Mullen hire having positive impact on prospects in Junior All-Star Event
SEFFNER, Fla . | The Legends Showcase held its first East vs. West All-Star game, featuring many of the top instate players of the 2019 class, on Saturday night and there was plenty of University of Florida targets on hand for the contest.
The general consensus amongst those already committed to the Gators or considering Florida is they want to see how everything unfolds with new head coach Dan Mullen and his staff moving forward.
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A few of the Gators decommitments who were slated to play in the game, included wide receivers Frank Ladson Jr., Maurice Goolsby, linebacker Jaleel McRae and defensive back Tyrique Stevenson.
Amongst those that are firmly committed as of now that played in the Legends Showcase are wide receiver John Dunmore, offensive lineman Wardrick Wilson and defensive lineman Jaquaze Sorrells.
“Yes I’m committed to Florida as of now,” Dunmore said Friday morning. “I’m still going with the flow and weighing out all of my options. (Florida) still has a lot committed, but a few de-committed. Guys are doing what’s best for them and I can understand that.”
Sorrells also spoke about his current commitment to Florida and his thoughts on Mullen’s first early signee class and what’s in store for the future in terms of options.
“As of right now, that commitment (to Florida) is still solid,” Sorrells said. “I really haven’t made any decisions yet. I’ve talked about some stuff with my family, but as of right now I’m still committed. I’m honestly just going to sit through the process and see what coach Dan Mullen says and how he feels. I really haven’t been able to talk to him yet.”
One lineman everyone in the Southeastern Conference is currently chasing is 6-foot-3, 323-pound offensive guard Dontae Lucas, who currently holds offers from Alabama, Florida, Miami, Florida State and Auburn. The Miami Senior lineman said he likes what he’s seeing out of Mullen’s first early signee class, but doesn’t have any top schools on his radar as of yet.
“I like what Dan Mullen has done,” Lucas said. “He’s brought in a lot of good players. Right now I honestly don’t have no top (school). Everyone is in the same place. I just want to let everyone know they have a chance to get Dontae Lucas.”
Cardinal Gibbons defensive lineman Khris Bogle is another recruit that Florida has within its sights and the speed rusher says the Gators are currently among the top schools he’s interested in. Dunmore, a close friend of Bogle’s, has expressed his want for lineman to head to Florida with him in the fall of 2019.
“I don’t really have a top five or anything yet,” Bogle said Friday morning. “I’d say my top schools I’m interested in are Miami, Florida, Florida State, Clemson, Ohio State and Penn State. But JD (John Dunmore) wants me to go to Florida with him.”
Several other targets took part in the Legends Showcase game at Armwood High School and here’s what they had to say about their interest in the Gators and what they said about Mullen.
* Brendan Gant, Kathleen: “I really haven’t heard from (coach Dan Mullen) since he’s been brought in, but I did receive a text recently that I’ve been re-offered by them. I hear he’s a great coach. I know he was there with (Tim) Tebow and he can help turn the program around.”
* Tyler Davis, Wekiva: “I think (Florida) is heading in the right direction. They got Dan Mullen and I know he did a great job at Mississippi State. I’m very interested in Florida. They’re only two hours away and they’re getting back on the right foot.”
* Jeremiah Payton, Duncan U. Fletcher: “I know they definitely got a lot of big time recruits in my class at the receiver, which isn’t no problem to me though. I really just want to go somewhere I feel like I can fit in. I feel like I could fit in at (Florida).”
* Tiawan Mullen, Coconut Creek: “I feel like Dan Mullen is bringing the ole Florida back. Like the Tim Tebow era and I think the staff is doing a good job of keeping the Florida boys home.”
* Jordan Battle, St. Thomas Aquinas: “I think (Florida) is doing good. Coach (Dan) Mullen texted me the other day and told me I still have an offer and he liked my film. So (Florida) is still up there.”
The East defeated the West soundly 23-0 and there was no shortage of plays made by many of the Florida recruits throughout the contest. Bogle made his presence known on his first snap at defensive end in the opening quarter, getting a strip sack. The 6-foot-4 end showed great ability off the edge and teamed up with Sorrells, who played primarily at the left defensive end spot.
Davis was a force to reckon with up the middle for the East and he displayed his ability to get into the backfield with a sack right before halftime and first play out of intermission was able to stonewall a running back at the line of scrimmage. Battle nabbed an interception in the second quarter and nearly took it the distance, going nearly 60 yards before getting tackled inside the 20-yard line.
Dunmore and Payton were a couple of the main targets for East quarterback Nik Scalzo, as the former had several nice catches over the middle and the latter caught a flea flicker pass for a touchdown late in the first quarter. Lucas at offensive guard showed why he’s one of the most coveted lineman in the 2019 class, and was creating massive holes for running backs Glover Cook and Vincent Davis.
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