Florida recruiting is off to a sizzling start at FSU, Gators, USF, UCF

As college football programs began sending out official offers Tuesday, Florida is on track to have one of its best collective recruiting hauls in a decade behind breakthrough classes with the Gators and Seminoles and some of the top commits USF and UCF have ever landed.

The Gators entered August with the nation’s No. 3 class in the 247Sports composite thanks to four top-50 national recruits. If it sticks, it will be Florida’s highest ranking since 2013.

Florida State isn’t far behind. The Seminoles have climbed to sixth in the country and first in the ACC after picking up recent commitments from five-star Venice defensive back Charles Lester, four-star California offensive lineman Manasse Itete and three-star South Carolina linebacker Timir Hickman-Collins.

The last time a pair of state schools both signed top-six classes: 2012, when the Gators landed a crop that included Lakewood High’s Dante Fowler while FSU added Jameis Winston, P.J. Williams and other pieces that helped the Seminoles win the 2013 national title.

USF and UCF also have made notable pickups. On Monday, the Bulls earned a commitment from Fred Gaskin, a four-star safety from Ocala Vanguard. Gaskin is the nation’s No. 295 overall prospect, putting him in line to be USF’s eighth highest-ranked high school signee of the modern recruiting era. His addition has bolstered a class ranked first in the AAC. The Bulls last signed the conference’s top class in 2015.

First-year coach Alex Golesh attributed the initial success to two things, starting with the hard work of the entire organization.

“You can still outwork people in recruiting,” Golesh said. “You can work just a little bit harder to establish a relationship. You can work just a little bit harder to figure out exactly who’s helping that young man make a decision and establishing a relationship there. You can write one more letter. You can send one more text. You can make one more FaceTime call. You can work harder than somebody else.”

He also believes the Bulls have plenty to sell. Though he hasn’t coached a game yet, he and his staff can excite recruits through their vision of what the program can become. Facilities upgrades, including the indoor practice facility and proposed on-campus stadium, are tangible signs of the school’s increased commitment. The academics and weather don’t hurt, either.

“I don’t want to say it’s been easy,” Golesh said, “but it’s been not that crazy.”

UCF sits third in the Big 12 with a national ranking (No. 39) that’s on par with what the Knights have done the past two seasons. The group includes three players who would rank among 247Sports’ top nine high school signees of the modern era: top-150 Georgia athlete Kylan Fox, four-star Georgia offensive lineman Waltclaire Flynn and Stacy Gage, a four-star running back from Tampa.

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Oral commitments are non-binding until recruits sign during their senior year, so rankings and classes will remain fluid until then. But as the recruiting calendar turned Tuesday, the state is putting itself in position to have one of its best collective classes in at least a decade.

USF’s top high school recruits of the modern era

Armwood High DL Ryne Giddins: No. 55 overall, 2005

Hillsborough High WR Terrence Mitchell: No. 99, 2010

Citra North Marion TE Sean Price: No. 141, 2012

Miami Northwestern DL Todd Chandler: No. 135, 2010

Jefferson County ATH Carlton Hill: No. 152, 2005

Winter Park WR D’vario Montgomery: No. 170, 2012

Marianna ATH Bradley Battles: No. 226, 2009

Ocala Vanguard S Fred Gaskin: No. 295, 2024

Source: 247Sports composite

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