With signing day looming, a look at recruiting classes for Florida State, Florida, UCF

The Florida State Seminoles and Florida Gators had wildly different 2023 seasons. The Seminoles are a perfect 13-0 but were kept out of the College Football Playoffs, instead finding themselves in the Orange Bowl. The Gators went 5-7 in Year 2 under coach Billy Napier.

But one thing the in-state rivals have in common: They both enter signing day with top-five recruiting classes. The Seminoles’ class is ranked third in the country according to the 247Sports composite ranking, while the Gators are not too far behind in fifth.

The UCF Knights, meanwhile, have a top-30 class of their own following their first season in the Big 12.

Here’s a quick primer on where things stand for the non-Miami Hurricanes Power 5 schools in the state of Florida heading into signing day.

Florida State Seminoles

The Seminoles are on the verge of having their highest-ranked recruiting class since 2016 — assuming they can hold on to all of their top committed prospects.

Among the big ones with a local tie: Four-star Miami Central defensive lineman Armondo Blount, who originally committed to Miami in September before flipping to FSU in late October. Blount took an official visit to UM last weekend.

Beyond Blount, the Seminoles’ 23-player class as it stood Monday includes four players from South Florida: Blount, four-star Miami Norland running back Jamari Howard, four-star Miami Central wide receiver Lawayne McCoy and four-star Miami Booker T. Washington defensive lineman Jamorie Flagg. Five-star safety KJ Bolden from Buford, Georgia, headlines FSU’s nearly two-dozen commits.

FSU 2024 football commitments

QB: Luke Kromenhoek, Savannah (Georgia) Benedictine Military School; RB: Kameron Davis, Albany (Georgia) Dougherty; RB: Michai Danzy, Tallahassee FSU School; WR: Lawayne McCoy, Miami Central; WR: Elijah Moore, Olney (Maryland) Good Counsel; WR: BJ Gibson, Rochelle (Georgia) Wilcox County; WR: Camdon Frier, Lake City Columbia; TE: Landen Thomas, Moultrie (Georgia) Colquitt County; OT: Manasse Itete, Modesto (California) Central Catholic; OT: Jonathan Daniels, Pensacola Pine Forest; OT: Tye Hylton, Oviedo; OT: Jayden Todd, Dublin (Georgia) West Laurens; DL: DD Holmes, Washington (DC) Gonzaga; DL: Jamorie Flagg, Miami Booker T. Washington; Edge: Armondo Blount, Miami Central; LB: Jayden Parrish, Delray Beach Atlantic; LB: Timir Hickman-Collins, Fort Mill (South Carolina) Indian Land; CB: Charles Lester III, Venice; CB: Jamari Howard, Miami Norland; CB: Ricky Knight III, West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman; S: KJ Bolden, Buford (Georgia); ATH: Cai Bates, Orlando Edgewater; K: Jake Weinberg, Delray Beach American Heritage

Florida Gators

The Gators don’t have any players from South Florida among their 20 commitments, but the group does have four of the top-50 high school recruits this cycle in five-star defensive lineman LJ McCray, five-star quarterback DJ Lagway, five-star cornerback Xavier Filsaime and four-star defensive lineman Amaris Williams.

UF is banking on a top recruiting class beefing up its roster after a pair of lackluster seasons to begin Napier’s tenure, going 5-7 in 2023 after a 6-7 finish in 2022.

UF 2024 football commitments

QB: DJ Lagway, Willis (Texas); RB: Kahnen Daniels, West Point (Mississippi); WR: Jerrae Hawkins, Bradenton IMG Academy; WR: Tawaski Abrams, Fort Myers Dunbar; WR: Izaiah Williams, Tampa Carrollwood Day; TE: Amir Jackson, Portal (Georgia); OT: Fletcher Westphal, Leesburg (Virginia) Tuscarora; OT: Mike Williams, Upper Marlboro (Maryland) Charles Herbert Flowers; OT: Marcus Mascoll, Snellville (Georgia) South Gwinnett; IOL: Noel Portnjagin, Germany; DL: LJ McCray, Daytona Beach Mainland; DL: Amaris Williams, Clinton (North Carolina); DL: Brien Taylor, Brenham (Texas) Blinn College; DL: Michai Boireau, Fairburn (Georgia) Creekside; LB: Myles Graham, Gainesville Buchholz; LB: Aaron Chiles, Olney (Maryland) Our Lady Good Counsel; LB: Adarius Hayes, Largo; CB: Xavier Filsaime, McKinney (Texas); CB: Teddy Foster, Sarasota Cardinal Mooney; S: Josiah Davis, Nashville (Georgia) Berrien;

UCF Knights

Among UCF’s 19 oral commitments is one player from South Florida: Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas running back Stacy Gage, who committed to the Knights in June.

Elsewhere, the Knights have four four-star prospects in their class: Texas running back Frankie Arthur, Melbourne Central Catholic wide receiver Ric’Darious Farmer, and wide receiver Kylan Fox and Waltclaire Flynn Jr., who were teammates at Loganville (Georgia) Grayson High.

UCF 2024 football commitments

QB: Riley Trujillo, Jacksonville Bartram Trail; QB: EJ Colson, Ellenwood (Georgia) Cedar Grove; RB: Frankie Arthur, Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge; RB: Stacy Gage, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas; WR: Ric’Darious Farmer, Melbourne Central Catholic; WR: Kylan Fox, Loganville (Georgia) Grayson; WR: Bredell Richardson, Tampa Carrollwood Day; WR: Kason Stokes, Seffner Armwood; WR: Jordyn Bridgewater, Winter Garden West Orange; OT: Chase Malamala, North Palm Beach Benjamin School; IOL: Waltclaire Flynn Jr., Loganville (Georgia) Grayson; DL: Marcus Downs, Greer (South Carolina) Riverside; LB: Qua Birdsong, Lagrange (Georgia) Troup County; LB: Derrick McCormick, Rockledge; CB: Jaylen Heyward, Rockledge; CB: Chasen Johnson, Sanford Seminole; S: Jakob Gude, Fairburn (Georgia) Langston Hughes; S: Christian Peterson, Atlanta Westlake; S: Jashad Presley, Orlando Dr. Phillips