Below are the uniform numbers for early enrollees from the Florida Gators‘ No. 1-ranked 2010 recruiting class (as well as those for some walk-ons):

» S Matt Elam – 22
» CB Joshua Shaw – 29
» CB Jaylen Watkins – 14
» OL Ian Silberman – 77
» WR Solomon Patton – 83
» TE Gerald Christian – 32
» DT Leon Orr – 68
» S Jordan Haden – 39
» QB Trey Burton – 13
» WR/KR Robert Clark – 81
» NT Neiron Ball – 48

Walk-ons
» Brandon Sanders – 37
*Carver High School – Ocala, FL
» Gery Marseile – 53
*Booker T. Washington High School – Miami, FL
» Thaddeus Blue – 20
*Miami Carol City High School – Miami, FL
» Phillip Bellino – 86
*Santa Fe Community College, Pope John Paul II High School, Boca Raton, FL

Tags: Brandon Sanders, Gerald Christian, Gery Marseile, Ian Silberman, Jaylen Watkins, Jordan Haden, Joshua Shaw, Leon Orr, Matt Elam, Neiron Ball, Phillip Bellino, Robert Clark, Solomon Patton, Thaddeus Blue, Trey Burton

Recruiting contributor Zach Abolverdi in his first submission to OGGOA…

Now that football recruiting for the 2010 term is in the books and Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer has assembled one of the best classes of all-time, OGGOA brings you a look ahead to the Gators’ (in our opinion) top 20 targets for 2011. These are prospects that the coaching staff has already targeted and is pursuing the hardest as of press time. Perhaps even more important, the 20 targets listed below have a mutually high level of interest in Florida. [Preliminary star ratings provided by Scout.com.]

1. DT Tim Jernigan (Lake City, FL) – 6’2” 275 lbs.
Nicknamed “Hercules” for his superior size and strength, Jernigan also runs a remarkable 4.6 in the forty yard dash. He received his very first scholarship offer from Florida as a ninth grader and has visited on several occasions including this past summer when he dominated at the Urban Meyer Football Camp. In an interview with The Gainesville Sun following National Signing Day, Jernigan revealed that if he had to sign his letter of intent now, the Gators would be the recipient of his highly sought after signature.

2. ATH James Wilder, Jr. (Tampa, FL) – 6’2” 223 lbs.
Rivals’ “Junior of the Year,” Wilder, Jr. is the 2011 version of Ronald Powell with the athletic ability to play running back, linebacker and defensive end at the next level. He favors the Miami Hurricanes at the moment because they are recruiting him at running back, the position his father played in the NFL and his position of choice. However, most recruiting analysts project Wilder as an outside linebacker, and Florida is his leader if he chooses to play on defense in college.

Check out 18 more 2011 recruits the Florida Gators are targeting after the jump!
Continue Reading » Twenty recruits the Gators are eyeing for 2011

Tags: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Bobby Hart, Brandon Fulse, Brian White, Charon Peake, Christian Lemay, Christian Westerman, Curt Maggitt, Dan McCarney, Friday Night Lights, Jack Nicklaus, James Vaughters, James Wilder, Jaylen Watkins, Jeff Driskel, Junior Day, Kelvin Benjamin, LaMichael Fanning, Lonnie Gosha, Mike Bellamy, Nick O'Leary, Nick Waisome, Sammy Watkins, Scot Loeffler, SEC, Stacey Lemay, Teddy Bridgewater, Tim Jernigan, Urban Meyer, Wayne Lyons, Zach Azzanni

1 » If you were watching the basketball game Tuesday night between the Florida Gators and No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats, you may have seen this clip of head coach Urban Meyer and his wife Shelley smirking while checking their respective phones:

2 » The Tennessean points out that former Tennessee Volunteers head coach Lane Kiffin “decided it was included in his job description […] to annoy Urban Meyer.” Unfortunately, as the article puts it, “a good feud was just ruined.” Similarly, the Orlando Sentinel recounts Kiffin’s top 10 most memorable moments as coach of the Volunteers.

3 » The brand new 2010 ESPNU 150 and 2010 Rivals100 both list Gators five-star defensive end commitment Ronald Powell (Moreno Valley, CA) as their respective No. 1 prospect in the country. Other top Florida recruits ranking high on both lists include five-star defensive tackle Dominique Easley (3/7) five-star safety Matt Elam (9/25), five-star defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd (25/4), four-star cornerback Joshua Shaw (28/28), four-star tight end Gerald Christian (35/81), four-star wide receiver Chris Dunkley (37/77), four-star offensive tackle Ian Silberman (41/71), four-star CB Jaylen Watkins (50/47) and four-star DT Leon Orr (81/95). Others who made the ESPNU list but not Rivals’ include: S Jonathan Dowling (10/NR), S Demar Dorsey (12/NR), RB Mack Brown (34/NR), CB Cody Riggs (79/NR), WR Solomon Patton (106/NR). ESPNU ranks four Gators in its top 10.

4 » “If Florida is to be an NCAA tournament team again — if it’s to snap a two-year hiatus after consecutive NCAA titles — the Gators must start a roll Saturday against LSU,” writes ESPN senior college basketball writer Andy Katz. Read his entire blog entry on the Gators and their hopes to earn a spot in March Madness this season.

Tags: Chris Dunkley, Cody Riggs, Demar Dorsey, Dominique Easley, Gerald Christian, Ian Silberman, Jaylen Watkins, Jonathan Dowling, Joshua Shaw, Kentucky Wildcats, Lane Kiffin, Leon Orr, Mack Brown, Matt Elam, Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd, Shelley Meyer, Solomon Patton, Tennessee Volunteers, Urban Meyer

1 » As previously reported by OGGOA, Florida Gators quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler has removed his name from consideration for the Central Michigan Chippewas‘ head coaching job. Instead, his duties at Florida will be increased and he will assist interim coach and offensive coordinator Steve Addazio with play calling. Loeffler, Addazio and new wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni all worked together on game planning for the 2010 Sugar Bowl against the Cincinnati Bearcats.

2 » Staying on the coaching front, assistant head coach and defense/defensive line coach Dan McCarney will be seriously considered for the top job with the USF Bulls. McCarney, who coached at USF in 2007, is a prime candidate for the position because of his experience both in Tampa and coaching college football in general. However, he is not the only option for the Bulls and whether or not he gets an offer remains to be seen. McCarney is also said to be very happy in his role with Florida and may not necessarily be interested in becoming a head coach again when he is already working in a comfortable situation.

3 » Gerry Hamilton of Scouts, Inc. has taken a long look at the Gators’ 2010 recruiting class, calling it one for the ages. Florida “already [has] the nation’s top class, but this could turn into the best of all time,” he writes. The Gators are still in the running for top prospects at linebacker, offensive line, defensive line, QB and WR.

4 » Should you be on campus in Gainesville, FL, expect to see at least three more high schoolers walking around this week. Newly re-committed five-star safety Matt Elam, four-star tight end Gerald Christian and four-star defensive back Jaylen Watkins are all traveling to school from the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl that took place Saturday in San Antonio, TX. They will join the eight other early enrollees already taking classes at the University of Florida.

Tags: Central Michigan Chippewas, Cincinnati Bearcats, Dan McCarney, Gerald Christian, Jaylen Watkins, Matt Elam, Scot Loeffler, Steve Addazio, Sugar Bowl, University of Florida, USF Bulls, Zach Azzanni

Eleven high school football players announced their college commitments during the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX, an all-star game that DirecTV offers annually. Four-star tight end Gerald Christian (West Palm Beach, FL) and four-star defensive back Jaylen Watkins (Cape Coral, FL) were the only Florida Gators commitments participating at the start of the game, but the team has acquired three additional big-names over the course of the afternoon.

Defensive end Ronald Powell (Moreno Valley, CA) []
Height: 6’4″ – Weight: 225 lbs.
Considered a heavy Florida lean for months (on Dec. 18 he said the Gators were “most definitely at the top” of his list), Powell had second thoughts about his commitment after head coach Urban Meyer resigned and then decided to take a leave of absence instead. Meyer eased Powell’s reservations after a phone conversation. Powell also indicated that he wished to play college ball away from home with the USC Trojans his only other option. “Coach Meyer is a hell-of-a coach,” he said last month. “The college is in a college town. The players, the players definitely make you feel at home. I mean just all around, it’s a great school, a great place to be.”
More on Ronald Powell from OGGOA.
Finalists: Florida, USC
COMMITTED TO: Florida Gators

Safety Matt Elam (West Palm Beach, FL) []
Height: 6’0″ – Weight: 205 lbs.
A Florida commitment for over a year, Elam played games throughout the recruiting cycle. He reaffirmed his commitment to Meyer and the Gators after his official visit in December; however, Meyer’s about-face caused Elam to question his decision, leading him to decommit from Florida and make a commitment to the Florida State Seminoles. Elam finally spoke to Meyer earlier this week to work everything out. He then decommitted from FSU and listed Florida as his leader, stating that he could not leave Coach Meyer while putting his faith in him.
More on Matt Elam from OGGOA.
Finalists: Florida, Georgia, Florida State
COMMITTED TO: Florida Gators

Defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd (Philadelphia, PA) []
Height: 6’3″ – Weight: 310 lbs.
Once believed to be a sure-thing for Ohio State Buckeyes’s 2010 recruiting class, Floyd was also seriously considering Florida. He promised to “shock the world” with his announcement Saturday and was thrilled with the Gators’ decision to hire George Edwards as their new defensive coordinator. Reports from San Antonio had Floyd leaning toward joining the contingent of Florida commitments on Saturday, and his budding friendship with Powell and desire to play around top-tier talent only further that sentiment. “Florida overall, I genuinely care about Coach Meyer and we talk on a daily basis,” Floyd said. “I just like Florida and what the program has to offer.”
More on Sharrif Floyd from OGGOA.
Finalists: Florida, North Carolina, Ohio State, South Carolina
COMMITTED TO: Florida Gators

In addition to the players profiled above who committed to the Gators on Saturday, the following recruits (who have chosen not to announce their respective decisions during the game) are also being targeted by UF: five-star offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson (St. Paul, MN), five-star DE Jackson Jeffcoat (Plano, TX), five-star DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa (Portland, OR), four-star wide receiver Christian Green (Tampa, FL) and four-star WR Ivan McCartney (Miramar, FL).

Tags: Alamodome, All-American, Army, Christian Green, Florida State Seminoles, George Edwards, Gerald Christian, Ivan McCartney, Jackson Jeffcoat, Jaylen Watkins, Matt Elam, Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Pete Carroll, Ronald Powell, Seantrel Henderson, Sharrif Floyd, Urban Meyer, USC Trojans

Aside from having to hire a new head coach after Urban Meyer‘s shocking resignation, one of the most immediate issues facing the Florida Gators football program in 2010 is retaining recruits from one of the top incoming classes in the country. With 20 recruits currently verbally committed to the Gators and plenty more considering their commitment one way or another, losing Meyer will almost certainly a blow to the team’s recruiting – how big of a blow is yet to be determined. Numerous sources including Rivals, GatorCountry, the Palm Beach Post, the Orlando Sentinel, the Gainesville Sun and the Sporting News have spoken with these recruits over the past few hours, and OGGOA has compiled some information on where each of them stand.

Because the list is so long, it is best to view it after the jump!!!
Continue Reading » Meyer’s decision stuns Gators 2010 recruits

Tags: Chris Dunkley, Christian Green, Cody Riggs, Demar Dorsey, Gerald Christian, Gideon Ajagbe, Ian Silberman, Jack Daniels, Jaylen Watkins, Jordan Hicks, Joshua Shaw, Kenny Carter, Lynden Trail, Mack Brown, Matt Elam, Quinton Dunbar, Robert Clark, Seantrel Henderson, Solomon Patton, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer, Vance Bedford

It has been a slow weekend as far as Florida Gators news goes, but OGGOA has done its best Sunday morning to provide you with a few notes to wrap up the weekend. Expect more from us later in the day, so stay tuned!

1 » A dozen Gators commits and recruiting prospects including five-star safety Matt Elam (Fort Lauderdale, FL) visited Gainesville, FL, this weekend for official visits with Florida coaches, staff and current players. In what will be a crucial weekend for Gators’ recruiting after losing defensive coordinator Charlie Strong and wide receivers coach/recruiting coordinator Billy Gonzales to other schools, Florida hopes to secure commitments it has already received and establish new ones, possibly pulling players away from other teams. With National Signing Day approaching at the beginning of February and early enrollment for the spring semester (and spring practice) less than a month away, expect to hear a bunch of recruiting news come out over the next few days and weeks. Commits: Elam, four-star DE Neiron Ball (Jackson, GA), four-star OT Ian Silberman (Fleming Island, FL), four-star ATH Travon Van (New Berlin, NY), four-star CB Jaylen Watkins (Cape Coral, FL), three-star QB Trey Burton (Venice, FL) – Recruits: five-star LB Jordan Hicks (West Chester, OH), four-star WR Chris Dunkley (Pahokee, FL), four-star WR Justin Hunter (Virginia Beach, VA), four-star OT Morgan Moses (Fork Union, VA), four-star C Brandon Linder (Fort Lauderdale, FL), three-star CB Robert Clark (West Palm Beach, FL).

2 » Though senior quarterback Tim Tebow came in fifth in Saturday’s 2009 Heisman Trophy ceremony, two of his teammates were awarded honors of their own. Juniors cornerback Joe Haden and center Maurkice Pouncey were both named to the 2009 Football Writers Association of America All-America Team. Both are seemingly racking up All-America honors this season, which bodes well for them considering they are (likely) heading into the 2010 NFL Draft.

Tags: All-American, Billy Gonzales, Brandon Linder, Charlie Strong, Chris Dunkley, Draft, FWAA, Heisman Trophy, Ian Silberman, Jaylen Watkins, Joe Haden, Jordan Hicks, Justin Hunter, Matt Elam, Maurkice Pouncey, Morgan Moses, National Signing Day, Neiron Ball, NFL, Robert Clark, Tim Tebow, Travon Van, Trey Burton

Four-star cornerback John Fulton (Manning, SC) will be taking a trip to the University of Florida for an official visit this Saturday when the Florida Gators take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. Fulton is currently favoring his hometown South Carolina Gamecocks and Alabama Crimson Tide. With Florida already having a plethora of cornerback commitments, he may just be doing his due diligence.

More football, basketball and volleyball recruiting news after the jump…
Continue Reading » Recruiting visits for Vandy, update on Knight

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Berkley Whaley, Brandon Knight, Connecticut Huskies, Ian Silberman, Jaylen Watkins, Jeff Luc, John Fulton, Joshua Shaw, Kansas Jayhawks, Kentucky Wildcats, LSU Tigers, Miami Hurricanes, Michael McFarland, Ohio State Buckeyes, South Carolina Gamecocks, Trey Burton, University of Florida, Vanderbilt Commodores, volleyball