Gators head coach Dan Mullen discusses the addition of four newcomers on National Signing Day. (Photo: Dakota Williams/UAA Communications)
Gators Close Strong -- Again -- on National Signing Day
Wednesday, February 6, 2019 | Football, Scott Carter
Signees Tracker | Blog | @GatorsFB on Twitter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a meeting room inside Florida's football offices Monday afternoon, members of the recruiting staff met with various staffers from other departments to discuss how the program would unveil the Gators' newest players publicly on National Signing Day.
It was your basic planning session to make sure everyone had their I's dotted and T's crossed before Wednesday's official announcements. With only a small group of players in the mix, a calmness pervaded over the meeting compared to the early signing period in December when Florida inked 21 players in head coach Dan Mullen's first full recruiting cycle since taking over the program.
As the group reviewed the list of potential signees, the conversation centered heavily on two particular players because of the ambiguity of their final decisions. Regardless of the relationships or how well the official visits seemed to go, you just never know until the National Letters of Intent arrive.
Outside linebacker Khris Bogle, who had committed to Alabama in January, remained in the picture because of his relationship with defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. Meanwhile, cornerback Kaiir Elam had been a priority since Mullen arrived. Adding to the intrigue around Elam were questions that surfaced when on Elam's official visit to Georgia in late January, the Bulldogs announced the hiring of Gators cornerbacks coach Charlton Warren.
Whatever doubts existed, the recruiting staff voiced confidence both would sign with UF, and if they did, combined with the expected signings of linebacker Diwun Black and receiver Arjei Henderson, the four players would make NSD a victorious one for the Gators.
By late Monday afternoon, all four were officially Gators. Add another one to the win column.
Much like during the early signing period in December, the Gators closed strong, this time with Elam announcing on ESPN that he was choosing Florida over defending SEC East champion Georgia.
"I had to sit down with my family and weigh the pros and cons," Elam told reporters gathered at The Benjamin School in North Palm Beach. "I had to make a business decision. I felt they had a need for me and I felt it was home. I made the right decision. I am so blessed and thankful to everybody."
A few hours earlier, Bogle chose the Gators over reigning SEC champion Alabama, an addition that had Florida fans buzzing on social media. A 6-foot-4, 209-pound edge rusher from Cardinal Gibbons High in Fort Lauderdale, Bogle's flip from Alabama to Florida got the day started with a victory.
Bogle said it was a 50-50 decision.
"I just believe in Coach Mullen and what we have to get better at Florida now," Bogle told reporters gathered for his press conference. "When I went up there for my official visit, I enjoyed the experience and I just believe in him."
In between the additions of Bogle and Elam, Black and Henderson stayed on script and signed. From Forest, Miss., Black has been on Mullen's radar since he committed to Mississippi State when Mullen was head coach there. A receiver from Fort Bend Travis High in Sugar Land, Texas, Henderson showed strong interest in the Gators despite a pair of previous commitments to other schools.
Shortly after Elam's announcement, an energized Mullen spoke to reporters about Florida's 2019 signing class, one that features 25 players and is ranked in the top 10 by all three major recruiting services: 247Sports.com (9th), ESPN.com (9th) and Rivals.com (10th).
"A lot of good things happened,'' Mullen said. "A really great day for us. Some of the additions we had today are huge for us, huge for the future, big pieces for the future of how we continue to build this program."
Elam's signing Wednesday secured the Gators their first top-10 national ranking on NSD since 2014. More importantly, beating out Alabama and Georgia for a pair of elite recruits provides another sign the Gators are trending up.
"I think Florida is on their way,'' ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill said. "This is what Dan Mullen was hired to do."
Mullen and his staff spent much of Wednesday watching film and grading players in the 2020 recruiting class. The Gators seek to maintain the momentum they have built since Mullen arrived.
They improved six games from the previous season by winning 10 games in Mullen's first year. They won a New Year's Six bowl game by defeating Michigan in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. And they followed up a successful haul during the early national signing period – most notably by closing with the additions of Lakeland High teammates Deyavie Hammond, Lloyd Summerall III and Keon Zipperer – with another strong capper in Elam on Wednesday.
Plus, anytime you flip a player from Alabama and edge Georgia for another player, it's a good day.
"Those are the teams that played for the SEC championship this year and that's the level we want to be on,'' Mullen said. "So being able to win those recruiting battles is going to help to hopefully beat them on the field as well."
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a meeting room inside Florida's football offices Monday afternoon, members of the recruiting staff met with various staffers from other departments to discuss how the program would unveil the Gators' newest players publicly on National Signing Day.
It was your basic planning session to make sure everyone had their I's dotted and T's crossed before Wednesday's official announcements. With only a small group of players in the mix, a calmness pervaded over the meeting compared to the early signing period in December when Florida inked 21 players in head coach Dan Mullen's first full recruiting cycle since taking over the program.
As the group reviewed the list of potential signees, the conversation centered heavily on two particular players because of the ambiguity of their final decisions. Regardless of the relationships or how well the official visits seemed to go, you just never know until the National Letters of Intent arrive.
Outside linebacker Khris Bogle, who had committed to Alabama in January, remained in the picture because of his relationship with defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. Meanwhile, cornerback Kaiir Elam had been a priority since Mullen arrived. Adding to the intrigue around Elam were questions that surfaced when on Elam's official visit to Georgia in late January, the Bulldogs announced the hiring of Gators cornerbacks coach Charlton Warren.
Whatever doubts existed, the recruiting staff voiced confidence both would sign with UF, and if they did, combined with the expected signings of linebacker Diwun Black and receiver Arjei Henderson, the four players would make NSD a victorious one for the Gators.
By late Monday afternoon, all four were officially Gators. Add another one to the win column.
#GatorGangXX It's your time... pic.twitter.com/Psr2Z3oTCh
— Dan Mullen (@CoachDanMullen) February 6, 2019
Much like during the early signing period in December, the Gators closed strong, this time with Elam announcing on ESPN that he was choosing Florida over defending SEC East champion Georgia.
"I had to sit down with my family and weigh the pros and cons," Elam told reporters gathered at The Benjamin School in North Palm Beach. "I had to make a business decision. I felt they had a need for me and I felt it was home. I made the right decision. I am so blessed and thankful to everybody."
A few hours earlier, Bogle chose the Gators over reigning SEC champion Alabama, an addition that had Florida fans buzzing on social media. A 6-foot-4, 209-pound edge rusher from Cardinal Gibbons High in Fort Lauderdale, Bogle's flip from Alabama to Florida got the day started with a victory.
Bogle said it was a 50-50 decision.
"I just believe in Coach Mullen and what we have to get better at Florida now," Bogle told reporters gathered for his press conference. "When I went up there for my official visit, I enjoyed the experience and I just believe in him."
In between the additions of Bogle and Elam, Black and Henderson stayed on script and signed. From Forest, Miss., Black has been on Mullen's radar since he committed to Mississippi State when Mullen was head coach there. A receiver from Fort Bend Travis High in Sugar Land, Texas, Henderson showed strong interest in the Gators despite a pair of previous commitments to other schools.
Shortly after Elam's announcement, an energized Mullen spoke to reporters about Florida's 2019 signing class, one that features 25 players and is ranked in the top 10 by all three major recruiting services: 247Sports.com (9th), ESPN.com (9th) and Rivals.com (10th).
"A lot of good things happened,'' Mullen said. "A really great day for us. Some of the additions we had today are huge for us, huge for the future, big pieces for the future of how we continue to build this program."
Elam's signing Wednesday secured the Gators their first top-10 national ranking on NSD since 2014. More importantly, beating out Alabama and Georgia for a pair of elite recruits provides another sign the Gators are trending up.
"I think Florida is on their way,'' ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill said. "This is what Dan Mullen was hired to do."
Mullen and his staff spent much of Wednesday watching film and grading players in the 2020 recruiting class. The Gators seek to maintain the momentum they have built since Mullen arrived.
They improved six games from the previous season by winning 10 games in Mullen's first year. They won a New Year's Six bowl game by defeating Michigan in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. And they followed up a successful haul during the early national signing period – most notably by closing with the additions of Lakeland High teammates Deyavie Hammond, Lloyd Summerall III and Keon Zipperer – with another strong capper in Elam on Wednesday.
Plus, anytime you flip a player from Alabama and edge Georgia for another player, it's a good day.
"Those are the teams that played for the SEC championship this year and that's the level we want to be on,'' Mullen said. "So being able to win those recruiting battles is going to help to hopefully beat them on the field as well."
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