Future Gators Previews The Opening

One of the biggest recruiting events all year will take place this weekend in Oregon.  The Opening will be loaded with talent as it will include 84 players that are in this year's ESPN 150.  Gator fans will have a lot to watch this weekend on ESPNU as seven Florida commits and other targets will be at the camp.  Below is a preview of The Opening for the Florida Gators.

There are three major parts to the Opening; SPARQ Rating National Championship, Nike 7ON, and the Elite Lineman Challenge.  Every player at the camp will compete in the SPARQ Championship which basically measures the athleticism of the recruits.  The players will then break into either the Elite Lineman Challenge or the Nike 7ON depending on their position.

Nike 7ON Preview

Six of the seven Gator commits will be participating in the Nike 7ON.  The list includes three DBs (Nick Washington, Keanu Neal, Tre' Bell), running back Kelvin Taylor, wide receiver Ahmad Fulwood, and LB Quinton Powell.  Gator fans won't have to wait long to see their recruits with six players participating in one event.  As mentioned earlier, there will be also some Florida targets at the camp, but I won't go into too much detail about them.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the three defensive backs fare against top-level talent.  Also, one of Florida's top targets, CB Vernon Hargreaves III, will be at the camp.  Hopefully fans will get to see VHIII go one-on-one with Ricky Seals-Jones, the top ranked receiver in the nation.

Quinton Powell can prove to the experts that they are wrong.  Scout lists pass coverage as a weakness for the OLB, but he'll have his chance to prove himself against the best in the nation.  OLB Alex Anzalone will also be in Oregon this weekend.  He will make his commitment this weekend at the camp (between Penn State, Notre Dame, and Florida).

Ahmad Fulwood is the only WR commit going to the camp representing Florida.  He has a good chance to get a small taste of what is to come in future years if he is guarded by one of his future teammates.  Seeing Fulwood against his friend and fellow UF commit, Nick Washington, would be great.  Is Fulwood's downfield playmaking ability as good as advertised?  We'll have to wait for the weekend.

Elite Lineman Challenge Preview

4-star DT Caleb Brantley will be only Florida commit competing in the challenge.  The Elite Lineman Challenge will contain a lot of one-on-one battles.  This will give Brantley a great opportunity to show off his strength and descriptiveness that he is known to have.

Florida is in the top five for talented DE DeMarcus Walker, who will also be at The Opening.  Walker took a trip to Gainesville just last week.

Future Gators will have more coverage of The Opening throughout the weekend.

Follow Future Gators on Twitter - @FutureGators

OLB Alex Anzalone To Decide This Weekend

Alex Anzalone, a 4-star OLB from Pennsylvania, announced via Twitter that he will commit this weekend during The Opening.  Anzalone's decision will be between the Gators, Notre Dame, and the home state school; Penn State.

The talented OLB was once an Ohio State commitment, but after a bizarre situation, he decommitted.  The situation involved a convicted sex offender tweeting to Ohio State targets and taking a picture with Anzalone and other targets.  This bothered Alex and his family which resulted in him opening his recruitment back up.

The decision seems like it will ultimately come down between the Golden Domers and the Gators.  Even with Penn State being in his home state, there hasn't been a lot of momentum for the Nittany Lions.  Also, I don't think Anzalone will want to go to the conference that has Ohio State in it.

Anzalone's father is a graduate of Florida and his grandparents reside there.  It was thought that Florida would be the choice after his decommitment.  However, I think Notre Dame will be end up as Anzalone's pick this weekend.  Academics are going to be a big part of his choice and it is hard for any school to top Notre Dame's.

Hopefully I'm wrong.

Follow Future Gators on Twitter - @FutureGators

Gator Recruiting News - 6/21

Hopefully Gator fans will see more of this from Alex Anzalone.

Alex Anzalone Down To Final Pair.  The Rivals 100 Outside Linebacker has narrowed down his top choices to Notre Dame and Florida according to Blake Alderman of InsideTheGators.com($).  Here is what he had to say of playing for the Gators:

"At Florida I would be in the honors college which is a plus and I think the way they play their defense between a 3-4 and a 4-3 would maximize my capabilities playing defense. Both are great opportunities." 

If Anzalone commits to the Gators, he will be the fifth linebacker in the 2013 class.  Anzalone was once committed to Urban Meyer at Ohio State, but decommitted after a really bizarre situation.  A Buckeye fan and convicted sex offender interacted and took a photo with Anzalone.  The occurrence upset the Anzalone family and he shortly decommitted after

Current UF commit, Ahmad Fulwood, is doing his best to get Anzalone to come to Florida.

Alvin Kamara Names Top Ten.  The four star running back from Georgia has Florida in his final list with Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Oregon, Tennessee, Florida State, USC, Auburn, and Oklahoma State.  Oh ya, he was the guy who Nick Saban sent 105 letters to in ONE DAY.

Florida, Michigan Remain On Top.  ESPN updated their 2013 recruiting rankings and to no surprise, Michigan and Florida remain #1 and #2.  Florida State moves up to 9th and Clemson is now up to 12th.