Florida football recruiting class 2023: Meet UF’s early signees

Florida football will look to finish off a potential top 10 national 2024 recruiting class on National Signing Day on Wednesday.

The Florida Gators, coming off a 5-7 season, need help in a number of position groups. UF wasn't shy in playing freshmen in 2023, as 12 of its 20 true freshmen appeared in at least 10 games last season. Four of those – wide receiver Eugene Wilson III, safety Jordan Castell, defensive lineman Kelby Collins and defensive lineman T.J. Searcy – earned All-SEC freshman honors.

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Third-year Florida coach Billy Napier is selling playing time, along with the chance to help rebuild a UF program that hasn't won an SEC title since 2008. The Gators, 11-14 in two seasons under Napier, failed to make a bowl game in 2023 and ended the season on a five-game losing streak.

Florida has secured commitments from 19 high school and JUCO players for the early signing period. Per 247Sports composite, UF entered the week with the No. 5 signing class in the country but fell five spots after losing five-star safety Xavier Filsaime to Texas. UF currently sits with the 10th-best class nationally and could move up and down depending on any potential surprises on Wednesday.

Here's a look at the players who signed:

LB Myles Graham

Hometown / School:. Gainesville; Buchholz HS

Vitals: 6-1, 212 pounds

247Sports Composite: four stars; national ranking: No. 81; position ranking: No. 7

The skinny: The son of former Gator great Earnest Graham, Myles Graham racked up 242 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks and one interception in his first four varsity seasons and helped lead Buchholz to the Class 4S state semifinals this past season with 82 tackles and 9.3 yards per carry at running back.

DL Brien Taylor Jr.

Hometown /School:. Brenham, Texas; Blinn College

Vitals: 6-6, 270 pounds

247Sports Composite: three stars (JUCO); national ranking: 20; position ranking: No. 8

The skinny: One of the top JUCO defensive linemen in the country who posted 39 tackles, two sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble in 13 appearances with Blinn College.

TE Amir Jackson

Hometown /School:. Portal, Ga.; Portal HS

Vitals: 6-4, 223 pounds

247Sports Composite: four stars; national ranking: No. 139; position ranking: No. 9

The skinny: Athletic pass-catching tight end who finished with 44 catches for 727 yards and 12 TDs this past season. Also starred in basketball at Portal, averaging 13.6 points and 10.9 rebounds in 88 games.

OL Noel Portnjagin

Hometown /School:. Schwäbisch Hall, Germany; Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns

Vitals: 6-5, 334 pounds

247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: n/a; position ranking: No. 79

The skinny: Played tackle for the Swabisch Hall Unicorns in the German football league but projects as a guard at the college level.

WR Jerrae Hawkins

Hometown /School:. Bradenton; IMG Academy Bradenton

Vitals: 5-9, 165 pounds

247Sports Composite: four stars; national ranking: No. 229; position ranking: No. 36

The skinny: Blazing receiver who averaged 18.6 yards per catch at IMG Academy in 2023. Once clocked at 4.25 in 40 and ran a 10.37 in the 100 meters.

S Josiah Davis

Hometown /School:. Nashville, Ga.; Berrien HS

Vitals: 6-0, 172 pounds

247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: n/a; position ranking: No. 40

The skinny: A solid defensive back, Davis has posted 159 tackles, one sack, five tackles for loss, two interceptions and seven pass breakups over three varsity seasons at Berrien.

LB Aaron Chiles

Hometown /School:. Olney, Md.; Our Lady Good Counsel HS

Vitals: 6-3, 220 pounds

247Sports Composite: four stars; national ranking: No. 138; position ranking: No. 13

The skinny: Playmaking linebacker who had 74 tackles, 10 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries during standout junior season in 2022. Chose Florida over offers from Michigan, Boston College, Alabama and Clemson.

OT Fletcher Westphal

Hometown / School:. Leesburg, Va.; Tuscarora HS

Vitals: 6-8, 335 pounds

247Sports Composite: four stars; national ranking: No. 124; position ranking: No. 10

The skinny: Athletic tackle with high upside who chose Florida over offers from Clemson, Georgia, Auburn and Arkansas.

CB Teddy Foster

Hometown /School:. Sarasota; Cardinal Mooney HS

Vitals: 6-2, 170 pounds

247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: n/a; position ranking: No. 60

The skinny: Solid cover corner who finished with three interceptions and 17 pass breakups over two seasons in Cardinal Mooney’s secondary.

WR Tawaski Abrams

Hometown /School:. Fort Myers; Dunbar HS

Vitals: 5-11, 175 pounds

247Sports Composite: four stars; national ranking: n/a; position ranking: No. 39

The skinny: Shifty slot receiver who averaged 11.6 yards per touch as a junior at Dunbar High with 677 total yards of offense. Clocked as high as a wind-aided 10.62 seconds in the 100 meters.

RB Kahnen Daniels

Hometown /School:. West Point, Miss.; West Point HS

Vitals: 5-11, 190 pounds

247Sports Composite: four stars; national ranking: No. 187; position ranking: No. 13

The skinny: Versatile offensive player who also saw snaps at quarterback and wide receiver in high school. Rushed for 2,484 yards on 260 carries with 26 TDs in his senior year at West Point.

OT Marcus Mascoll

Hometown /School: Snellville, Ga.; South Gwinnett HS

Vitals: 6-4, 292 pounds

247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: n/a; position ranking: No. 79

The skinny: First-team 7A All-Region and All-County selection who was named first-team, all-state in 2023 by Georgia High School Football Daily.

OT Mike Williams

Hometown /School:. Upper Marlboro, Md.; Charles Herbert Flowers HS

Vitals: 6-7, 310 pounds

247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: n/a; position ranking: No. 3

The skinny: A two-time all-state and all-county selection, Williams chose Florida over offers from Miami, Tennessee, South Carolina and USC.

DL Michael Boireau

Hometown /School: Fairburn, Ga.; Creekside HS

Vitals: 6-5, 390 pounds

247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: n/a; position ranking: No. 110

The skinny: Totaled 86 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 5 sacks and 5 quarterback hurries as an interior defensive lineman at Creekside.

RB Jadan Baugh

Hometown /School:. Decatur, Ga.; Columbia HS

Vitals: 6-0, 214 pounds

247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: n/a; position ranking: No. 32

The skinny: Versatile running back who rushed for 1,538 yards and added 531 yards receiving during his senior year at Columbia HS.

S Gregory Smith III

Hometown /School: Riverview.; Sumner HS

Vitals: 6-4, 200 pounds

247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: n/a; position ranking: No. 67

The skinny: Smith was Sumner High’s starting quarterback as a senior, but also saw reps in the secondary, where he had 29 tackles, 1 interception and 4 pass breakups.

QB D.J. Lagway

Hometown / School: Willis, Texas; Willis HS

Vitals: 6-2, 225 pounds

247Sports Composite: five stars; national ranking: No. 4; position ranking: No. 2

The Skinny: MaxPreps National player of the year, Willis passed for 4,631 yards and 58 TDs while rushing for 975 yards and 15 more rushing TDs.

DL LJ McCray

Hometown / School: Daytona Beach; Mainland HS

Vitals: 6-6, 260 pounds

247Sports Composite: five stars; national ranking: No. 6; position ranking: No. 2

The skinny: A first-team, MxPreps All-American, McCray finished his high school career at Mainland with 133 tackles, 18 sacks and 62 tackles for loss.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Updates for Florida Gators football 2024 recruiting class signees