Florida adds DE Alex McCalister for 2012

Just two days after hauling in a pair of top-notch football commitments, the Florida Gators added another Monday as three-star defensive end Alex McCalister (Clemmons, NC) pledged to wear the orange and blue next season.

The No. 26 player at his position nationally according to Rivals.com, McCalister at 6’7” and 212 lbs. is another project for Florida’s Buck linebacker position, a featured role in the defense of head coach Will Muschamp and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. ESPNU considers him a four-star player and the No. 32 player at his position.

Though McCalister has said that he is not concerned about the position he ultimately winds up playing in college, his versatility as a potential Buck or hand-down defensive end make him a player the Gators desperately need.

“It’s definetly a dream come true,” McCalister said Monday. “If you asked me two years ago, I wouldn’t have even made a decision about [playing] college football.”

Florida picked up a commitment from three-star DE Bryan Cox, Jr. (Fort Lauderdale, FL) on Saturday, but he sports a different body type at 6’3” and 240 lbs. Rivals lists Cox as the No. 37 player at his position, and he is also being considered for the Buck role.

McCalister chose UF over Georgia Tech and North Carolina citing the coaching staff and his comfort with the program as his two main reasons for picking the Gators.

“Gator Nation – I’m here. I’m a Gator now, so get ready,” he told Rivals. “We’re going to have a lot of fun and win a lot of games the next couple of years.”

He is the 20th member of Florida’s 2012 recruiting class and the eighth defensive front seven commitment to be added to the fold. McCalister is also the fourth player out of the state of North Carolina set to join UF in the class.