Florida Spotlight: Five biggest commitments since NSD
The early signing period has added weight and a hue of believability to early commitments. And while they won’t all stand the test of time, it’s prudent to take note. There hasn’t exactly been a flurry of activity in Florida since Signing Day 2018, but a number of prospects have made their choices.
Below, we take a look at five of the most important Sunshine State announcements that have taken place since the 2019 recruiting cycle “officially started” in early February.
TOP COMMITS SINCE NSD: Midwest | Southeast | Mid-Atlantic | West
Originally from Memphis, Nash attends Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy. His commitment to Missouri was a bit of a surprise when it took place, as interest in his services seemed to still be mounting, which makes Tigers stealing the Rivals250 wide receiver especially notable.
Mizzou will now be charged with the task of hanging on to Nash until Signing Day. Nash’s Memphis home isn’t as far from Columbia as some people think (a six-hour drive), however, so that will play a factor here. Nash’s situation is certainly one to monitor, but there’s no real reason to think a change of heart is imminent.
Rumors about a possible commitment started just before Payton took an unofficial visit to Coral Gables weeks ago, so it didn’t floor many when he decided to pull the trigger. The lack of surprise didn’t bother Mark Richt one bit, however, as Payton gives the Hurricanes yet another young wide receiver with enormous potential.
Payton holds offers from Alabama, Auburn and many others when he chose UM, so this is certainly a recruiting win for a Miami staff that seems to have every ounce of momentum in its corner. Richt loaded up on wide receivers last cycle, but that certainly didn’t spook Payton, who joins a tremendously talented position group.
Florida State identified and perused Jay early, which is a compliment to Willie Taggart and his staff. Jay has wildly impressive size and has now proven that he possesses the skill set to match his frame. Jay, who attends a small high school in North Florida, has proven himself to be underrated this offseason and should be in line for a rankings bump during the next update. Landing Jay’s commitment early in the process is a massive victory because interest in the defensive back will likely continue to rise until Signing Day.
A pair of mid-to-high three-star prospects, Williams and Milledge didn’t grab national headlines when they decided to pledge their services to the Cavaliers, but the fact that they did it on the same day is notable.
Virginia has long recruited in Florida, but their efforts seem to be gaining steam, as Milledge and Williams are prospects with options and high ceilings. Each has the talent to see his recruiting profile expand in the coming years, so holding on to these pledges could be a task. That said, having in-demand players in the fold at an early juncture is a good problem to have.
White isn’t exactly nationally heralded prospect, as Florida is the lineman’s lone SEC offer. That said, his size and raw strength makes him an interesting get for Dan Mullen and staff. White does not attend a traditional power program, so it’s possible that UF has identified a sleeper early in the process.
White chose UF over Pitt, Louisville, Nebraska and West Virginia, so it’s not as though the 315-pound prospect lacked options. It’s not too difficult to picture a world in which White grows into a much more highly touted prospect in the year ahead.