Please Read: Welcome to the new-look Inside the Gators
- Redshirt Report: High football IQ will serve Kearney well
- 20 Pre-Spring Class of 2025 In-State Names to Know
- Ranking Florida’s 11 Transfer Portal additions
- Great Eight Signees
- Anonymous Player Q&A I: Thoughts on the state of Florida football
- O&B Board: Uninformed Thoughts on Florida’s NIL
- Under Napier, Florida has a clear recruiting footprint
After narrowing his list to a final seven consisting of Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Penn State, and Tennessee a month ago, on Sunday afternoon Fort Valley (Ga.) Houston County four-star offensive lineman Peyton Joseph committed to the Gators.
IN HIS WORDS
“For the next three or four years, I’ll be going to the University of Florida.” – Joseph taking off his jacket to reveal a UF shirt during his Sunday announcement
“I spoke with Coach [Billy] Napier and his words to me were, ‘Great choice! We will take care of you. We believe here at UF you will be one of the greatest as long as you work for it.'” – Joseph on how his commitment took place
“Losing Coach Stapes didn’t impact me because me and Coach [Rob] Sale have a strong bond.” – On Darnell Stapleton leaving for the NFL
“I will be back at UF next month [March for a practice] and in April.” – On when he will return to campus
“The whole UF environment was crazy. Coach [Billy] Napier has really been changing the whole system. The fan base is crazy, they are very supportive and once I got there it felt like this may be somewhere I can fit in and play at.” – Joseph after visiting Florida for their 2022 season opening win over Utah
COMMITMENT IMPACT
The first thing that has to catch your attention is that Florida went into the Peach State and walked away with a prospect who is ranked as one of the Top 135 prospects in the nation by three of the four recruiting services.
That is a hell of an accomplishment.
Florida’s staff has once again proven that they can go toe-to-toe in recruiting battles with programs who have had much more success on the field, and walk away a winner. Again, if things take a turn for the better on the field this season, the sky is the limit for what Billy Napier and staff can acheive along the recruiting trail
What also stands out is that after concentrating heavily on offensive tackles in the Class of 2025, Joseph, Florida’s first line commit of the 2025 cycle, projects inside.
Also, although he has a year of high school left, as of now, at a listed 6-foot-3, 280-pounds (he looks heavier to me), Joseph doesn’t fit what has been Florida’s prototype along the offensive line over the past couple of cycles, where the other high school signees have been a couple of inches taller and a good 40-to-50 pounds heavier.
RANKING REVIEW
Industry Comparison Ranking via On3
THE BOTTOM LINE
I have messaged him a couple of times to get some feedback and quotes, but he hasn’t gotten back with me yet. So, without having spoken to him, the fact that he remained committed to Florida despite the Gators losing offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton to the NFL just days before his announcement shows that this pledge goes deeper than just the Gators being his flavor of the month. The program means something to him, not just who the coaches are at the moment. That leads me to believe that UF can weather the storm of another subpar season. However (and there’s always that word), we’ll have to see what happens if the Georgia Bulldogs decide to turn up the heat.
1 comment