Gators recruiting: 4-star defensive lineman Caden Story includes Florida in his top 3

Billy Napier and his staff have less than two weeks before National Signing Day (Feb. 2) and there's still plenty of work to do.

Florida signed nine high school players during the early signing period, including landing five-star safety Kamari Wilson, four-star linebacker Shemar James and four-star cornerback Devin Moore.

The Gators also added a commitment from four-star running back Trevor Etienne, the younger brother of former Clemson star and current Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, during the All-American Bowl earlier this month. Defensive back Miguel Mitchell, the MVP of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in December, committed to Florida over Tennessee on Sunday.

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Florida officially hosted eight players last weekend and have six players scheduled to take official visits this weekend, including prep quarterback Max Brown.

Here are notes and updates on some the Gators targets heading into the final stretch before signing day.

Caden Story includes Gators in top 3

Caden Story, one of the top unsigned defensive linemen in the nation, is down to three: Auburn, Clemson and Florida. Story will sign at 10 a.m. on National Signing Day.

The 6-foot-3, 282-pound Story from Lannett (Alabama) is rated a four-star recruit and is the No. 27 defensive lineman and the No. 225 overall player in the nation on the on the 247Sports composite.

Story is scheduled to visit Florida next weekend. His older brother, Kristian, is a sophomore safety at Alabama.

Gators visit 3-star QB Max Brown

Napier, tight ends coach William Peagler and offensive analyst Ryan O’Hara visited Brown, a Central Michigan commit from Lincoln Christian School in Tulsa (Oklahoma), on Monday.

The 6-foot-3 dual-threat quarterback threw for 2,750 yards and 41 touchdowns with only four interceptions and rushed for 1,343 yards and 20 touchdowns in 14 games in 2021.

Brown will take an official visit to Florida this weekend. He is scheduled to take an official visit to Washington next weekend.

The Gators announced the transfer of former Ohio State quarterback Jack Miller in December, but do not have any prep quarterbacks in the 2022 class. Four-star quarterback Nick Evers decommitted after Dan Mullen was fired and replaced by Napier. Evers signed with Oklahoma during the early signing period.

Matt McCoy set for final weekend

Creekside three-star offensive tackle Matt McCoy is scheduled to visit on Jan. 28, the final weekend before National Signing Day. The 6-foot-6, 285-pound McCoy, whose older brother Luther is a freshman defensive lineman at Minnesota, was a late bloomer and didn’t have any offers until late September.

McCoy is scheduled to visit UCF this weekend and also has taken official visits to Miami, Maryland and Ole Miss.

McCoy posted a picture of himself with offensive coordinator Rob Sale and offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton on Monday.

Gators host intriguing pass catcher Arlis Boardingham

One of the visitors from this past weekend was Birmingham (California) four-star wide receiver/tight end Arlis Boardingham.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder caught 43 passes for 836 yards (19.4 yards per catch) and scored 20 total touchdowns in 13 games in 2021.

Boardingham is scheduled to take an official visit to Oregon this weekend. His other offers include Arizona State, Colorado, USC and Texas.

Napier forced to wait for Georgia’s Kirby Smart for Richard Young

Napier was one of several head coaches to stop by Lehigh High School on Thursday to see five-star 2023 running back Richard Young. Unfortunately for Napier, he had to wait for Georgia’s Kirby Smart to vacate the premises to get into the school.

Smart arrived in a helicopter and traffic — including Napier— had to be stopped in the vicinity because the school’s front lawn was declared a federal landing zone.

Alabama’s Nick Saban, Ohio State’s Ryan Day and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney also have been to see Young this week.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football recruiting: Gators' Billy Napier targets QB Max Brown