Another Florida signee fails to qualify as top-10 recruiting class weakens

By Michael Phillips
August 16, 2019
Another Florida signee fails to qualify as top-10 recruiting class weakens
Football

Image Credit: @UFGatorBand / Twitter

The No. 8 Florida Gators have taken another hit to their Class of 2019. Four-star wide receiver Arjei Henderson has been deemed academically ineligible to play this season and will not join the team this fall, according to The Athletic’s Will Sammon.

Henderson is the fifth true freshman who will not be on the roster for Florida this season, pushing the team’s Class of 2019 ranking from No. 9 to No. 17. It also limits the Gators to just 75 scholarship players, 74 who are healthy enough to play this season.

That is a number that teams often deal with when on NCAA probation.

Henderson is the third Gators commit from the Class of 2019 to be ruled academically ineligible. Four-star linebacker Diwun Black and four-star offensive guard Deyavie Hammond both had to go to junior college this fall.  Four-star cornerback Chris Steele and four-star quarterback Jalon Jones both left the program via transfer before the fall. That group includes four of Florida’s top nine signees overall.

“Until the papers come through, you’re always checking on things, but Arjei is a guy that we recruited early, had shown interest early, had committed elsewhere, but we would always stay in contact with,” head coach Dan Mullen said of Henderson after National Signing Day. 

“I think one of the things that he wanted, that helped, is him getting around some of our players at the All-Star Game and communicating and talking to those guys. He really came out and came out strong and said, ‘Coach, I really want to commit to Florida’. And I’m like, ‘OK,’ but having committed places, I kind of went through more of the why.”

The Gators are still waiting to hear whether four-star offensive tackle Wardrick Wilson will be eligible to enroll in 2019 as he is dealing with a visa issue that could prevent or delay his enrollment. 

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