Florida Gators Repositioning Themselves for 2022 Top-Ranked Safety

Recent staff additions and a December official visit seemingly reposition the Florida Gators in the recruitment of elite safety Kamari Wilson.

The Florida Gators have seemingly repositioned themselves in the recruitment of uncommitted, elite-level safety talent Kamari Wilson.

New Gators head coach Billy Napier and the limited staff members he has in place thus far are set to employ a full-court press for top prospects this cycle after readjusting Florida’s board upon arrival six days ago.

As part of that effort, the University of Florida hosted several official visitors in Gainesville the weekend of Dec. 10. The IMG Academy safety standout highlighted the list of targets.

According to Sports Illustrated All American’s John Garcia Jr., Florida getting the No. 1 safety in the 2022 class, by SIAA metrics, on campus is one of the top ten most important official visits in the closing stages of the 2022 class.

Circling back for an elite-level player that was a coveted target by the Dan Mullen regime in the early stages of Wilson’s recruitment, the Gators “appear to be back in the running for the top safety in the state.”

Just six days ago – the same day Napier was formally introduced at Florida – Wilson named Georgia, Texas A&M, LSU and Florida State the top schools remaining in his recruitment. However, his December visit to UF pits Florida back in contention.

To make their chances even better, Florida has brought in two heavy hitters, alongside Napier, that directly correlate to the defensive backs recruitment.

First, the Gators plucked well-renowned cornerbacks coach and recruiter Corey Raymond from LSU to secure players like Wilson.

Raymond, the primary recruiter for Wilson while at LSU and a significant reason why he included the Tigers in his top four, gives Florida the ability to make up for missed time with the talented safety target given the previous relationship the two forged.

Simultaneously, UF rehired formed NFL linebacker Jamar Chaney – who departed for Mississippi State after one season under Dan Mullen in 2019 – as an analyst on Friday.

Coming from the same hometown as Wilson, , Fla., Chaney was a major contributor in the initial attempt to target him on the trail. In February, Wilson expressed his love for Chaney via a Twitter post, saying that he is “really one of the best coaches and mentors in the nation.”

@Jamar51Chaney really one of the best coaches and mentors in the nation‼️😎🐶 #HailState

— Kamari wilson (@Kamariwilson1) February 15, 2021

As a result, Chaney’s return for the staff bodes well for Florida’s chance to land the energetic, physical and aggressive safety prospect.

Napier and company are looking to end a disappointing relationship with IMG Academy prospects in recent years. Despite the proximity to one of the nation’s talent hotspots, Florida has been unable to establish itself as a viable suitor for its top players.

However, “Wilson would erase most of that doubt should he sign with UF,” Garcia said.

Despite trending toward the Georgia Bulldogs for a large portion of his recruitment as of late, Wilson’s relationship with the newly re-acquired Chaney and official visit to Florida is a promising sign for the Gators going forward.

“Napier and company, who flipped a Louisiana pledge as the first commitment of the regime, even getting him on campus feels like a win as of this writing,” Garcia said.

Given the current void at the position alongside incumbent starter Rashad Torrence, Florida has the potential to sell Wilson on being a near-immediate contributor in the secondary rotation in year one of his collegiate career.

Stay tuned to AllGators for continuous coverage of Florida Gators football, basketball and recruiting. Follow along on social media at @SI_AllGators on Twitter and Florida Gators on Sports Illustrated on Facebook.