Florida Football: Top 3 recruiting targets left for Gators in 2022

4-star LB Shawn Murphy

While Dan Mullen is known as more of an offensive coach, the defense has always been a calling card for the Gators, especially in years when they are truly national title contenders.

Over the years, Florida has turned out a lot of really good linebackers but it’s a position that could use some elite talent going forward and one top target in the 2022 class is a high-ranking four-star recruit, Shawn Murphy.

Murphy is ranked 62nd overall in the 247 sports composite rankings for 2022 and like Nolen, he recently included Florida football in his top five along with Ohio State, Penn State, LSU, and Alabama.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.41, is projected by 247 sports to be an early future draft pick and honestly has first-round potential. He can blitz, cover, play the run, and has true three-down potential.

The prospect out of Virginia, also like Nolen, has no crystal ball projections at this time. Florida football is in the final five with work to do to win out, but a realistic shot at landing both.