Sting Factor: Ja'Marr Chase decommits from Florida

Every time a major program loses a key recruit Rivals.com takes a look at how big of a blow it is to the respective school, analyzing it from a local, regional and national level. To quantify the “sting” of each de-commitment, we assign a score from 1-10, with one being no big deal and 10 being a catastrophic hit.

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Florida lost its first major commitment following the exit of Jim McElwain as head coach when Rivals100 wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase backed off his pledge Wednesday night. Chase was a major out-of-state grab for the Gators and there’s no doubt his loss will hurt. But how much? We ask our experts to weigh in on just how much losing Chase stings and also take a look at which schools might benefit going forward.

“Obviously this hurts Florida on two-fronts. As the No. 50 rated prospect in the nation, Chase was one of but two Gators commitments ranked in the Rivals100. Wideout talent such as this doesn't come around often, or in Florida's case, certainly not in the last several recruiting cycles.

"What could really negatively impact Florida here, though, is a perception problem. Not a single pledge had wavered in their commitment to the Gators in the 10 days since Florida and Jim McElwain had parted ways. Losing a prospect of this magnitude could create a domino effect where others, who may have been keeping their commitment based mostly on a group mentality, see this crack in the dam and now follow suit.” – Mark Wheeler, InsideTheGators.com

Sting Factor: 7

“When Chase committed to Florida it took me by surprise, especially considering all signs were pointing to an LSU/TCU battle. But the longer he stayed committed, the more I thought it was a major steal for the Gators and it became realistic to see Chase as a major playmaker in Gainesville going forward. Losing him is a pretty big blow, especially considering the bond he had developed with other commits, including quarterback Matt Corral. It’s more than likely that he will land at either Georgia or LSU and play the Gators on a yearly basis, making the loss sting that much more.” – Woody Wommack, Southeast Recruiting Analyst, Rivals.com

Sting Factor: 8

“Florida needs offensive weapons and especially guys who are catch-and-run, home run threats. This kid can be a game-breaker and losing him hurts as much as anyone in the class.” -- Mike Farrell, National Director of Recruiting, Rivals.com

Sting Factor: 9

Average Sting Score: 8

Chase’s high school team starts the playoffs in Louisiana this week and as long as they are in contention for the state championship, his recruitment is on hold. Right now the plan is for Chase to take his first official visit to Georgia the weekend of Nov. 18, with potential officials to LSU, TCU and Michigan also on the schedule. Five-star quarterback Justin Fields has already been working on Chase behind the scenes, but after already committing twice this year (he was committed to Kansas for a week in February), expect Chase to take his time and his visits before making a final decision.