On300 OL Roderick Kearney has a change of heart, flips to Florida
On300 top-100 prospect Roderick Kearney will be playing his college football in the Sunshine State; however, it will not be for the school he initially planned to attend.
Moments ago, the Orange (Fla.) Park offensive lineman flipped his commitment to the University of Florida. He was previously teamed up with the Seminoles after announcing that pledge in late June.
Prior to that first commitment, Kearney was virtually down to the Gators and Seminoles. At the time, the relationships in Tallahassee were much stronger due to Mike Norvell’s staff being in place much longer. There was certainly a family-like feel when associating with the Seminoles, so that partnership was not much of a surprise.
The timing, however, definitely caught many off guard, as Kearney committed to the Seminoles less than a few hours after wrapping up his official visit with the Gators. That was certainly a dagger at the time, but Billy Napier’s staff never backed off and continued to prioritize the four-star prospect.
From there, Florida earned a visit for the season opener against Utah and made a lasting impression.
All in all, the Gators’ recent success both on the field and in recruiting, as well as constant attention from Rob Sale, Darnell Stapleton and company, ultimately pushed UF over the top.
“I had a great experience. I feel like the atmosphere is overall really good. They had some dogs up front. I feel like Utah couldn’t stand with the o-line. Coach Stapleton and coach Sale do a great job with those guys,” Kearney told Gators Online after the Utah game.
Committed to play in the Under Armour All-America Game, the 6-foot-4, 300-pound Kearney checks in as the No. 4 interior offensive lineman and No. 66 player overall in the 2023 On300 rankings.
With the addition of Kearney, UF now holds commitment from three offensive linemen in the 2023 class. IMG Academy’s Knijeah Harris and Rockledge native Bryce Lovett are the additional seniors on board.
Georgia, Clemson, LSU, Miami, Michigan and Oregon are some additional schools that previously offered.
On3 Biography of Roderick Kearney
Roderick Kearney is a student of the game. He said he likes to spend a lot of time working on the little things and spends hours upon hours watching film.
“I’ve got the aggressiveness down pat, so I’m working on my technique, footwork, getting faster and stronger,” Kearney said. “I look up videos and learn from them. I work out at home, lift — working on the tiny stuff. It depends on what I’m working on that day, but like for pass pro, I look up Trent Williams. My strength is run blocking.”
Kearney is coached at Orange Park by Marcus Wimberly, who played college football at Miami and spent time in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons. He plans on majoring in either business or communications in college. His parents are Karonica and Roderick Kearney.
Stay tuned to Gators Online.
