According to The Lakeland Ledger, the Florida Gators added a fifth member to their 2011 recruiting class on Wednesday when four-star wide receiver Javares McRoy (Lakeland, FL) decided to leave his brother alone in Lubbock, TX, and switch his verbal commitment from the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

McRoy joins fellow four-star recruits quarterback Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, FL), defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan (Asheville, NC), and athletes A.C. Leonard (Jacksonville, FL) and De’Ante Saunders (Deland, FL) as the sole members of the program’s 2011 class.

“I just thought about where I really wanted to go and what best fit me and my running style, and UF fits my style,” McRoy told the paper on Thursday.

Ranked as the No. 11 receiver in the country and No. 148 recruit nationally by Rivals, he is not listed on ESPNU‘s projection of the top 150 prospects and is ranked as their 27th-best wideout available. McRoy will be a four-year starter for the Lakeland Dreadnaughts, a pipeline for the Gators recently, which provided Florida with centers Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, running back Chris Rainey and safety Ahmad Black.

ESPNU calls McRoy a “scatback/slot [receiver best utilized] in the spread offense and certainly the return game where he has some upside.” Additionally, “McRoy possesses just about physical trait you would like in a skilled athlete with the exception of height. He is a diminutive smurf with elite speed and quickness and because of his height coupled with his feet and hips he is also a candidate to end up at corner.”

McRoy told the Ledger that head coach Urban Meyer and running backs coach Stan Drayton plan to utilize him in the “Percy Position” (to be played by Rainey in 2010) and will no longer be recruiting rushers for the 2011 signing class.

He originally committed to Texas Tech in December 2009 to go to school with his brother and fellow pass-catcher Benjamin McRoy, a 2010 recruit.

Photo Credit: Lakeland High School via ESPN

Tags: A.C. Leonard, Ahmad Black, Benjamin McRoy, Chris Rainey, De'Ante Saunders, Javares McRoy, Jeff Driskel, Jeoffrey Pagan, Lakeland Dreadnaughts, Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Pouncey, Percy Harvin, Stan Drayton, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Urban Meyer

While some programs are racking up 2011 commitments early, the Florida Gators are taking a more concerted approach, sporting a foursome of four-star players set to join the team next season. ESPNU and Rivals have both come out with their first round of high school football recruit rankings within the last week, each with a different perspective of where the Gators’ current commitments fall.

Quarterback Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, FL)
No. 14 – ESPNU (No. 1 QB)
No. 31 – Rivals (No. 1 QB)

Defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan (Asheville, NC)
No. 19 – ESPNU (No. 4 DE)
No. 25 – Rivals (No. 3 DE)

Tight end A.C. Leonard (Jacksonville, FL)
No. 66 – ESPNU (No. 7 ATH)
No. 89 – Rivals (No. 6 TE)

Athlete De’Ante Saunders (Deland, FL)
No. 74 – ESPNU (No. 8 ATH)
Outside top 250 – Rivals

Though Pagan is noted on the above list, he has come out publicly and said that he will be taking a number of official visits before his commitment is 100 percent solid to Florida. He is interested in schools closer to home but also has big-name programs like USC, Ohio State, Georgia and Tennessee vying for his services.

Rivals’ Mark Wheeler notes that the Gators are either targeting, being prominently mentioned by or in the mix for 29 more of the company’s top 100 recruits, including four players in the top 10: No. 2 linebacker Tony Steward (St. Augustine, FL), No. 3 ATH James Wilder, Jr. (Tampa, FL), No. 7 offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio (Hyattsville, MA) and No. 8 LB Curtis Grant (Richmond, VA).

Photo Credit: ESPN

Tags: A.C. Leonard, Curtis Grant, Cyrus Kouandjio, De'Ante Saunders, James Wilder, Jeff Driskel, Jeoffrey Pagan, Tony Steward

The Florida Gators’ annual Orange & Blue Debut spring scrimmage is good for a lot of things – identifying playmakers, getting the team ready for summer practice and, of course, recruiting. Head coach Urban Meyer and his coaching staff brought in a big commitment Friday from top-rated defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan (Asheville, NC).

“I committed to Urban Meyer late Friday,” Pagan told GatorBait.net. “When I told him, he stood up, did a little dance and gave me a hug. I was already thinking about committing early then I decided that I definitely wanted to lock in my spot with the Gators and be part of this team. I think I’m firm [with my decision]. I don’t plan on taking any more visits or seeing anywhere else. I’m sure people say it all the time, but this feels like home. Florida makes me feel like I am at home.”

Though Pagan does not plan to take any additional visits, the immense pressure that is sure to come from Alabama, Southern California, Florida State and Louisiana State (among others who have already sent him official scholarship offers) may get him to open his eyes a little bit before the process comes to a close next spring.

Pagan becomes the team’s third 2011 commitment, following tight end A.C. Leonard (Interlachen, FL) and athlete De’Ante “Pop” Saunders (Deland, FL).

Photo Credit: Asheville Citizen-Times

Tags: A.C. Leonard, De'Ante Saunders, Jeoffrey Pagan, Orange & Blue Debut, Urban Meyer

Recruiting contributor Zach Abolverdi takes a look at Junior Day for OGGOA…

The Florida Gators’ first Junior Day of the 2011 recruiting cycle was a successful start to the season, despite the absence of head coach Urban Meyer. By all accounts, interim head coach and offensive coordinator Steve Addazio was firing on all cylinders, doing a good job selling the program to the prospects in attendance. He emphasized how coaches, players and recruits united when uncertainty surrounded the program just over a month ago and claimed it was a testament to the resiliency of Gator Nation.

Recruiting requires many crucial components and qualities, one of which is developing relationships early in the process. Addazio and the coaching staff got that chance this past Saturday, when they saw familiar faces mixed with some brand new ones. There were no drills, workouts or whistles, just an opportunity for prospects to take in the city, campus and everything the University of Florida has to offer.

Find out who visited and what their impressions were of the Gators after the jump!
Continue Reading » Florida impresses recruits at first Junior Day

Tags: A.C. Leonard, Anthony Chickillo, Brian Randolph, Chuck Heater, D.J. Durkin, Dan McCarney, De'Ante Saunders, Florida State Seminoles, Garrett Clark, Gator Nation, James Vaughters, Jeff Driskel, Junior Day, LaMichael Fanning, Louisville Cardinals, Miami Hurricanes, Steve Addazio, Troy Pettis, University of Florida, Urban Meyer, Vance Bedford

1 » One year ago, the Florida Gators women’s basketball team upset the then-No. 12/17 Tennessee Lady Vols 66-57 in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Looking to repeat history, a much younger Florida team (9-8, 2-2 SEC) had the game tied at 64 against a significantly more experienced No. 4 Tennessee squad (15-1, 3-0 SEC) until Lady Vols guard Angie Bjorklund hit a reverse lay-up with 2.3 seconds left in the second half to pull ahead and ultimately win 66-64. Four Gators scored in double figures, and Florida led for much of the second half but could not hold on.

2 » In a news item that OGGOA broke Thursday via twitter, former Gators linebacker Ryan Stamper was invited to be a participant in the 2010 East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 23 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FL. Stamper is currently slated to play in the game but may have to pull out if the ankle injury he suffered in the 2010 Sugar Bowl flares up. The game will air live on ESPN2 at 3 p.m. In other Stamper news, he has decided to sign with agent Garriet Blair of GMB Sports and Entertainment. Quarterback Tim Tebow has declined an invitation to the East-West Shrine and will instead participate in the 2010 Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL.

All-Americans, Wuerffel, 2011 recruits and Gators in the pros after the jump!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Tough loss, Stamper, Wuerffel, 2011

Tags: A.C. Leonard, Aaron Hernandez, All-America, Angie Bjorklund, Carlos Dunlap, Channing Crowder, Citrus Bowl, Danny Wuerffel, David Lee, De'Ante Saunders, Draft, East-West Shrine Game, Heisman Trophy, Jeoffrey Pagan, Joe Haden, Major Wright, Maurkice Pouncey, Miami Dolphins, NBA, New York Knicks, NFL, O'Connell Center, Ryan Stamper, Senior Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Tennessee Lady Vols, Tim Tebow, women's basketball

Five-star shooting guard Bradley Beal (St. Louis, MO), the No. 7 overall recruit in the nation according to Rivals, announced Monday afternoon that he has decided to attend the University of Florida and commit to play college basketball for the Florida Gators in 2011. Beal (6’3”, 180 lbs.) chose the Gators over the Kansas Jayhawks, Duke Blue Devils, Missouri Tigers, Illinois Illini, Ohio State Buckeyes and St. Louis University.

Averaging 23.5 points per game during his sophomore season, Beal shined as he led the U.S. under-16 team to a gold medal in the FIBA Americas Championship in Argentina last summer. He joins a 2011 recruiting class that already includes fellow five-star SG Austin Rivers (Winter Park, FL) and three-star point guard De’Ante Saunders (Deland, FL).

“Really, it’s the whole coaching staff from Coach [Billy] Donovan to Coach [Rob] Lanier to Coach [Richard] Pitino and Coach [Larry] Shyatt that makes Florida so attractive,” Beal said. “They have a real passion for winning and I like the way they work hard together. They really wanted me and want me to be a key factor to the team in the future. I really like the way Coach Donovan brings out the best in you. I think he really wants you to succeed and I think he really cares about his players.”

Beal’s ability to play up-tempo basketball and get open in transition makes him an attractive addition to the 2011 class. Donovan got an early look at Beal after the shooter attended his Elite Camp last year. If nothing changes, Beal will sign his National Letter of Intent with the Gators in November 2010.

Tags: Austin Rivers, Billy Donovan, Bradley Beal, De'Ante Saunders, Elite Camp, FIBA Americas Championship, University of Florida

BREAKING NEWS: Five-star shooting guard Bradley Beal (St. Louis, MO) has committed to Billy Donovan and Florida Gators basketball, according to two sources.

Four-star wide receiver Ivan McCartney (Miramar, FL) is believed by many to be the Florida Gators’ top receiving target for 2010. Leaving Gainesville, FL, over the weekend, McCartney may very well have the Gators at the top of his list (though he will not say for certain). “It was crazy,” McCartney told Rivals of his weekend. “It’s overwhelming. There’s nothing much more I can say. I loved everything – coaches, players, atmosphere, campus, education, everything is just great.” The No. 4 WR in the nation, No. 4 recruit in Florida and No. 35 prospect overall, McCartney met with head coach Urban Meyer and position coach Billy Gonzales. “They were saying they really want me. That I’m their No. 1 receiver prospect and with my work ethic I can come in and play right away and even start. It’s all up to me.”

Recruiting news on Gerald Christian and Matt Elam, a 2011 commitment, a list of visitors and much more after the jump…
Continue Reading » Big recruiting update after Florida-Florida State

Tags: A.C. Leonard, Al Groh, Billy Donovan, Billy Gonzales, Bradley Beal, De'Ante Saunders, Dwyer, Gerald Christian, Ivan McCartney, Johnathon Hankins, Matt Elam, Urban Meyer, Virginia Cavaliers

Five-star 2011 athlete De’Ante “Pop” Saunders of DeLand High School has verbally committed to the Florida Gators, according to the Orlando Sentinel. One of the top players in the nation, Saunders received a written scholarship offer via fax at DeLand and immediately called defensive coordinator Charlie Strong to commit to the Gators.

Saunders, Central Florida’s leader in rushing yards with exactly 1,000, upon receiving the Gators’ offer, asked his high school coach Kevin Pettis to call the Gators back and tell them he was committed. – Orlando Sentinel

Saunders plays offense (wingback), defense (cornerback) and is a return specialist for undefeated DeLand, and his commitment a huge coup for the Gators this early into the recruiting process. “It was a place that I always wanted to go,” Saunders said. “Once I saw they had a full ride for me, I knew I that was what I wanted to do. I always liked Florida, even when I was little.”

“Florida likes him for both offense and defense,” Saunders’ coach Petts said. “They just like him as an athlete. He’s probably the most talented punt returner I’ve been around.”

Tags: Charlie Strong, De'Ante Saunders, DeLand, Kevin Pettis