Florida Football: How Each 2013 Recruit Fits into UF's Plans

In what is essentially his third recruiting class, Will Mushcamp has gotten off to a fast start. With eight months still to go before national signing day, the Gators have 16 recruits and are ranked the second-best recruiting class by ESPN. 

All 16 recruits are rated as 4-star prospects, and several will be able to compete for playing time early when they arrive on campus in the summer of 2013. 

While getting 16 commitments this early in the recruiting cycle is a feat to take pride in, Muschamp and the Gators are not done recruiting just yet. After losing out on several highly touted quarterback recruits and even contemplating not taking a quarterback in the '13 recruiting cycle, the Gators got an impressive performance from Max Staver at camp this weekend. 

The Gators will look to sign a big class of up to 23 players this year, but for now, we have 16 to take a look at and see where they fit in on this team. 

Rodney Adams, WR

Height: 6'1'' 

Weight: 166

Adams is a recruit who does not shine in any one particular area but seems to always make plays. At 6'1", Adams has good size, but you would like to see him add some bulk before he enrolls. 

His freshman season will likely be spent mainly on special teams, but as we have said for a year now, the Gators are thing at receiver, and any player who shows consistency should be able to find playing time. 

Tre Bell, CB

Height: 5'11''

Weight: 158

Tre' Bell dosen't have the prototypical size that Muschamp would like to have in a cornerback, but he plays bigger inside the lines than he's listed. Bell is a cover corner who has great ball skills, great closing speed and is a sound tackler. 

The Gators will have a ton of depth at cornerback in '13 with Loucheiz Purifoy, Cody Riggs, Marcus Roberson, Valdez Showers, Willie Bailey, Jaylen Watkins and Jabari Gorman all returning.

It may be hard for Bell to crack that lineup as a freshman, but he has a bright future with the Gators and can contribute on special teams and in some nickel packages. 

Caleb Brantley, DT/NT

Height: 6'3'' 

Weight: 302 

Caleb Brantley is a big physical presence along the defensive line, just what Muschamp is looking for. Brantley is quick off the ball for his size and is strong at the point of attack. 

Brantley's size gives him the ability to play both defensive tackle and nose tackle for the Gators. That type of versatility along with the possible departures of Sharrif Floyd and Dominique Easley will allow Brantley to compete for playing time early as a freshman. 

Cameron Dillard, OG

Height: 6'3''

Weight: 290

Dillard is a big-bodied interior lineman who can contribute to the Gators right away. 

Dillard plays in a run-oriented offense in high school and will need to develop into a better pass blocker, but if Muschamp wants to be known as a tough, run-first, physical team, Dillard is the right man for the job.

Dillard has the type of nasty you want in a lineman and the size you usually see in Big Ten offensive lineman. 

Dillard's main competition will be Jessamen Dunker and Jon Halapio but could find the field early on in his career. 

Ahmad Fulwood, WR

Height: 6'4''

Weight: 189

Fulwood is the most physically gifted receiver the Gators have recruited in a while. At 6'4'', Fulwood has good speed for his size and is a huge target. Fulwood is a good route runner who is not afraid to go over the middle and is a more-than-adequate blocker. 

Fulwood will be a player to watch when he enrolls and will challenge early to be a starter in the Gators offense. 

Marqui Hawkins, WR

Height: 6'1'' 

Weight: 190

Hawkins passes the eye test. He's a big muscular receiver who will continue to climb up the recruiting rankings throughout the rest of the recruiting cycle. Hawkins is the most developed route runner the Gators have recruited this cycle, and along with Fulwood, will compete immediately for playing time. 

The Gators will have Solomon Patton, Latroy Pittman, JaJuan Story, Quinton Dunbar, and likely, Andre Debose still on the roster when Hawkins enrolls on campus.

Debose has proven to be unreliable and Patton is more suited for a spread offense, but I expect Dunbar and Pittman to have breakout seasons this year and to be pushed by the class of '13. 

The days of the Gators' depth concern at receiver are coming to an end, and in the near future, receiver will be a position of strength for the team. 

James Hearns, ILB

Height: 6'3''

Weight: 235

From a size standpoint, Hearns is college ready right now. He's a solid tackler and a run stopper from his interior linebacker position. While not the fastest player on the field, Hearns show good speed from sideline to sideline and is good in pursuit. 

Hearns will need to work on his coverage skills to be an effective linebacker week in and week out in the SEC and will face stiff competition in Michael Taylor and Antonio Morrison. Taylor will be a redshirt junior and Morrison a sophomore when Hearns enrolls in 2013, so playing time right away will have to be earned on the practice field. 

Roderick Johnson, OL

Height: 6'5''

Weight: 290

At 6'5'' and almost 300 pounds, Johnson has the power and strength you would expect but is surprisingly athletic and agile. Johnson is capable of getting an initial block and moving to the second level to take on linebackers. 

Johnson will have a battle once he arrives on campus. While offensive line was a position that lacked depth a season ago, the Gators have a lot of bodies at tackle currently. When Johnson arrives on campus, he will have D.J. Humphries, Matt Patchan and Chaz Green ahead of him on the depth chart.

Coming from a small school like American Heritage Delray will be a big change for Johnson—both on and off the field. He will need to adjust to a much higher level of competition if he wants to overtake any of the aforementioned players.  

Adam Lane, RB

Height: 5'8'' 

Weight: 218

If there was any doubt about Lane being healthy coming off an injury that cost him his junior season they were answered during Winter Haven's spring jamboree. 

Lane finished the game with 15 carries for 214 yards and five touchdowns. 

Lane is a patient runner who will scan the line to find his hole and has surprising quickness and the speed for his build. 

Lane will compete with Matt Jones, Mack Brown and fellow incoming freshman Kelvin Taylor in 2013, and you can expect Jones, Taylor and Lane to share the load in the backfield.

Lane is a superior athlete who will have SEC defenses scheming how to stop him all week leading up to Saturdays. 

Dillan Lawson, OLB

Height: 6'3'' 

Weight: 215

Lawson has good size for a linebacker and the frame that could support added bulk. Lawson projects as a SAM linebacker, but if he adds some bulk, could play in Florida's BUCK position. 

Lawson is an excellent tackler who uses great form and rarely gets pushed back at the point of contact. He has played both on and off the line in high school and show great potential as an edge rusher. 

His ability to rush the passer and create havoc in the backfield is what will earn him playing time initially. Lawson will develop into a very goof cover linebacker during his time in Gainesville, but his ability to rush the passer and disrupt the running game will earn him situational playing time as a freshman. 

Daniel McMillian, OLB

Height: 6'2''

Weight: 220

Versatility is the key to McMillian's success. McMillian could easily project to play all three linebacker positions, but his size and physicality will lead him to becoming a SAM linebacker. 

McMillian has a high motor and long arms that keep him from being held at the line and is an above-average pass-rusher. 

McMillian will immediately pressure Morrison, Lawson, Quinton Powell and Jeremi Powell at outside linebacker but will likely be a special teams player for a season or two before he makes a real impact on defense. 

Keanu Neal, S

Height: 6'1'' 

Weight: 203

Keanu Neal is one of the most college-ready defensive backs in the class of '13. 

He plays well on all three levels of the defense and makes game-changing plays. Neal is a balanced safety who can play the run as well as he plays the passing game. A solid tackler, he likes to and can play down in the box and affect the running game much like Matt Elam does now. 

Neal's main competition will be Jabari Gorman, who will be a junior when Neal enrolls and Rhaheim Ledbetter who will be a sophomore. Florida also has two more safety prospects coming in this year and in 2013, but both Marcus Maye and Nick Washington project better at free safety. 

Neal and Ledbetter could beat out Gorman who has risen to the backup role behind Elam was mainly a special teams player as a freshman but opened eyes with a solid spring and monster spring game. 

Neal could have to bide his time as a freshman but will be a factor on special teams and should see playing time as a freshman in certain packages. 

Josh Outlaw, OL

Height: 6'4'' 

Weight: 275

Outlaw is an interior lineman prospect from Georgia who is a big, physical run blocker. Outlaw has shown an ability to pull on running plays and is athletic enough to continue blocking 10 and 15 yards down the field. 

Outlaw will need to work on his pass-protection skills and footwork before he can be a legitimate threat to become a starter for the Gators. 

Quinton Powell, OLB

Height: 6'2'' 

Weight: 200

Quinton Powell heard the doubters. He heard the people talking about how he was only a pass-rusher, a one-down guy and that he couldn't drop into coverage and wouldn't be a successful linebacker.

Powell responded by earning linebacker MVP honors at the Rivals/VTO camp in Winter Park, FL. 

Powell could easily add considerable weight and make the move to BUCK or defensive end, but he's better suited as a WILL linebacker. Powell is showing that he can be accountable to cover slot receivers and tight ends as well as getting into the backfield and rushing the passer. 

Powell's versatility will be needed as the Gators look to replace a Gator great in Jelani Jenkins either this season or next. 

Kelvin Taylor, RB

Height: 5'10'' 

Weight: 210

Kelvin Taylor is the son of Gator great Fred Taylor. 

Kelvin is a superior athlete and one of the best running backs in the country. Taylor is a physically talented runner with elite vision, patience and feet. Taylor is a highlight reel waiting to happen, and he will keep SEC defensive coordinators fits trying to scheme ways to slow him down. 

Taylor will contend for and earn reps right away as a freshman. Both Adam Lane and Matt Jones will stand in his way, but if Taylor reaches his potential, he will be the starter for as long as he stays in Gainesville. 

Taylor is a truly gifted tailback who will be the catalyst for an offense that wants to become a power running team. Taylor will remind older Gator fans a lot of his dad, but Kelvin is a lot farther ahead than his father at this point of their careers. 

Nick Washington, S

Height: 6'0''

Weight: 175

Washington is a safety with cornerback cover skills. Washington covers so well that many people project him as a corner at the next level, but Muschamp and the Gators want him at safety. 

Washington has exceptional close out speed and can cover a lot of ground in a short period of time. He has great ball skills and shows an instinctual ability to high point the ball. He can not only play the ball in the air, but Washington packs a punch in his tackling and often separates receivers from the ball. 

Washington will contend for playing time as a freshman and should be a household name in GatorNation for years to come.