Florida Gators Adidas All-American Bowl Preview
As the 2022 recruiting cycle approaches its end with National Signing Day exactly one month away from the day this story was published, the top prospects in the class are taking the field for one final time as high schoolers to compete alongside the best of the best before heading to college.
This week, over 100 recruits are gathered in San Antonio, Texas, to participate in the annual Adidas All-American Bowl. Several of those players have ties to the Florida Gators, two of which signed with UF during the early signing period and, at least, another four continue to be recruited by Florida as they have yet to sign a letter of intent.
You can get to know each of those recruits below. AllGators and Sports Illustrated All-American will be in San Antonio to cover the bowl throughout the week, providing updates on each prospect's recruitment as well as analysis and footage of their performances.
Gators signees in the Adidas All-American Bowl
DL Chris McClellan
High school: Owasso (Okla.)
SI All-American rankings: No. 7 DL, No. 79 overall
SI All-American scouting report:
Leanly built his way up to 290 on his way from defensive end to defensive tackle. Nice length. After watching his film, the first thing that sticks out is his long arms and his ability to quickly strike-and-shed blockers. He has good feet to match a very strong build. Great closing burst for a lineman. It looks like he set up blockers for his moves, based on how effective some of his swims are. McClellan can get skinny through a gap when he needs to. Skilled when slanting into gaps. Fantastic pad level throughout his film. Active hands with a nasty punch. Easily manipulates blocker’s shoulder pads. Violent in every facet of his game. Solid tackler. He does most of his damage in between the tackles, slanting or stemming and disrupting. Every time the ball is snapped, he seems to have a plan for how he is attacking each blocker. Because he attacks with a plan in mind, he maximizes his already imposing physicality.
McClellan committed to the Gators in November, days after Florida fired former head coach Dan Mullen and days before UF hired Billy Napier as Mullen's replacement. But with two visits under his belt before the coaching changes, McClellan felt comfortable enough to pledge to Florida anyway, and his visit with Napier and his staff in December seemingly sealed the deal as McClellan signed with the Gators not long after.
DB Devin Moore
High school: Naples (Fla.)
SI All-American rankings: No. 7 nickel cornerback, No. 80 overall (No. 10 all-around cornerback on the SI99)
SI All-American scouting report:
Nickel projections aren't the conventional shorter, quicker slot cornerbacks of yesteryear. Bigger prospects with physicality and range are crashing the nickel party at all levels and the Notre Dame commitment is a strong example as to why. Moore stands 6'2" plus, and can satisfy stereotypical traits for a taller prospect like length and ball skills, but there is true comfort around the box at play here as well. He lines up all over the field for Naples High, but his re-routing, underneath drops, control and range in run support stands out. Moore can redirect and play the alley like a true safety and his intellect shines on tape with his play diagnostics, angles and timing on when to come out of his break. If high floors were the most important element of the evaluation, the Floridian would be higher on this list.
Following a commitment from Notre Dame that lasted from July through November, Moore backed off his pledge upon Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly's departure to LSU. The quick promotion of defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman to head coach kept Notre Dame in the running for Moore's services until the end, but a last-second visit to Florida to meet Napier and Co. resulted in Moore signing with the Gators during the early signing period. Moore has shown UF plenty of interest before his initial Notre Dame commitment, however, the previous coaching staff wasn't capable of landing his pledge.
Gators targets in the Adidas All-American Bowl
RB Trevor Etienne
High school: Jennings (La.)
SI All-American rankings: Honorable mention RB (outside of the top ten)
SI All-American scouting report:
Trevor Etienne, the younger brother of Clemson legend Travis Etienne, is already bigger than the NFLer and plays that way. Prep defenders just look small near his filled-out frame and look worse when combatting his downhill style.
Etienne currently lists Florida in his top three schools, alongside Clemson and LSU, and intends to announce his college commitment during the Adidas All-American Bowl on January 8. Given Etienne's ties to Clemson through his brother and the home-state appeal of playing for LSU, Florida is firmly in the mix to land Etienne given its need for running back talent and the fact that the majority of UF's new coaching and support staff spent the last four years at Louisiana-Lafayette, a mere 45-minute drive from Jennings.
RB TreVonte' Citizen
High school: Lake Charles College Prep (La.)
SI All-American rankings: N/A
SI All-American scouting report: N/A
Another Louisiana-based running back, Napier and new Gators' running backs coach Jabaar Juluke wasted no time in prioritizing Citizen as the two coaches visited the recruit in-person one day after Napier was introduced as UF's head coach. Citizen, a former LSU commit, reportedly plans to hold off on committing until national signing day on Feb. 5, and the Tigers among other programs are expected to be in the mix to land him alongside the Gators.
DL Caden Story
High school: Lanett (Ala.)
SI All-American rankings: N/A
SI All-American scouting report: N/A
Despite his commitment to Auburn of over four months and counting, Story did not sign with the Tigers during the early signing period and has an official visit to Florida planned for Jan. 28. It appears as though there will be a two-team race between Auburn and Florida for Story, a 6-foot-4, 264-pound lineman who posted 18 sacks as a high school junior, which could last until national signing day.
CB/WR Gentry Williams
High school: Booker T. Washington (Okla.)
SI All-American rankings: No. 11 CB
SI All-American scouting report:
If there is any indication to how deep the cornerback talent is in the class of 2022 it's this: Williams outside of the top 10. While we wouldn't count on it when all the dust settles, the uncommitted athlete checks about as many boxes as one could ask for from an athletic profile standpoint. He is a great prep quarterback, yes you read that correctly, with serious long speed and natural football instincts. The fluid athlete has flashed as much throughout the offense and in the secondary and he sees more defensive back reps as time rolls on. As that comfort continues to build, particularly with technique and efficiency, it will match the athleticism and make for an impact corner in college.
Another prospect committed elsewhere who did not put pen to paper in December, Williams is currently set to play for nearby Oklahoma at the next level but has yet to make that pledge official. That leaves Florida, among other schools, with another opportunity to impress the two-way prospect who could play cornerback and wide receiver in college. Williams previously officially visited Florida in June and was viewed as a receiver by the previous coaching staff, however, he was recruited to LSU as a cornerback by former Tigers' cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond — who is now a member of the Gators' staff.
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