Florida Gators Crack the Top 5 for 2022 LB Devin Smith
The Florida Gators have found themselves in the top five schools for 2022 linebacker Devin Smith of Oakleaf High School (Jacksonville, Fla.), he announced on Tuesday evening. Florida is joined by Florida State, Miami, Georgia Tech, and Nebraska.
MaxPreps credits Smith, 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, with 34 total tackles, one sack, and 2.5 tackles for loss in four games during the 2020 season for the Knights, after transferring from Jacksonville's Lee High School the previous summer. He broke up nine passes as a sophomore at Lee and has flashed plenty of ability in coverage.
Sports Illustrated-AllGators live-scouted Smith twice during the 2020 season, in games against Buchholz (Gainesville, Fla.) and Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.), picking up on consistent physicality in the run game and speed to run sideline to sideline.
Smith shared with Sports Illustrated-AllGators that he is being recruited to Florida by linebackers coach Christian Robinson and cornerbacks coach Torrian Gray. Over the summer, Smith also said that he had bonded with head coach Dan Mullen at UF's February junior day event, where Florida presented him with an offer. The Gators are recruiting Smith to play middle linebacker.
Currently, Florida has two commits in the 2022 class: Cornerback Sam McCall (Lake Gibson - Lakeland, Fla.), and wide receiver Syveion Ellis (Edison - Miami, Fla.)