Florida Gators 2023 Recruits to Know: Running Back
With the 2023 recruiting cycle now officially underway, the Florida Gators are looking to make significant moves on the trail with a new coaching staff in place led by head coach Billy Napier.
Moving forward to the running back position, AllGators is taking a look at the early targets that have emerged on the Gators' board, as well as prospects that are worth keeping an eye on for an eventual offer.
Thus far, Florida hasn't handed out offers left and right to 2023 prospects, but they have made sure to keep in contact with various recruits and have extended offers to at least one running back in Jacksonville (Fla.) native Treyaun Webb.
The team is also obviously still in on top-rated Lehigh Acres (Fla.) RB Richard Young, one of the top backs in the country.
Along with both Webb and Young, Florida is looking to add plenty of depth to the RB position in 2023, so there will be quite a few prospects to keep an eye on moving forward.
Though the team has nine "offers" extended for this year's upcoming RB class dating back to the last regime, only Webb has been offered officially by this year's staff, and the program has visited Young on the trail. But, there are plenty of backs they'll likely be in on, extending offers in the future from both the state of Florida, Louisiana or perhaps all over the country.
For brevity purposes, we have included only backs from either Louisiana - Napier's old stomping grounds - or Florida, a hot spot for RB prospects throughout the 2023 recruiting cycle.
Treyaun Webb, Trinity Christian Academy (Fla.)
Webb is the most-recent offer that the Florida coaching staff has extended, and with good reason. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, he has the ideal height and weight for SEC competition and room to grow in the strength and speed department.
On tape, Webb shows some uncanny athleticism and movement ability, able to make defenders miss with his cuts while being physical enough to take on tackles in the hole. While he is not a blazer, he has plenty of speed and athleticism to outrun a defense.
Simply put, Webb is one of the more versatile backs in the recruiting class and if he works on his pass-catching ability, he would give programs even more reason to have him high up on their board.
Webb recently visited Florida for an unofficial on March 4, and also visited the program last season. He is a legacy recruit, related to former Florida cornerback Dee Webb, so the fit is obvious.
He currently has plans to visit North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee with hopes of coming back to Florida on another visit soon. He also will have official visits scheduled for South Carolina and Penn State.
A decision timetable for Webb as of right now is prior to his senior season, so he is one to watch moving forward and in the short term. Webb is currently graded as the sixth-best player at his position and 159th overall, according to 247Sports.
Richard Young, Lehigh Senior (Fla.)
Perhaps the most sought-after back in the deep south, Young looks to be a star in the making at the collegiate level. He's been one of the top running back recruits since he was a freshman at Lehigh Senior.
Young is currently rated as the No. 1 back in the nation and the sixth-best player in the state of Florida, according to 247Sports Composite. He currently has offers from Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma and many more - basically any program that thinks they could possibly have a shot at landing him.
He paid a visit to UF on July 31, 2021, and on Nov. 13 of that year, too. He likely will have more visits to the program during this year's cycle as the time deems it necessary. He recently stated he planned to visit Florida sometime in March, so keep an eye out for that.
Young, 5-foot-11, 200 pounds is one of the most physically imposing backs in this year's class due to his combination of size, strength and speed. He has the potential to be a game-changer for the Gators' offense.
On Jan. 20, Napier paid a visit to Young, and it's likely that won't be the only time he does so.
Samuel Singleton, Fleming Island (Fla.)
Though he doesn't currently have an offer extended, Singleton is another Florida running back that could see his stocks rise as the year moves forward. He currently has offers extended to him from Boston College, Cincinnati, Florida State, Iowa State, Kentucky and many more.
That list has only grown to include LSU, Miami, Michigan, among others. It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility that Florida could be coming after him, especially given his proximity to the school near Jacksonville (Fla).
At 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Singleton is a bit lighter, but he makes up for it with his blazing speed. A track-star athlete, Singelton is likely to get the attention of many recruiters across the country. He has the ability to outrun a defense with just one cut and makes people miss in the open field.
Last year, Singleton ran the football 148 times for 948 yards and nine touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. His production at the prep level shouldn't be understated, and perhaps he will receive an offer from Florida at some point during this year's cycle.
Kaleb Jackson, Liberty Magnet (La.)
Shifting gears a bit, Florida could look to go after a player from Napier's old stomping grounds in Louisiana. Though Jackson did not earn an offer from Napier at UL, he is one of the top recruits in the state. Coming from Baton Rouge (La.) there's no question that someone on Napier's staff is familiar with him, such as running backs coach Jabbar Juluke.
At 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, Jackson has enough size to play the position and has some speed, running track during his high school career as well. He recently received an offer from Alabama, likely seeing his stock rise as time moves forward to his senior season.
Last season, Jackson ran the football 138 times for 2,031 yards and a staggering 29 touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes for 394 yards and four touchdowns. He's a home-run hitter, and the Gators would do well by offering him even if he doesn't live within the state.
Jackson will certainly be one to keep an eye on moving forward through his recruitment.
Mark Fletcher, American Heritage (Fla.)
Heading back to the sunshine state, South Florida native, Fletcher, is another intriguing player within this year's class. He's currently graded out as the eighth-best running back in the country, and the 26th-best player in the state of Florida.
Currently, Fletcher does not have a known offer from Florida but has been recruited heavily by Miami, Alabama, Penn State and others. At 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, Fletcher is one of the bigger backs on this list and plays like it, able to push through a defense like Derrick Henry does in the NFL.
He isn't just big, though, he also has plenty of movement skills to make a player miss in the open field and is tough to bring down, making defenders pay when he doesn't make them miss. Though Florida might be a bit late in his recruitment, it would behoove them to at least circle back and see what they can do to land him.
Cedric Baxter Jr., Edgewater (Fla.)
Another Florida native, Baxter is graded out as the fourth-best RB in the country, while being listed as the 12th-best player in the state. Baxter does have an offer extended from the Gators, but it was done by the previous coaching staff.
It appears his offer could remain, though, because the RB visited Florida unofficially on Jan. 23.
Nevertheless, it's easy to see what the old coaching staff liked about the 6-foot-1, 215-pound back, who showed off plenty during his time in Orlando (Fla). Along with his ability as a back, he has punt-return ability that is sure to make coaches raise their eyebrows.
His explosive nature allows him to break from the line of scrimmage and then use his speed to outrun a defense. His ability to cut on a dime makes him even more intriguing because of the ways a team can use him out of the backfield in shotgun or from under center.
Florida will likely not want to let Baxter leave the state of Florida given his athletic ability, but they may not have a choice. He currently has offers from LSU, Clemson, Connecticut and USC, among others. Baxter attended USC's junior day on March 5.
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