Florida Football: Jim McElwain stepping up on recruiting trail
By Matt Green
The Florida Gators are one of the top football programs in the SEC, and they are building an impressive recruiting class for the class of 2018.
Despite winning the SEC East in each of his first two seasons as Florida football coach, Jim McElwain, has struggled to duplicate that success on the recruiting trail.
Florida has signed 69 recruits since McElwain took over. Of those 69, they’ve signed 2 five-stars, 22 four-stars, and 44 three-stars. That simply doesn’t match the standards of Florida football. Those guys will be the juniors, sophomores, and freshmen on Florida’s roster this season.
To put that in perspective, in four recruiting classes under Will Muschamp from 2011-2014, the Gators averaged the 6.5 ranked recruiting class in the country. They signed 94 prospects over that time period, with 7 five-stars, 42 four-stars, and 43 three-stars.
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2015
In 2015, Florida had just fired Will Muschamp and hired McElwain, and he had to play catch up with recruits. He was able to sign two five-stars, Martez Ivey and CeCe Jefferson to salvage the Gators’ 2015 class.
According to 247sports’ team recruiting rankings, Florida signed 21 prospects that year, including 17 three-stars. The additions of Jefferson and Ivey allowed them to finish with the no. 21 recruiting class in the nation.
2016
In 2016, coming off an SEC Championship game appearance, Florida signed the no. 12 recruiting class in the country. But of their 25 signees, they signed only 9 four-stars. And it took a strong signing day to finish that high. The Gators’ second highest rated commit, Tyrie Cleveland decommitted from Houston and chose Florida on National Signing Day.
2017
In 2017, following two consecutive SEC Championship appearances, Florida signed the no. 10 recruiting class. And while signing a top 10 class is nothing to scoff at, this is the University of Florida and they’re not bringing in the top tier talent that they’ve signed in the past.
Of Florida’s 23 signees in 2017, they signed 11 four-stars, and 11 three-stars. While they did sign nine top 200 players, they only signed one top 100 player, Tedarrell Slayton, who was ranked no, 69 overall.
Average Recruiting Class Ranking (2015-2017)
- Alabama (1.0)
- Florida State (4.0)
- LSU (4.7)
- Georgia (5.0)
- Auburn (8.7)
- Tennessee (11.7)
- Texas A&M (13.7)
- Florida (14.3)
So while Florida’s 14.3 average ranked recruiting class in the country over the last three years is solid, this is the SEC, and that’s just not going to cut it. There are six teams in the SEC that have been ranked higher than that over the past three years, and of course, in-state rival Florida State has been one of the best of the best.
Florida Gators Football
2018
Flash forward to the 2018 class, and the Gators are getting it done on the recruiting trail. They have 15 commits and the currently have the no. 13 recruiting class in the country. But it’s what they’ve done lately that’s so impressive.
Since July 18, Florida has gotten eight commits, including four of their top five commits. Their Friday Night Lights recruiting weekend on July 21 clearly paid dividends. On the Tuesday before the event, Florida got a commit from Curtis Dunlap, a four-star offensive guard from IMG Academy. Then two days later, they got a commit from Kyle Pitts, a four-star tight end from Pennsylvania.
Then the day after the FNL event, the Gators got their five-star quarterback in Matt Corral. The California signal-caller is the no. 2 pro-style quarterback in this class and Florida’s highest rated commit. The next day, JaMarr Chase surprised people by picking the Gators over in-state LSU. Chase is the no. 21 ranked wide receiver prospect and no. 103 overall.
It may have taken Coach Mac some time to establish relationships with coaches and players in the Sunshine State, but he appears to have done that, as well as snagged some highly-rated prospects Fromm across the country. If Florida football can get back to their elite recruiting ways, the SEC better take notice.