Florida Football: Gators get head start on 2020 class
The 2019 recruiting cycle hasn’t finished yet, but Dan Mullen and Florida football are already getting started on a 2020 haul which could rival the SEC’s best.
There are two kinds of teams in the final weeks leading up to 2019 National Signing on Wednesday, Feb. 6. Some teams are working feverishly to finish off their 2019 class — not Florida, they have 23 commits, just two of which are unsigned. Other schools, like the Gators, have moved their gaze toward the future.
Not only is Florida poised to bring home a tremendous class this year (the Gators have the No. 10 class in the nation per 247 Sports), they’ve already begun an even more impressive 2020 haul. That class ranks No. 4 in the nation and third best in the vaunted SEC.
The Gators’ added the crown jewel of that highly rated class this week with the commitment of 4-star wideout Leonard Manuel of Ocala, Florida. The 6-foot-4 receiver chose UF over Miami, Georgia, Tennessee and 33 other offers.
https://twitter.com/Begreatliltone2/status/1084971233131806720
Manuel is the No. 36 rated recruit in the nation, ranking a hair out of the 34 players currently deemed 5-star recruits. A strong senior season at Vanguard High School would be more than enough to propel him higher up the ranks and give Florida their first five-star commitment since Martez Ivey and CeCe Jefferson in the 2015 class.
Next. NFL Mock Draft: First round after bowl season. dark
Whether Manuel picks up the extra star or not, he’s already done enough to be one of the most highly south after prospects in the state of Florida. Securing his commitment is a big win against in-state schools like Miami and Florida State and another feather in the cap of the SEC, who seem to always find a way to get the top-flight talent. Usually, the bulk of the 5-stars are reserved for Alabama, Georgia and a few others. Now it’s Florida’s turn.