re: "Recruiting Season" 2023 Class

quote:

---

The next round of visits could very well end up being the last for five-star running back Richard Young. The Lehigh (Fla.) Lehigh Senior standout told 247Sports on Saturday after what was likely the last track meet of his prep career that he would like to make a commitment by the end of August.

“I don’t know when, but before my season starts,” Young said. “I’m just trying to focus on one school and that’s it.

Young named Alabama, Oregon, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Texas A&M his leaders two weeks ago. Nothing has really changed on that front, although he did reveal Saturday that he has scheduled three official visits.

According to Young and his camp, they plan to be at Oklahoma the weekend of June 3, Georgia the weekend of June 17 Georgia and Ohio State the weekend of June 24. Young added that he’s also set to take an unofficial visit to Oregon next weekend and that Alabama will “definitely” get one of his two remaining official visits.

“I’m just trying to get that date locked in,” Young said when asked about the Crimson Tide.

Young spent last weekend in Tuscaloosa.

“It was good,” Young said. “Definitely good. I hung out with [Coach Robert Gillespe] a lot and the other running backs. So, it was good. I’m close with all of the players and [Brian Robinson] even though he’s already doing the draft and stuff. Same with all of the new running backs.”

Young got to watch a little of practice.

“That was good. They showed me a lot. They might best fit me and my recruitment,” Young admitted.

Young isn’t one that does much social media, but he did recently repost a graphic with a quote from Nick Saban about Alabama’s players have made $1.7 billion playing in the NFL since 2007.

“1.7 billion? Hell yeah I posted that,” Young said. “It’s crazy. Shoot, I’m trying to be like that too.”

While Saban and the Crimson Tide might have made a strong impression on Young, he is still evaluating each one of his finalists and that includes Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs.

“Their facilities are crazy. The weightroom is crazy. Everything there is just crazy,” Young said while detailing his interest in Georgia. “It’s a good environment with Dell McGhee there. That’s why I have been there so many times. When I went back up there two months ago, he blew my mind. Just with the schemes, how they run, how they practice and the offensive linemen they have. All that.”

The Buckeyes and ace recruiter Tony Alford have also gotten Young up to Columbus multiple times.

“That’s my guy,” Young said of Alford. “Me and him communicate every day. No matter what. I actually just got done texting him. He was just keeping up with my track meet and all that. Me and him just have a really good relationship.”

Young is intrigued by the Sooners after getting out to Norman for a Junior Day.

“It’s just the new staff,” Young said. “The new coach. He’s trying to change a lot and that’s made me have to rethink my decision.”

Kenny Dillingham is a big reason why the Ducks are in the mix.

“I built a strong relationship with [Coach Dillingham] when he was at FSU,” Young explained. “He’s a big reason why I want to get out there, especially with [Carlos Locklyn] as the running backs coach.”

Young is coming off a junior season in which he averaged 9.0 yards per carry, totaling 1,755 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground. That was after a sophomore campaign where he racked 982 running yards and eight scores during a pandemic-shortened season.

On the track, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Young went a blazing 10.81 in the 100-meter dash earlier this month, but was DQ’d on Saturday at his district meet, which means he won’t run at regionals or states.

The 247Sports Crystal Ball currently holds one forecast for Young. It is in favor of Alabama.

---

quote:

---

By the time Malik Bryant reveals his decision on July 23, the Gators will have hosted him three times since Billy Napier’s arrival in Gainesville.

The four-star EDGE visited on Jan. 15 and April 2 and plans to return to Gainesville in June for his official visit. The trip is not finalized, but the Orlando native plans to secure a date sometime over the next two weeks.

With that being said, what makes the University of Florida a top contender in his recruitment?

“Really, how I fit into the scheme,” Bryant told On3’s Joseph Hastings. “Coach Toney showed me how I would fit into the scheme and how he can draw up plays so I can be a playmaker in the defense. It would be how they use Brenton Cox in their defense.

“I just feel like the connections and the relationships I’ve built with some of the coaches at Florida, all that in one, just makes me want to continue to visit there and set up an official. The next time I visit there will be for my official.”

During his most recent stay , Bryant prioritized relationship building and getting comfortable around Napier’s coaching army. He is already well accustomed to his positional fit, so the majority of those conversations are not centered on football.

“I enjoyed myself overall,” Bryant said. “They already showed me how I fit into the scheme and all that. Each time I come back, it’s getting to know more and more people on the staff. Really, just hanging around them and getting to see their true intentions and being around the program.”

What was the highlight of the visit for the All-American defender?

“Kind of how it was at Alabama. Just how they take care of their players,” Bryant said. “Kamari Wilson was telling me they care of them real good. They make sure they don’t really need anything.”

The Gators view Bryant as a must get in the 2023 class
According to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, Bryant is the No. 5 EDGE and No. 39 prospect regardless of position.

With such a high ranking, it’s no surprise the in-state Gators are keeping their foot on the accelerator. Billy Napier and outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson are serving as the go-to contacts, but Bryant says it’s truly a group effort in terms of UF’s daily pursuit.

“Really, the entire staff; I’m not going to lie,” Bryant said. “I text almost half of the staff at least in a day. It’s real serious at Florida. (Their message) is continue to work, continue to take my time and keep them in the loop.

“I enjoy the new staff. I feel like Billy Napier has a good vision. He knows what he’s doing with the staff and team. All of them are continuing to raise the standard there.”

One school is holding down the top spot
Although he will not be making a commitment for roughly three months, Bryant says Alabama is the school leading the way in his recruitment.

Looking at his recruitment in general, Bryant will take three officials in June; one of those will be to Florida, one to Miami, and the third is undecided. He will take an official to Alabama after his July 23 commitment but intends on unofficially visiting in June as well.

The next step for Bryant is dishing out a final four on May 1. The three aforementioned schools are near locks to make the list.

---

quote:

---

Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian Academy Top247 running back Treyaun Webb is no stranger to the recruiting process. After all, he has already backed off early verbal commitments to both Georgia and Oklahoma.

While Webb, who the 247Sports Composite pegs as the nation's No. 5 ball carrier, doesn't have an exact date for when he will make his next commitment, it sounds like a decision will likely come after he takes official visits to Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and Penn State in June.

“I have been doing this for a long time. I’m kind of ready to get to college and get this over with,” Webb told 247Sports earlier this week when asked if a commitment could come after those trips. “I got one official visit left. So, a couple schools have been trying to grab at it. Oregon has come in the picture. North Carolina. Iowa. Schools like that. I’m still deciding if I want to use my final official."

Even if Webb makes out to one of those new suitors, it sounds like the Gators are going to be pretty hard to beat after a recent trip up to Gainesville.

“Honestly, Florida is doing a great job right now," Webb said. "Why not Florida? That’s kind of how I summed it up after my last visit. They basically sat me down. It was me, Coach [Jay] Bateman, Coach [Corey] Raymond. The whole staff, really. We were all just sitting in Coach [Billy] Napier’s office chilling. Having a good time. Talking. They were just saying that I can find everything I want right in my backyard. Florida used to be a factor like ‘Bama and Clemson because they kept the Florida talent in the state. They let that go for a couple of years, but now that Napier is here, his message is that he’s trying to recruit the major cities – Jacksonville, Orlando, Miami. He thinks that kids are going to want to play harder for their hometown. So, anything I can find at ‘Bama, Georgia, Ohio State, I can find there. NIL. Early playing time. They are going to show me love because I’m a hometown kid and my cousin [former UF cornerback Dee Webb] went there. So, that’s a plus.”

While it's clear that Webb likes the Gators, he's also intrigued by the folks at South Carolina.

"Honestly, when they came to me in like January and started talking to me, I didn’t think much of South Carolina. I didn’t think much of them. I knew Marcus Lattimore went there, but that’s it. Then I took a visit up there, and I liked everything about it. Coach [Shane] Beamer is a great guy. He has been in a winning system before. So, he knows what it takes to win. Coach [Montario] Hardesty, he played at the highest level. I like the offense. It’s pro-style. They get the ball down the field and throw the ball to the running back."

If the Gamecocks are sitting second in the recruitment, then the Volunteers are probably running third.

"The thing that brought Tennessee into play is the fact that they got an offense," Webb explained. "They got [five-star quarterback Nicco Iamaleva] already. They are trying to get five-star wide receiver [Carnell Tate]. So, I want to see what they are talking about and NIL is big up there. They were saying I could have the same possibilities because if I commit there, I would be the highest-ranked running back to pick Tennessee in a decade. That would be crazy."

Ja'Juan Seider is the one keeping Penn State alive.

"Coach Seider, he has been there since eighth grade," Webb said. "He watched me grow up and grow as a player. Coach [James] Franklin, he’s a player-friendly guy. He wants what’s best for his players. And I would kind of say that’s how it is for all four of my schools. All the coaches want what’s best for their players. And all four of them bring something different to the table."

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Webb is a multi-year contributor at the varsity level that was excellent as a junior in the state playoffs for a Trinity Christian Academy team that won a Florida 3A state title. He ran for just under 900 yards and 10 scores in the final four games of the season. The 247Sports' Crystal Ball currently reads 73.3 percent in favor of the Gators for Webb.

---

quote:

---

Rockledge (Fla.) 2023 offensive tackle Bryce Lovett has included the Florida Gators in his top four schools and will announce his college commitment on his birthday, May 16, he announced on Wednesday.

The Gators made the cut for the 6-foot-5, 330-pound tackle alongside Missouri, Iowa State and Louisville.
Lovett has emerged as one of the Gators' top targets across the offensive line in the class of 2023, as he was one of the first prospects to visit Billy Napier and UF's new coaching staff in January and has since made the trek to Gainesville four times. He has also scheduled an official visit to Florida on June 3.

"I don't know what it is," Lovett told AllGators in March about why he keeps coming back to visit the school, "but it's something about it that obviously makes me keep coming back. It's just chill, I like being here. So it's good. It's close to home, too."

The On3Sports consensus rankings list Lovett as the No. 74 interior offensive lineman in the class of 2023, although UF envisions Lovett being capable of playing tackle at the next level.

Lovett is one of two top Gators offensive line targets scheduled to make their college commitment next month, as IMG Academy (Fla.) interior lineman Knijeah Harris is set to decide between Florida, Alabama, Miami, Michigan State, Oklahoma and Texas A&M on May 7.

---

quote:

---

Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star offensive lineman Knijeah Harris is set to announce a commitment May 7 on CBS Sports HQ. Last week, the Sunshine State native attended Florida's spring game and then made his way up to Michigan State. Those two trips came on the heels of an official visit to Texas A&M.

So, what's next for Harris?

"I think I'm done with visits," Harris told 247Sports over the phone Wednesday. "This is the time where I'm going to take some time to figure everything out."

Harris has visited UF three times since February's month-long dead period ended. His most recent visit, however, was pretty notable because it marked the first time that mom and dad made their way to Gainesville with him.

"It was great for my parents to finally just get a chance to meet the coaches," Harris said. "You know, I already had my feeling about them. So, seeing what they thought about them was nice."

Harris was impressed with the atmosphere inside the Swamp.

"It was good to see the fans out there and see the coaches coach. That was the biggest thing," Harris said.

Harris also enjoyed getting a chance to watch assistants Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton work.

"Those guys are great coaches," Harris said. "That's why they are one of my top schools. They do a great job with their players and I'm just excited to see what they do this season."

While Harris seems to be pretty high Billy Napier's program, he claims that all six of his finalists remain very much in the hunt to land his commitment. That includes Michigan State.

"It was nice," Harris said of his time in East Lansing. "I had a chance to go out there and just hang out with the coaches and players."

The highlight of that visit for Harris?

"It was definitely just spending time with the coaches and seeing the game as it was more of a practice than an actual game. So, I could see them coach."

Harris is also considering Miami, Oklahoma and Alabama in addition to the Aggies, Spartans and, of course, the Gators.

As a junior, Harris worked primarily at left guard for an IMG Academy program that went 9-1 playing a national schedule. He is listed at 6-foot-3, 325 pounds and pegged by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 18 offensive lineman in the class of 2023.

---