Posted by JC Shurburtt
Here are three quick notes about Florida's recruiting class.
Looking ahead: Can the Gators snag five-star defensive end
Ronald Powell (Moreno Valley, Calif./Rancho Verde) away from Southern California? There is a chance. Powell has made two unofficial visits to Gainesville on his own dime and it wasn't just for a vacation. There is legitimate interest here and the Trojans will have to battle for the nation's third-ranked prospect.
Big finish: While they aren't a favorite to land defensive end
Jackson Jeffcoat (Plano, Texas/West), the nation's top prospect, (though they are on his list), Florida is in the game and could realistically land the next four players in the top five, including linebacker
Jordan Hicks (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West), Powell, offensive lineman
Seantrel Henderson (Minneapolis, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) and linebacker
Jeff Luc (Port Saint Lucie, Fla./Treasure Coast). Of those, Henderson could be the toughest to pull. Should this happen (and of course the ESPNU 150 probably will not remain exactly in that order), it could be one of the best sweeps of top prospects in the modern era of college football recruiting.
Stocked at safety: Florida wrapped up the nation's No. 1 and No. 2 safety prospects early in this recruiting cycle.
Jonathan Dowling (Bradenton, Fla./Southeast) committed in March and
Demar Dorsey (Lauderdale Lakes, Fla./Boyd Anderson) committed last October. Both of these players are Under Armour All-Americans and just add depth and talent to an already-stacked roster.
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JC Shurburtt
JC Shurburtt has been covering recruiting in not only the Southeast, but across the nation for nearly a decade. He can be reached at jcsespn@aol.com.
