Florida National Signing Day 2016: 5 Takeaways from Gators' Class

The Florida Gators were expected to improve when Jim McElwain was hired as head coach over a year ago, but few predicted it would happen so fast. 

McElwain led Florida to a 10-4 record with an SEC East title in 2015, re-establishing the Gators as one of the premier programs in the nation’s top football conference. 

With 2016's national signing day wrapped up, the Gators will bring in one of the top classes in the nation to further build upon an already talented roster. 

Here are five thoughts regarding Florida’s 2016 signing class.

Successful 2015 Season Pays Off

Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press/Associated Press

Florida's 2015 success carries into its 2016 recruiting class.

College coaches make plenty of promises on the recruiting trail, but few are able to back up that talk on the field. Yet McElwain appears to be proving he can get the job done on and off the field. 

Florida followed up a great 2015 season with the 13th-ranked recruiting class in the country, according to 247Sports, with 12 January enrollees. This is another quick turnaround for the program, which finished 21st overall in recruiting a year ago. 

The group is also extremely deep, featuring nine 4-star players, including receiver Tyrie Cleveland, who flipped from Houston on Wednesday, according to ESPN.com's DereK Tyson.

Key players like defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard, All-American cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, leading tackler Antonio Morrison at linebacker and leading rusher Kelvin Taylor will be gone from last year’s squad, leaving plenty of opportunities for this incoming class to make an early impact. 

Florida is already back near the top of the SEC after just one full season for McElwain and his staff. As long as the program continues to make strides on the field, look for the Gators to again make a habit of hauling in elite talent.

Florida Finds Its Answer at QB

Will Grier looked to be on his way to stardom as he led Florida to a 6-0 record in 2015 while throwing for 1,204 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

Then Grier was suspended for one year before deciding to leave the Gators, and the offense never recovered, averaging 17 points over the last eight games.

However, it appears Florida has secured its future under center. 

Feleipe Franks, a 6’5”, 4-star quarterback who ranked as the fifth overall pro-style passer in the 2016 class, is already on campus and will participate in spring practice.

Judging by his highlights, he possesses the size and arm talent to excel in the SEC, and he is expected to seriously compete for Florida’s starting quarterback position with incumbent Treon Harris and transfers Austin Appleby and Luke Del Rio. 

If Franks can quickly learn the offense and prove he can make good decisions, he very well could win the top job in Gainesville. As a senior, Franks threw for 35 touchdowns and only two interceptions, according to MaxPreps, so he certainly showed he can take care of the football while still making plays downfield. 

McElwain has a tremendous track record recently with pocket passers such as Grier, Garrett Grayson at Colorado State and AJ McCarron at Alabama. Expect Franks to have similar success as he becomes an All-SEC performer by his junior season.

Receiving Class Will Contribute Immediately

While quarterback struggles in 2015 were the prominent suspects for Florida’s anemic offense down the stretch, the Gators also lacked playmaking depth on the outside. 

That problem became bigger when starting receiver Demarcus Robinson decided to enter the 2016 NFL draft. This leaves Florida’s 2015 leading receiver, sophomore Antonio Callaway, as the only established pass-catcher on the roster. 

Help is on the way, though, thanks to a great receiver haul in 2016. Cleveland and fellow 4-stars Josh Hammond and Freddie Swain headline a five-man receiving class, and each will have the opportunity to earn playing time right away. 

Cleveland, the second-ranked receiver nationally, has the best chance to become a major contributor. He possesses great size at 6’3”, and his top-end speed and soft hands allow him to make plays as a possession target or downfield behind the secondary. Hammond and Swain also possess the raw speed and quickness to make some splashes in the screen game. 

Junior Brandon Powell will likely enter the season as the No. 2 receiver on the depth chart, but the freshmen mentioned will see the field often as the third and fourth options. By the end of 2016, expect Cleveland and his special talent to overtake Powell as the second receiver for whoever is throwing passes for Florida.

Expect a Dominant Pass Rush

Florida almost always produces a top-notch defense, and creating pressure off the edge is an important reason why. 

The Gators signed a dynamic pass-rusher last season in CeCe Jefferson, who became an immediate contributor on the defensive line. Overall, Florida finished tied for fifth nationally with 40 team sacks. In a couple of years, the team could be even better. 

Jefferson is expected to take significant strides as a sophomore along with fellow classmates Taven Bryan and Keivonnis Davis. It also helps that Florida brings in a couple of fantastic freshmen defensive linemen. 

Antonneous Clayton comes into Florida as arguably the best pass-rusher in the 2016 class. Looking at his highlights, it very apparent that his explosive first step and strength are attributes that coaches just cannot teach. He also uses his long 6’3” frame to keep opposing linemen from getting under him before tossing them aside en route to the quarterback. Combine him with Jefferson, and the Gators will be a scary proposition for opposing offensive coordinators. 

Jordan Smith also brings a ton of potential. The 3-star defensive end stands at nearly 6’6” and possesses raw athleticism that the Florida defensive staff hopes can help develop him into a future starter. 

With players like Hargreaves, Jalen Tabor and now Chauncey Gardner consistently being brought into the secondary, Florida will have no problem providing enough coverage for its edge-rushers to wreak havoc. Look for the Gators to suffocate opposing quarterbacks in the coming seasons.

Recruiting Elite In-State Talent Could Be Better

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Florida needs to get more local studs like Martez Ivey (above).

It is tough to find a fault in a highly touted class like Florida’s, but there is always room for improvement. In the Gators’ case, this comes with bringing in the top players in the Sunshine State. 

Of the states’ top 20 players in 2016, Florida signed just two of them: Franks, No. 9, and Gardner, No. 6. 

In this regard, the Gators were thoroughly outperformed by in-state rival Florida State, which picked up five signees from the top 20, including defensive tackle Shavar Manuel, a former Florida commit. 

This continues a trend from last season, when the Seminoles signed seven of the state’s top 20 players compared to Florida’s three. However, that came after McElwain was hired toward the end of the recruiting season, and the Gators did sign the state’s top player, Martez Ivey. 

Florida still recruited very well in its own area, as 13 of its 25 signees were in-state. Many of these players will provide tremendous depth for the Gators. 

Again, it is a bit nit-picky to criticize McElwain and his staff for not recruiting the state’s top talent as well as Florida State. Yet this is an aspect that, if improved, will help Florida get to another level and earn its way back into national championship discussions.

Recruit rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports.