All four Gators commits remain in On300; Chauncey Bowens climbs nearly 180 spots
Although three of the Gators commits dropped in the updated rankings, all four of them remain in the On300. The biggest winner was running back Chauncey Bowens of North Palm Beach (Fla.) The Benjamin School.
Bowens, who committed to Billy Napier’s program last September, climbed 183 spots and now ranks as the No. 104 prospect overall. He previously checked in at No. 287.
As Gators Online first reported over the weekend, the 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior is returning to Gainesville on March 30. Georgia has secured another visit and will be playing host in the spring as well.
Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, Auburn and Tennessee are among those that offered since Bowens made his commitment in the fall. That pledge remains solid, but the national powers are knocking on the door.
As for UF’s star-studded quarterback commit, DJ Lagway, he ranks as On3’s 21st-ranked prospect overall.
The Lone Star State native previously checked in at No. 7, so he surprisingly dropped 14 spots. If anything, I was expecting Lagway to rise and possibly land a fifth star, but it’s still early. There will be plenty of ranking adjustments over the next year.
When speaking with him last week, Lagway said he was “probably” returning to Florida this Saturday. The nation’s best will continue to recruit him until the end, but that verbal commitment is rock solid.
Lagway is the face of the Gators’ class and playing a major role as a recruiter as well.
The Gators boast a strong linebacker class
UF holds commitments from Under Armour All-Americans Myles Graham and Adarius Hayes, and while Billy Napier’s staff is still on the hunt, that is already good enough for one of the better linebacker classes.
Hayes, a product of Largo (Fla.) High and the newest addition to the class, ranks as the 88th prospect overall. Prior to the rankings update, the versatile defender was sitting at No. 33. He possesses the physical makeup and athleticism to turn heads on the camp circuit, so it will be interesting to see where he ranks around summertime. This is still a top-100 prospect regardless of position though.
As for his recruitment, the Gators were trending heavily prior to January’s commitment. I submitted an RPM pick last summer due to UF being the lifelong favorite school. Additional schools piqued Hayes’ interest, but it would have been a huge surprise if he teamed up with another program.
Rounding out the class is Graham, the legacy commit from Atlanta (Ga.) Woodward Academy.
According to the latest On300 rankings, the 6-foot-1, 212-pound Graham checks in at No. 156 overall. That comes after he previously landed at No. 69. The four-star linebacker manufactured an impressive junior campaign as well. We will see if he returns to the top 100 for the next rankings update.
Like Hayes, it was not much of a surprise when Graham joined forces with the Gators. He is a lifelong Florida fan who is the son of former Gators running back Earnest Graham. His sister now attends the SEC school as well, and on top of that, he is a major priority for Napier’s staff. That home-like feel was generated by a number of staff members, including Billy Napier and Jay Bateman.
For the entire list of On300 prospects, CLICK HERE.
Stay tuned to Gators Online.
