Florida football recruiting rises in rankings after recent blue-chip commitment
Florida football got some good news on the recruiting front recently when 247Sports gave the Gators a 10-spot bump in their rankings for the 2023 class after four-star cornerback Sharif Denson committed to the program on Monday. While still sitting outside the top 25, UF moved up from No. 38 to No. 28 nationally in the prestigious publication’s rankings.
The boost comes on the heels of some disappointment for the Orange and Blue as highly-sought quarterback Jaden Rashada picked the Miami Hurricanes while four-star offensive lineman Roderick Kearney chose the Florida State Seminoles as their collegiate destinations.
The 5-foot-11.5-inch, 170-pound defensive back is a legacy at Florida through his parents, both of whom competed on the track team during their time at the university, which likely made a difference in his decision.
Denson is Florida’s ninth commitment in the class of 2023, the eighth of whom coming from within a 350-mile radius of campus — on par with Billy Napier’s desire to dominate the hotbeds of talent that reside nearby. Out of Gainesville, there is four-star defensive lineman Gavin Hill and three-star wide receiver Creed Whittemore, while four-star edge rusher Isaiah Nixon (St. Petersburg), four-star offensive lineman Knijeah Harris (Bradenton), three-star offensive lineman Bryce Lovett (Rockledge), three-star wide receiver Tyree Patterson (Eustis) and three-star offensive lineman Tommy Kinsler (Ocala) round out the rest of the eight.
Four-star athlete Aaron Gates is the ninth recruit, hailing from Sharpsburg, Georgia, and represents the only other projected defensive back in the class so far, though Florida is still going after top-ranked cornerback Cormani McClain.
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