coaching change. He’ll sign alongside his teammates at 5 p.m. EST On Wednesday

While Gates will most likely be a defensive back for Florida in the future, he has some versatility. His ranking varies depending on which position he’s considered for, but the On3 consensus has him ranked at No. He is ranked at No. 351 overall and No. 30 among safety options in the class.

4-star DL Kelby Collins – Gardendale, Alabama

Florida’s highest-ranked defensive commit, [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag]Sign at 7 p.m. EST Wednesday. He’s the last planned signing of the day but some to-be-determined ceremonies could end up coming after his event.

Collins is a four-star consensus recruit and ranks among the top 100 on the 247Sports composite. 60) and the On3 consensus (No. 59). He has a chance to be Florida’s most impactful addition in the cycle, especially among the defensive signees.

4-star DL WNorman, ill – Eastside (Camden, New Jersey)

Eastside defensive lineman W[autotag]ill Norman[/autotag] He should submit his letter of intention on Wednesday. However, no date has been given for Norman’s signing. There doesn’t appear to be any reason for fans to think Norman will end up anywhere but Florida despite the lack of a ceremony.

A consensus four-star recruit, Norman could see early playing time at Florida, but he’s not expected to be an early enrollee. According to the 247Sports composite, Norman is just outside of the top 200 at No. 208, and at No. 31 of the defensive linemen in 2023.

4-star DL Kamran James – Olympia (Orlando, Florida)

Olympia defensive lineman [autotag]Kamran James[/autotag] Another recruit is expected Wednesday to sign, although he has not yet given a date. The staff stopped by James’ home earlier this week and he appears to be locked in with UF.

The letter of intent for him should be sent at the beginning of the early signing period.

James’ rankings are strange. Rivals is the only site to rate him as a three star recruit, while 247Sports (No. 98) and on3 (No. Each of these rankings have him ranked within the top 100. These wildly divergent assessments lead James to be ranked No. James is ranked at No.155 on the equally-weighted On3 consensus. 16 among the defensive-linemen in this class.

4-star DB Sharif Denson – Bartram Trail (Jacksonville, Florida)

Bartram Trail defensive back [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag] is another Gators commit without a set signing time, but he’s expected to send in his letter of intent during the early signing period and enroll early.

On3 is the only recruiting service that doesn’t have Denson listed as a four-star cornerback, but that doesn’t hurt his composite rankings too badly. Denson ranks No. 247Sports composite. 228 overall, and No. 26 among the cornerbacks in this class. On3 is a bit more bearish on him at Number. 247 nationally, and No. 31 of those in his position.

5-star QB Jaden Rashada – Pittsburgh, California

Quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag] is the final player on our list because he doesn’t have a signing time set up just yet. After flipping from Miami in November, Rashada became the highest-profile commit in Florida’s 2023 class. Now all that’s left to do is put the pen to paper. He’s expected to sign on Wednesday.

Rashada is a five-star quarterback by 247Sports’ measure, but the other major services peg him as a four-star. The composite rankings are the most reliable when considering all the opinions. This composite 247Sports ranking has him at No. 56 overall, and No. 56 overall and No. 7 among quarterbacks. The On3 consensus places him at No. 65 both nationally and in the same position.

Florida has an elite signal-caller.

Signing of targets not committed during the initial period

  • 5-star EDGE [autotag]Qua Russaw[/autotag] – Carver (Montgomery, Alabama): Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. EST on ESPN.

  • 5-star DL [autotag]James Smith[/autotag] – Carver (Montgomery, Alabama): Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. EST on ESPN.

  • 5-star CB [autotag]Desmond Ricks[/autotag] – IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida): Dec. 22 at 5:30 p.m. EST.

  • 4-star DL [autotag]Jordan Hall[/autotag] – Westside (Jacksonville, Florida): Dec. 22 at 2:30 p.m. EST.

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