Chomp: Florida reportedly in the mix for Arch Manning 👀

This story first appeared in Chomp, our Gators football newsletter. Subscribe here.

I hope you all enjoyed the Super Bowl because it’s going to be a while before we see a true football game...

And congratulations to former Gators Van Jefferson and Brandon Powell, who are Super Bowl champs.

🍼 Oh, baby!

The Super Bowl wasn’t even the best part of Jefferson’s weekend.

He welcome a newborn son just hours after the Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20.

The Associated Press reports Jefferson’s wife, Samaria, attended the Super Bowl but left on a stretcher during the game after going into labor. She had already told the Rams not to tell her husband if their second child decided to arrive during the game.

After the game, Jefferson rushed to the hospital to join her. He later shared a photo of himself holding his son — which can be seen here.

Jefferson had four catches for 23 yards on Sunday, while his teammate, Powell, returned four punts for 25 yards and one kickoff for 17 yards.

🎯 Top targets in class of 2023

The 2023 class is the ever so important bump class for Billy Napier, and there is plenty of in-state talent for Florida to fill the class.

Gators Breakdown host David Waters is joined by Will Miles, with Read and Reaction, in the latest episode of Gators Breakdown to break down the top targets at each position.

Out of state resides the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2023, according to the 247Sports Composite, Arch Manning.

I’m sure he needs no introduction for our readers. He’s the coveted quarterback prospect who’s the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning.

Now, 247 Sports’ Steve Wiltfong reports two more programs are in the mix for the five-star player: LSU and Florida. Wiltfong writes “it’s a good bet” that those two schools — along with Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss and Texas — will get him on campus in the spring or summer.

As a junior at Isidore Newman in New Orleans, Arch threw for 1,947 yards and 26 touchdowns to four interceptions, along with seven rushing touchdowns.

🏀 Gators men’s hoops falls twice

For most of the season, the Florida men’s basketball team has been on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament, and the Gators’ last two losses certainly won’t help the matter.

Playing on the road at Rupp Arena was always going to be a tall task, and the Gators lost 78-57 to Kentucky last weekend, snapping their four-game win streak.

Instead of redeeming that loss with a win Tuesday night in College Station, Florida was defeated 56-55 by Texas A&M.

The next game won’t get any easier for the Gators. They host No. 2 Auburn at 2 p.m. Saturday.

✉️ Send us your Gators thoughts & questions

David and I want to hear from you. Do you have any thoughts or questions about the Gators football program? Agree or disagree with something we’ve said? Let us know here, and we’ll share our responses to your questions.

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