Early National Signing Day: Florida Target Watch List and Signing Times

Here are the key signing decisions to keep an eye on for Florida during Early National Signing Day.

One of the biggest days in college football is here, as high school prospects across the nation are set with their college teams as a part of the Early National Signing Period.

The Florida Gators will certainly have themselves a busy signing period, with 15 commits scheduled to sign their letters of intent over the course of the next two days. And on top of those commitments making things officially official, the Gators are still doing work to get more guys into their 2020 signing class.

Here is the rundown on signing announcements to keep an eye on for the Gators. This list only includes targets who aren't committed to Florida.

Defensive tackle Timothy Smith, Sebastian River HS - Sebastian, FL

• 247Sports composite rankings: 4-star, No. 85 national prospect, No. 7 DT
• Signing time: 2:15 P.M. ET
• Committed to Alabama, will choose between the Crimson Tide and Florida

Adding Tim Smith to an already-impressive defensive line class would give the Gators one of the best looking long-term defensive lines in the SEC, assuming each player pans out.

A disruptive force up the middle, the 6-4, 320 lb. lineman could play both interior spots for Florida. However, Smith has the burst and bend necessary to dominate as a 3-technique with pass rushing capabilities, which should end up being his fit in defensive coordinator Todd Grantham's defense.

Smith would be Florida's third-highest rated signing (by 247Sports) in the class of 2020, behind outside linebacker (who is expected to be heavily utilized as an edge defender) Derek Wingo and defensive lineman Gervon Dexter. Paired with the likes of Antwuan Powell, Johnnie Brown, Jalen Lee, and Lamar Goods, defensive line coach David Turner and Co. could really have something cooking.

That is, of course, if Florida can successfully pull off this flip. Since committing to Alabama in July, Smith has visited Florida twice - including on an official visit this past weekend. Given Florida's momentum, Turner's recent success on the trail, and Gainesville being only three hours away from Sebastian, the Gators are absolutely in the race with Alabama for Smith's services. 

But keep in mind, Nick Saban is Nick Saban.

Defensive end Donell Harris, Gulliver Prep - Miami, FL

• 247Sports composite rankings: 4-star, No. 54 national prospect, No. 3 W-DE
• Signing time: 4 P.M. ET. Live stream here.
• Committed to Texas A&M, will choose between A&M and Florida

Everything said above about Tim Smith? The same applies to Harris, only he would play Florida's BUCK rush end role rather than along the interior.

Standing at 6-4, 220 lbs., Donell Harris is a long and springy edge prospect who fits the BUCK role well, as he will thrive out in space particularly as a standing rusher. His length is appealing and he bends well considering it, much like Gators freshman BUCK Khris Bogle. Harris plays with a ton of burst off of the line and has the athletic profile to polish some pass rush moves, adding to the spin move in his arsenal.

Originally a Miami commit, Harris shook things up this past summer when he reclassified from 2021 to 2020, transferred to Gulliver Prep, and decommitted from the Hurricanes. Now, despite his pledge to Texas A&M coming just last month, Florida is in the thick of a battle with the Aggies for the talented edge rusher.

Wide receiver Sam Brown, New Hampstead HS - Bloomingdale, GA

• 247Sports composite rankings: 3-star, No. 586 national prospect, No. 96 WR
• Signing time: 1:45 P.M. ET
• Recently decommitted from UCF, has offers from Florida, Georgia, Ole Miss

Florida seems to be out of the picture for wide receiver Xzavier Henderson (Columbus HS - Miami, FL, brother of Gators cornerback C.J.), so they're looking at other options to add to a receiver room that is losing four starters due to eligibility.

Sam Brown isn't as highly rated as Henderson or Florida commits Jaquavion Fraziars and Leonard Manuel - both four-star prospects - but he's a lengthy receiver at 6-2 who runs in the 4.4s. At the very least, Brown would be an intriguing project for wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales should he sign with the orange and blue.

Florida, Georgia, and Ole Miss offered Brown on the same day that he backed off of his pledge to Central Florida, so it's clear that he is a hot commodity despite his rating. Brown's decision will be important as the Gators look to add weapons on offense.

Running back E.J. Smith, Jesuit HS - Dallas, TX

• 247Sports composite rankings: 4-star, No. 144 national prospect, No. 3 APB
• Signing time: 11:00 A.M. ET on ESPN2
• Florida, Texas A&M, and Stanford are the favorites

Florida has been going after legacy target E.J. Smith, son of NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt, for quite some time now. Smith visited officially for the Auburn game in October. However, his recruitment has been hard to read and no one really has a clue as to where he will sign - perhaps not even himself.

The Gators could certainly use the running back help, as Florida held one of the worst rushing attacks in the SEC in 2019 and is losing its most productive back, Lamical Perine, to the NFL after the Orange Bowl.

Regardless, he has a decision to make between three very different schools at 11 A.M. today. Will he follow in his father's (successful) footsteps to Gainesville, stay home in Texas, or pursue a Stanford education? 

Defensive end Morven Joseph, Lake Gibson HS - Lakeland, FL

• 247Sports composite ranking: 4-star, No. 352 national prospect, No. 18 W-DE
• Signing time: 4 P.M. ET
• Recent Florida State decommit; Florida, Tennessee, and FSU are Joseph's final choices

Morven Joseph has been all over the place in his recruitment, previously decommitting from Florida and Florida State, yet both are in his top three schools along with Tennessee. Joseph took an official visit to all three schools within the past month.

At this point, the only person who really knows where Morven Joseph is going is Morven Joseph, but he's recently dedicated a lot more time to FSU than Florida, and Tennessee is making a late push here. Considering Florida has commitments from edge rushers Derek Wingo and Antwaun Powell, a class without Joseph is just fine.

Outside linebacker Phillip Webb, Lanier HS - Buford, GA

• 247Sports composite ranking: 4-star, No. 42 national prospect, No. 4 OLB
• Signing time: Noon ET
• Florida, Alabama, and LSU are Webb's top three schools

Another BUCK target, Grantham has kept Florida in the race for Phillip Webb just long enough to be named to his top three schools, which the 6-4, 224 lb. unveiled on Tuesday.

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Edit: @Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/fS0dBs9enU

— Phillip Webb🕸 (@_PhillipWebb_) December 17, 2019

Landing either one of Webb or Harris would be terrific for the Gators' pass rush, but at this point, Harris feels like the more likely candidate. Webb took an official visit to Florida in late November, but he's been to Alabama three times since June and took an early official to LSU in the summer. Florida is a dark-horse in this one.