nsd.floridagators.comFlorida Gators National Signing Day

Florida Gators Football 2024 Signing Class D’Antre Robinson DL Orlando, FL Bio Jameer Grimsley CB Tampa, FL Bio George Gumbs Jr. EDGE Chicago, IL Bio DJ Douglas S Montgomery, AL Bio Asa Turner S Carlsbad, CA Bio Grayson Howard EDGE Jacksonville, FL Bio Devon Manuel OL Sunset, La. Bio Clay Millen QB Snoqualmie, WA Bio LJ McCray EDGE Daytona, FL Bio Watch Chimere Dike WR Waukesha, WI Bio DJ Lagway QB Willis, TX Bio Watch Greg Smith SAF Sun City Center, FL Bio Michai Boireau DL Fairburn, GA Bio Jadan Baugh RB Ellenwood, GA Bio Trikweze Bridges DB Lanett, AL Bio Mike Williams OL Upper Marlboro, MD Bio Watch Kahnen Daniels RB West Point, MS Bio Watch Marcus Mascoll OL Snellville, GA Bio Watch Tawaski "TJ" Abrams WR Fort Myers, FL Bio Watch Aaron Chiles ILB Olney, MD Bio Watch Joey Slackman DL Commack, NY Bio Teddy Foster CB Sarasota, FL Bio Watch Fletcher Westphal OL Leesburg, VA Bio Watch Josiah Davis SAF Nashville, GA Bio Watch Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson OL Inglewood, CA Bio Noel Portnjagin OL Karlsruhe, Germany Bio Watch Jerrae Hawkins WR Wheeling, WV Bio Watch Amir Jackson TE Portal, GA Bio Watch Brien Taylor Jr. EDGE Houston, TX Bio Watch Myles Graham ILB Gainesville, FL Bio Watch View As List Coverage Presented By Updates Follow along with Scott Carter ( @GatorsScott ) on Signing Day. 8:29 pm | Dec 20, 2023 LJ McCray Caps Gators’ Class Following a Wait The Gators closed National Signing Day in dramatic fashion, signing five-star defensive lineman LJ McCray . McCray committed to the Gators several weeks ago but recently visited Florida State and Auburn, raising questions about his final destination. He added to the confusion when he reportedly told On3.com that he would not sign with any school on Wednesday. But shortly before 6 p.m., McCray announced on Instagram Live that he was signing with Florida. McCray is a 6-foot-6, 267-pound force who starred at Daytona Beach Mainland and is ranked the top overall defensive tackle by On3.com. "One thing I’ll say about LJ that I respect about him is he is up for the challenge,’’ Gators coach Billy Napier said at his NSD press conference. "We talked to LJ in the very beginning of the process — LJ is an alpha. He’s a leader. He’s an elite competitor, and he’s done very similar things at his high school. "He’s got that type of presence and that type of voice, and he’s an impact player." Napier said McCray will play off the edge for the Gators. 4:37 pm | Dec 20, 2023 QB Lagway Makes It Official: He’s a Gator The jewel of Florida’s 2024 recruiting class has made it official. One of the country’s top recruits, five-star quarterback DJ Lagway , has signed with the Gators. Lagway announced his decision in a school ceremony Wednesday afternoon that was aired by ESPN2. When asked what made UF head coach Billy Napier and the Gators his choice, Lagway responded: I just believe in him. He’s a really good dude. I just see it. I can see it there. I can see him doing amazing things. I feel like I’m the piece of the puzzle to complete it." The 6-foot-3, 238-pound Lagway earned National Player of the Year honors from Max Preps after throwing for 4,604 yards and 58 touchdowns this season for Willis (Texas) High. Lagway is a consensus five-star recruit and ranked the No. 1 quarterback prospect by Rivals and No. 2 by On3.com, 247Sports and ESPN. Lagway had offers from nearly every major program and was pursued heavily by Texas A&M in recent weeks. He committed to Florida in December 2022 and has been omnipresent on campus and social media supporting the Gators for the past year. My teammates can expect me to work hard everyday and the fans can expect to get my best every time I’m wearing that Orange and Blue.” Welcome to The Swamp, @DerekLagway ! #2THESW4MP pic.twitter.com/hLe3w9RGwd — Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 20, 2023 4:04 pm | Dec 20, 2023 Gators Sign Veteran Badgers WR Dike Gators quarterback Graham Mertz will have a familiar target in 2024: his former Wisconsin teammate Chimere Dike . The Gators signed Dike from the transfer portal on Wednesday afternoon, their fourth addition from the portal. Dike is a 6-foot, 184-pound receiver who played in 44 games at Wisconsin, including 31 starts. Dike caught 97 passes for 1,478 yards for the Badgers and earned honorable mention on the All-Big Ten Team in 2022 when Mertz was Wisconsin’s starting quarterback. He caught 70 passes for 1,032 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022 with Mertz at quarterback. Dike is a Wisconsin native who grew up in Waukesha and starred at North High School. He served as a team captain last season. Bringing a proven veteran presence to the WR room. Welcome to The Swamp, @chimdk11 ! #2THESW4MP pic.twitter.com/OWTsFgVapB — Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 20, 2023 3:50 pm | Dec 20, 2023 Gators Sign Hillsborough County DB Smith The latest signee for Florida is safety Greg Smith , a four-star prospect from Riverview Sumner in Hillsborough County. A two-way player in high school, Smith played quarterback and safety while leading Sumner to the regional finals his senior season. Smith is a 6-foot-3, 191-pound rangy athlete who made 29 tackles and had an interception and forced fumble on defense as a senior. He was Sumner’s starting quarterback his junior year and threw for more than 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. Smith had offers from Ole Miss, Virginia, Vanderbilt and Toledo, among others, before opting to sign with Florida. 1:39 pm | Dec 20, 2023 Gators Ink D-Lineman Michai Boireau from Georgia He committed, de-committed and committed again during the recruiting process, and in the end, defensive lineman Michai Boireau signed with the Gators on Wednesday. A 6-foot-4, 394-pound interior lineman out of Creekside High in Hampton, Ga., Boireau will play his college football about a four-hour drive down Interstate 75. Boireau drew interest from in-state Georgia but opted to re-commit to the Gators earlier this month as his team was about to play in the state championship. He chose Florida over offers from Georgia, Auburn, Florida State, Michigan, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas A&M, among others. According to 247Sports, Boireau maintained contact with Florida following his de-commitment and attended Gators games against Vanderbilt and Georgia. When he returned to campus for a visit, it was like he never left. "Coming back, I thought it was going to be kind of awkward, but nah, it wasn’t awkward at all," Boireau told Swamp247 after that trip. "Everybody was excited to see me, and I was excited to see them. I was excited to be here, and everything honestly felt like I never left." Florida is getting a hard worker and a guy who is ready to get the job done!” Welcome to The Swamp, @MichaiBoireau58 ! #2THESW4MP pic.twitter.com/DmNuEQZzRk — Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 20, 2023 1:14 pm | Dec 20, 2023 Gators Flip RB Jadan Baugh The Gators joined the fun of flipping a prospect on National Signing Day when the inked running back Jadan Baugh on Wednesday afternoon. Baugh originally committed to Arkansas before opening up his recruitment. Most had him going to Alabama earlier in the week but the Gators beat out the Crimson Tide to sign the 6-foot, 225-pound runner from Columbia High in Decatur, Ga. Ranked a four-star prospect by On3, 247Sports and Rivals, Baugh rushed for 1,583 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior. He joins Mississippi product Kahnen Daniels in the backfield as the Gators seek to replace the departed Trevor Etienne, who recently entered the transfer portal. Baugh had seven 100-yard rushing games last season and also played quarterback and defensive back. He had numerous offers from top programs, including Michigan, Tennessee and Texas. Baugh took official visits to Florida and Alabama earlier this month, with Florida getting the win. "Florida has shown me that it’s a home for me. I’m very wanted here," Baugh told SI.com after his visit on Dec. 10. "I was always told, ’Go where you wanted.’ I like Florida a lot." The...