ORLANDO, Fla. — Six broken-heart emojis.
That was the tweet from Florida signee Sharif Denson responding to the news of Gators nickel back Tre’Vez Johnson entering the portal.
They share a high school alma mater, Bartram Trail in Jacksonville, and Denson hoped to be college teammates as well. Though Johnson had confided that he likely would be transferring, the announcement still came as a disappointment to Denson.
“It’s a letdown,” he said. “But it’s a new opportunity for me to get on the field.”
A four-star corner ranked 228th nationally by the 247Sports Composite, Denson is among nine Florida signees invited to the Under Armour All-America game. He committed in June, though his recruitment generated subsequent competition from an Alabama offer and an 11th-hour pitch to flip to Miami.
The Canes, with cornerbacks coach Jahmile Addae serving as the lead recruiter, persistently leveraged NIL to make the move tempting. But Denson, whose parents were high school sweethearts before attending the University of Florida, still views the Gators as the state’s premier program.
“I feel like over a long period of time, Florida is going to be able to have stability and be a good program. I don’t know if I can say the same about Miami,” Denson said. “At Miami, the NIL factor is so big, you just don’t know when they’re going to drop out, or how much money they really have. But I know at UF, what they say you’re going to get, you’re going to get.”
NIL is part of the drama unfolding around the nation’s No. 2 prospect, Lakeland cornerback Cormani McClain. It was McClain who surprisingly committed to the Canes during an Oct. 27 ceremony and FaceTimed Denson afterward to gauge the shock.
Fort Lauderdale’s Damari Brown and McClain later encouraged Denson to flip to Miami and create a DB supergroup. Brown signed with the Hurricanes but now McClain’s destination is uncertain.
“Dude is just a different guy,” Denson said. “At one point he was a Florida lock, and then he was a Miami commit, but now he’s not going. I hope the best for him because that’s my friend, but he’s just got to go somewhere and work. That’s the only way you can get what you want to get.”
Denson plans to get to work in Gainesville after moving in Jan. 8. He lauded the recruiting tenacity of defensive coordinator Patrick Toney — often maligned during his debut season at Florida — referring to the coach as a “crazy analytical guy in the film room who can break down everything you need.” One of their earliest interactions involved Toney assembling film cut-ups of his previous defensive backs making plays similar to the ones Denson made in his Bartram Trail highlights.
When Miami made a late charge, the familiarity of Toney attending Denson’s practices and spring game made the difference. “That’s just a different level of appreciation for me,” he said. “UM, they didn’t do that. It’s just talk with them. NIL, that’s how they get you, but they didn’t get me with that.”
The legacy of NFL cornerbacks produced by Gators assistant Corey Raymond provided the icing. “C-Ray is going to teach me how to play outside corner, and PT is going to teach me the nickel spot, so I’m going to be evolved all the way around,” Denson said.
Florida’s defensive back recruiting looks elite, bolstered by safeties Dijon Jonson (No. 98), Jordan Castell (No. 208) and Aaron Gates (No. 339) and corner Ja’Keem Jackson (No. 123). Part of a class that currently sits 12th nationally, Denson said, “We’re going to come in and change Florida.”
The program already is changing with 23 scholarship players in the portal. Recruits such as quarterback Jaden Rashada said coach Billy Napier advised him throughout the fall to expect heavy turnover.
A rebuild was inevitable, Denson said, with Napier trying to fortify the culture after back-to-back 6-7 seasons.
“Dan Mullen’s staff was much different than Billy Napier’s staff,” Denson said. “He expects more from the individual player here. I can see maybe (the outgoing transfers) don’t have the discipline to follow along with what he’s talking about. I just trust him.
“They’re not trying to be your best friend. They want to build a relationship, but they’re making sure they hold you accountable and that you’re progressing every day.”
Rashada heads East:
Rashada described Friday night’s opening practice at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports as “an OK day” after quarterbacks worked on throwing red zone routes. His team also will be quarterbacked by Oklahoma signee Jackson Arnold and Alabama recruit Dylan Lonergan. The opposing roster features USC’s Malachi Nelson, Kansas State’s Avery Johnson and Iowa State’s JJ Kohl.
There are three more practices before the All-America game on Tuesday. Then Rashada will spend a couple of days in Gainesville with his family before moving in Jan. 5.
He described Florida’s recruiting class as having “pretty good balance,” with talented receivers and difference-makers on defense. “Everybody seems like they have the same mission,” he said. “A good group of dudes.”
Will Norman is expected to blossom as an interior defensive lineman at Florida, though coach Billy Napier said “unique traits” give Norman the athletic versatility to play five-technique.
Chaos comes full-circle:
During the summer of 2021, as Will Norman prepared to leave the Northeast and head to Bradenton (Fla.) IMG for his junior season, he was pinged by an unknown caller.
On the other end was New York Giants assistant Sean Spencer, offering advice at the behest of Norman’s former coach in Camden, N.J., Preston Brown.
“Here I am just a regular high school kid, while he’s got millionaire defensive tackles in his NFL room, and he’s having a conversation with me,” Norman said. Their chat barely broached football. What the teenager remembers most was Spencer’s life-coach counseling about attending boarding school 1,110 miles from home.
“It was so genuine,” Norman said.
Last January, Napier hired “Coach Chaos” to oversee Florida’s defensive line, only Spencer kept it quiet as he joined outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson on a visit to IMG. Norman initially was thrilled to see Peterson, who the previous year had extended an offer from South Carolina. Then Spencer walked in the room and the reunion vibe soared.
“We just hugged each other,” Norman said. “It was so wild that God brought us back together.”
After August’s commitment, Norman returned to New Jersey for his senior season, playing on the edge at 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds. He figures to blossom as an interior lineman at Florida, though Napier said “unique traits” allow Norman the athletic versatility to play five-technique.
“I guess my film on the edge was a little too good,” he said.
Norman also confirmed that he was among the recruits that new Colorado coach Deion Sanders pursued around signing day.
New-staff vibe:
Parting the sea of pollyanna sound bytes, offensive lineman Knijeah Harris said the Gators’ former staff had no chance of landing him.
“I for sure was not going to Florida,” he said. “They were not going to be in my top schools.”
The situation abruptly changed with Billy Napier taking over for Dan Mullen, and the offensive line coaching tandem of Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton replacing John Hevesy.
“A lot more genuine,” Harris said of the current staff. “I’ve seen what they did with O’Cyrus Torrence and guys from UL they put in the (NFL).”
The three-star interior lineman, ranked 437th overall in this class, spent three seasons at IMG after growing up in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Before signing with Florida, his group of finalists included Miami, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Alabama and Michigan State.
He joined four-star guard Roderick Kearney (No. 118) and three-star tackle Bryce Lovett (No. 630) in early period signing.
“We’re all like-minded,” Harris said. “We all want to be great, and there are some guys in the recruiting process who don’t have the same type of goals.”
The Gators are believed to be battling Texas A&M and Houston for New Orleans three-star tackle Caden Jones (No. 493), who plans to sign in February. Jones attends De La Salle, the same high school that produced Florida running back Montrell Johnson.
“I was with (Jones) on his official visit, eating dinner with him and talking with his family,” Harris said. “We built a good bond and I think we have a good shot with him.”
-G. Allan Taylor / The Athletic
That was the tweet from Florida signee Sharif Denson responding to the news of Gators nickel back Tre’Vez Johnson entering the portal.
They share a high school alma mater, Bartram Trail in Jacksonville, and Denson hoped to be college teammates as well. Though Johnson had confided that he likely would be transferring, the announcement still came as a disappointment to Denson.
“It’s a letdown,” he said. “But it’s a new opportunity for me to get on the field.”
A four-star corner ranked 228th nationally by the 247Sports Composite, Denson is among nine Florida signees invited to the Under Armour All-America game. He committed in June, though his recruitment generated subsequent competition from an Alabama offer and an 11th-hour pitch to flip to Miami.
The Canes, with cornerbacks coach Jahmile Addae serving as the lead recruiter, persistently leveraged NIL to make the move tempting. But Denson, whose parents were high school sweethearts before attending the University of Florida, still views the Gators as the state’s premier program.
“I feel like over a long period of time, Florida is going to be able to have stability and be a good program. I don’t know if I can say the same about Miami,” Denson said. “At Miami, the NIL factor is so big, you just don’t know when they’re going to drop out, or how much money they really have. But I know at UF, what they say you’re going to get, you’re going to get.”
NIL is part of the drama unfolding around the nation’s No. 2 prospect, Lakeland cornerback Cormani McClain. It was McClain who surprisingly committed to the Canes during an Oct. 27 ceremony and FaceTimed Denson afterward to gauge the shock.
Fort Lauderdale’s Damari Brown and McClain later encouraged Denson to flip to Miami and create a DB supergroup. Brown signed with the Hurricanes but now McClain’s destination is uncertain.
“Dude is just a different guy,” Denson said. “At one point he was a Florida lock, and then he was a Miami commit, but now he’s not going. I hope the best for him because that’s my friend, but he’s just got to go somewhere and work. That’s the only way you can get what you want to get.”
Denson plans to get to work in Gainesville after moving in Jan. 8. He lauded the recruiting tenacity of defensive coordinator Patrick Toney — often maligned during his debut season at Florida — referring to the coach as a “crazy analytical guy in the film room who can break down everything you need.” One of their earliest interactions involved Toney assembling film cut-ups of his previous defensive backs making plays similar to the ones Denson made in his Bartram Trail highlights.
When Miami made a late charge, the familiarity of Toney attending Denson’s practices and spring game made the difference. “That’s just a different level of appreciation for me,” he said. “UM, they didn’t do that. It’s just talk with them. NIL, that’s how they get you, but they didn’t get me with that.”
The legacy of NFL cornerbacks produced by Gators assistant Corey Raymond provided the icing. “C-Ray is going to teach me how to play outside corner, and PT is going to teach me the nickel spot, so I’m going to be evolved all the way around,” Denson said.
Florida’s defensive back recruiting looks elite, bolstered by safeties Dijon Jonson (No. 98), Jordan Castell (No. 208) and Aaron Gates (No. 339) and corner Ja’Keem Jackson (No. 123). Part of a class that currently sits 12th nationally, Denson said, “We’re going to come in and change Florida.”
The program already is changing with 23 scholarship players in the portal. Recruits such as quarterback Jaden Rashada said coach Billy Napier advised him throughout the fall to expect heavy turnover.
A rebuild was inevitable, Denson said, with Napier trying to fortify the culture after back-to-back 6-7 seasons.
“Dan Mullen’s staff was much different than Billy Napier’s staff,” Denson said. “He expects more from the individual player here. I can see maybe (the outgoing transfers) don’t have the discipline to follow along with what he’s talking about. I just trust him.
“They’re not trying to be your best friend. They want to build a relationship, but they’re making sure they hold you accountable and that you’re progressing every day.”
Rashada heads East:
Rashada described Friday night’s opening practice at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports as “an OK day” after quarterbacks worked on throwing red zone routes. His team also will be quarterbacked by Oklahoma signee Jackson Arnold and Alabama recruit Dylan Lonergan. The opposing roster features USC’s Malachi Nelson, Kansas State’s Avery Johnson and Iowa State’s JJ Kohl.
There are three more practices before the All-America game on Tuesday. Then Rashada will spend a couple of days in Gainesville with his family before moving in Jan. 5.
He described Florida’s recruiting class as having “pretty good balance,” with talented receivers and difference-makers on defense. “Everybody seems like they have the same mission,” he said. “A good group of dudes.”
Will Norman is expected to blossom as an interior defensive lineman at Florida, though coach Billy Napier said “unique traits” give Norman the athletic versatility to play five-technique.
Chaos comes full-circle:
During the summer of 2021, as Will Norman prepared to leave the Northeast and head to Bradenton (Fla.) IMG for his junior season, he was pinged by an unknown caller.
On the other end was New York Giants assistant Sean Spencer, offering advice at the behest of Norman’s former coach in Camden, N.J., Preston Brown.
“Here I am just a regular high school kid, while he’s got millionaire defensive tackles in his NFL room, and he’s having a conversation with me,” Norman said. Their chat barely broached football. What the teenager remembers most was Spencer’s life-coach counseling about attending boarding school 1,110 miles from home.
“It was so genuine,” Norman said.
Last January, Napier hired “Coach Chaos” to oversee Florida’s defensive line, only Spencer kept it quiet as he joined outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson on a visit to IMG. Norman initially was thrilled to see Peterson, who the previous year had extended an offer from South Carolina. Then Spencer walked in the room and the reunion vibe soared.
“We just hugged each other,” Norman said. “It was so wild that God brought us back together.”
After August’s commitment, Norman returned to New Jersey for his senior season, playing on the edge at 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds. He figures to blossom as an interior lineman at Florida, though Napier said “unique traits” allow Norman the athletic versatility to play five-technique.
“I guess my film on the edge was a little too good,” he said.
Norman also confirmed that he was among the recruits that new Colorado coach Deion Sanders pursued around signing day.
New-staff vibe:
Parting the sea of pollyanna sound bytes, offensive lineman Knijeah Harris said the Gators’ former staff had no chance of landing him.
“I for sure was not going to Florida,” he said. “They were not going to be in my top schools.”
The situation abruptly changed with Billy Napier taking over for Dan Mullen, and the offensive line coaching tandem of Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton replacing John Hevesy.
“A lot more genuine,” Harris said of the current staff. “I’ve seen what they did with O’Cyrus Torrence and guys from UL they put in the (NFL).”
The three-star interior lineman, ranked 437th overall in this class, spent three seasons at IMG after growing up in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Before signing with Florida, his group of finalists included Miami, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Alabama and Michigan State.
He joined four-star guard Roderick Kearney (No. 118) and three-star tackle Bryce Lovett (No. 630) in early period signing.
“We’re all like-minded,” Harris said. “We all want to be great, and there are some guys in the recruiting process who don’t have the same type of goals.”
The Gators are believed to be battling Texas A&M and Houston for New Orleans three-star tackle Caden Jones (No. 493), who plans to sign in February. Jones attends De La Salle, the same high school that produced Florida running back Montrell Johnson.
“I was with (Jones) on his official visit, eating dinner with him and talking with his family,” Harris said. “We built a good bond and I think we have a good shot with him.”
-G. Allan Taylor / The Athletic
