The Gators added 20 players during the early signing period in December. (Photo: Matt Stamey/UAA Communications)
Four UF signees in prep showcases this week, starting tonight
Thursday, January 3, 2019 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Under Armour All-America Game, the first of two prep showcases this week featuring Florida signees, is tonight in Orlando (6 p.m., ESPN2).
UF signees Keon Zipperer and Deyavie Hammond, teammates at Lakeland High, are on the roster of Team Ballaholic, coached by former Florida State and NFL star Deion Sanders. Zipperer, Hammond and fellow Dreadnaught Lloyd Summerall III made a splash last month during the early signing period when all three signed with the Gators.
A tight end listed at 6-foot-2, 242 pounds, Zipperer chose Florida over an array of offers from the top programs in the country. He caught 12 passes for 256 yards and four touchdowns as a senior, helping the Dreadnaughts defeat St. Thomas Aquinas for the Class 7A state championship.
Hammond, listed at 6-3, 350 pounds, is one of seven offensive linemen Florida signed in December. Hammond anchored Lakeland's offensive line as a senior guard after playing his junior season at the IMG Academy in Bradenton.
Hammond told Swamp247.com he is optimistic he can earn playing time as a true freshman following preliminary talks with Gators head coach Dan Mullen.
"He's just telling me he wants me to get up there and make sure I get my grades right, and he wants me to come in and play,'' Hammond said. "He's actually told me he wants me to play tackle, I guess, to get some early play as a freshman."
Meanwhile, UF signees Mohamoud Diabate and Ty'Ron Hopper are scheduled to play in the All-American Bowl on Saturday (1 p.m., NBC) in San Antonio.
Diabate (6-3, 219) and Hopper (6-2, 202) are among the four linebackers the Gators signed in December. Diabate played at Auburn (Ala.) High and Hopper at Roswell (Ga.) High.
Diabate earned All-State first-team honors as a senior after finishing with 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He is one of 10 early enrollees set to join the program later this month.
As for Hopper, he started his career at safety and moved to linebacker. He had 74 tackles, five interceptions and a forced fumble his senior season, choosing the Gators over Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State and Tennessee among others.
"He's a guy we identified early that has a lot of potential,'' Mullen said. "He's a guy that's played corner and safety in high school … played everywhere, has great length and athleticism and I think he's a guy you're going to see as he gets here, his ability to grow. That type of athleticism is what we want to have on our defense."
UF signees Keon Zipperer and Deyavie Hammond, teammates at Lakeland High, are on the roster of Team Ballaholic, coached by former Florida State and NFL star Deion Sanders. Zipperer, Hammond and fellow Dreadnaught Lloyd Summerall III made a splash last month during the early signing period when all three signed with the Gators.
A tight end listed at 6-foot-2, 242 pounds, Zipperer chose Florida over an array of offers from the top programs in the country. He caught 12 passes for 256 yards and four touchdowns as a senior, helping the Dreadnaughts defeat St. Thomas Aquinas for the Class 7A state championship.
Hammond, listed at 6-3, 350 pounds, is one of seven offensive linemen Florida signed in December. Hammond anchored Lakeland's offensive line as a senior guard after playing his junior season at the IMG Academy in Bradenton.
Hammond told Swamp247.com he is optimistic he can earn playing time as a true freshman following preliminary talks with Gators head coach Dan Mullen.
"He's just telling me he wants me to get up there and make sure I get my grades right, and he wants me to come in and play,'' Hammond said. "He's actually told me he wants me to play tackle, I guess, to get some early play as a freshman."
Meanwhile, UF signees Mohamoud Diabate and Ty'Ron Hopper are scheduled to play in the All-American Bowl on Saturday (1 p.m., NBC) in San Antonio.
Diabate (6-3, 219) and Hopper (6-2, 202) are among the four linebackers the Gators signed in December. Diabate played at Auburn (Ala.) High and Hopper at Roswell (Ga.) High.
Diabate earned All-State first-team honors as a senior after finishing with 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He is one of 10 early enrollees set to join the program later this month.
#UF was the "obvious choice" for 4-star OLB, Mohamoud Diabate, who is backing up his reputation in San Antonio.
— Corey Bender (@Corey_Bender) January 3, 2019
"They know what they are doing. I always wanted to play for a staff that had a track record of excellence."
Details at @GatorsTerritory:
--> https://t.co/9oRk77e6lM pic.twitter.com/I2QPCpsCu8
As for Hopper, he started his career at safety and moved to linebacker. He had 74 tackles, five interceptions and a forced fumble his senior season, choosing the Gators over Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State and Tennessee among others.
"He's a guy we identified early that has a lot of potential,'' Mullen said. "He's a guy that's played corner and safety in high school … played everywhere, has great length and athleticism and I think he's a guy you're going to see as he gets here, his ability to grow. That type of athleticism is what we want to have on our defense."
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