Making the Case: Leonard Taylor
Florida and Miami are the final two for four-star defensive tackle Leonard Taylor, who has had one of those teams among his frontrunners for a long time and the other one is surging toward the top of his list.
The Miami (Fla.) Palmetto standout has had a longstanding relationship with the Gators, he has a great bond with assistant coach David Turner among others and he’s been to Gainesville multiple times and seemed to love each trip. Taylor has said that he has the best relationship with Florida’s staff and that could go a long way.
But watch out for Miami. The Hurricanes were not among his favorites late in his junior season but the Miami coaching staff has turned up the heat on the local prospect and like in many recruitments, staying closer to home could become more appealing during the coronavirus pandemic.
Taylor has not been able to take visits for months. The four-star won’t be able to see any campuses - or get back to Florida - until at least September. That could be playing a positive factor for Miami as Taylor works through the back end of his recruitment.
It is now almost certain that Taylor will stay in-state and play for one of the power programs. Will it be the Gators or the Hurricanes? We asked our team experts to state the case for their respective programs and let National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell issue a verdict.
THE CASE FOR FLORIDA
Florida has been long considered the front-runner, but I believe that gap has narrowed in recent months. For Taylor, there is a whole lot of familiarity in Gainesville after visiting a handful of times over the past year, but he previously stated Florida is the school he has the best relationship with as well. Turner, Brian Johnson and John Herron are leading the Gators' pursuit and continue to prioritize the defensive lineman on a daily basis.
It sure doesn't hurt that Florida is a top option for a handful of Taylor's Palmetto teammates as well. The Gators have been sitting near the very top for nearly a year now, so it's no surprise they were included in the top two. - Corey Bender, GatorsTerritory.com
THE CASE FOR MIAMI
While Florida has been justifiably rumored as the likely landing spot for Taylor, Miami has done a good job hanging in there all along. Miami defensive assistant Ephraim Banda began building a relationship four years ago when Taylor was still at South Dade High. Miami has done a great job taking advantage of the coronavirus situation with local recruits and Taylor would probably be at the top of that list. It’s a game-changer and despite the relationship with Florida, there is a great chance that Taylor selects the Hurricanes. - Gary Ferman, CaneSport.com
THE VERDICT
This is one of the tougher ones to predict, but I have Miami as my Futurecast. I’ve been hearing things for about a month when it comes to Taylor staying home and the pandemic changes a lot of things. Miami is recruiting well locally and Taylor has some people in his ear to stay close. It’s not a high confidence level, but give me Miami here. — Mike Farrell, National Recruiting Director, Rivals.com