Florida, FSU, Miami set for massive recruiting weekends

Each of the three biggest programs in Florida is back at home this weekend, and Florida State, Florida and Miami are all hosting massive lists of recruiting visitors for their games.

The Gators currently sit at No. 4 in the On3 Industry Football Team Recruiting Rankings, while the Seminoles and Hurricanes check in at No. 6 and No. 18 nationally. Each has more than 20 prospects already committed but is looking to not only add a few more in 2024, but also to make big moves with some of their priority 2025 and 2026 targets this weekend as well.

Let’s break it down:

Gators hosting a pair of 5-star linemen

A number of Florida commits will be on campus this weekend, including five-star QB DJ Lagway, four-star LB Myles Graham, and four-star WR Izaiah Williams. And they’ll have their eyes on one official visitor: five-star OT Jordan Seaton out of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy.

Florida will have its chance to grab the momentum back for Seaton this weekend after he took unofficial visits to Colorado and Tennessee in September. There was some buzz around the Gators in this race earlier in the summer and Billy Napier‘s program hopes to get it back. Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon and South Carolina are also among the teams still in contention.

Napier and Co. will also host a few 2024 prospects they’re keeping tabs on down the stretch, including three-star WR Jeremy Bell, three-star RB Jordan Triplett, and athlete Gregory Smith, who just received a UF offer this week.

A couple of key 2025s will also be in town, including five-star DL Elijah Griffin, four-star OL Solomon Thomas, and four-star QB and top Gators target Antwann Hill.

For full coverage of Gators recruiting, head to GatorsOnline.

Florida State gets its last shot with LJ McCray

Much like their rivals in Gainesville, Florida State has an elite official visitor this weekend who will get to spend time around a number of Seminoles commits.

Five-star defensive lineman LJ McCray is one of Mike Norvell’s biggest remaining targets in this class, and this is expected to be his final visit before a decision comes — potentially by the end of this month. Florida and Georgia have been thought of as the top two teams in his recruitment, but McCray saved this visit for last.

“I think the big key, if i’m watching one thing this weekend is how he interacts with the players, because that’s something he hasn’t done,” Warchant.com insider Michael Langston said on Thursday. “He hasn’t been around the players, he hasn’t got a feel around them … being around those players, my takeaway from what he does with that and how that connects could go a long way to determine the pecking order of where this goes, cause I think it’s really tight.”

Five-star commits KJ Bolden and Charles Lester III will be on hand, as will four-star RB Kam Davis and four-star QB Luke Kromenhoek.

In the 2025 class, top FSU quarterback target Carter Smith is visiting. Florida was considered the frontrunner with Smith but has turned its attention elsewhere. The ‘Noles already have a QB committed in four-star Tramell Jones, but could be looking to double-dip in this class.

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Ohio State 5-star commit Jeremiah Smith returns to Miami

The Hurricanes are off to their best start since 2017, and they’re looking to capitalize and further add to this class. Mario Cristobal and receivers coach Kevin Beard are looking to build an elite class at that position, and there’s no bigger target than Five-Star Plus+ WR and Ohio State commit Jeremiah Smith. The buzz continues to be that it will be very hard to flip Smith away from the Buckeyes, but he is continuing to take visits and likely will all the way until the Early Signing Period.

His high school teammate and four-star commit Joshisa Trader will also be in Coral Gables, along with another Chaminade-Madonna star and ‘Canes commit, Zaquan Patterson. While Miami is trying to flip Smith, Ohio State has made wideout commit Chance Robinson a priority, but the ‘Canes will look to keep the momentum going in their favor.

If there’s a player to put on commit watch this weekend, it’s certainly four-star wideout Ny Carr, a Georgia decommit. The Hurricanes have had most of the buzz since he backed off his pledge to Georgia, and they’ll get a chance to seal the deal this weekend.

As for underclassmen, Miami will have Five-Star Plus+ DL commit Armondo Blount on campus, as well as receivers Naeshaun Montgomery and Dallas Wilson. Top-100 safety Hylton Stubbs is also expected in, among others.

To keep up with everything Miami, visit CaneSport.