JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It was a good day in the 904 for Billy Napier and the Gators.
Florida picked up two big commitments from the area on Thursday, flipping Nease quarterback Marcus Stokes from Penn State and adding a pledge from Trinity Christian running back Treyaun Webb. Along with last week’s commitment from Bartram Trail cornerback Sharif Denson, Napier has made serious inroads in a North Florida area that lagged behind when Dan Mullen and Jim McElwain were in Gainesville.
Stokes (6-2, 185) is a three-star prospect by On3, ESPN and Rivals, and a four-star by 247 Sports. Stokes passed for 2,672 yards, 22 TDs and 9 INTs as a junior, helping Nease rip off a stunning run to the Region 1-7A finals. It was the Panthers’ longest playoff run since 2007.
More recruiting
RECRUITING ‘23 | RB Sam Singleton rising for Fleming Island
RECRUITING ‘23 | Big day as Howard, Denson, Kearney pick schools
RECRUITING ‘23 | Columbia duo Jaden Robinson, Amare Ferrell ready for big senior season
RECRUITING ‘23 | Westside’s Jordan Hall brings spotlight to Wolverines
RECRUITING ‘23 | Bartram Trail DB Sharif Denson ready to focus on senior season
RECRUITING ‘23 | Middleburg QB Mike Mitchell commits to Utah
Webb was the next big domino to fall. He’d been previously committed to both Georgia and Oklahoma, breaking off the latter pledge after coach Lincoln Riley left for Southern Cal.
Should Webb’s commitment hold through signing day, he’d be the first pure running back from the area to sign with the Gators since Fletcher’s Ciatrick Fason in 2002. St. Augustine’s Brandon James signed with the Gators in 2006, although he was considered an athlete and largely played as a return man in college.
Webb (6-0, 188) rushed for 1,192 yards and 11 TDs in 10 games, the bulk of that coming during a sensational state playoff run. His cousin, Dee, was a star for White High before signing with Florida in 2003 and went on to become a star in the secondary for the Gators.
Top local recruits in the Class of 2023
The rankings are the On3 consensus rankings, a metric that combines grades from On3, ESPN, Rivals and 247 Sports.
No., Position, Player, High school, Ht., Wt., College
115. OL Roderick Kearney, Orange Park, 6-4, 290, Florida State
132. DL Jordan Hall, Westside, 6-4, 300, Uncommitted
163. RB Treyaun Webb, Trinity Christian, 6-0, 188, Florida
196. CB Sharif Denson, Bartram Trail, 5-11, 170, Florida
240. RB Sam Singleton, Fleming Island, 5-11, 180, Uncommitted
247. LB Grayson Howard, Jackson, 6-3, 223, South Carolina
377. LB Jaden Robinson, Columbia, 6-1, 212, South Carolina
479. S Kenton Kirkland, Raines, 6-1, 176, Uncommitted
535. QB Marcus Stokes, Nease, 6-2, 185, Florida
567. S Amare Ferrell, Columbia, 6-2, 192, Indiana
598. RB Mike Mitchell, Middleburg, 6-0, 200, Utah
677. TE Connor Cox, Bolles, 6-5, 225, South Carolina
752. WR Darion Domineck, Fleming Island, 6-4, 185, Uncommitted
781. OL Jamal Meriweather, Brunswick, 6-6, 261, UCF
811. OL Brendan Black, Bolles, 6-2, 266, Iowa State
834. WR Jeremiah Shack, Mandarin, 6-3, 191, Liberty
852. RB Manny Covey, Bradford, 5-11, 175, Cincinnati
866. DB Jarvis Lee, Clay, 5-11, 165, Virginia
897. LB Abram Wright, Fleming Island, 6-2, 220, Rutgers
974. DL Ka’Shawn Thomas, Brunswick, 6-3, 280, Wake Forest
1,208. OL Kyland Armstrong, Oakleaf, 603, 285, Wake Forest