Let's first look at our opponents recruiting. Year in and out there are three to five main opponents in recruiting. Miami, FSU, and Georgia are always there and the three teams Florida competes with the most on a yearly basis. Sometimes there will be an inordinate amount of competition between Florida and Alabama and usually two or three prospects will decide between Florida and LSU. Tennessee under Lane Kiffin has made it a point to go after every Florida commitment, so they should now be put in the first group.
Here is my general take on the main four and who they may have gotten that Florida wanted...
Miami: Overall their class just isn't very good so far. They have two four-star prospects in Javarie Johnson (LB), and Eduardo Clements (RB), everyone else is two and three stars. The Gators would probably take Johnson at this time as they are looking to add two more linebackers, so Kevin Nelson is also a name the Gators would like to add if they miss on a couple of others. Outside of that, maybe an Allen Hurns, but I don't see any way he fits in this class with all the receivers Florida actually offers and will get.
The battle remains for Brandon Linder (OL) and Ivan McCartney (WR). It appears the table may be turning on both and they are looking harder at UF now, although I was pretty certain McCartney was heading o West Virginia before Doc Holliday bolted for Marshall.
FSU: It is a mixed bag for the Noles. They have some really good players and then a lot of prospects nobody else wanted. Certainly Jeff Luc (LB) and Lamarcus Joyner (CB) were wanted by everyone.
I know the Gators would take Telvin Smith (LB) and are working him. With a couple of misses on the defensive line board lately at UF, Darious Cummings looks more tempting as well. Greg Dent (S/ WR) is a really good player, but Florida wouldn't trade any of their skill players for him. The Gators got hot and heavy with LB Holmes Onwukaife behind the scenes a while back, but nothing ever came of it.
The Noles may close with Christian Jones (DE) and Christian Green (WR), along with Kenny Shaw (WR). The Gators would take the first two. Overall, not a bad haul for FSU among the top rated guys, but the rest of their group is UCF material and they will not get an OL in this class....big mistake.
Georgia: For the second year in a row, Georgia is going to be the team that the Gators have the most battles with and probably the team they have the most surprising losses to in recruiting. Don't get me wrong, Florida won their share of battles over Georgia as well, but it has been a war between the two.
BJ Butler (DE), Da'Rick Rogers (WR), Brent Benedict (OL), T.J. Stripling (DE), and Garrison Smith (DT) are the guys at the top of the list in the battles between the two. The good part about this is that Butler and Benedict are the two guys that are Florida kids, all the others Florida made it a battle in Georgia's home turf. I don't count Ken Malcolm because Florida was never going to make him a target while recruiting Mack Brown.
In Florida's favor they did go in and steal Brown, who is the prize running back in the entire state. I think Florida also got the better between Stripling and Lynden Trail and you wouldn't take both. If Florida can land two of their remaining receivers, Rogers is an afterthought.
Tennessee: As much as Tennessee wants to pat themselves on the back for their recruiting efforts, there is only one prospect on their board that UF would really be interested in. Corey Miller is a pretty good interior defensive lineman and Florida is working him, but other than that, Tennessee may have more stars than Miami or FSU, but their class is worse. I also think there are several of their best that are likely to jump. Miller and teammate Brandon Willis are really looking hard at Miami right now after the NCAA probe. JuWuan James family is getting nervous after the NCAA came sniffing around asking them questions. Their coaches are all looking around for jobs and it appears they are worried about the NCAA.
The lone battle left between Florida and Tennessee is with Chaz Green. Chaz's dad wants to think Tennessee is the best place for his kid, but I am pretty darn sure there will be more and more bad press coming out of there over the next two months to really make them think twice about the decision.
