Four-star WR commit Ermon Lane ditches Florida

By Adam Silverstein
January 10, 2014

Losing and gaining commitments on a daily basis, the Florida Gators got news Friday night that another top-flight offensive playmaker has left the program as four-star wide receiver Ermon Lane (Homestead, FL) officially decommitted.

“No Hard Feelings But I Just Decommitted From The University Of Florida . Not Because Dalvin Cook. No lie I love gator nation. #OneLove,” he wrote on his Twitter account. “I love the gators fans but I have to do what’s best for me.”

Lane, the 44th-ranked prospect nationally and the fourth South Florida player to decommit from Florida since Dec. 25, 2013, originally pledged to join the Gators on Aug. 12, 2013, the same day as four-star defensive backs Quincy Wilson (Fort Lauderdale, FL) and Chris Lammons (Plantation, FL).

Only Wilson remains committed to Florida; he has been one of UF’s strongest pledges.

Lammons decommitted on Thursday, following in the footsteps of four-star running back Dalvin Cook (Miami, FL) and 2015 four-star WR Da’Vante Phillips (Miami, FL).

Lane’s decision is not much of a shocker. He was seen wearing Florida State gear months ago and has long been rumored to flip to the Seminoles just like Cook did on Dec. 31, 2013. Lane has also been saying for a while that he plans to make a commitment on National Signing Day on Feb. 5 despite remaining committed.


The Gators are now back down to 20 commitments for the 2014 recruiting cycle after a whirlwind week. Florida added two highly-rated prospects over the last two days, both of which will enroll early for the spring semester.

On Thursday, UF flipped five-star cornerback Jalen Tabor (Washington, D.C.) from Arizona; Lammons decommitted hours later.

Four-star RB Brandon Powell (Deerfield Beach, FL), whose playmaking ability helps but does not completely negate the loss of Cook, was committed to Miami but instead drove up and enrolled at Florida on Friday.

The Gators only have three-star Ryan Sousa (Orlando, FL) committed at wideout but list three much-needed tight end pledges including four-star Moral Stephens (Perry, FL) and three-stars DeAndre Goolsby (Derby, KS) and C’yontai Lewis (Tuscaloosa, AL).

Florida is still hoping to add another running back and perhaps up to two more wide receivers to its 2014 recruiting class.

29 Comments

  1. gatorboi352 says:

    Its cool we’re loaded at corner.

  2. andyman77 says:

    @Gatorboi- Lane isn’t a corner- he was our best receiver recruit.

  3. g8ter27 says:

    Shocker,. I hear he may be going to the University of Florida State.

    • Gatorhans says:

      too funny, wonder if Dalvin cook could even make the grades to Florida? You know you dont have to read or write to go to the University of Florida State and you get a paycheck from Jimbo !!!

  4. 305Gator says:

    Cheer up “boi”. it’s a good thing we are loaded at corner. Just like we found a replacement for Cook we will find another good WR. It’s better that this happens now and not be surprised at NSD, it gives us more time to go out and get someone else.
    Life is good, Gator Nation is fine, come and join us on the bright side, it’s much better than where you are.
    Gooooooooooooooooooooooo Gators!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  5. matt says:

    Adam,

    I had read somewhere that Cook did not either have the grades and or test scores to get into Florida is that the case?

  6. jimmyjohns says:

    Anyone looking for a favorite recruit, take a look at Quincy Wilson’s tweet to him –

    @_MoneyLane lol.. Well I’ll have fun locking you down for the next 3-4 years like I did in high school

    • uf_84 says:

      Lol. Gotta love that!!

    • Ken (CA) says:

      haha, that’s awesome. Seeing as this is a make or break year for WM IMO, he better prove he has more closing skills than he has in previous years, by getting some big names on or by NSD, lots of holes in this class still especially with defections. Pickups are doing a lot of stacking in positions already had good haul in

  7. gatorboi352 says:

    Lol oh 305 if you only knew how die hard a Gator I truly am. Many are taking a wait and see approach like I am, trust me.

    I actually think we’re just fine at both WR and RB with who we already have. They just need to be coached up for once is all. We’ll see if Roper can do that. Muschamp better hope so because anything less than 8 wins should get him the boot.

  8. Timmy T says:

    Just get me some more O-line guys. It all starts up front.

  9. 239Gator says:

    Big lose…we needed Phillips and Lane in this class.

    Adam, who are the Gators eying as targets at WR?

  10. Mr2Bits says:

    Wish both he and Cook the best but I will really miss my weekly pictures of a Gator commit wearing FSU swag and saying they love the Gators! Next up, Eric Lauderdale!

  11. Dan S says:

    This 352 vs 305 rivalry is quite entertaining. Boi is a little negative but obviously a gator fan who cares about the team. We all want the same thing though. Good players and wins.

  12. uf_84 says:

    “I love the gators fans but I have to do what’s best for me.”

    In other words, “Love the school, but I’m not about to risk my future playing in that crap offense.” New OC or not, these kids just don’t trust that anything is going to change. Let’s hope Roper can make it work with talent already here. If he doesn’t, the cubbard going to be real bare (on offense) after next year.

    • Ken (CA) says:

      I think the entire season and recruiting class will all hinge on Roper and Robinson’s next 3 weeks recruiting and see what they can do to bring it all together by convincing offensive talent that they have good opportunity here now.

  13. Erng' n blue says:

    What you guys are failing to see is that they are going with the hot hand and are young and impressionable. Same thing happened when we were on top. Clowning other schools though I don’t remember. Ride the wave until it crashes, usually doesn’t last for more than two consecutive years. Look at the SEC for the last 7 years and we spread the wealth. ACC is a joke and cannot sustain the success year in and year out. What university of Fl State will find out is that they will get the cream of the crop in HS, doesnt mean that it will pay off on the field. Attracting and retaining talent that is committed to a program for what it represents is different than going to a program that is drunk off of success. Too many cooks in the kitchen is a recipe for disaster, no pun. Hungry, pissed off team is dangerous. We’ll get our fair share, we are the University of Florida don’t forget. With the right circumstances, we could have achieved much more last season. New motivators, new coaches, new faces but same bad taste in our mouth. At the end of the year, Bama, LSU, Auburn, we’re all losers. Let’s have the same optimism we had last year cause we all no there is no where to go than up from here.

  14. Intuition says:

    I’m just glad he finally came out and said (publicly) what everyone has assumed for weeks. We’ve got plenty of WR targets…NEXT!!

    Good luck to you, Mr. Lane, and thanks for giving us at least a little time to get serious with recruits who are serious with us.

  15. Kurt says:

    If you look at FSU’s draft classes going back many years, he has never put a RB or WR in the pros while at FSU. Not sure how going to FSU helps your pro career.

  16. John says:

    You would have started Freshman year probably and had Will Grier with you your whole career, how is going there not a good decision? It was our record from last year and Cook.

  17. Gatorhans says:

    Cant wait to go out on our revenge tour next year and beat the crap out of everyone including the University Of Florida State who would have been shut down if our linebackers were healthy. We have decent receivers and I know we could use 10 playing in rotation, but we have so many athletes who can convert

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