ST. PETERSBURG — The Gators finally got some good news on the recruiting trail.
After losing two commitments in the wake of Urban Meyer’s resignation, Will Muschamp publically earned his first oral commitment as Florida’s head coach Wednesday night, even though he has privately known for a while.
Miami Monsignor Pace four-star safety Jabari Gorman, rated as the No. 10 safety in the class of 2011 by Rivals.com, announced on national television his commitment to Florida when he donned a Gators cap during the first quarter of the Under Armour All-America game.
“I just want to be part of a new program,” Gorman said. “I want to be something special to a new team.”
When Meyer stepped down as UF’s coach last month, the future of the Gators’ 2011 recruiting class was uncertain.
It lost commitments from its top two defensive recruits in Plantation High four-star outside linebacker Ryan Shazier (who will enroll at Ohio State this week) and Groveland South Lake High four-star cornerback Nick Waisome (who will enroll at FSU).
But less than a week after officially taking the reins at Florida, Muschamp appears to have the class back on track with the commitment of Gorman, who becomes the 16th member and eighth four-star prospect in the Gators’ class.
UF’s 2011 crop of recruits is ranked 15th in the country, according to Rivals.com
Gorman picked UF over Ohio State and Miami but said he’s known for a while that he would end up at Florida, as has Muschamp.
The safety said he knew he wanted to commit to Florida three months ago and spoke to Muschamp shortly after the former Texas defensive coordinator was named the Gators’ new coach when he went down to Miami to visit Gorman.
“I informed him after he got announced the coach,” Gorman said. “He knew I had something within me that wanted to be a Gator.”
Muschamp told the four-star safety that he has abilities that other players might not have, including great instincts — something that can’t be taught.
Because of those intangibles, Gorman hopes to compete for a starting position at Florida when he enrolls in the summer.
“I’m a player. I’m going to make plays,” Gorman said. “That’s the good thing about being a good athlete — there’s always a good opportunity to come in early and play.”
Beyond the opportunity to come in and compete for playing time as a freshman, Gorman said he liked Muschamp’s enthusiasm as well as Florida’s reputation for having a speedy defense.
When the teams were practicing at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports earlier this week, UF early enrollees Jeff Driskel, a four-star quarterback from Oviedo Hagerty High and the nation’s top-rated passer, and A.C. Leonard, a four-star tight end from Jacksonville University Christian High, said they were both recruiting Gorman to join them in Gainesville.
Leonard even tried to get Gorman to do a Gator chomp after practice on Monday.
But Gorman didn’t tip his hand to his future teammates.
“A lot of these guys, they kind of had a feeling,” he said. “But they didn’t know until [Wednesday].”
Oral commitments are non-binding until a national letter of intent is signed on or after National Signing Day on Feb. 2.
