When redshirt freshman Michael McFarland left UF on Friday, tight end depth became an issue for the Gators.
Florida will enter the 2011 season with just one true tight end (freshman A.C. Leonard) on the roster.
Jordan Reed, who played quarterback and tight end last season, and Gerald Christian, who played linebacker in spring and will be attempting to make the switch back to the offensive side of the ball, add only minimal depth.
Enter Kent Taylor, a 2012 Land O’ Lakes High prospect rated the No. 1 tight end in the country by Rivals.com.
He said UF’s depth issues would “absolutely” sway his college decision, and ”that it’s definitely a good thing.”
Taylor caught 35 passes for 571 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior at Land O’ Lakes. His versatility and ability to stretch the field vertically has garnered him over 30 offers.
While he said he will not form a top five until he visits Georgia, LSU and Alabama, the 6-foot-5, 220-pounder was clear about his feelings toward the Gators.
“I haven’t come out with my list of top schools yet, but I’m really high on Florida,” Taylor said. “Florida is one of my top schools. I will say that.”
Taylor will be at Friday Night Lights on July 22 and has been invited to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
If he decides to orally commit to the Gators, he would be UF’s second 2012 tight end commit along with fellow four-star Colin Thompson.
Local CB a Bull, but keeping options open: Attending school at nearby Gainesville High, Chris Bivins lives in the shadow of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
When he was a standout at Gators football camp in early June, it looked like he might be playing college ball a mere three-minute drive from the Hurricanes’ practice field.
“That definitely raised my stock with Florida,” he said. “They started talking to me a lot more.” But while his performance at the camp may have raised his stock, it has yet to garner the 5-foot-11, 166-pound three-star corner an official offer from the Gators.
So on June 25, Bivins became one of South Florida’s eight 2012 oral commits while attending the school’s one-day “SuperBull” camp. He picked USF over Arkansas, Illinois and Kentucky.
He said he chose the Bulls because of his love for Tampa and the close relationship he has with USF’s coaching staff. South Florida was the first school to offer him a scholarship.
While Bivins has seemingly made his decision, he said he still plans to take full advantage of his recruiting process.
“I’m a Bull right now,” the cornerback said. “But I’m not going to pass up any opportunities.”
Bivins plans to take all of his official visits, which currently includes Arkansas, North Carolina State, Kentucky and Iowa State.
As far as his hometown school, he said UF is definitely something he would consider if an offer comes, but that it’s an issue he’s “not going to get into” right now.
Bivins leaves today for Nike’s The Opening Showcase in Portland, Ore., where he’ll get a sample of the abundant cornerback crop that may be holding him back from getting a UF offer. “It’s stiff competition there right now,” he said of UF, which already has two cornerback oral commits. “If I get an offer, I get an offer. If I don’t, I don’t.”
Etc.: All signs seem to point toward Melbourne Holy Trinity four-star safety Marcus Maye making an announcement in the near future. According to Bivins, Maye “really likes Florida,” and may be leaning toward choosing the Gators. … Bivins and a number of recruits will be torn this year between participating in UF’s Friday Night Lights camp and ESPN Rise’s invitation-only Gridiron Kings 7-on-7 tournament, which runs from July 22-25.
Kent Taylor, the 2012 No. 1 rated tight end in the country by Rivals.com, hasn’t yet narrowed his list of 30 offers to a top five. But the Land O’ Lakes High standout said he is “really high on Florida.”
