Two Florida Gators DB Targets Scheduled to Commit on Thursday
Thursday is a big day on the trail for the Gators as they await two commitments from priority defensive back targets in 2023.
Acquiring even more talent in the secondary would land Florida in the argument for the best defensive back class in the country, with the likes of Ja’Keem Jackson, Sharif Denson and Jordan Castell currently pledged to the program.
That comes without the potential addition of elite uncommitted cornerback Cormani McClain, who continues to keep Florida as a main option alongside Alabama and Miami.
The first commitment will come from Milton (Ga.) safety Bryce Thornton at 3:15 p.m. ET.
Thornton presents elite skills as a downhill safety prospect and the versatility to operate in the STAR role of Patrick Toney’s defense if asked to do so. He’s a treasured recruit for Florida as a result.
The recruitment for Thornton is a two-way race between Florida and Alabama, as it has been for the last several months.
In that time, while Thornton has been reluctant to tip his hand either direction in terms of who is leading for his services — even to members of the Florida staff — the Alpharetta (Ga.) prospect spoke highly of the Florida program and the staff’s efforts to recruit him.
“I feel like Florida [is] coming a little bit harder," he said following the Gators' week two loss to Kentucky. "I [have] just been talking to Florida more."
That stream of connection could aid the Gators to lock down his commitment on Thursday. He is set to attend Gainesville for Florida’s matchup against LSU on Saturday as an official visitor.
The second commitment of the day comes from Wharton (Tampa, Fla.) blue-chip cornerback prospect Dijon Johnson at 7 p.m. ET.
Previously committed to Ohio State, Johnson seemingly shut down his recruitment in April when he pledged to Ryan Day and Co. However, he reopened it in the summer after what seemed to be a considerable push from Florida.
While outsiders thought an outright flip from the Buckeyes to the Gators was imminent, Johnson took the long route to evaluate his options before anchoring himself to another school.
Teams like Alabama, Miami, Ohio State and others have been in on the talented press man corner since he decommitted in late July, although Florida’s chances look promising heading into commitment day.
Presenting elite press coverage skills with considerable length redirect or completely derail wideouts at the line of scrimmage, Johnson projects to perform as a corner in some capacity at the next level.
Like Thornton, Johnson’s versatility to play the boundary, bounce inside to assume a role at STAR or even drop back to perform as a safety, bodes well for Florida as they look to maximize the talent on the field at once.
As a result, Thursday has the potential to be a monumental day for Florida’s rebuilding efforts in the talent acquisition department. If they can land one of or both of the talented defensive backs, the Gators will be well on their way to establishing themselves in the top ten of the recruiting rankings early in October.
From there, it’s just a matter of closing on the elite talent and players at positions of need who they remain in contention for.
The massive official visit weekend for their contest against LSU will play a big role in their ability to acquire some of those talents.
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