Tracking Florida’s class of 2024 early signing period additions

The early signing period for the class of 2024 kicked off on Wednesday and Gator Nation prepped itself for a big day.

Nineteen players who have pledged are set to sign their national letters of intent to the University of Florida, although a few surprises could be in store. Flips going both ways are expected, but Florida appears primed to sign a top-10 class when all is said and done.

The signing period lasts until Friday. Most of the nation’s top players will be locked in by the end of the day, but there is another signing period in February.

Here’s a look at which class of 2024 players signed with Florida during the early signing period.

SIGNED: 4-star LB Myles Graham — F. W. Buchholz (Gainesville, Florida)

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 61 overall, No. 5 LB)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 51 overall, No. 5 LB)

Legacy commit and four-star linebacker Myles Graham was the first Gator to sign, which is only fitting considering he was the first player to commit to Billy Napier from the class.

The son of former Florida running back Earnest Graham, Myles is already familiar with the Gainesville area after playing at nearby Buchholz High School. He’s a consensus four-star linebacker who earned a fifth star from Rivals.

SIGNED: 4-star TE Amir Jackson — Portal (Georgia)

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 89 overall, No. 8 TE)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 87 overall, No. 8 TE)

Portal tight end Amir Jackson was the second recruit to sign with Florida during the early period. Billy Napier loves his tight ends, and Jackson gives the Gators a clear pass-catching option beyond Keon Zipperer and Arlis Boardingham in 2023.

Jackson should make more of an impact in Year 2. He’s signing early but is expected to enroll during the summer. As a senior, Jackson reeled in 44 catches for 727 yards and 12 touchdowns.

JUCO SIGNING: DL Brien Taylor — Blinn College (Texas)

Junior college standout Brien Taylor committed to Florida over Auburn, Georgia and Miami despite the Gators not having a defensive line coach. He’s considered the third-best edge rusher from the JUCO level by On3. He finished 2023 with 39 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss.

At 6 feet, 6 inches and 270 pounds, Taylor has the size to succeed in the SEC. He expects to step into a leadership role quickly.

SIGNED: 3-star OL Noel Portnjagin — Schwäbisch Hall, Germany

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐ (No. 1,082 overall, No. 67 OT)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐ (No. 1,015 overall, No. 78 IOL)

Next up is international high school recruit Noel Portnjagin, who committed to Florida over Auburn and South Carolina in June.

His three-star status and 1,000-plus overall ranking might seem low, but it is likely due to his international status. When Billy Napier got to Florida, he talked about trusting his staff’s evaluations more than the star ratings.

Portnjagin is the perfect case study. If he ends up being a productive member of the line at any point, it’s a win for Napier and Co.

SIGNED: 4-star WR Jerrae Hawkins — IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida via Wheeling, West Virginia)

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 247 overall, No. 45 WR)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 267 overall, No. 44 WR)

Another IMG Academy alumnus is headed to The Swamp. Four-star wide receiver Jerrae Hawkins signed his national letter of intent just after 8 a.m. ET on Wednesday.

Hawkins possesses elite speed, earning him several podium finishes in track and field. He could also run for the Gators track team at some point. Hawkins picked Florida over Penn State after an official visit to UF in June. He remained loyal and is an expected early enrollee.

TRANSFER: OL Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson — San Diego State University

San Diego State transfer offensive tackle Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson made it official with Florida on Wednesday. Crenshaw-Dickson, a veteran presence on the Aztecs offensive line, fits the mold Billy Napier has stuck with in the portal over three years at Florida.

O’Cyrus Torrence ended up being one of the best linemen in the program’s recent memory, if not ever, but Damieon George and Micah Mazzccua didn’t see quite as much success. Let’s see which way this one goes.

SIGNED: 3-star S Josiah Davis — Berrien (Nashville, Georgia)

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐ (No. 455 overall, No. 42 S)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐ (No. 526 overall, No. 53 S)

The first defensive back to sign with Florida during the cycle is Peach State product Josiah Davis, who committed in March.

Davis has versatility but will stick to safety in Gainesville. His time spent playing quarterback should help him in the long run, though. A strong tackler and physical body in the secondary, Davis could find early playing time.

SIGNED: 4-star LB Aaron Chiles — Our Lady Good Counsel (Olney, Maryland)

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 122 overall, No. 9 LB)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 92 overall, No. 8 LB)

Aaron Chiles is the second high-profile linebacker to officially join the Florida Gators this cycle. He’s described as the prototypical linebacker by his high school coach because of his combination of size and speed.

A leader at the prep level, he could easily be next up in a line of strong Florida linebackers to lead the team. He will not enroll early at Florida, but signing the national letter of intent is a big step. Look for him to find playing time as a true freshman.

SIGNED: 4-star OT Fletcher Westphal — Tuscarora (Leesburg, Virginia)

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 177 overall, No. 14 OT)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 206 overall, No. 18 OT)

Florida’s offensive line struggled in 2023, which makes Fletcher Westphal one of the more important additions in the cycle. Westphal has been locked in with Florida since his July commitment. His parents even moved to the state to be closer for his college experience.

There are NFL expectations here, so look for Westphal to enter the rotation early.

SIGNED: 3-star CB Teddy Foster — Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota, Florida)

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐ (No. 660 overall, No. 64 CB)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐ (No. 811 overall, No. 63 CB)

Teddy Foster committed to Florida on his birthday and made it official on Wednesday. He stuck with UF through defensive backs coach Corey Raymond’s firing, stating it was more than just one coach that led him to his decision.

Foster is Florida’s only cornerback commitment in the class, but the Gators earned a commitment from Oregon transfer Trikweze Bridges through the transfer portal.

TRANSFER: DT Joey Slackman — Penn

After losing commitments from several defensive linemen, Billy Napier and Co. took to the transfer portal to reload the line.

Enter Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year Joey Slackman, who committed over the weekend and signed Wednesday morning. Napier is counting on Slackman to not only play consistently but help lead his position room, too.

SIGNED: 4-star WR Tawaski 'TJ' Abrams — Dunbar (Fort Myers, Florida)

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 343 overall, No. 58 WR)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 332 overall, No. 55 WR)

Tawaski “TJ” Abrams flipped from Florida State in July and sent in his letter of intent just before 11 a.m on Wednesday. Abrams’ best tool is his speed, which is what attracted Florida in the first place. He also was a fan of Florida’s willingness to use freshmen.

If Abrams can utilize his time as an early enrollee well, he could break into the rotation. Abrams finished his senior year with 34 catches for 448 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.

SIGNED: 4-star RB Kahnen Daniels — West Point, Mississippi

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 228 overall, No. 17 RB)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 253 overall, No. 19 RB)

Kahnen Daniels rushed for more than 2,700 yards as a senior, so it is easy to see why Florida coaches wanted him so badly. Eager to prove he’s better than his ranking, Daniels has a chance to join what’s been a steady and productive backfield at Florida for two seasons under Billy Napier.

With Trevor Etienne in the transfer portal and Montrell Johnson Jr. draft-eligible, Florida’s future lies in the hands of Treyaun Webb and perhaps Daniels.

SIGNED: 3-star OT Marcus Mascoll — South Gwinnett (Atlanta, Georgia)

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐ (No. 437 overall, No. 26 OT)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐ (No. 474 overall, No. 37 OT)

Marcus Mascoll joins fellow signees Fletcher Westphal and Noel Portnjagin as the third high school lineman to sign with Florida during the early signing period. The Gators also added Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson through the transfer portal.

Mascoll will not be shoehorned into a role on the edges. He has the versatility to play on the inside of the line, so Florida will use him wherever it needs to. Mascoll could take a few years to develop before seeing consistent playing time, though.

SIGNED: 3-star OT Mike Williams — Charles Herbert Flowers (Baltimore, Maryland)

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐ (No. 1,320 overall, No. 93 OT)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐ (No. 1,265 overall, No. 99 OT)

Mike Williams joined the offensive line stable in Gainesville next, signing around noon. Williams picked South Carolina at first but backed off that commitment quickly. Florida brought in him for an official visit and the rest is history.

At 6 feet, 7 inches and 130 pounds, Williams has the size to dominate in the SEC, but he needs to refine his technique. Enrolling early will allow him to get a head start on that.

TRANSFER: CB Trikweze Bridges — Oregon

Former Oregon cornerback Trikweze Bridge made his transfer to Florida official on Wednesday, providing the Gators with some much-needed depth at the position. UF only added one high school cornerback in the cycle and the secondary struggled in 2023.

FLIPPED: 4-star RB Jadan Baugh — Columbia (Decatur, Georgia)

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 357 overall, No. 26 RB)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 381 overall, No. 17 ATH)

Jadan Baugh backed off his Arkansas commitment days ago and now he is a Florida Gator. He and Daniels will need to fill the void left by Etienne in the running backs room.

Baugh is an interesting addition to the offense. He’s versatile enough to use out of the backfield and lined up as a receiver, but he should work mainly as a tailback. Still, Florida dumps it off to the running back a lot, so it’s good to have someone with sure hands back there.

SIGNED: 3-star DL Michai Boireau — Creekside (Fariburn, Georgia)

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐ (No. 753 overall, No. 70 DL)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐ (No. 735 overall, No. 86 DL)

Michai Boireau is the first high school defensive lineman of the day to sign — Brien Taylor is a JUCO transfer and Joey Slackman is a portal addition.

Boireau has a massive 6-foot-5, 350-pound frame and knows how to get in the way, which is exactly what you want from a running back. Getting him conditioned for SEC play will be key, but there’s a clear path for Boireau to succeed in Gainesville.

SIGNED: 3-star S Gregory Smith — Sumner (Riverview, Florida)

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐ (No. 489 overall, No. 47 S)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐ (No. 545 overall, No. 35 ATH)

Gregory Smith is the definition of an athlete, playing football and basketball and competing in track and field during high school. Smith looked like a Florida lean for a while, but holding out had some thinking he could end up elsewhere. Ultimately, he signed with Florida.

The Gators see him as a safety, but Smith spent plenty of time as a quarterback in high school. That should help him understand the game at higher level than his peers.

TRANSFER: WR Chimere Dike — Wisconsin

Chimere Dike caught 47 passes for 689 yards and six touchdowns from Graham Mertz in 2022, and he’ll get a chance to top those numbers.

Dike completed his transfer to Florida on Wednesday, giving the Gators another weapon in a wide receivers room that is losing Ricky Pearsall and Caleb Douglas among others.

SIGNED: 5-star QB DJ Lagway — Willis, Texas

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 10 overall, No. 2 QB)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 10 overall, No. 3 QB)

Securing DJ Lagway was the biggest item on Florida’s list Wednesday, and now it is official. Lagway is the future of Florida football. He put together one of the best individual seasons in Texas high school football history, leading the Willis Wildkats to its first undefeated regular season.

Lagway should see time on the field as a true freshman, but don’t be surprised to see him only play in four games and retain a redshirt. Once Mertz hits the 2025 draft, it’s all Lagway in Gainesville.

SIGNED: 5-star DL LJ McCray — Daytona Beach, Florida

On3 Industry Ranking:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 23 overall, No. 4 DL)

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No. 35 overall, No. 8 DL)

There’s a real chance for McCray to make an immediate impact in Gainesville. He can afford to put on more weight at 6 feet, 6 inches and 260 pounds, which will make him bigger than most SEC offensive linemen. The ceiling is high here, but Florida needs to have the right coach develop him into the best pass rusher he can be.

Florida still needs to hire a defensive coordinator, but the job should be easy to fill with McCray in tow.

Read more

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Florida football signs 4-star Peach State tight end, first since 2022

Gators officially add blue-chip offensive tackle to 2024 recruiting class

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Story originally appeared on Gators Wire