Florida has Epic Day on Recruiting Trail Landing Three Flipping LSU QB Commit Feleipe Franks

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

The Florida Gators may have come up short against in-state rival Florida State on Saturday but came up big on the recruiting trail on Sunday landing three verbal commitments. One of the bigger “gets” for the Gators was flipping former LSU commitment, quarterback Feleipe Franks.

Franks may have been in the midst of a tough decision liking Florida as much if not more than LSU, but the scuttlebutt about Les Miles potential getting fired at the end of the season helped contribute to the Wakulla High School standout’s decision. The U.S. Army All-American Bowl invitee made three known unofficial visits to Baton Rouge over the spring and into the early summer but made a couple of trips to Gainesville in November leading many to believe a change in commitment was likely coming.

Franks is in the neighborhood of 20 scholarship offers getting attention first as a sophomore passing for 1,842 yards with 18 touchdowns but had a breakout season as a junior passing for 2,249 yards with 28 touchdowns while adding a duel-threat element to his game rushing for 425 yards with three more scores. Wakulla is 12-1 on the season and still alive in the Florida High School Playoffs after downing Suwannee 35-14. Franks has posted a senior stat line of 2,347 yards passing with 31 touchdowns against three interceptions with 179 yards rushing and four scores on the ground.

Cocoa High School offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor was another flip for the Gators pulling him away from the Miami Hurricanes. Taylor committed to Miami on Aug. 22 but started to show interest in Florida after Canes head coach Al Golden was fired. Taylor visited Florida on Nov. 21 received an offer on Nov. 25, decommitted from Miami on Saturday, and then hitched his wagon to the Gators on Sunday. Taylor, listed at 6’5”, 330 pounds, also has offers from Clemson, Florida State, Temple, Pitt, Ohio State, Vanderbilt, and Cincinnati and had an official visit set up with Auburn but has not received an offer from the Tigers.

Dre Massey was another nice commitment for Florida getting the speedy receiver/running back from Holmes Community College in Mississippi. Massey, a South Carolina native out of Mauldin High School, had 41 carries for 503 yards with touchdowns in 2014 along with five receptions for another 64 yards with an additional touchdown. Massey’s all-around numbers increased in 2015 rushing 59 times for 452 yards with three scores while pulling in 21 passes for 548 yards with six touchdowns.

Massey had reported offers from Auburn, East Carolina, Memphis, Middle Tennessee State, and Southern Miss taking official visits to Oklahoma, South Carolina, and visited Florida for the FSU game.

Last count, the Gators have 26 verbal commitments to their 2016 recruiting class with a heavier lean on offense. Twelve of the 26 commitments are slated to play on defense.

Florida Gators 2016 Verbal Commitment List (26)

CB Chauncey Gardner, 6’0”, 194 lbs, Cocoa HS, Cocoa, FL

CB Christopher McWilliams, 5’11”, 161 lbs, Southwest Miami HS, Miami, FL

CB Antonio Nelson, 6’2”, 175 lbs, Carver HS, Montgomery, AL

CB Aaron Robinson, 6’1”, 185 lbs, Deerfield Beach HS, Deerfield Beach, FL

SS Quincy Lenton, 6’0”, 190 lbs, Meridian HS, Meridian, MS

SS Jeawon Taylor, 6’2”, 192 lbs, Park Crossing HS, Montgomery, AL

LB Vosean Joseph, 6’2”, 210 lbs, Norland HS, Miami, FL

LB Jeremiah Moon, 6’4”, 205 lbs, Hoover HS, Birmingham, AL

DE JaQuan Bailey, 6’3.5”, 230 lbs, Raines HS, Jacksonville, FL

DE Antonneous Clayton, 6’3”, 220 lbs, Dooly County HS, Vienna, GA

DE Jachai Polite, 6’3”, 250 lbs, Mainland HS, Daytona Beach, FL

DE Eric Mitchell, 6’1”, 220 lbs, Miami Central HS, Miami, FL

OC Brett Heggie, 6’4.5”, Mt. Dora HS, Mount Dora, FL

OG Jawaan Taylor, 6’5”, 330 lbs, Cocoa HS, Cocoa, FL

OT Stone Forsythe, 6’7.5”, 325 lbs, West Orange HS, Winter Garden, FL

WR Joshua Hammond, 6’0”, 180 lbs, Hallandale HS, Hallandale, FL

WR Isaiah Johnson, 6’3”, 198 lbs, Dwyer HS, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

WR Dre Massey, 6’0”, 185 lbs, Holmes C.C., Goodman, MS

WR/DB Jayvaughn Myers, 6’1”, 175 lbs, Pasco HS, Dade City, FL

WR Freddie Swain, 6’1”, 174 lbs, North Marion HS, Citra, FL

WR Rick Wells, 6’0”, 185 lbs, Raines HS, Jacksonville, FL

RB McArthur Burnett, 6’1”, 180 lbs, Pahokee HS, Pahokee, FL

RB Lamical Perine, 5’11”, 210 lbs, Theodore HS, Theodore, AL

RB Mark Thompson, 6’2”, 230 lbs, Dodge City C.C., Dodge City, KS

QB Feleipe Franks, 6’5”, 220 lbs, Wakulla HS, Crawfordville, FL

QB Kyle Trask, 6’5.5”, 210 lbs, Manvel HS, Manvel, TX

 

Photo credit: tigernet.com; No. 1 Dre Massey playing QB for Mauldin High School.

Photo credit: twitter.com; Feleipe Franks wearing Florida Gators gear.