Gators Continue to Build Future Defensive Line

In the SEC, the games are won in the trenches especially with great defensive linemen.  The SEC has been the home to stellar defensive linemen in recent years like Nick Fairley, Terrence Cody, Fletcher Cox, Michael Brockers, and many more.

Will Muschamp has taken note.  Muschamp and the rest of the Florida Gators coaching staff has made the defensive line a priority in recruiting and it is starting to pay off.  Over the weekend, the Gators picked up three defensive line commitments.

The weekend got off to a great start when DE Antonio Riles committed to Florida.  Not many saw the 3-star recruit choosing Florida, but I'm sure Will Muschamp is happy that he did.

On Saturday, DE Jordan Sherit finally committed to the Gators.  It was well known that Sherit loved the Gators and it was thought that he was a lock to commit to UF.  He made it official over the weekend.  Scout, Rivals, ESPN, and 247Sports all agree that Sherit is a 4-star recruit and Rivals list him as a top 100 player overall.

Yesterday, the Gators got their second commitment of the 2014 class.  Former Louisville commit, Travonte Valentine, decided Gainesville is the right place for him.  The defensive tackle is a 4-star prospects according to 247Sports.

It was a great weekend for Florida Gators recruiting.  They picked up 5-star Vernon Hargreaves on Thursday and then added three defensive linemen in three days.  The Gators now have four defensive linemen in their 2013 recruiting class.  However, they may not be done with the linemen.

4-star DE DeMarcus Walker has been on Florida's radar for a long time.  He has narrowed down his choice to Alabama and Florida.  According to reports, Walker already has chosen where he is going to play in the future.  His announcement will come in late August.

Another possible future Gator is New York DE Ebenezer Ogundeko.  Ogudenko has narrowed it down to three schools; Florida, Notre Dame, and Syracuse.  He has delayed his announcement a couple times and isn't sure when he'll finally decide.

In a league where defensive linemen might be the most important position, Will Muschamp is doing a great job of recruiting them.

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Gator Recruiting News - 6/25

Ebenezer Ogundeko's perfect nickname; The Scrooge.

The Scrooge Coming To Florida?.  Ebenezer Ogundeko, a 4-star DE and the top recruit in the state of New York, (awesome name) says he is down to three schools in an interview with CuseConfidential.com($).  Here is what he said:

"My final three is Syracuse, Notre Dame, and Florida," Ogundeko said. He went on to talk about what put those three over the rest of the schools looking at him.

"What put those three on top was the connection I have with the coaches," Ogundeko stated. "They really take care of the players there and they offer a great opportunity to play."

Roderick Johnson's Recruitment Far From Over.  This story came out Sunday, but I never got around to it.  Florida commit, OT Roderick Johnson, told the Orlando Sentinel that "there are some other schools in the mix."  He listed Auburn and South Carolina as the main two.  This would be a big blow to the Gators because as of now, he is the only projected offensive tackle in the 2013 class.  When asked what are the odds that he sticks with Florida, here is what he said:

“Probably like six out of 10 chance I might [stay committed],” Johnson said.

Uh oh.

DeMarcus Walker Visiting.  DeMarcus Walker, a 4-star defensive end, is going to visit Florida on Friday according to his Twitter account.  Walker has Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, and Tennessee as his top 5.

Georgia Commit Possibly Decommitting for Florida?  Georgia commit, 3-star CB Shaq Wiggins, liked what he saw when he visited Florida recently.  Apparently, Georgia coaches weren't too happy about that.  Here is what Wiggins had to say about it in an interview with UGASports.com:

"Yeah, they asked what was wrong me, things like that," Wiggins said during registration for this weekend's Rivals Five-Star Challenge. "They freaked out a little bit, but I told them face to face I'm still a Dawg."

Here is what he had to say when asked if Bulldog fans should be worried since he said his recruitment isn't finished:

"No, they shouldn't be worried about me too much. I'm still 100 percent to the University of Georgia, that's where my heart is," he said. "But like I said, I'm going to continue to look at other schools, because you never know what can happen up until Signing Day. I just want to keep my options open, just look, but still be 100 percent to Georgia."

The strange thing is that Wiggins, according to Rivals, is still without a Florida offer.