Gator's 2024-25 Recruiting / Portal

[instaGATOR]

With our offense being a balanced attack offense you wont see receivers with big numbers. I wonder how many passes a game DJ averages?

Last 3 Games with DJ as the full time starter, but his groin injury still not 100%.
17-26-22 = 65/3 = 22 Ave.

We had receivers with big numbers the past couple of seasons. We'll one in each of the past 2 seasons.

Competent Gator Receivers, WR-TE-RB are drafted to the NFL constantly.

2024 Season:

Rushing - 417 for 1,872 net (57%)

Passing: 307 (43%)

Lagway - 93 of 157 for 1,610 Yds, Ave 17.3

Mertz ---- 72 of 94 for 791 Yds, Ave 11.0 (gonzo,,, finally)

Warner -- 21 of 50 for 228 Yds, Ave 10.9 (less accurate/experienced Mertz 2.0)

Passing Total - 307 completing 186 for 2,629 Yds, Ave 14.1
-----

Receiving:

Badger -- 37 for 789 Yds, Ave 21.3

Dike ------ 36 for 687 Yds, Ave 19.1

Wilson --- 19 for 266 Yds, Ave 14.0 (slot) (injured out early for the season)

Mizell ----- 13 for 152 Yds, Ave 11.7

Hawkins - 10 for 100 Yds, Ave 10.0

Burke ------ 7 for 69 Yds, Ave 9.9
-----
Spierto ---- 1 for 20 Yds
Fraziars --- 1 for 14 Yds
Wade ------ 1 for 10 Yds
Abrams ---- 1 for 3 Yds
WR's = 126

Hansen -------- 13 for 189 Yds, Ave 14.5
Boardingham - 18 for 128 Yds, Ave 7.1
Livingston ------- 7 for 51 Yds, Ave 7.3
TE's = 38

Johnson - 13 for 64 Yds, Ave 4.9
Jackson --- 5 for 47 Yds, Ave 9.4
Baugh ----- 3 for 27 Yds, Ave 9.0
RB's = 21

 

[TEBOW TIME]

Last 3 Games with DJ as the full time starter, but his groin injury still not 100%.
17-26-22 = 65/3 = 22 Ave.


Competent Gator Receivers, WR-TE-RB are drafted to the NFL constantly.

2024 Season:

Rushing - 417 for 1,872 net (57%)

Passing: 307 (43%)

Lagway - 93 of 157 for 1,610 Yds, Ave 17.3

Mertz ---- 72 of 94 for 791 Yds, Ave 11.0 (gonzo,,, finally)

Warner -- 21 of 50 for 228 Yds, Ave 10.9 (less accurate/experienced Mertz 2.0)

Passing Total - 307 completing 186 for 2,629 Yds, Ave 14.1
-----

Receiving:

Badger -- 37 for 789 Yds, Ave 21.3

Dike ------ 36 for 687 Yds, Ave 19.1

Wilson --- 19 for 266 Yds, Ave 14.0 (slot) (injured out early for the season)

Mizell ----- 13 for 152 Yds, Ave 11.7

Hawkins - 10 for 100 Yds, Ave 10.0

Burke ------ 7 for 69 Yds, Ave 9.9
-----
Spierto ---- 1 for 20 Yds
Fraziars --- 1 for 14 Yds
Wade ------ 1 for 10 Yds
Abrams ---- 1 for 3 Yds
WR's = 126

Hansen -------- 13 for 189 Yds, Ave 14.5
Boardingham - 18 for 128 Yds, Ave 7.1
Livingston ------- 7 for 51 Yds, Ave 7.3
TE's = 38

Johnson - 13 for 64 Yds, Ave 4.9
Jackson --- 5 for 47 Yds, Ave 9.4
Baugh ----- 3 for 27 Yds, Ave 9.0
RB's = 21

When was the last time we had a 1,000 yard receiver?

 

[Gator Fever]

When was the last time we had a 1,000 yard receiver?

Pearsall missed it by just a few yards in 2023.

Taylor Jacobs in the early 2000s Zooks first year was the last one but we had like 4 or 5 since hit 900+ like Harvin etc.

 

[gatordad3]

If this is true about Pyburn, good riddance!!

Florida Gators Edge Jack Pyburn's Reported Outlandish Demands

Florida Gators edge rusher Jack Pyburn will play his final-year of eligibility somewhere else.

www.si.com

Pyburn chose LSU.

 

[Gator Fever]

Pyburn chose LSU.

Curious what he got from them. We will probably never know for sure. He dang sure wouldn't come back to us after all that even if he didn't get much more than we were willing to pay him.

As long as McCray takes the usual year 2 jump we should be alright at Edge if injuries aren't a big issue.

 

[gatordad3]

Curious what he got from them. We will probably never know for sure. He dang sure wouldn't come back to us after all that even if he didn't get much more than we were willing to pay him.

As long as McCray takes the usual year 2 jump we should be alright at Edge if injuries aren't a big issue.

Brian Kelly reportedly gave $1 million of his salary to go towards either recruiting or the portal. The way Napier hasn't earned his salary at UF, it's the least Napier should do as well.

 

[Countygator1]

Brian Kelly reportedly gave $1 million of his salary to go towards either recruiting or the portal. The way Napier hasn't earned his salary at UF, it's the least Napier should do as well.

Yep. Norvel did the same.

 

[Gator Fever]

Brian Kelly reportedly gave $1 million of his salary to go towards either recruiting or the portal. The way Napier hasn't earned his salary at UF, it's the least Napier should do as well.

Even if Napier did that it wouldn't be wisely used overpaying Pyburn imo. I just hope we know what we are doing because in our places of need a lot of the top ones are already taken or supposed to sign with another team.

 

[bradleygator]

Whatever they paid him, it was apparently less than we were going to. I guess LSU is cool with negotiating playing time guarantees? Or else that was just sour grapes from UF.

 

[Gator Fever]

Whatever they paid him, it was apparently less than we were going to. I guess LSU is cool with negotiating playing time guarantees? Or else that was just sour grapes from UF.

No telling what the entire story was. McCray looking like he may be ready for a big jump in 2025 may have set all this in motion and Gumbs still being here. Kind of surprised he didn't end up at A&M because I think they have someone that can get after the QB but is kind of weak on run plays. Not really sure what LSU has at edge.

 

[gatordad3]

Yep. Norvel did the same.

Norvell had no choice but to give up about half his salary as he knows he was overpaid for producing a 2-10 record.

 

[instaGATOR]

When was the last time we had a 1,000 yard receiver?

Don't know and don't much care about it.
I'd be more interested in this kind of stat: Number of receptions per targets and YAC's.

Same for a 1,000 Yd RB.
More interested in YPC and no or few fumbles.

I'm a committee kind of fan, the more the better and that's better for the TEAM imoho.

 

[instaGATOR]

While EDGE Pyburn is a decent player, I can't see why him leaving is a big deal....

No telling what the entire story was. McCray looking like he may be ready for a big jump in 2025 may have set all this in motion and Gumbs still being here. Kind of surprised he didn't end up at A&M because I think they have someone that can get after the QB but is kind of weak on run plays. Not really sure what LSU has at edge.

Portal Departures on the EDGE: (listed class for 2025)

Quincy Ivory 6-3.25 250 rsSr - JUCO xfer-in - 1 Tkl
Justus Boone 6-3.75 266 rsSr - 10 Tkls, 2 TFL
Jack Pyburn 6-3 265 Sr - 60 Tkls, 4 TFL, 1 Sack, 1 Int.
Dryce Capers 6-3.75 243 rsJr - WO
==========

Returning Roster EDGE for 2025:

George Gumbs Jr 6-4 249 rsSr - 32 Tkls, 5 Sacks, 4 QBH, 2 PBU, 1 FR

Tyreak Sapp 6-2.5 272 rsSr - 44 Tkls, 13 TFL, 7 Sacks, 4 QBH, 2 FF

TJ Searcy 6-5 262 Jr - 34 Tkls, 4 TFL, 2 Sacks, 2 FF, 1 FR, 1 QBH

Kamran James 6-5.5 267 Jr - 25 Tkls, 6 QBH, 3 TFL, 1 Sack, 1 FF

Kelby Collins 6-3.75 278 Jr - 6 Tkls in 7 Gms - (Not listed, but rumors of portal entry)

LJ McCray 6-6 264 So - 12 Tkls, 5 QBH, 1 TFL, 0.5 Sack

Layne Swafford 6-2 243 rsSo - PWO
Titus Bullard 6-2 223 rsFr - WO
Charles Emaunel III 6-3 236 rsFr - WO
-----

#7 EDGE Jayden Woods 6-3 240 Fr **** ​

#22 EDGE Jalen Wiggins 6-4.5 255 Fr ****

 

[Gator Fever]

Don't know and don't much care about it.
I'd be more interested in this kind of stat: Number of receptions per targets and YAC's.

Same for a 1,000 Yd RB.
More interested in YPC and no or few fumbles.

I'm a committee kind of fan, the more the better and that's better for the TEAM imoho.

2020 would be our best example of how you can have a ton of passing yards but no 1,000 yard receiver although Toney was just a few yards short of 1,000. Trask threw for like 4,300 yards that season.

 

[TEBOW TIME]

2020 would be our best example of how you can have a ton of passing yards but no 1,000 yard receiver although Toney was just a few yards short of 1,000. Trask threw for like 4,300 yards that season.

And look what a bust Toney has been and has Kyle Trask ever thrown a meaningful pass in the NFL. Has Kyle Pitts died in Atlanta?

 

[Gator Fever]

And look what a bust Toney has been and has Kyle Trask ever thrown a meaningful pass in the NFL. Has Kyle Pitts died in Atlanta?

If Trask gets his chance I bet he does pretty good just like he did here when fate stepped in to make the decision for the coach. And what WRs do for us is much more important to me than their NFL success.

 

[instaGATOR]

And look what a bust Toney has been and has Kyle Trask ever thrown a meaningful pass in the NFL. Has Kyle Pitts died in Atlanta?

I couldn't care any less about the NFL or what any players does or doesn't do there.
I stopped watching the No-Fun-League years ago. (or the even worse portion of the Nasty-Felony-Losers)

Now college football seems to be heading down that same loser track, leading to my own continuing dissatisfaction, and slowly increasing disinterest.... (Maybe I need a MCFGA hat) 😉

 

[gatordad3]

That's exactly what rival fans said about the receivers and QB's under Spurrier, and what they said about Tebow under Meyer. The way some of us looked at it, Spurrier and Meyer were at UF to entertain us by not only winning games, but they won championships for us. The NFL has been unwatchable for the past 20 years.

 

[ocalaman]

Since this thread is about recruiting and the portal, in other words our current team and what next year might look like - Jake Slaughter, 1st Team AP AA, has said he's returning for 2025. Thats' great news. Go Gators!!

PS - I still like the NFL. Of course there's all kinds of BS involved, but it's still the best players in the world playing a great game and the amazing plays they make are still fun to watch - at least for me. I'm pulling for the Lions and Bills this year. Neither has won a Super Bowl.

 

[gatordad3]

And look what a bust Toney has been and has Kyle Trask ever thrown a meaningful pass in the NFL. Has Kyle Pitts died in Atlanta?

In all fairness, Baker Mayfield has been doing well in Tampa despite having Todd Bowles as HC and they're likely to win the NFC South division. Pitts is being wasted in Atlanta. As for Toney, most of us saw what a head case he is while at UF.

 

[Countygator1]

Since this thread is about recruiting and the portal, in other words our current team and what next year might look like - Jake Slaughter, 1st Team AP AA, has said he's returning for 2025. Thats' great news. Go Gators!!

PS - I still like the NFL. Of course there's all kinds of BS involved, but it's still the best players in the world playing a great game and the amazing plays they make are still fun to watch - at least for me. I'm pulling for the Lions and Bills this year. Neither has won a Super Bowl.

That's really good news

 

[ocalaman]

https://247sports.com/college/florida/article/florida-football-gators-uf-edger-tj-searcy-intends-to-enter-transfer-portal--241798904/

 

[bradleygator]

Seems like we either lack the money to compete at a top SEC level in the portal, or we don’t take it seriously.

 

[Gator Fever]

Seems like we either lack the money to compete at a top SEC level in the portal, or we don’t take it seriously.

Supposedly we are there with the teams below the top 4 teams spending the most but just like last year we seem to be letting a bunch of top players get taken before we get started. We lucked out on WRs the past 2 portals but even with our large portal class last season supposedly our portal players were only # 11 out of the 16 SEC teams when looked at by the number of effective rated contributors. I hope our strategy is being affected by players we know that will declare soon and we aren't just trying to find bargains that aren't already good and clear SEC starter material.

 

[Countygator1]

Seems like we either lack the money to compete at a top SEC level in the portal, or we don’t take it seriously.

I don't think it's the money. My very humble opinion is Napier and his staff of hundreds takes too long evaluate hence moving too slow. He's done well, RP, O'Cyrus, Johnson, Dike and Badger, etc, but we need more of them.

 

[ocalaman]

Austin Barber coming back for 2025.

 

[SeaPA]

Since this thread is about recruiting and the portal, in other words our current team and what next year might look like - Jake Slaughter, 1st Team AP AA, has said he's returning for 2025. Thats' great news. Go Gators!!

PS - I still like the NFL. Of course there's all kinds of BS involved, but it's still the best players in the world playing a great game and the amazing plays they make are still fun to watch - at least for me. I'm pulling for the Lions and Bills this year. Neither has won a Super Bowl.

I'm very quickly moving towards liking the NFL more than college football. The combination of NIL money + unlimited transfers is dreadful, in college ball your entire roster becomes unrestricted free agents at the conclusion of every season.

 

[bradleygator]

I don't think it's the money. My very humble opinion is Napier and his staff of hundreds takes too long evaluate hence moving too slow. He's done well, RP, O'Cyrus, Johnson, Dike and Badger, etc, but we need more of them.

I can’t imagine Pyburn or Searcy are evaluation issues. Those are the starting SEC edges. They don’t grow on trees. We just couldn’t pay them.

 

[Gator Fever]

I can’t imagine Pyburn or Searcy are evaluation issues. Those are the starting SEC edges. They don’t grow on trees. We just couldn’t pay them.

Hopefully McCray is what we think he is. There are cost issues for sure. It's expensive to have proven quality depth now. Wouldn't be surprised if Shemar James leaves depending on what he wants as Myles Graham looked just as good late season as a freshman so there's a good chance he passes James.

 

[Countygator1]

I can’t imagine Pyburn or Searcy are evaluation issues. Those are the starting SEC edges. They don’t grow on trees. We just couldn’t pay them.

I think wouldn't pay them is more accurate. Bama has 3 five stars in the portal. You can't pay everyone what they want, nobody can.

 

[Nicktheslick]

I don't think it's the money. My very humble opinion is Napier and his staff of hundreds takes too long evaluate hence moving too slow. He's done well, RP, O'Cyrus, Johnson, Dike and Badger, etc, but we need more of them.

And Pearsall.

 

[gatordad3]

And Pearsall.

He did mention Pearsall, as RP, although it took me a while to figure out who's RP.

 

[Gator Fever]

Rumors on another site we don't have a lot of NIL money left that paying a lot of the late signing recruits and current players to stay reduced it a lot. I guess we will find out soon with the players we sign.

 

[Countygator1]

He did mention Pearsall, as RP, although it took me a while to figure out who's RP.

I'm old and lazy...not Insta old.

 

[Gator Fever]

We are in such good shape Bama is having to take our backups now.

I think Bama and GA are about the only 2 teams now which just have a few portal starters. Most other teams are loaded down with portal starters now.

 

[bradleygator]

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We are in such good shape Bama is having to take our backups now.

I think Bama and GA are about the only 2 teams now which just have a few portal starters. Most other teams are loaded down with portal starters now.

How are we in good shape when we had three starting SEC edges last week and now maybe we have 1?

 

[ocalaman]

How are we in good shape when we had three starting SEC edges last week and now maybe we have 1?

I just posted this on the bowl game thread, but here is your answer:

https://247sports.com/college/florida/article/florida-football-gators-gasparilla-bowl-edge-jack-pyburn-tj-searcy-tulane-green-wave-242373211/

 

[Gator Fever]

How are we in good shape when we had three starting SEC edges last week and now maybe we have 1?

Not in great shape depth wise but we have McCray who should take a nice jump and Gumbs was doing alright late in the season. I think Sapp can play that role also if needed. If we are lucky injury wise I doubt Pyburn leaving hurts us too bad unless McCray doesn't take that step forward.

We dang sure better find a good deep threat at WR, a good RT and some D line depth though.