TAMPA — Vernon Hargreaves III remains uninterested in national attention, regardless of how much his play warrants it.
Hargreaves, the top-ranked defensive back in the Class of 2013 and a consensus five-star prospect, is unlike many elite high school athletes. He has never relished the limelight, instead preferring to quietly handle his business.
For many players, National Signing Day is an opportunity to not only choose where they will attend college, but a chance to use their decision as leverage for time in the spotlight.
Hargreaves chose a different approach, signing with the Gators at Tampa Wharton High in front of a small group of friends, family and faculty a few minutes after 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
“Once you take all your official (visits), you know where you want to go,” Hargreaves said. “Recruits just like to play games and keep all the attention, but there is no need for that. I knew where I wanted to go.”
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound cornerback is the gem of coach Will Muschamp’s class.
Rivals rates Hargreaves the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect. He recorded 110 tackles, five interceptions and five forced fumbles during his senior season at Wharton.
He continued to impress after the season, notching five tackles, two pass breakups and an interception en route to being named MVP of the Under Armour All-America Game on January 4.
“Vernon is a great player,” Wharton coach David Mitchell said. “He’s stayed straight on his path. The things you see from him came from his parents.”
Vernon’s father, Vernon Hargreaves II, was named linebackers coach at Houston on Tuesday after working as the special teams coordinator and defensive ends coach at USF.
The elder Vernon has played an important role throughout his son’s recruitment process, which began when schools started contacting Hargreaves when he was in seventh grade.
“He never wavered one minute during the whole process,” Hargreaves II said. “Hopefully that single-mindedness will carry him through the rest of his career.”
Hargreaves verbally committed to Florida on July 26 and has been steadfast in his loyalty to Muschamp and his coaching staff.
Despite receiving more than 40 scholarship offers and countless inquiries about his interest in other programs, he never second-guessed his decision.
“If you can make a decision and go with it, now there is never going to be a question about what you are doing,” Hargreaves II said. “I’m glad that happened. We are excited for him and about him.”
Hargreaves, though talented, will have to compete for playing time next season.
Florida returns Marcus Roberson, Loucheiz Purifoy and Jaylen Watkins — the top three cornerbacks on the depth chart.
The Gators also have Cody Riggs, who missed the season due to a fracture in his right foot.
But Hargreaves gravitates toward competition rather than notoriety.
“I’m actually leaving in May because my school is going to let me graduate earlier than the original date, so I get to go up there for Summer A,” Hargreaves said. “I’m just going to try and fit in wherever I can.”
Contact Phillip Heilman at pheilman@alligator.org.
