Elite Cornerback Recruit Valdez Showers Commits to Florida

Valdez Showers, the No. 9 ranked cornerback by Scout, committed to Florida on Wednesday, selecting the Gators over other offers from Michigan and Michigan State. 

The 4-star cornerback is a great all-around athlete who's shown the potential to play at several positions, from cornerback, safety, and linebacker, to wide receiver and possibly even running back. 

He may not have too much experience as a cornerback, but that's where scouts project him to play the best at the next level, and he's got the size and speed combination you love to see at the position.

He needs to bulk up and work on his footwork, recognition, and coverage technique, but the building blocks are all there. 

It comes as no surprise that Showers opted for Florida rather than Michigan and Michigan State, the two in-state schools recruiting the Michigan native the hardest. 

He took a couple trips to Gainesville over the summer and appeared to fall in love with the school for several different reasons, not all of them associated with the football field. 

"First off, when we went down to camp he loved the coaching staff and academics," said Madison assistant coach Chanterious Brock. "His mom loved it. That was a big factor. He wanted a feel for the total package. Florida had the total package playing a high level of football every year. He had a great relationship with coach Meyer and the coaching staff. 

"He liked Michigan and Michigan State, but he is the kind of kid who loves challenges. He would rather compete against the best, and that's what he is going to be doing when he gets to Florida." 

Showers becomes the 15th recruit to commit to Florida for 2011 and is joined by fellow top 10 cornerback Nick Waisome to form a solid pair of cornerbacks on the books. 

Waisome committed to Florida last week, so the addition of Showers comes as quite a haul for the Gators secondary. 

Florida is still in pursuit of some of the top prospects in the country, most notably 5-star defensive tackle Tim Jernigan and offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio, two of the top 10 prospects from the 2011 recruiting class. 

We'll keep you updated with any further developments.