A Peek Inside UF's Big Board

[rexvol]

Some of you guys that have been around a while know that I have a good friend who is a Gator. I know, I know, but he is almost like family. Trust me, he is a real class act all the way. He has some pretty good inside info that pertains to them and I try to pass it along because a lot of times we are recruiting the same players. He sent me an email about their recruiting big board for this past year and I though it was interesting.
I think its neat to see who they pursued and where the player ended up. I will just post a few positions in which the Vols were going after the same guys.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES:
COMMITTED TO FLORIDA:
Dominique Easley (6-3, 266, Staten Island, NY Curtis)
Sharrif Floyd (6-3, 311, Philadelphia, PA George Washington)
Leon Orr (6-5, 344, Tarpon Springs, FL Gulf) EARLY ENROLLED
Others on the board:
Richard Ash (6-4, 280, Pahokee, FL) SIGNED WITH MICHIGAN
Tavaris Barnes (6-5, 250, Jacksonville, FL First Coast) SIGNED WITH CLEMSON
Calvin Barnett (6-3, 325, Tulsa, OK Booker T. Washington) SIGNED WITH ARKANSAS
Todd Chandler (6-0, 285, Miami, FL Northwestern) SIGNED WITH SOUTH FLORIDA
J.R. Ferguson (6-3, 275, Chatham, VA Hargrave Military Academy) SIGNED WITH LSU
Johnathon Hankins (6-4, 320, Detroit, MI Southeastern) SIGNED WITH OHIO STATE
Louis Nix (6-3, 315, Jacksonville, FL Raines) SIGNED WITH NOTRE DAME
Chase Rome (6-3, 285, Columbia, MO Rock Bridge) SIGNED WITH NEBRASKA
Calvin Smith (6-4, 275, Hialeah, FL) SIGNED WITH NEW MEXICO
Garrison Smith (6-3, 270, Atlanta, GA Douglass) SIGNED WITH GEORGIA
Mike Thornton (6-1, 275, Stone Mountain, GA Stephenson) SIGNED WITH GEORGIA




LINEBACKER:
COMMITTED TO FLORIDA:
Gideon Ajagbe (6-2, 205, Coconut Grove, FL Ransom Everglades)
Neiron Ball (6-3, 196, Jackson, GA) EARLY ENROLLED
Darrin Kitchens (6-2, 210, Homestead, FL)
Michael Taylor (6-0, 213, Atlanta, GA Westlake)
Others on the board:
Tyrone Cornileus (6-2, 195, Stone Mountain, GA Stephenson) SIGNED WITH MIAMI
Jordan Hicks (6-2, 215, West Chester, OH Lakota West) SIGNED WITH TEXAS
Christian Jones (6-4, 225, Winter Park, FL Lake Howell) SIGNED WITH FLORIDA STATE
Jeff Luc (6-0, 245, Port St. Lucie, FL Treasure Coast) SIGNED WITH FLORIDA STATE
Chris Martin (6-4, 240, Aurora, CO Grandview) SIGNED WITH CALIFORNIA
Kevin Nelson (6-0, 215, Gainesville, FL) SIGNED WITH MIAMI
Marvin Robinson (6-1, 195, Eagle Lake, FL Lake Region) SIGNED WITH MICHIGAN
Telvin Smith (6-4, 205, Valdosta, GA Lowndes) SIGNED WITH FLORIDA STATE



Honestly, Cody Riggs was a player who always seemed like a bit of a long shot. GC contributor Ryan Moss first talked about Cody Riggs and Florida after having a conversation with an assistant coach from St. Thomas Aquinas at a University of Virginia game (of all places) in the fall of 2008. That was a season in which Riggs made eight interceptions and an astounding 24 pass break-ups in helping lead the Raiders to a 15-0 record, a Class 5A state championship and a mythical national championship. It became clear over the course of the season that Florida was his leader, and he eventually made a commitment to the Gators in December. I was always a little surprised by the Gators preference for Riggs over Aquinas teammate Keion Payne, but Florida always targeted Riggs as the guy they wanted, and eventually got him late in the process over the likes of Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Tennessee.

The story on Demar Dorsey could probably fill a novel, but let’s just stick with the most important facts. Obviously the story on his checkered past came out, but that’s not what really impacted his recruitment with Florida. For whatever reason, Dorsey decided he needed to take official visits once he got that required test score (necessary to take an official visit). When it became clear that Dorsey would not take an official visit to Gainesville, the writing was clearly on the wall that Florida wasn’t going to take a chance on getting egg in their face on National Signing Day. One source told me he expected to see the Dorsey recruitment turn into an “auction” between two coaches with a reported penchant for bending of the rules --- Florida State’s Eddie Gran and USC’s Lane Kiffin. However, Dorsey decided to follow his cousin Denard Robinson to Michigan, a decision that still resonates as a bit of a surprise nearly a week after National Signing Day.

 

[rexvol]

Another prospect who dropped off the board with a poor summer camp performance in Gainesville was Pahokee’s Richard Ash. Ash arrived out of shape and with plenty of extra weight on his frame, He began his junior season around 245 pounds, but showed up at UF approximately nine months later in June (2009) at nearly 280 pounds. Ash had been all set to commit to the Gators, but his physical condition along with his tenuous academic profile pushed Florida to look in a different direction.

 

[rexvol]

One player who seemed really talented but always seemed to be ranked a little bit low by the recruiting services based off of his play on the field was Calvin Smith of Hialeah. A player whose motor always seem to run on full throttle --- unlike teammate Corey Lemonier --- Smith has the potential to be extremely effective on the college level on either side of the ball. It will be interesting to see how much noise he makes out in New Mexico. Smith seems likely to end up in the NFL one day.

 

[westtnvol]

One player who seemed really talented but always seemed to be ranked a little bit low by the recruiting services based off of his play on the field was Calvin Smith of Hialeah. A player whose motor always seem to run on full throttle --- unlike teammate Corey Lemonier --- Smith has the potential to be extremely effective on the college level on either side of the ball. It will be interesting to see how much noise he makes out in New Mexico. Smith seems likely to end up in the NFL one day.

It still amazes me that he went to New Mexico, what in the world is he thinking, I know he has grade issue but New Mexico? I thought everyone with grade issues went to West Virginia.