4-Star DE Andrew Chatfield Commits to Florida over FSU, Ohio State, More

Florida received a big boost to its 2018 pass rush when defensive end Andrew Chatfield committed to the program Wednesday.

Graham Hall of the Gainesville Sun reported Chatfield's decision.  

A Florida native, Chatfield is one of the top defensive end recruits in the 2018 class. The 4-star prospect is 247Sports' No. 13 weak-side defensive end and No. 213 player overall. 

His projectible 6'2", 221-pound frame leaves a lot of room for upside that the Gators' coaching staff will be able to tap into over the next four years. 

Per ESPN's scouting report, Chatfield has already "shown he can get upfield and be disruptive." It'll take time before he showcases his full potential on the field, but the combination of quickness and power makes him a safe bet to become a star in the not-too-distant future. 

The Gators hosted Chatfield during an official visit at the end of January. They clearly made a strong impression on him, with his mother giving praise to the school. 

"It was a great visit," Ketelie Chatfield told SEC Country's Zach Abolverdi. "The environment at Florida was great. It's a great place for a school. I just liked the people, the atmosphere and how well everybody gets along."

Florida head coach Dan Mullen, in his first season with the program, needs a big recruiting class to lead a quick turnaround in the SEC. He had tremendous success at Mississippi State, posting a 69-46 record in nine seasons. 

The Gators are fifth among SEC schools in this year's recruiting rankings, per 247Sports. Competing against Alabama, LSU, Auburn and Georgia for talent is a daunting task. 

Chatfield is the perfect type of player for the Gators to build around. He may need to redshirt while filling out his body, but his ceiling is so high that SEC offenses will eventually be forced to game-plan for him coming off the edge.