Florida pushing to flip 4-star Miami linebacker commit Malik Bryant

Florida and Miami have been going back and forth on the recruiting trail this fall, with the Hurricanes stealing Five-Star Plus+ cornerback Cormani McClain out from under the Gators, and Florida returning the favor with four-star Miami quarterback commit Jaden Rashada last week.

Those two programs will continue to battle over the next month until the Early Signing Period on a number of prospects, including four-star Orlando (Fla.) Jones linebacker and Miami commit Malik Bryant.

Miami won out over the summer to land him, but the Gators have some very legitimate traction with him right now, according to On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons.

“I think the one for Florida — and I don’t want to say people are sleeping on — but maybe not talking enough about based on my intel is Malik Bryant,” Simmons said Monday during On3’s Inside Scoop recruiting show. “We know going back to the summer when he committed, four-star linebacker out of Jones High School in Orlando, when he committed, he initially pushed his date back. At one time, it was Miami and then it was Florida. We thought Miami was trending again, then he pushed the date back, thinking maybe Florida had come back in there and taken the advantage. I think in the end, multiple sources have told me he feels ‘at home’ at the University of Florida.”

Bryant is the No. 68 overall prospect in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He ranks as the nation’s No. 4 linebacker and the No. 15 senior recruit in the state of Florida.

Malik Bryant Scouting Summary

“Athletic, high-energy rusher who wins with power and speed along with positional versatility. Lines up in the slot, as a stand up linebacker and edge rusher. Transferring back home to Jones High School after starring for IMG Academy as a sophomore and junior. Violent with his hands against the run and does an excellent job stacking and shedding.

… Gives offensive tackles issues with his quickness and burst. Measured a shade under 6-foot-2 and around 235 pounds with a 6-foot-3 wing-span prior to his junior season. Posted an electronically-timed 4.72 second 40-yard dash, a 4.38 second shuttle and 32” vertical. Lacks the length of most top pass rushers. Could potentially kick to inside linebacker in college depending on scheme and fit. Older for the class, having turned 18 years old during his junior season.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings