Florida expecting over 20 Rivals250 members
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Though the Orange & Blue Debut this weekend is mostly about the players on the field, there will also be some work put in by the Florida coaching and support staff on the sidelines as the Gators are expecting a relatively big crowd of unofficial visitors this Saturday.
Included in that group are over 20 members of the Rivals250.
One of the great advantages of Florida having all 11 of their current commitments residing instate is that they are able to make frequent trips to Gainesville, thus building a stronger relationship with the coaches and players on the team.
All 11 of Florida's public commitments are expected to attend Saturday's Orange & Blue Debut.
Here are some other noteworthy visitors expected to be in attendance.
THE RIVALS250 VISITORS
As far as the Rivals250 members visiting, two position groups really stand out - wide receivers and defensive linemen.
Jacksonville (Fla.) Kenny Rivals100 wide out Ahmad Fulwood will be in Gainesville once gain this weekend along with good friends Rivals100 safety Nick Washington and Rivals250 defensive end DeMarcus Walker. It will be Walker's third trip to UF this spring, and his second in two weeks.
Another big name at wide receiver is Alpharetta (Ga.) four-star prospect Carlos Burse. The 6-foot-2, 194-pound Rivals250 member recently called Florida his outright leader over Alabama.
And then there's Tallahassee (Fla.) Lincoln teammates Reggie Davis and Taj Williams. The duo visited UF back in February for a Junior Day and each of them has Florida as their leader, though there are likely a couple of kids rated higher on Florida's stacked wide receiver board.
Staying on offense, one of the top rated quarterbacks in the southeast Raleigh (N.C.) Wakefield signal caller Connor Mitch. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder lists UF as a possibility, the Gators have yet to offer.
There are two instate Rivals250 members due to visit. They are St. Petersburg (Fla.) Catholic back Ryan Green and Tampa (Fla.) Plant offensive tackle Richy Klepal.
Rivals100 member Green, the No. 9 rated running back in the nation, visited Florida a couple of weeks ago to attend a spring practice.
The 6-foot-5, 280-pound Klepal has over 20 offers to date and is a member of the Rivals250, but he has yet to earn an offer from any of the Big Three instate.
With seven prospects signed at the position during the last recruiting cycle, Florida was able to restock their defensive line to an extent. That however doesn't mean that the Gators aren't looking to add a few more tackles and ends in the Class of 2013.
Along those lines Florida will host an impressive group of linemen on Saturday.
Headlining the list is Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) STA end Joey Bosa, the No. 14 rated prospect in the nation. Though many have Alabama as the clear cut leader at this point, the 6-foot-5, 260-pounder is becoming more and more familiar with what UF has to offer. This will be his second trip this spring to Gainesville.
Joining him from instate will be yet another Bay Area star - Tampa (Fla.) Hillsborough Rivals100 defensive end Jordan Sherit.
Those coming in from out-of-state include Ashburn (Va.) Stone Bridge Rivals100 defensive end Jonathan Allen who just this week called Florida and Alabama his co-leaders.
Another visiting defensive end Florida is in very good shape with is Elijah Daniel. At the conclusion of a combine in late February, the 6-foot-4, 253-pound Rivals250 member called Florida his favorite.
Then finally there's 6-foot-4, 275-pound Hope Mills (N.C.) View Rivals250 strong side defensive end Greg Gilmore. The nation's No. rated prospect, Mills had the Gators as his frontrunner until a recent offer and trip to LSU moved the Bayou Bengals into the top spot.
Rounding out the list of Rivals250 members is a trio of instate defensive backs.
Safety Marcell Harris, the son of former Gator safety Mike Harris, safety Leon McQuay III and cornerback MacKensie Alexander are all expected to be in the Swamp on Saturday.
INSTATE VISITORS
At a glance, this list may not seem that extensive, but that is because it doesn't 11 public commitments and those listed with the Rivals250 members above. Had they all been included in this subcategory, there would be 20 more names listed under instate visitors.
Though the list is quite a bit more extensive than just these names, here are three instate kids due in who deserve mention.
Up first is Tampa (Fla.) Tech three-star wide out Richard Benjamin. He told Inside the Gators that he sees himself playing for the Gators, and UF is the team to beat, but again, Florida's receiver board is stacked this cycle.
Another instate prospect, also a legacy, Gainesville linebacker Keith Kelsey Jr. will make the short drive over to the Swamp again this weekend. Though Kelsey Jr. has several early offers, the Gators are almost done at the position and aren't likely to extend an offer.
One prospect who was recently offered is Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade cornerback Adrian Baker. The 6-foot-1, 170-pounder picked up offers from both Florida and Florida State last week
Click Here to view this Link.OUT-OF-STATE VISITORS
It is highly unlikely that there will be a rush of commitments over the weekend. However, if one prospect is to make a pledge the best bet would be Lithonia (Ga.) MLK three-star offensive guard Joshua Outlaw. The 6-foot-4, 290-pounder has visited UF on several occasions and even after visiting other programs, he has continuously had the Gators as the team to beat.
After losing out on five-star cornerback Tracy Howard on Signing Day, Florida is pursuing several top cover prospects for this recruiting cycle.
One name that has been receiving plenty of attention is Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter's Prep three-star corner Tre Bell. The 5-foot-11, 170-pounder hasn't been rated yet by Rivals, but he is quickly closing in on 20 offers to date.
And finally, two out-of-state lineman to keep an eye on are Buford (Ga.) center Josh Cardiello and Canton (Mich.) guard Cameron Dillard.
As always, stay tuned to InsidetheGators.com for updates throughout the weekend on these visitors and all other Florida recruiting news.
This is not meant to be a complete listing of all of the prospects who will visit Florida this weekend.