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JUST IN: German OL Noel Portnjagin commits to Florida Gators

79417-removebg-preview (1)by:Corey Bender•06/14/23•

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After landing former South Carolina commit Mike Williams on Monday, the Gators have reeled in another offensive line commitment from Germany-based standout Noel Portnjagin.

Portnjagin, a three-star prospect and the No. 95-ranked offensive tackle in On3’s 2024 rankings, camped in Gainesville on June 6 and landed an offer shortly thereafter. That was the first school to do so as well, followed by South Carolina, Auburn and Liberty, so it’s been a whirlwind to say the least.

Each of those Division I opportunities were earned on the camp circuit. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound rising senior plays for the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns and just wrapped up a college camp tour in the United States.

However, once it was time to pull himself off the market, the top-notch combination of academics and athletics at Florida was too appetizing to pass up. That was a major attraction from the start.

“Florida was great,” Portnjagin told Gators Online last week. “From the beginning, the facility was really impressive and I liked everything. The camp was tough and hard, but that’s why I want to play at the next level. Everything was just as spectacular as it gets.

“The coaches I talked to and worked with were always positive to me. The head coach always smiled, so he just gave me a positive vibe. Even when I made a mistake, the coaches told me in a positive way how to fix that problem. They were great.”

With the addition of Portnjagin, the Gators now hold commitments from nine prospects in the 2024 class, including two along the offensive line. They currently have the No. 7-ranked class in the 2024 Industry Ranking Football Team Recruiting Rankings.

Highly-regarded QB DJ Lagway is the headliner of the Gators’ class

“I’m locked in with Florida right now and for me, it’s all about getting the best players there,” Lagway told On3’s Sam Spiegelman at this week’s Elite 11. “I want to get the best talent out there around so we can succeed on the field. The big thing for me is recruiting and getting some of those guys here to play.

“The Florida coaches still recruit me really hard and they’re showing me I’m a priority. Florida does an amazing job of making me feel like I’m a recruit, and I feel like I’m at home. I like my relationship with the guys over there, with all of the players and the coaching staff.

“It feels like home and I’m excited … it’s a blessing to represent my community, and represent well for the Willis community and also the Gainesville community and the Florida fans. I can’t wait to get out there and compete and have fun.”

Stay tuned to Gators Online.

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