Zach’s Mail Stack 12/20
This could my last recruiting blog for the Gator Prospectus.
But if it’s past 6:12 a.m. EST and you’re reading this … never mind.
The Mayans were wrong. 
Despite the loss of Demarcus Robinson, it was another successful recruiting week for Florida. The Gators signed their three JUCO linemen commits on Wednesday, and also landed 2014 quarterback Will Grier.
I would not be surprised if Grier, who has been UF-bound for awhile, was asked to announce early by the coaches. He wasn’t scheduled to make his decision until January, but he moved it up a month just one day after Robinson’s decommitment.
With Grier on board and the hiring of new receivers coach Joker Phillips, recruiting elite wideouts should be much easier down the road. I don’t expect them to have much of an affect in this recruiting cycle. UF wants just one more prospect at the position and only a few targets remain.
However, Grier will be a huge attraction for years to come. This sends a strong message to receivers that Florida is committed to the passing game and has talent at quarterback to make it flourish in the future.
On to the questions!
Any word on RB Alex Collins? — Georgia GATORBOI
Collins has not answered my calls or texts, but all indications are that he had a great official visit to UF over the weekend. Florida running back Adam Lane told me the coaches put together a fun trip for the two of them, and he thinks Collins has the Gators leading.
If the time to sign was today, I believe Collins would ink with UF based on what I’m hearing. But it’s unclear whether Florida will have room for a third running back, and he also has an official to Miami on Jan. 18.
Never count out the hometown Hurricanes when they have the last visit, as we saw last year with Tracy Howard. However, it looks like the Gators have the advantage right now for the South Plantation prospect.
Any prospects at TE? — Ivo, Julien, Justin, Eric
With the possibility of Jordan Reed turning pro after the bowl game, Florida may try to add a tight end in this class.
The most likely option right now is Durham Smythe out of Belton, Texas, who decommitted from the Longhorns on Dec. 12. Stanford is believed to be the new front-runner, but UF tight ends coach Derek Lewis had an in-home visit with him last Thursday and Florida is hoping to get one of his five officials.
It will take him coming to Gainesville to really gauge his interest in the Gators, but they are clearly interested in him. And for those who asked, I’m told former Miami commit Travis Johnson (Tampa Jesuit) and former Alabama commit Josh McNeil (New Berlin, N.Y./Milford Academy) don’t have the grades to get into UF.
Is CB Mackenzie Alexander set to visit UF? And where do we stand? — Matthew, Tamayo
Yes, the five-star corner from Immokalee will take an unofficial visit to Florida sometime in January. A source of mine knows one of his coaches, and he said things have heated up recently with Alexander and the Gators. He’s been speaking a lot with Will Muschamp and Travais Robinson, and the prospect of playing in-state is starting to appeal to him.
Muschamp is telling Alexander that he could make an immediate impact in the return game and compete at corner right away with Loucheiz Purifoy playing more offense next year. There’s still a lot of time and other visits left in his recruitment, but right now I think UF has a better shot with Alexander than it does with USC commit Jalen Ramsey.
Are you ready to give us a mock class yet? — Ro
Only because the world is supposed to end tomorrow. Everyone keep in mind that this is a mock class, NOT my predictions. It’s just an idea of how Florida might finish if today were National Signing Day.
With the fallout from Collins’ visit, I’m pretty confident putting him in at this time. I think the Gators will land Elijah Daniel at defensive end, which is the only position that must add another prospect.
I’m still not sure how the receiver position will play out, but UF is going to take a fifth wideout one way or another. If Robinson doesn’t return to the class, I expect James Clark to get offered and commit soon (or immediately) after.
I’m not going to put Alexander in my mock just yet, but he’s definitely trending upward for the Gators.
* — early enrollee
QB Max Staver
RB Alex Collins
RB Adam Lane
*RB Kelvin Taylor
WR Alvin Bailey
WR Ahmad Fulwood
WR Marqui Hawkins
WR Chris Thompson
*WR Demarcus Robinson/James Clark
*OL Trenton Brown
OL Cameron Dillard
OL Octavius Jackson
OL Roderick Johnson
*OL Tyler Moore
DT Caleb Brantley
*DT Darious Cummings
*DL Joey Ivie
DL Antonio Riles
DE Elijah Daniel
DE Jordan Sherit
LB Jarrad Davis
LB James Hearns
*LB Daniel McMillian
*LB Matt Rolin
CB Vernon Hargreaves III
*DB Marcell Harris
DB Keanu Neal
DB Nick Washington
That’s all for this week! Be sure to put your questions for the next mailbag in the comment section below!
man. i realize that this mock class is certainly not set in stone but it looks MIGHTY amazing.
by AWB
What’s going on Montravius Adams???
by SD Gator
Those Mayans could do some math.
Go Gators. Win or lose.
by Doug
Don’t tease us by making us think you’re leaving, that was cruel!
by impgator
Zach, any chance TE Jeb Blazevich ’14 reconsiders UF now that Grier has committed? I see that his final 6 doesn’t even include the Gators. I don’t think he even did an unofficial visit to Gainesville.
by David
Man, this recruiting class looks amazing! I can’t wait to see these guys in action! Kudos to Will and his whole staff. With him as our coach, Florida is gonna be set for years to come!
by TJ
The coaching staff has done a tremendous job of recruiting to follow-up a great year! The future sure looks brighter than it did one year ago! Merry Christmas fellow Gators!
by Patrick
COLLINS, DANIEL, CLARK and done. Could be best Gator class ever!
by Randall
Even with the guys me missed on this is an amazing class. It appears more and more that these guys are a solid unit and they communicate frequently, so they should be a pretty close knit TEAM. That is a POWERFUL thing when you are talking about TEAM sports. I know we can’t get them all, but the ones we have (or think we have) is a great bunch and the ones we miss, well that again is their choice and something they will deal with, good luck to them BUT I hope we are so awesome that they regret their decision if only a little bit. GO GATORS!!!!
by CREEK GATOR
I know everyone’s tongue in cheek, but I feel that the pot-shots at the Mayans are unwarranted. We’re the ones who have misrepresented and misunderstood. They never predicted the end of the world; in fact, the opposite:
“The ancient Maya predicted the world would continue, that 7,000 years from now, things would be exactly like this. We keep looking for endings. The Maya were looking for a guarantee that nothing would change. It’s an entirely different mindset,” Saturno said.
I took this from http://digitaljournal.com/article/324711#ixzz2FhOZJysZ.
by Jon
@ Jon
Who cares????????????
by LT
Jon, why are you on a recruiting blog?
by Gator N NC
This is the start of the Gator National Championship run for many years! This feels like the start of the Spurrier era all over again…We jump start to 11-1 this year preceeded by a Bowl win over Ohio state which means that when we win the Sugar bowl we are on a 13-1 run this past 12 months! Add the maturity of the QB and the depth of the O and D, and a coaching staff that stayed in place means we are here for a long time!!! We need stability and if that happens we are looking at a very ver long Gator run!!!!!
Go Gators.
by bob
Thought Fulwood was an EE. If not, too bad, we need a WR or two who can play right away, and though it’s not as tough a position to learn as some others, being their for spring ball definitely helps.
by Steve
hey John do you think the mayans predicition of the world ending sometime today could help me get laid when I go out tonite….. whats a good pick up line. Hey baby the world is about to end….lets get it on in the alley since there is not time to get back to my place…..its nights like tonite that bucket seats and car hoods were meant for….. GO GATORS!!!!
by human race
I say Quinton Powell recommits and signs with the Gators!
by Gator Swag
expect collins to sign with miami if signs with us awesome but like zach said the samething that happened with howard will happen again
by travis
Zach,
What about Alex Montgomery as a 5th wide receiver for this class…in the run to the state championship for Cypress Bay this kid put up phenomenal numbers each game and catches everything…he was hurt part of the year and plays offense and defense?
by Mark
Zach,
Is Stacy Coley still an option at WR for this class?
by GaGator02
Zach, why is there no interest in Chandler Register from GA?
by DH
Zach, any chance we go after Travis Johnson or Josh McNeil
by Jimmy
Demarcus Walker supposedly posted on his twitter account this morning that he has no intentions of going to Florida and will enroll at Bama after the UA game.
by Tampa Gator
I’m with bob
by Keven
@ Tampa Gator,
Let me get this straight, is Walker the LB from Sandalwood or is this the receiver that just decommitted from Florida last week? Because if this is the Kid from Sandalwood , I thought he was already committed to Bama. And if its the kid that decommitted last week because he didn’t like the fact we had 4 other receivers on board(competition) and he’s going to Bama. If so there will not be any competition at BAMA? Help me out Tampa, I’m missing something!!
by CREEK GATOR
@ Creek Gator: D. Walker is the DE/LB from Sandalwood…he is committed to Bama. D. Robinson is the Clemson WR commit.
by TigerCatZeroZero
What about Powell is he off the shelf?
by gators_79
Thanks TigerCatZeroZero,
That makes a little more since now.
by CREEK GATOR
Lets see…A sugar bowl win with a 12-1 record….A record recruiting class…Hope for a great season ending sugar bowl showing…PS we are the only bowl that day…Full time National Audience….
This is a Gator program really on a fast track!!!!!
Go Gators.
by bob
with Demarcus Robinson flip-flopping back to Clemson, and it being unlikely that Florida will get Treadwell or North to commit at receiver, what are the chances the Gators turn up the heat on Stacy Coley or James Clark?
by Matt
Matt,
Clark will be the one they go after if Robinson enrolls early at Clemson. UF stopped recruiting Coley months ago.
by Zach Abolverdi
Jimmy,
I answered your question in this blog.
by Zach Abolverdi