Urban Meyer might not be coaching on the UF sideline when the Gators take the field to open the 2010 season, but he’s not letting his leave of absence hinder the football program’s recruiting efforts.
Instead, with national signing day less than a month away, Meyer and his staff are vigorously pursuing remaining undecided recruits. UF bolstered the nation’s best recruiting class (according to Rivals.com rankings) Saturday by landing three more sought-after prospects at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio.
The nation’s No. 1-rated defensive tackle, Sharrif Floyd, No. 2-ranked safety Matt Elam and No. 1 defensive end Ronald Powell joined the Gators’ list of recruits.
Floyd, from Philadelphia (Pa.) George Washington High, donned a Gators hat at halftime and announced his commitment to UF. The 6-foot-3, 310-pounder showcased his quickness by breaking into the backfield to make two sacks for the East team.
Floyd also considered Ohio State, North Carolina and South Carolina.
During the fourth quarter, Elam, from Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer High, recommitted to the Gators. In the wake of Meyer’s initial announcement to take a leave of absence in December, Elam backed out on his commitment to Florida in favor of rival FSU but switched back on Saturday.
“I’m a Gator for good,” Elam said in a postgame interview for ESPN.com. “I’m putting my trust in coach Meyer. I had a talk with him earlier this week, and I’m trusting that he will be back.”
Should Meyer return to his post, it won’t be the first time he has coached a member of the Elam family. Matt’s older brother, Cleveland Browns safety Abram Elam, played under Meyer at Notre Dame in 2000.
Elam’s high school and All-American teammate, Gerald Christian, caught a touchdown pass for the East squad. The No. 2 tight end in the country, Christian committed to UF in April.
Powell’s commitment created the greatest buzz as the game neared its culmination. The Rancho Verde (Calif.) High defensive end is the nation’s No. 5 overall prospect, and he garnered MVP honors for his role in the West’s 30-13 victory.
Making contributions on both sides of the ball, Powell demonstrated his physical prowess, and looked like the complete package.
In the first quarter, he lined up at tight end and reeled in a 23-yard touchdown between defenders in the end zone. He also brought the first half to a close with a sack and a forced fumble. In the second half, he returned a blocked extra point the length of the field for two points.
In choosing Florida over USC, Powell gives UF a playmaker at a position that will lose Jermaine Cunningham to graduation and may lose junior Carlos Dunlap to the NFL Draft.
The Gators will be looking for more commitments this weekend when they host Plano (Texas) West High defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat and West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West High linebacker Jordan Hicks. Jeffcoat and Hicks are evaluated as the country’s No. 6 and No. 12 overall prospects, respectively.
Verbal commitments are non-binding until a letter of intent is signed on or after national signing day, Feb. 3.
