Other Offers: Auburn, Clemson, South Carolina, USF, Georgia Tech
Report: Neal committed to the Gators back on Florida's Junior Day in February. Neal joined Nick Washington as Florida's 2013 commitments at the position.
Neal is a consensus 4-star recruit and Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN all rank him in the top 25 amongst safeties in the nation.
According to his Scout profile, Neal totaled 140 tackles, 4 INTs, and forced 4 fumbles last year for South Sumter.
As you can tell my his measurables, Neal is a big safety. Some people see Neal as an OLB, but I see him playing safety with the Gators.
To the scouting reports.
We'll start off with the opinion of Scout.com's Chad Simmons. Simmons touches on Neal's hard-hitting style which is he is known for.
Neal is a very strong tackler and a hard hitting safety. He plays some in and out of the box, but he is best when attacking the football at full speed. His strength is against the run right now, so he will need to improve on his coverage when he gets to the next level. He will need to work on his footwork and his hip rotation. He has the size to play early and he will a hitter people talk about.
Neal was invited to compete with the best at Nike's The Opening. With the intense media coverage around the event, there are a couple tidbits on Neal's performance that I will share.
Neal is a big safety with good coverage skills and solid ball skills. His deflection to save the game for his team in winning the title after getting beaten for a touchdown earlier shows me he has a short memory, something needed for a defensive back.
He showed there is a lot more to his game that being a "smash-mouth" safety. Neal showed great instincts in the passing game, and the scary thing is, he did all this without pads on which brings a whole new dimension to his game.
Neal has been invited to some of the biggest national prep events including Gridiron Kings and The Opening. Fans will get the chance to see Neal play in the Under Armour All-American Game in January.
With the resignation of assistant coach Aubrey Hill, Florida WR commit Rodney Adams is likely going to decommit and reopen his recruitment. In an interview with Rivals($), here is what Adams had to say about the situation:
"I committed to Florida due to my relationship with Coach Hill, said Adams. "He left due to the issues that he had at Miami and I don't want to get caught up with it if it ends up hitting Florida."
The article goes on later to state that West Virginia has been recruiting him the hardest. Don't expect a decision soon as he is shutting the recruitment down until football season is over.
So what does this mean for Will Muschamp's 2013 class? It would hurt, but it won't come close to ruining the class. The Gators already have three strong commitments from WRs in this year's class and there are a couple targets left on the board too. Who knows, maybe Adams decides to stay with the Gators (doubt it, though).
Report: It seemed clear that Sherit would end up as a Gator. He finally ended the speculation by committing to Florida over the weekend.
Scout, Rivals, ESPN, and 247Sports all agree that Sherit is a 4-star prospect. How good Sherit is nationally varies from service to service. Rivals has him in their Rivals100 (94), he is in 247Sports' Top247 at 217, and 254th in the ESPN 300.
According to Scout, Sherit totaled 110 tackles, 14 sacks, and forced 3 fumbles last year for Hillsborough.
Academics were a large part of Sherit's decision which kept the likes of Notre Dame, Stanford, and Vandy in the race. He was offered a spot in Florida's Honors College, but isn't sure if he will do it or not.
Sherit is perfectly built to play the Buck position that Muschamp utilizes at Florida. In fact, during this stage of his development, he might be better suited out in space rather than mixing it up along the line. During the summer Sherit played a big role in his 7-on-7 teams victory at IMG, displaying the ability to play in coverage.
Our first look at Sherit was at the Under Armor Combine last year. He dominated the combine and came away as one of the best defensive ends that day. He relies on his brute strength to beat the guy opposite him. He is another player who goes hard on every down. Jordan does a very good job of getting off the ball quickly before you can get your hands on him.
A bit undersized for an end, but he played tough and was physical. At his size, he was sometimes over-matched by the size of the offensive linemen, but other times used his speed and willingness to be physical to beat bigger guys. He will need to get quicker.
Nee:
Sherit is a big frame defensive end who can bulk up a great deal. He has a good first step, active hands, and a variety of moves off the edge that make him tough to stop.
So it remains a little unclear exactly where Sherit will play at Florida. Defensive End (strong-side or weak-side), the "Buck" linebacker, or maybe even an outside linebacker. Time will tell.
Sherit will play in the Army All-American Game which will allow Gator fans to see Sherit play live instead of YouTube videos.
Chris Thompson isn't going to travel very far to play football on the next level. The Gainesville WR got his dream offer from Florida and committed quickly after on Monday. The 3-star WR (according to 247Sports) had an impressive showing at Friday Night Lights this past Friday. Thompson didn't have many great offers before Florida came knocking. FAU, Marshall, UMASS, and Utah were his top offers. This is a dream come true for Thompson, who's biggest asset is his speed. The Gators continue to roll in recruiting, picking up their fifth commitment in five days.
Here is a quick scouting report from Scout:
Thompson has very good speed. He can get behind a secondary or make defenders miss with his quickness. He can go up and get the ball and has very good leaping ability and body control. Perhaps his strongest attribute is his ability to separate from defenders, especially coming out of his breaks. This is a big play receiver who's likely destined to play in the slot because he lacks ideal size to play on the outside.
According to several reports from Florida's Friday Night Lights camp, DeMarcus Walker has set a decision date (August 24th). Walker pushed back his decision date so that the event can be televised. According to Amy Campbell of FOX Sports NEXT, Walker already has chosen his school. The battle for the 4-star DE is between two SEC schools; Florida and Alabama.
So what do you think, will Walker end up in Gainesville or Tuscaloosa? Comment below.
Seemingly out of nowhere, the Gators picked up their 19th commitment in the 2013 class today. 3-star Georgia DE Antonio Riles called Will Muschamp earlier today to break the news. Rivals, Scout, and 247Sports all give Riles three stars while ESPN gives him four. Riles had many other great offers including Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, A&M, and Tennessee.
The Gators have now picked up two commitments in the past day (Vernon Hargreaves and Antonio Riles). Expect another by the end of tonight as Florida hosts their annual Friday Night Lights camp.
Other Offers: Miami, USF, Alabama, LSU, Clemson, Vanderbilt, USC, Michigan, and many, many more.
Report: Vernon Hargreaves III has been on Florida's radar for quite some time. After naming Florida his favorite a week before, VHIII committed to Florida after a visit to Gainesville in July.
The battle for VHIII's services seemed like it was between Florida and the hometown USF. Florida is the better program, but VHIII's dad is a coach for the USF Bulls. However, after visiting USC earlier in July, he named them the leader. But USC was left out his top 5 list and he committed to Florida a week later.
Hargreaves is without a doubt one of the best players in the 2013 class. All of the four recruiting services all agree that VHIII is a 5-star prospect. Rivals ranks him 2nd for cornerbacks in the class of 2013 while the others (Scout, ESPN, and 247Sports) all list him as the best. He is a consensus top 10 overall player in the nation.
Hargreaves racked up 49 tackles last year for Wharton including a sack. High school quarterbacks tend to not throw VHIII's way. With that being said, Hargreaves still ended the season with a pair of interceptions. He also plays a little bit of offense. He caught 13 passes at receiver last year, averaging 24 YPC and scoring 3 TDs on offense.
Scouting reports? Scouting reports.
Chad Simmons, one of the main scouts for Scout, had this to say about Hargreaves.
He can cover on or off the line, he really explodes out of his breaks, and he can flip his hips with the best of them. There are not a lot of concerns about his game. He can improve his open field tackling, but other than that, he looks much like a college corner. He is very advanced in technique and he will contribute very early in his college career.
SB Nation's recruiting analyst, Bud Elliott, has put together a greatscouting report. Here is just an excerpt from it.
It's difficult to put together a scouting report for Hargreaves because he does pretty much everything at an elite level. His father is the defensive backs coach for the USF Bulls, and it is clear that he has absorbed much of the advanced coaching he's received since he was a little kid. Hargreaves could start for many BCS programs as a 17-year-old.Hargreaves seems to always be in the right position, thanks to his instincts and years being around the game. He does break on the ball quite well, but if you watch closely, you'll see that he doesn't have as far to go to get to the spot as many corners because he's positioned himself better before the time comes to close on the football. There aren't many false steps in his game.Hargreaves shows the ability to be quite physical and is a very good tackler. He can excel in man or zone coverage, with his smooth hips and quick feet.
It is very difficult to find projected college corners who actually play the position fulltime in high school and possess a vast understanding of both zone and man concepts with the talent to execute them at a premier level. Hargreaves III is that kind of prospect. He has very good speed, great closing burst and range at the position in a well-built frame that is deceptively stronger than it appears, especially when it comes to functional strength; jamming, pressing and supporting the run. Extremely quick to recover, fluid in his change-of-direction and athletic in his ability to play the ball in the air, it will be difficult for Muschamp to keep this young shut-down corner off the field as a true freshman. It’s a position that can hold back even the most talented high school corner prospects from making an impact early at the BCS level due to the learning curve and technique required to succeed at the position, but Hargreaves is ready.
Hargreaves is arguably the best defensive back in the nation. He is ready to contribute from the moment he steps on a college campus due to both his physical and mental approach to the game of football. Hargreaves possesses good size in both height and build. He has continued to add good weight and strength over past year while continuing to retain his athleticism. He has good speed, handles change of direction very well, and is very good at springing off the ground at full speed. He does an excellent job of getting his hands on balls whether he wins them in the air or shows his range and quickly darts in front of the intended receiver. He has a special aptitude when it comes to playing his position that sets him apart from his peers.
I'm sure that there are more scouting reports out there, but I think the four above do an excellent job of evaluation Hargreaves.
Expect the 5-star cornerback to make an immediate impact for the Gators. Like ESPN said, it will be hard for Muschamp to not play Hargreaves in his freshman year.
If you don't live in Florida, you will get your chance to see Hargreaves play live in early January. He will be participating in the Under Armour All-American Game where ESPNU also televises their practices.
This is a huge pickup for Will Muschamp and the Gators. After it is made official on National Signing Day, Hargreaves will be the prize recruit of the 2013 class.
Today, Scott Pagano decided that he was going to announce today instead of waiting until August like he previously stated. As the title reads, Scott Pagano chose Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers. It seemed like the decision came down to LSU and Florida, but Clemson and Alabama were also in his final four. Most recruiting experts (including me) didn't see this coming at all. Clemson seemed to be the dark horse candidate.
Pagano said that he grew up a Florida fan and even had a Florida Gators wall photo covering his Facebook page.
Pagano is listed as a 4-star recruit according to everyone but 247Sports (3-star). The 6'3/280 Hawaii'n DT will play in the Army All-American Bowl in early 2013.
Other Offers: Arkansas, Clemson, Florida State, Missouri, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, Oregon
Report: Dillard committed to the Gators last April.
Dillard started every game at offensive tackle in last year, but he is projected to play either guard or center in college. Everyone but ESPN lists Dillard as a 3-star recruit (ESPN has him as a 4-star). Scout, who lists him as a center, says he ranks him 3rd at his position. The others, who list him as an offensive guard, rank him from 17-23 nationally.
In Dillard's sophomore year, he helped his team finish with an 8-3 record. Dillard racked up a ton of awards after the season including being named to the Detroit Free Press All-State Dream Team.
Although he lived in Michigan, he is not a native of the state. He moved in from North Carolina around six years ago. He has said that he was a Gators fan growing up in the South. However, he does have strong ties to the Michigan program. He lived not too far away from Michigan Stadium and worked out with several Michigan players in the offseason. He visited Michigan, but Brady Hoke and the staff never offered.
Here is a brief excerpt from ESPN's analysis:
Dillard is a tenacious and physical O-Line prospect. He possesses good size and looks to have a thick build and displays good upper and lower body playing strength.
Dillard plays in a run-oriented offense that might leave him susceptible to pass protection weaknesses early in his career, but he has a nasty attitude and good enough athleticism to overcome those issues with some work on fundamentals.
I'd say that my aggression on the field, my physicality, you just can't teach toughness. Also, run blocking is a big thing of mine that I believe I'm doing real well at. I'd say my weakness—which isn't really a weakness, it's becoming more my strength now—is my pass protection. I've got to keep working on that and getting better at it.
According to Scout, he can bench over 315 pounds, squat over 465 pounds, and can deadlift over 325. Also, at the Army Combine, he ran a 5.25 40-yard dash. Decent measurables.
Besides football, Dillard is very involved with the community. He likes to volunteer some of his time to help with different organizations. He also finds academics very important and wants to major in History according to Scout.
As you know by now, Penn State got hammered by the NCAA. The punishment has now made it easy for current Penn State players/commitments to leave the school. While I do feel bad for bad for the Penn State community, it looks like they are going to lose a lot of players. Below is a list of players/commitments who were offered by Florida in the last three years.
2013 Class
Adam Breneman - Breneman looks like he is one of Penn State's prized recruit of 2013. Breneman is a 4-star TE and Rivals lists him as the best at his position. His family released a statement today saying that they don't have any current comments. Reading through Twitter, it seems that Maryland will be the biggest player for Breneman. The Terps supposedly finished 2nd in his recruitment.
Brendan Mahon - Mahon is a 4-star offensive tackle and is 165th in the Rivals250. Mahon also had no comment about his recruitment.
Christian Hackenberg - 247Sports gives Hackenberg four stars and rank him 3rd among pro-style quarterback. If Breneman isn't the Penn State's prized recruit, Hackenberg definitely is. If Hackenberg leaves Penn State, rumors are that Auburn and South Carolina would be the favorites. Bleacher Report's Full Ride hinted that Will Muschamp would be smart to take a trip to visit Hackenberg.
Garrett Sickels - Rivals ranks Sickels 60th nationally and as the 4th-best weakside defensive end in the class of 2013. Sickels is the only player in this group that has visited Gainesville. Sickels took an unofficial visit to Florida July 25th of last year. Out of these four players, I give Sickels the best chance of ending up at Florida (still a really small chance). Sickels had no comment when asked about his level of commitment to Penn State.
2012 Class
Jamil Pollard - Pollard is a 4-star defensive tackle. If Pollard leaves Penn State before playing a down there, Boston College may be his future destination.
Nyeem Wartman - It seems like Wartman never really had any interest in Florida. The 3-star OLB did take an official visit to Rutgers while being committed to Penn State.
2011 Class
Neither Angelo Mangiro or Bill Belton look like they will even think about Florida if they leave Penn State.
If you missed it (I did), last night 5-star cornerback Vernon Hargreaves named his top five teams via his Twitter account.
Top 5 ) 1.Florida 2.Clemson 3.Vanderbilt 4.Miami 5.Notre Dame , USF is not in my top 5 but still considering !
— Vernon Hargreaves (@VHargreaves24) July 20, 2012
Obviously this is great news for the Will Muschamp and Gator fans. Offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil and Vernon Hargreaves III (VHIII) are the top targets left on Florida's board.
So why am I already naming Hargreaves a Gator? Well I may look like a moron if this doesn't happen, but I really like Florida's chances with VHIII. Here's why.
First, last week VHIII named USC his leader after taking a trip out to Los Angeles. So VHIII's love with the Trojans was only short-term as he doesn't even have USC in his top 5. Good news.
Secondly, USF isn't in the list (although he does mention he is still considering them). Why is this important? VHIII's father is the special teams coordinator and is also the defensive ends coach for the USF Bulls. For a long time, it seemed like the race would come down to Florida and USF (and I still believe it will be). With Hargreaves listing USF out of the top 5 (unless he is playing with us recruitniks), it seems like the Gators will be his choice.
Lastly, Amy Campbell of Fox Sports NEXT, said that "his mind is pretty much made up, expect a final announcement a final announcement within the month" on her Twitter account. Okay, let me get this straight. VHIII's mind is "pretty much made up" and he has the Florida Gators at the top of his list. You can connect the dots.
So who will it be, the Gators or someone else? Comment below.
“Coach Pease, he’s real straight forward, not a bull-crapper, not going to tell you that you’re all-this or all-that,” Staver said. “I don’t need someone who is going to lie to my face. I need someone to be honest with me and to help me keep improving.”
No, the word "bull-crapper" is not in the dictionary.
Rivals, Scout, and 247Sports all see Staver as a 3-star recruit and rank him between 19 and 59 at his position (Pro-Style). On the other hand, ESPN has him as a 4-star recruit and have him in the ESPN300 (262).
Staver put up some excellent numbers last year as he threw for over 1800 yards, 19 TDs, and only threw 4 INTS. According to the Sentinel, he completed over 63% of his passes.
Staver is a consensus three-star recruit, though ESPN does award him a rating of four stars. The primary reason for this is that Staver has a big arm. Really big. The offense in which he plays appears to be mostly shotgun. Staver can move a little, which one might not expect given his size. Importantly, he shows the ability to avoid the rush inside the pocket, reset his feet, and get rid of the ball. The delivery is a bit low, but at 6'6 it might not matter all that much.
Well, that was about the only scouting report that I could find. Here is one by ESPN's Tom Luginbill($), but I don't have ESPN Insider. ESPN lists accuracy, arm strength, and reads as Staver's strengths.
In this Rivals article($), it states that Staver was talking with many Gator commitments in the process including Tre Bell, Ahmad Fullwood, Nick Washington, and three others.
In the end of the Sentinel article, it states that Staver has no plans to visit any other school. Also, Staver will be in Gainesville next week for Florida's Friday Night Lights camp.
Last night, OLB Dillan Lawson announced at a Florida State football camp that he was back on the market. There have been rumors of this eventual split for a while and it seemed almost inevitable that it would happen.
247Sports grade Lawson as a 3-star prospect and rank him 29th at his position (OLB).
Zach Abolverdi, of Gatorsports.com's Gator Prospectus, described the situation as a "mutual decision" between Lawson and Florida's coaching staff. Here is an excerpt from the article:
In late May, Crestview coach Kevin Pettis said the UF coaches told Lawson they would honor his commitment as he tried to get back on track academically. But this week, Muschamp & Co. came to the conclusion that Lawson hadn’t shown enough improvement and the two parties decided it was best to split.
According to sources, Lawson still would like to go to Florida if he can get his schooling straight. Lawson's coach believe there is a 70% chance that Lawson ends up in Gainesville. Personally, I don't think it is that high.
So what does this all mean for Will Muschamp and the Florida Gators?
First, this isn't even close to the end of the world for the Gators. If Muschamp had to lose one commitment, Dillan Lawson would be somewhere at the top of the list (if not first). The Gators already have three other linebackers that are all 4-star recruits according to Rivals. Lawson, according to the recruiting services, was the least talented.
I don't see the Gators getting another outside linebacker. According to Rivals, there are only five OLBs left on the board for Florida and none of them look like they will be committing to Florida. It really isn't that big of a deal and could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Florida didn't really need Lawson (unless he turns out to be a star) and it just opens up another scholarship for somebody in a position of more need.
Overall, not a big loss and Gator fans shouldn't lose sleep over it (you shouldn't lose sleep over any recruit, really). I mean the guy does have a tattoo of Alabama's logo and called Florida fans "obnoxious". This decommittment may end up as addition by subtraction. He is saying that he wants to end back up at Florida but I think it is somewhat clear that Muschamp wants to part ways with Lawson.
Do you want Lawson back with Florida? Leave a comment below.
Other Offers: Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, USF, Notre Dame, Miami, Louisville, South Carolina, Georgia Tech
Report: Hearns was the fourth commitment for the Gators in 2013. Hearns verbally committed to the Gators back on the 2nd of February.
247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals all agree that Hearns is a 4-star prospect and they all list him around the 9th-best ILB in 2013. On the other hand, Scout only gives Hearns a 3-star rating. This may have something to do with them listing him as a defensive end instead of an ILB.
Hearns is a power defender, meaning he uses his strength to his advantage in almost every situation. Watch just a few moments of his highlights reels and you’ll see him run through most ball carriers and push many blockers out of his way. His raw power builds as he accelerates and he doesn’t always have to use technique to bring offensive players to the ground. Once Hearns gets a full head of steam, he can go up against much of what the offense has to offer. As he fills out and learns improved ways to condition at the college level, his power and strength will only increase, making him a dangerous individual to be hit by.
Hearns is 6'3" and 235. He's an interesting prospect in that his position in college is uncertain. Some think he will play defensive end, others outside linebacker, and other still place him at middle linebacker. At Florida, he will likely play the "buck" linebacker position -- a hybrid between weak-side defensive end and outside linebacker, playing in both a two and three-point stance. It's also entirely possible that he will grow into a strong-side defensive end.
Hearns made some headline news last month at a Florida State camp. Hearns did the Gator Chomp after making a play which resulted in him getting kicked out of the camp that was ran by Jimbo Fisher.
If you missed it, and I somehow did, Vernon Hargreaves III (#1-CB in 2013) declared via his Twitter account that the USC Trojans are his favorite right now.
This came shortly after he went to Los Angeles for a visit. He also goes on to tell about the love he is getting from walking around in a USC shirt in Denver.
Walking around the airport in Colorado in my #Trojan shirt and keep getting "Fight on" from random people !!!
— Vernon Hargreaves (@VHargreaves24) July 12, 2012
Just to keep showing how much VHIII likes USC, his avatar now includes a USC logo.
A week ago it seemed like his decision would come down to Florida, USF, and Miami. Now USC comes in the picture and it looks like they are the team to beat for VHIII's services.
What do you think? Do you think his love for USC is temporary or will VHIII end up wearing the USC jersey? Comment below.
Other Offers: Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame
Report: Fulwood was one of three players to commit to Florida on the weekend of the Spring Game. The biggest seller for the Gators was likely his close friend, Nick Washington, who had already committed. They have always talked about playing together and now they will have their chance too.
All four recruiting services list Fulwood as a top 10 receiver and as a top 100 player overall. Also, they all agree that Fulwood is a 4-star recruit, but ESPN did have him as a 5-star at one point.
Fulwood put up some monster numbers last year for Bishop Kenny as a junior. He totaled over 1,100 yards, 22 touchdowns on 46 catches. Do the math, that means he scores almost every other time he gets a catch. He was All-First Coast last year and will be participating in the Army All-American Game. He will be at The Opening too.
Obviously at 6'4, Fulwood has an excellent physique for receiver. Many scouts also list Fulwood's speed as another great asset. Here is what Elite Scouting Services said about him in a great profile on Fulwood:
In sports you always hear people say size is not something that is taught. Well Fulwood measures in close to 6’4. With that type of size and sub 4.5 speed he will be one of the more heavily recruited prospects in Florida. He also does a good job of going up and attacking the football while it is in the air. If the ball is in the air, you can bet that Fulwood will out jump most defensive backs for the football. What we also like is that Fulwood has very good hands. Once he gets his hands on the ball there is no doubt that Fulwood will most likely come down with it. He goes up and catches the football at its highest point. Not every receiver is good at timing their jump and attacking the ball at its highest point. Fulwood also runs solid routes and knows how to get open.
Like many players that dominate at the high school level, ESS questions whether Fulwood can do the same against SEC competition. We'll have to wait and see.
Scout.com's report on Fulwood basically states the same:
Fulwood is an elite wide receiver. He has size you can't coach, he catches everything within his reach, he has deceptive speed, and he is someone who can really make big plays down the field. He can improve getting off the ball with quickness, his overall strength, and his down the field blocking. There are so many things to like about his game and he will be among the best in 2013. He is a very fluid receiver with size.
Fulwood's biggest asset is likely his size. There aren't many (any?) high school cornerbacks who can body with him for the ball. He is a long strider, and is more fast than quick. He'll get separation downfield, and his opportunities underneath and over the middle will largely be because of his length and his strength, which should continue to develop. I see Fulwood as a very solid four-star with a high floor, but I don't consider him a five-star recruit.
After committing to Florida, Fulwood's mother stated that she wished Ahmad would have picked Clemson instead. This caused some speculation that Fulwood would decommit and sign with the Tigers. However, Ahmad has tried to kill that rumor by saying this:
"Me and my mom have been discussing for the past few weeks about it," Fulwood said of his mother, who had reportedly liked Clemson for her son. "She had some situations at first. She had some questions about it, but me and Coach Muschamp have talked to her, and she's even happier than I am now."
As stated earlier, him and Nick Washington have always wanted to play college football together. I wouldn't worry too much about losing Fulwood.
Other Offers: Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Miami, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Tennessee
Report: Washington committed to the Gators back in February when he was one of four to commit on Junior Day. Growing up in Jacksonville, Washington lived in a house full of Gator fans.
The four recruiting services all rank Washington as a top 20 prospect at his position. They also all agree that Washington is a 4-star.
Washington has been contributing for Trinity Christian since he was in the eighth grade. Washington was an All-Conference performer his sophomore year and was named AP Class 3A first team last year.
Washington has been on the radar of college scouts for awhile. EliteScoutingServices.com profiled Washington after his junior year. Here is what they had to say:
He is a versatile athlete. Turn on any game and you are likely to see him make plays on either side of the football. He plays running back/receiver on offense and safety on defense. Physically he has all the tools you want in an athlete. Good size, nice speed and can best yet, Washington makes plays. His upside continues to get better all the time.
Good to hear. The main concern they have with Washington is if he can keep it going against tougher competition. Scout continues the praise of Washington:
Washington is a versatile defensive back that could play corner, but safety is where he is at his best. He knows how to put himself in position to make plays on the ball, he has great ball-skills, and he tracks the ball well. In coverage, he needs to work on his burst out of his breaks and his ability to recover quicker. Against the run, he is a solid tackler.
As with what Scout says, Washington could either end up playing safety or cornerback at Florida. Here is what FlaGators, editor of AlligatorArmy.com, said about what position he will play:
If he’s going to play safety, he is going to have to add some bulk. Right now, he’s a corner.
With committing so early, there is the obvious chance of him switching his commitment. However, I wouldn't be too worried about that too much. He and his friend, Ahmad Fulwood (current UF commit), have always wanted to play on the same team.
Fans who may not have the opportunity to see him play in high school will get the chance as Washington will play in the Army All-American Game. He was also invited to The Opening.
As you've read above, Washington is a great athlete. He will also have the chance to play baseball for the Gators and he has said that he would like to. Center Field will likely be his position if he does decide to play both sports.
Last fall, Washington did sustain a shoulder injury during a game. However, there is good news for Florida fans as he is good to go after rehab.
