Florida Gators Make Latest Cut for Elite LB, NFL Legacy

Troy Bowles has included the Florida Gators in his top eight schools.

Florida is among the top eight schools for 2023 Jesuit (Fla.) linebacker Troy Bowles, the son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles shared on Monday evening.

BREAKING: Four-Star LB Troy Bowles is down to 8️⃣ Schools, he tells @On3Recruits

The 6’1 205 LB from Tampa, FL is ranked as the No. 2 LB in the ‘23 Class

More Here (FREE): https://t.co/UWJcDScAPo pic.twitter.com/alAsAgFdlz

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 23, 2022

The Gators made the latest cut for the NFL legacy alongside Ohio State, Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Rutgers, Auburn and Oklahoma. 

Florida hosted Bowles on an unofficial visit this past March, marking his first time meeting the Gtaors' new coaching staff led by Billy Napier. UF had pursued Bowles under the previous coaching staff for some time, as he earned an offer from the university in May 2021.

Bowles shared his impressions of Florida's new coaching staff with Sports Illustrated All-American in April.

"It seems like it's a new culture down there," Bowles said about Napier. "Coach Napier has a lot of things going on. The players, I talk to some of the players there because some played with me — and they say they like it.

"All the players are fired up for what he is going to bring to the table." 

SIAA describes Bowles as "a commanding presence with the modern combination of physicality and athleticism to project as a three-down player" at the college level. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound linebacker has racked up 271 tackles, 12 sacks, 29 tackles for loss, five interceptions, 10 defended passes and two forced fumbles in his three-year Jesuit career. 

Bowles has scheduled official visits to Oklahoma, Georgia and Ohio State for this June. 

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