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

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