Florida head coach Dan Mullen speaks after Wednesday night's practice. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
New Batch of 'Gatornaughts' Highlights UF's Signing Class
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter
National Signing Day Blog | Signee Tracker, Bios, Highlights | UF Signee Informational Packet
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Inside the room where Florida head coach Dan Mullen and his staff conduct their staff meetings, they gathered late Wednesday morning to watch three announcements on the big-screen TV in front of the room.
Lakeland High seniors Deyavie Hammond, Lloyd Summerall III and Keon Zipperer were about to inform a national television audience on ESPN2 of their college destinations. For them, the decision stood as the largest thus far of their young lives.
For Mullen and the Gators, where the Lakeland trio opted to play in college could make the difference between the early National Signing Day being a good day or a really good day.
The Gators won not once, not twice, but three times.
"Coming into the day, they needed to make some inroads in the state of Florida. They ended up re-establishing that pipeline into Lakeland High School,'' ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill said. "I felt Dan Mullen and the Florida Gators closed strong, closed fast and accomplished exactly what they hoped to."
The Gators' sweep of the Class 5A state champion Dreadnaughts brought back memories of the "Gatornaughts" from a decade ago when UF signed Lakeland High stars Ahmad Black, Chris Rainey, Mike Pouncey and Maurkice Pouncey. The foursome played key roles for Florida's 2008 national championship team.
The signings, after 17 players sent in their National Letter of Intents earlier in the day, boosted Florida in each of the three major recruiting rankings. They ended the day ranked 16th overall by ESPN.com and 247Sports.com, and 17th by Rivals.com.
Mullen watched the announcements casually, his feet on the office table in between meetings to prepare for practice Wednesday afternoon. The Gators had developed good relationships with the trio over the past year.
Rated as the nation's No. 136 prospect by 247Sports.com, Zipperer moved to the top of UF's 2019 class. Hammond is the highest-ranked among the seven offensive lineman UF signed, and the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Summerall has the tools to develop into an elite edge rusher.
Still, anything can happen once the cameras turn on during National Signing Day.
"I felt pretty good about it,'' Mullen said. "That whole Central Florida area is major Gator country. I really appreciate those guys. Those guys were nothing but straightforward with me."
As each player announced his decision – Hammond, then Summerall III, and finally Zipperer – Mullen's smile widened. The finishing touches on the day's class vaulted Florida into the national headlines and prompted Gators fans to reminisce of days gone by.
"The guys at Lakeland were able to win the state championship this year, so hopefully we can continue that," Mullen said. "They were guys that were young and growing up and looking up to guys like Chris Rainey and the Pouncey brothers and Ahmad Black and all the success those guys have. Now, they are carrying on the tradition to come here to Florida and hopefully they get the opportunity to win a national championship here as well."
While Lakeland was the epicenter of Florida's recruiting efforts outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Wednesday, the Gators' success reached far and wide. They signed 20 players overall, with 12 from the Sunshine State and eight from out of state.
Ten players in the class will start classes in January as mid-year enrollees: linebackers Summerall III, Mohamoud Diabate and Jesiah Pierre, offensive linemen Kingsley Eguakun, Will Harrod, Ethan White and Michael Tarquin, athlete Wardrick Wilson, defensive back Jaydon Hill and quarterback Jalon Jones, who joins Emory Jones from last year's class as the two quarterbacks signed by Mullen since taking over the program.
Jones is a centerpiece of the class in Mullen's first full recruiting cycle since being named UF head coach in November 2017. Jones led St. Francis High in Baltimore to an undefeated season in 2017 and finished his prep career at Henrico High in Richmond, Va., where he played as a freshman and sophomore.
Jones originally committed to Mississippi State when Mullen was there, but changed his pledge to the Gators once Mullen returned to UF after nine seasons with the Bulldogs.
"Very athletic, he's got great size,'' Mullen said. "He's a guy that has always worked very hard at the discipline part of being a quarterback. What I mean by that is the technique and fundamentals and always improving himself. He works hard to play the position technically at a high level, but he also has the athleticism and the skill to improvise and make plays on his own."
Once the Gators complete preparation for the Dec. 29 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against Michigan, the coaches will turn their focus to rounding out a 2019 recruiting class thin on defensive backs and defensive linemen.
Mullen said those two areas are primary concerns before the Feb. 6 National Signing Day.
Still, the Gators won big Wednesday, setting the stage for another strong finish in six weeks.
"I don't know if there were a lot of surprises, but that's kind of what you look for," Mullen said. "I think it's a great start, we strengthened a lot of certain areas with talent and depth for the future. Then there's other areas we still need to fill several spots."
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Inside the room where Florida head coach Dan Mullen and his staff conduct their staff meetings, they gathered late Wednesday morning to watch three announcements on the big-screen TV in front of the room.
Lakeland High seniors Deyavie Hammond, Lloyd Summerall III and Keon Zipperer were about to inform a national television audience on ESPN2 of their college destinations. For them, the decision stood as the largest thus far of their young lives.
For Mullen and the Gators, where the Lakeland trio opted to play in college could make the difference between the early National Signing Day being a good day or a really good day.
The Gators won not once, not twice, but three times.
"Coming into the day, they needed to make some inroads in the state of Florida. They ended up re-establishing that pipeline into Lakeland High School,'' ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill said. "I felt Dan Mullen and the Florida Gators closed strong, closed fast and accomplished exactly what they hoped to."
The Gators' sweep of the Class 5A state champion Dreadnaughts brought back memories of the "Gatornaughts" from a decade ago when UF signed Lakeland High stars Ahmad Black, Chris Rainey, Mike Pouncey and Maurkice Pouncey. The foursome played key roles for Florida's 2008 national championship team.
The signings, after 17 players sent in their National Letter of Intents earlier in the day, boosted Florida in each of the three major recruiting rankings. They ended the day ranked 16th overall by ESPN.com and 247Sports.com, and 17th by Rivals.com.
Mullen watched the announcements casually, his feet on the office table in between meetings to prepare for practice Wednesday afternoon. The Gators had developed good relationships with the trio over the past year.
Rated as the nation's No. 136 prospect by 247Sports.com, Zipperer moved to the top of UF's 2019 class. Hammond is the highest-ranked among the seven offensive lineman UF signed, and the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Summerall has the tools to develop into an elite edge rusher.
Still, anything can happen once the cameras turn on during National Signing Day.
"I felt pretty good about it,'' Mullen said. "That whole Central Florida area is major Gator country. I really appreciate those guys. Those guys were nothing but straightforward with me."
As each player announced his decision – Hammond, then Summerall III, and finally Zipperer – Mullen's smile widened. The finishing touches on the day's class vaulted Florida into the national headlines and prompted Gators fans to reminisce of days gone by.
"The guys at Lakeland were able to win the state championship this year, so hopefully we can continue that," Mullen said. "They were guys that were young and growing up and looking up to guys like Chris Rainey and the Pouncey brothers and Ahmad Black and all the success those guys have. Now, they are carrying on the tradition to come here to Florida and hopefully they get the opportunity to win a national championship here as well."
While Lakeland was the epicenter of Florida's recruiting efforts outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Wednesday, the Gators' success reached far and wide. They signed 20 players overall, with 12 from the Sunshine State and eight from out of state.
Ten players in the class will start classes in January as mid-year enrollees: linebackers Summerall III, Mohamoud Diabate and Jesiah Pierre, offensive linemen Kingsley Eguakun, Will Harrod, Ethan White and Michael Tarquin, athlete Wardrick Wilson, defensive back Jaydon Hill and quarterback Jalon Jones, who joins Emory Jones from last year's class as the two quarterbacks signed by Mullen since taking over the program.
Jones is a centerpiece of the class in Mullen's first full recruiting cycle since being named UF head coach in November 2017. Jones led St. Francis High in Baltimore to an undefeated season in 2017 and finished his prep career at Henrico High in Richmond, Va., where he played as a freshman and sophomore.
Jones originally committed to Mississippi State when Mullen was there, but changed his pledge to the Gators once Mullen returned to UF after nine seasons with the Bulldogs.
"Very athletic, he's got great size,'' Mullen said. "He's a guy that has always worked very hard at the discipline part of being a quarterback. What I mean by that is the technique and fundamentals and always improving himself. He works hard to play the position technically at a high level, but he also has the athleticism and the skill to improvise and make plays on his own."
Once the Gators complete preparation for the Dec. 29 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against Michigan, the coaches will turn their focus to rounding out a 2019 recruiting class thin on defensive backs and defensive linemen.
Mullen said those two areas are primary concerns before the Feb. 6 National Signing Day.
Still, the Gators won big Wednesday, setting the stage for another strong finish in six weeks.
"I don't know if there were a lot of surprises, but that's kind of what you look for," Mullen said. "I think it's a great start, we strengthened a lot of certain areas with talent and depth for the future. Then there's other areas we still need to fill several spots."
Players Mentioned
QB
/ FootballRoad to Gameday: Florida Football
Thursday, April 30
Road to Gameday: Florida Football Spring Game (Season 2)
Wednesday, April 29
Jon Sumrall Postgame Press Conference 4-11-26
Saturday, April 11
Buster Faulkner Postgame Press Conference 4-11-26
Saturday, April 11
