What Effect Did the Urban Meyer Mayhem Have on Florida Recruiting?
Larry Burton (PCB, Fl.) When Urban Meyer made the announcements last month that shook not only the Gator Nation but also all of college football to the bone, many wondered what effect it would have on recruiting.
The astounding and resounding answer is: It must have helped it!
Florida is just days away from possibly signing the best class in it's last 10 years, certainly the best in the Urban Meyer era if they can land just one or two of the final players they're courting.
ESPN has Florida rated as the No. 1 class; Rivals also has it at No. 1.
The list of recruits, according to Rivals, looks like this:
Players Committed to Floirda's 2010 Signing Class Ā Ā
NameĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Pos Stars HtĀ Ā Ā WtĀ 40Ā Ā Ā RRĀ Ā Ā EnrolledĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Hometown
Gideon AjagbeĀ Ā Ā LBĀ Ā Ā *** 6-2Ā Ā 197 4.65Ā .7 Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Coconut Grove, FL
NeironĀ BallĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā DEĀ **** 6-4Ā Ā 210 4.55Ā .8Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā YesĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Jackson, GA
MackĀ BrownĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā RB **** 5-11Ā 185 4.45Ā .8Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Lithonia, GA
TreyĀ BurtonĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā QBĀ ***Ā 6-2Ā Ā 203 4.625 .7Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā YesĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Venice, FL
GeraldĀ ChristianĀ TE ****Ā 6-3Ā Ā Ā 220Ā 4.65 5.9Ā Ā Ā YesĀ Ā Ā Ā West Palm Beach, FL
RobertĀ ClarkĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā ATH *** 5-9Ā Ā 170Ā Ā Ā -Ā Ā Ā 5.5Ā Ā Ā Ā YesĀ Ā Ā Ā West Palm Beach, FL
Jonathan Dowling ATH**** 6-3Ā 178Ā 4.52Ā 5.8Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Bradenton, FL
QuintonĀ DunbarĀ Ā WR ****Ā 6-3Ā 170Ā Ā Ā -Ā Ā Ā 5.8Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Miami, FL
Chris DunkleyĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā WR **** 5-10 164Ā 4.45Ā .9Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Pahokee, FL
Dominique EasleyĀ DT***** 6-3 258Ā Ā 4.7Ā Ā 6.1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Staten Island, NY
MattĀ ElamĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā DB***** 6-0Ā Ā 205Ā Ā -Ā Ā Ā 6.1Ā Ā Ā Ā YesĀ Ā Ā Ā West Palm Beach, FL
SharrifĀ FloydĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā DT***** 6-3Ā Ā 310Ā Ā -Ā Ā Ā 6.1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Philadelphia, PA
Jordan HadenĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā DB ****Ā 6-0Ā Ā 198 4.41Ā 5.8Ā YesĀ Ā Ā Ā Fort Washington, MD
MichaelĀ McFarland TE ***Ā 6-6Ā Ā 230Ā Ā -Ā Ā Ā Ā 5.7Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Tampa, FL
TylerĀ MurphyĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā QBĀ **Ā 6-2Ā Ā 190Ā 4.75Ā Ā .4Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Wethersfield, CT
LeonĀ OrrĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā DT **** 6-4Ā 300Ā Ā -Ā Ā Ā 5.9Ā Ā Ā YesĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā New Port Richey, FL
SolomonĀ PattonĀ Ā Ā WR**** 5-10 175Ā Ā -Ā Ā Ā 5.8Ā Ā YesĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Mobile, AL
RonaldĀ PowellĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā DE ***** 6-4Ā 230Ā 4.52 6.1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Moreno Valley, CA
CodyĀ RiggsĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā DB ****Ā 5-8Ā 156Ā Ā Ā -Ā Ā Ā 5.9 Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ft. Lauderdale, FL
JoshuaĀ ShawĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā DB **** 6-1Ā Ā 195Ā Ā Ā - Ā Ā 6.0Ā Ā YesĀ Ā Ā Ā Palmdale, CA
Ian SilbermanĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā OL ****Ā 6-4Ā 257Ā 5.13Ā 5.9Ā YesĀ Ā Ā Fleming Island, FL
MichaelĀ TaylorĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā LB ****Ā 6-1Ā 213 4.55Ā .8Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Atlanta, GA
LyndenĀ TrailĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā DE ****Ā 6-7Ā 220Ā Ā -Ā Ā Ā 5.9Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Miami, FL
TravonĀ VanĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā ATH **** 5-11Ā 200Ā Ā Ā -Ā 5.8Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā New Berlin, NY
JaylenĀ WatkinsĀ Ā Ā Ā DB ****Ā 6-1Ā 172Ā 4.44Ā 6.0Ā Ā Ā YesĀ Ā Ā Cape Coral, FL
Look at how many have already early enrolled so they can take part in spring practice; it is indeed impressive.
Now the question has to be: Why has Meyer's announcements not hurt?
Florida has a lot of departing stars, and many feel that could help land incoming players valuable playing time, while others are simply sticking to their first commitment and trusting that Meyer will be their coach when the time comes.
Whatever the reasons, the list is very impressive.
Also doing a great job recruiting is No. 2 Texas and No. 3 Alabama, while Auburn is surprisingly No. 4 and Oklahoma, LSU, USC, Penn State, Georgia, and Tennessee round out the top 10.
So while six of the top 10 schools are from the SEC, none of the SEC teams stole recruits away from Florida because of the "Meyer Mayhem".
With results like this, Florida can weather whatever happens this spring with Meyer.
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