Has Billy Napier upgraded the Gator football roster for 2024?

tonight on the an weather forecast Yours Truly Chris Janes returns to co-host with Neil scholman and we've got big Gator news to report the Gators land not one but two big commitments today we'll break it all down and where the gator roster stands heading into the summer months this is the in all kinds weather forecast [Music] and welcome man to another episode of the in all kind weather forecast once again your host Chris y back to record a podcast with Neil Schulman Neil it is good to be back here in the seat recording a podcast with you and what a great day to come back as the Gators land not one but two major commitments one for this upcoming season out of the transfer portal and a big defensive lineman for the 2025 class but but before we get to all of that want to make sure that you all are subscribed to the in all kinds weather forecast show on YouTube as well as following us on all of our social media platforms Facebook Twitter Instagram and our other YouTube channel which is the OG YouTube channel in all kinds of weather make sure to also like and Subs like and leave a comment down below for this show it helps us reach all of Gator Nation so Gator Nation got a big big news today Neil but before we get to all that Neil I just want to say it's good to be back with you good to have you back Chris welcome back man been four months I think no three months well yeah the Jack kagon right before the season started we interviewed Jack kagon if anybody has not actually gone back and listened to that episode please do so it's on our YouTube channel as well as our podcast platforms but still relevant by the way we a lot of season played out but it there's still relevant stuff in there absolutely I mean the guy is just absolutely crushing right now in college baseball I don't think arguably I think definitely the best college baseball player in college baseball he's going to be one of the top draft picks this summer regardless of how the gator finish this season regardless if you make the NCAA tournament or not it's a shame that we've wasted the talent as Kevin o solivan said earlier this past week but still um it was an honor to interview him and crazy to think that was three months ago and here we are now in the baseball season wild man it's it's and the way that Oak Sullivan put it is one that I'm glad that he said because if I said it it would be just negative Neil all over again I mean it is it is it's one of the biggest wastes in Gator history another another one by the way uh probably second place also happening at the same time in the list of greatest wastes in Gator history Ricky piol on football so to have both of those wastes happen at the exact same time is just kind of a micro of where the gator program is right now but um you know what it's better to at least have some athletes to be proud of than none I guess that's a a bright side that we can we can take from this because otherwise it it is kind of dreary to think about the current state of Gator baseball this year and honestly I mean after last year Gator football was kind of dreary um the Outlook was kind of dreary as well maybe now maybe we can say okay things are sort of starting to pick up on the recruiting Trail is it real is it just another flash in the pan we'll see but we got something to talk about that's positive for a change absolutely and you know Neil we we celebrate the players currently here but let's go ahead and celebrate the players of the future that could hopefully transform the gator Athletic program today we got two commitments within an hour of each other the first and we'll go in order here the first being 2025 defensive lineman Jeremiah McLoud of Havana Florida committed to Billy naier in the 2025 class bringing the Gators into the top 50 in the 247 rankings Florida only right now has four commitments as you mentioned in the last show pton Joseph decommitted so now the gator finally got some good news on the trenches with a commitment of the defensive lineman in McLoud he was committed to Mississippi State for the longest time backed off that commitment last month after visiting Florida many at that point believed and gave it a forcon inclusion at that point that he was going to flip to Florida one month later he did so today Billy Napier tweeting out the eyeglasses Emoji right before noon good news there and a big addition to the class I mean I think McLoud you know big kid 63 300 lb certainly figures to play on that interior side of the defensive line the Gators potentially could be losing some guys this coming off season uh certainly and Cameron Jackson for sure Caleb Banks is another you brought in as transfer and Joey slackman but he only has one year of Eligibility so Florida has to fill a void in the interior side of the defensive line and McLoud certainly bits that bill so big pickup for the Gators he also joins fourstar Edge player Jaylen Wiggins along the defensive line out of Tallahassee Florida so the gator starting to build once again another defensive line class which has become a trademark through three seasons since Billy Napier has arrived on campus and clearly it doesn't matter who the defensive line coach is for the Gators they continue to get good players Neil so big pickup for the Gators here the second G of the gay came an hour later and this is one that Gator fans have been anticipating for a long time USC interior offensive lineman Jason zandamela he originally was the number one interior offensive lineman in the 2024 High school class committed to USC originally from Africa but played his high school ball in Clearwater Florida not too far away from Gainesville decided that he was homesick from his host family here in the states and wanted to transfer back to home it was between Florida and UCF and Florida ultimately winning out a huge get for the Gator here on the interior side has four years of Eligibility has not even played a game of college football yet so we'll see how he fits into this 2024 season if he really plays at all but certainly in a fantastic debt piece added and a player for the future Neil week talked so much about how the gator have failed to get big time offensive lineman in the high school ranks and zandamela fits that bill he hasn't played a game yet yes he is falls into the line of jir Grimsley a transfer in this new era of the transfer portal in high school recruiting but he really was an interior offensive lineman coming out of high school last season if you put him in the 2024 class along with jir Grimsley as a high school recruit Florida would now have the number eight recruiting class in the country high schoolwise high school and you think about how poorly Florida had was in the headlines for how it fell apart there on national Signing Day if you put it all together Florida ended up with a much better class than the one the previous to and certainly one that many thought they were going to end up with this year but if you do it the way to for 47 Does it include him as a transfer Florida now has the number seven class overall including high school players and portal players combined that ranks for fourth in the SEC I mean that is exactly where Florida really needs to be that top quarter of recruiting rankings to compete against the best in this new SEC Conference of 16 teams so Neil we got zandel we got McLoud your reaction to the big news today I mean it's it's it's definitely nice to get um to get more pieces on the on the lines of scrimmage that's something that you can't ever have enough of um I don't know that I would have traded the losses that we had on on the defensive line in this last class of Maris Williams and nir Johnson for um for Jeremiah or for yeah Jeremiah McLoud and um and then one other guy on the offensive line like I know some people are saying on social media well you see like we had the number or three class and then people flipped out but then when when when we lost those guys but then there's no uh there's no opposite reaction to then regaining those types of players because I don't think that um that McLoud is quite of that that caliber but then again we also did sign LJ McCrae as the the headliner of the class did add some other good players on that side as well so I'm I'm I'm content with that last class given where we are now um in terms of adding new players through the portal and now building for the future as well but you know those lost organ just thing as guys like you know Amis Williams and nir Johnson AR are not making plays for Florida but but M McLoud is definitely a good piece I mean he's not he's not like that that upper upper upper echelon of defensive lineman I think he's a three star on a lot of the rating systems um a highend three star definitely you know I mean certainly a lot of people are saying that he's kind of undervalued right now in the recruiting services and could see a bump to that blue chip ranking especially now that he's committed to Florida that when you when you uh commit to a program like Florida in the power five it certainly raises eyebrows especially when you hit the camp circuit you tend to go up in the rankings but I digress yeah I mean like you can always kind of just pay a site to rank your kid for you kids I mean parents do that it's it's not unheard of um so the rankings are somewhat subjective and and easily swayed but and regardless it's it's a good up it's a guy that that can come in and I think he he's going to have the size for sure he's going to bulk up another 10 15 pounds of pure muscle and in what is being said to be a new day for the new strength and conditioning program at Florida so if he uses that to his Advantage he could become something uh something good on Florida's defensive line he's maybe not quite as technically there as I I'd like him to be because let's face that he doesn't have four years to make make an impact for the Gator and Zill and ap's job if that's where really where we're going to go with this because that four years starts next year in 25 so that's not going to help um Napier in 2024 but if Napier can stay the course or if he stays regardless of who the coach is I do see some upside here but you have to throw that disclaimer in now every time you get a commit because that's just what's happening and I get your point the one thing I'll point out today and I saw it quite a bit on the timeline is the the the snarky comments from the fan base oh well that's a good get for the next coach and you know quite frankly I think that that fan base really just they they have to just lighten up a little bit right Neil I mean we've got two solid commitments today we've been complaining how the the staff honestly the last three staffs four staffs dating all the way back to Urban Meyer has not been able to get e Elite offensive line Talent consistently and now they've brought in a top 100 kid and send Aela like I think fans need to be happy with that and hope that he can make it an impa hopefully an instant impact but at least provide depth for this season and be a huge you know piece for the future Seasons because I got news for fans I I think Billy Napier is likely going to be in Gainesville in 2025 barring a complete and utter collapse in 2024 and the reason being is because I think DJ lagway people want to see Maier have at least one season with him I think he's gonna get four years to get this thing right and you know I'm going to tease it now you know I've got a a piece or not a piece but a show that I'm going to be dropping kind of talking about exactly the uphill climb that Napier has had at UF since coming here like Dan Mullen in a four-year period only had nine high school players get drafted and that includes Tyron Hopper who transferred out of the program does that include James Houston no no Houston sign under M with under M so you know I mean that's pretty atrocious and I'm going to give you a comparison Kirby Smart in 2018 at 18 get drafted that's what we're up at in one year did double what Mullen did in four and I haven't I haven't had a chance to dive into what Napier's done since he's gotten here guys maybe from the portal that he's brought in but I'm willing to say it's prob I mean I can at least think of two off the top of my head and Osiris torren and Ricky peera that almost is a third of the way there in two seasons uh you know I I think that Napier certainly the caliber of athlete that he's starting to bring in will yield results if Gator fans give him time and he stays the for but of course you can't have a collapse in 2024 you got to win you got to win make a bowl game you cannot miss the bow game again yeah I would tend to agree but we'll see what happens we'll get a little bit more into the roster here and then makeove that maybe if we think Florida's able to make a bowl game based on that but I I didn't talk about zandel I forgot I just talked about um yeah no I just talked about Jeremiah MCL Z zandel is a big pickup like that's one yeah I me I was I was talking about McLoud being maybe a death piece maybe needing some time to grow but you're zandel is a guy that I mean yes he he did grow up playing uh rugby in mosan Beek Africa so the game of football is like four years old to him so he's going to need some technical Improvement but he's already picked it up pretty quick like he was he was a I think a center or or a guard he was an interior offensive line he was a center he was a center for his high school team in Clearwater Florida and they won a lot of games with him there and he seemed to have taken a big stride um in between his first and his second year playing football the coaches said so that's a guy that you get him on campus at Florida maybe he's not a day one starter I know Gator fans kind of want an instant impact guy on the offensive line just because what the situation there was last year but this is a guy that maybe by midseason if not by the start of his sophomore year should be playing meaningful snaps for the Gator so that is a pickup that you're at all right we're building for the future right we're going to talk about the the Gator's future with Napier is he going to stay is he going to not well you said well maybe if he I mean DJ lagway is gonna be the guy right so maybe you should give him a year with lagway so all right great now who's gonna be blocking for him zandamela goes 20% of the way towards answering that question yeah absolutely and this is zenam now is the fifth Blue Chip offensive line that Billy navier has brought in since arriving to campus from the high school ranks that includes n Harris rodri cerney Kaden Jones Fletcher Westfall and now Jason Zen so big pickup big pickup there and you know a good Trend emerging that navor is starting to you know we've know that he's able to recruit the defensive line effectively we've seen that they've brought in numerous blue chippers there the depth has certainly been a mass and I think we're going to see a huge Improvement on that side of the ball this year but the offensive line is really starting to build and they have shown an affinity also to bring in some decent transfers obviously in Osiris torren we'll see if Brendan Brandon kensaw Dixon and Devon Manuel could provide some instant impact this year while somebody like aanda Mela develops but huge huge get for the Gators and you know Neil we may not be done yet because the gator now now Zena brings us to 85 scholarship players but the staff doesn't seem to be done just yet there may be an additional player from a school that we all know about that brought us Ricky peol and that is Arizona State wide receiver Elijah Badger Elijah Badger as of this recording is expected to visit Arizona and is planning a visit to Florida according to 247 Sports he already visited Washington last week he was an honorable mention all Pack 12 selection while at Arizona State and he has had at least 700 yards in the last two seasons so this is a guy who actually actually put up more production at Arizona State than Ricky peol even did coming out of Arizona state to Florida two years ago and with seven touchdowns in 2022 three touchdowns in 2023 double digits the last two years this is a guy that's going to be a nice debt piece for Florida as we continue to build that receiver room and Playmakers you know we brought in chimmer DK we're hoping for a jump for khil Jackson this year obviously we know about what Eugene Wilson can do a freshman All-American player and we're hoping to see some emergence from one of two Andy jeene ad Isel but this is a guy where you bring him in your receiver room is sneal because then you could really start to play chess with the pieces on the board of the receiver room of who you play create mismatch in the passing game and it gives Graham Merz an extra player to play with for next season we'll see what happens I understand that there is uh some medical potential issues for for Badger so we'll see hopefully he's able to clear his physical and then if that is the case decides to come play his last years of Eligibility Le his two years of Eligibility left at the University of Florida so Neil what are your thoughts on the potential four Badger coming to Gainesville and and what he would potentially mean for the roster yeah I mean you you hit on it uh you hit when it was going to say with the very end there there there are some questions about is it is it going to work out um just from a just from a phys physical standpoint but um if he does come to Florida then that's great because I mean I've heard a lot the good things about Aiden miselle but nonetheless there's still only one real proven receiver that Florida has right now on this roster and that's Trey Wilson so and and he had injury problems last year too so it's not like there's really a a sure thing in that receiver room right now um aside from I mean I guess I I'll have to say Wilson but you need more you need more guys who can do different things um on the outside you still I mean myel would be that burner that can just take the top off the defense uh Wilson would be that just I guess I don't know I don't even want to Define him as like a slot guy because he can run deep routes but he's I guess we just call him the everything guy receiver um and then you would have another Arizona State sundevil coming and uh not obviously the exact same type of receiver as as Pier sa but would be I I think similarly productive if he's able to step in and and do the physical things that he's allowed to do at Florida we'll just leave it at that but definitely would be a nice pickup for Florida but you know also needing to see other guys step up there you're replacing a receiver who had almost a thousand yards last season and that's very difficult to do certainly Eugene Wilson can be a thousand- yard receiver this year I think he has the best chance of any Florida receiver since the last one D was Taylor Jacobs in 2002 but he also was highly productive last year so you're you're basically saying Eugene Wilson needs to double his production and then somebody else has got to step up and be the production that Eugene Wilson provided last year which was I believe 600 yard almost 600 yards of receiving yards so now okay who can do that is that DK is that Aiden miselle or is that Badger I mean we'll see but I think having a plethora of option can only improve this roster and Florida is not in a position to be selective here I think they they need to amass as much talent as possible before the 2024 season starts whoever that may be hopefully it's Elijah Badger I don't know if it is or isn't but I know that if you give grah mer another player that he can drop back and have options for in the passing game it's going to bode well for him down the line and let's look hey if he stay if if he ends up coming and plays two years at Florida then you've set up DJ wway with a playmaker in next season because then you have Eugene Wilson in his third season Badger another year in college and going into his fourth you know then he'll really have some options because Florida does lose CH DK next year he's only coming to Florida one season and you know the way the transfer portal works you could lose some guys that you thought were going to slot in there and play for you that you had originally recruited and then they leave the program so you always have to be prepared for the inevitable change in college football that we all see now so overall I think it would be a huge get for the Gators we'll see if it does come to fruition we hope the VIS goes well and we also hope that he is able to you know get cleared medically and and be able to play his college ball here at the University of borida or somewhere for that matter because we certainly don't want to see SL sit out of playing all right Neil so we we we've told the fans about the today we talked about a potential commitment down the line springtime's over it's summer months now this is where guys have to do things on their own they have to hit the weight room they have to work on their own passing routes whatever it may be that they need they need to hit the jug machine they need to hit the the sleds if you're on the if you're on the line the guys got to work hard in the offies but now we do have a 85 man roster that is now here we did lose a couple of transfers in this window that was the April transfer window it's now closed as of April the 30th we have 85 we could potentially see if we do bring in Badger we would need to get 85 against somebody would have to leave theam be the odd man out who that is we do not know but overall what do we think of the roster as constructed at this moment where do we think we build some holes and where do we think we have some hols that still may need to be filled before the fall Camp starts I mean it's kind of hard to evaluate that just because last year we thought we filled holes on the offensive line with mik msua and Damian George and that didn't really work out so well so I guess we can answer that question from a paper standpoint um I'm I'm happy with the take of Brandon cral Dixon as as a tackle I again it's a case of you gotta see it to believe it but I think that Billy did what he could do from a recruiting standpoint there um on the offensive line I think that the defensive line also was was improved immensely just from if nothing else just LJ McCrae that in itself that's that is an elite defensive talent I mean everyone's talking about lagway being the headliner of this class which rightfully so but just for a second put him aside LJ McCrae would be the headliner of pretty much any other recruiting class in the country he is that disruptive on the defensive line and then now is the point you can realize you don't have to take a DJ L because we got him too that's a nice little surprise see see being positive being positive here um no the defensive line also is going to return guys like Cameron Jackson and Caleb Banks so I think just keeping things stable there um plus the addition of of an LJ McCrae an Elite Talent there is going to be very very beneficial for Florida um next year after you know they did some good things last year but just didn't get the job done by and large and especially in terms of rushing the passer um linebacker room I guess we'll go position by position uh linebacker room I mean Shamar James will be back so getting him back from injury is gonna be very helpful of course getting uh an influx of talent there in the true freshman Department like guys like miles Graham and Aaron Charles obviously very helpful maybe those guys will have a learning curve but I mean we talk about them stepping in and and replacing guy like Scooby Williams who goes to Texas A&M I mean I liked Scooby I thought he did some good things at Florida but you know also did some not good things there also some additional senior presence I guy like Derrik Wingo a fifth year senior I think is gonna provide some veteran leadership there he can't really have uh have problems with that so you know I like what we have at linebacker secondary I think is a question mark uh definitely some questions raised by that spring game that we saw a couple of busts in the secondary there um new guy in C I think is a guy that could be one of those physical tacklers that we actually I thought we had in Jaden Hill but obviously we no longer have him so that'll be nice to at least you know keep that piece of what Jayden Hill brought and also I think he's a little bit better in some cover situations I like our secondary to um overall just in terms of what we got from the high school ranks a couple years ago last couple years guy like jaem Jackson and and Sharie Denson I think can take big steps forward in the these um in in these sophomore seasons are about to have also Devon Moore I think can take a nice jump so I like what we have there uh the question like I said is just going to be you know do we see it play out the way we think it's going to on the field does does does the paper match the wins and losses that we see on the field um and offensively I think we're good I think that I mean obviously Merz is going to be another he's going to give us another year of good production at quarterback um I think the offensive line is just the question you know you have to see what we have there I mean the running back situation obviously you lose the explosive home run hitter an etn but on the other hand and and I'm not saying Florida has this I very clearly said I do not think Florida has this right now but in theory I would trade an elite running back for an elite offensive line and a mediocre running back because all the running back has to do is just not fumble and the line will pave the way for him doesn't have to make these jump Cuts or these ridiculous like Madden spin moves or Jukes just do what the line gave you the ability to do it just fall forward for seven yards a pop no one else is gonna care about anything else so Florida obviously doesn't have that right now but point being if the line takes a big step forward this year the running game as a whole will take a big step forward even without Trevor etn just because Montreal Johnson um and I guess you know you could talk about a tradeon web in there too but it it's Johnson's running back for him so we kept him and all he has to do is just not fumble and the running game gets better and then the receivers is the other question so AR Bingham at tight end is going to be someone that I think merch is going to lean on as a security blanket of sorts um he's going to need myel to to keep going on those those improvements that we've heard about um terms of his body he wasn't really there as a freshman we're going to need to see more of the jumps that we saw from him this offseason continue get another 5 10 pounds of muscle mass and keep that speed sharp keep those feet um quick and crisp I guess as maybe there were some questions about that last year too but keep taking those strides and become that that deep threat that we haven't really had in a while so honestly I think the roster is about as good as you realistically could ask it to be after a five and seven season and a six and seven season the year before at this point it's just a matter of you know you gotta go win games gotta go win games is it better or worse than where it ended last season I think it's better I think I mean I think it's just you got to see it you know I thought I thought the roster was better in 23 than it was in 22 and we won fewer games with almost the exact same schedule I guess you swap out Texas A&M for Arkansas but virtually the same schedule and we won fewer games I guess the way you don't really know necessarily like putting High School recruiting aside like we all know recruiting like we're recruit we're continuing to recruit quality players in the high scool Rings guys that are good EV vals that are going to make it that could get drafted in three to four years like I truly believe we're taking guys right now like that we're we're seeing a higher quality of athlete come in from the high school ranks the portal is where you don't know because you know one year you could be successful in the portal and get some hits and and you know you get those Osiris or you get those Ricky piols they get drafted they they're they're huge contributors but then again you could get those Micah mouas who aren't that that they don't pan out at Florida that don't make it um you know you took a Manny n last year Manny n gave up the fourth and 17 play now in the game against Missouri that resulted in us not making a bowl game and he transferred out of the program didn't work out it's unfortunately he yeah yeah came back got an interception in the spring game and then left and then left again you know so you know it it is it is kind of a it's a it's a catch 22 you don't know what hand you're going to get in the portal necessarily you can only do your best I think the roster is better but there certainly are the questions I mean for example I I think if nothing else Graham merch should I'll go position by position here I think Graham Merz I if he plays exactly the same as he did last year we're in good shape doesn't turn the ball over takes care of the football makes good decisions has nearly 3,000 yards of passing same production Florida should be good then you bring in a backup who is the future of the program and potentially a generational talent in DJ lagway at the very least a top five player in high school ranks haven't gotten one of those in a long time so that room is better for sure and you brought in a third Stringer in clay Millan who you know if nothing else provides a really Sol death piece so that rooms upgraded running back is where I'm not sure because I agree Johnson is that is his room and he I believe will do a good job but then behind him there's a lot of question marks like unproven players TR Webb is shown flashes but he didn't do it necessarily against the big competition Kanan Daniels Jaden ball had great Springs but they freshman and my question is lightning and thunder montal Johnson was the Thunder Trevor etn was the lightning that Elite playmaker who could make a play when you needed it that big touchdown run against Tennessee they got the swamp going crazy that turned the momentum and then the Avalanche of 26 unanswered points ensue in which Tennessee could not recover from who's that running back for the the Gators this year could it be Jeff or Jane ball potentially could be that guy but he's a freshman you're gonna be relying on a freshman to potentially do that Kanan Daniels I think is a really solid running back but to me he's the same running back as montal Johnson big bodied Bruiser you know gonna is not afraid of contact so we'll see receiver I think the receiver room could be better if you get the emergence of somebody who you recruited like an Andy Jean or Aiden miselle Andy Jean's been hurt pretty much his entire time at Florida hopefully he gets healthy aen Isel showed a lot of flashes in the Deep passing game is it goingon to translate in an SEC game when we go to Knoxville when we go to Starkville when we play George and Jacksonville will it translate Eugene Wilson we know who he is we know who he is hopefully he avoids a sophomore slump hopefully he puts up a, yards receiving is that added layer of of offense that we have not had but can he stay healthy because he did miss a time last year and also now that he's receiver one everyone's queuing in on him so because last year he was receiver two behind Ricky Pall so that's why I believe he was able to find some of that success can he find that success now that he's receiver one sustain it and enhance his performance and then who behind him comes up is it shimy dek is it KH Jackson is it aen misel is it Elijah Badger if he makes it in the program I don't know tight end room I think you know obviously it's ar ar Bingham and Hayden Hansen they provide different things to that room and then you have the unknown of Keon zipper if he recovers fully from that ACL tear which took him out the entire last season offensive line I agree I like the Britain grandaw Dixon pickup I think you have three solid tackles now to rotate between kinal Dixon Barber as well as Devon Manuel and now you get slot George where it's his natural position at guard and now that gives you depth at guard and guys like cam weights Damen George does Roger Curry take that step forward does not Harris take that step forward at the guard position center it's pretty cut and dry Jake Slaughter ended up winning that job and not relinquishing it last year I thought honestly played better than Kingsley and I think now that we have him I I I like him at that Center Spot I think he's going to hold it down and then hopefully you see somebody emerge from that freshman G that we brought in does a guy like Fletcher westall play you know you know Florida has historically had some freshman offensive lineman that they end up pining out at Florida they play their freshman year can a guy like him or Mike Williams or Marcus mascal no Porton yagen big size right there portagen we don't know a lot of unknown we just brought in Enoch wag uh wagno out of Germany another International player is he could he be that guy and then obviously we brought in Jason sandella we don't know though if he's going to be ready to play in year one like you said Neil he's raw he was a rugby player so transitioning to Football Life only a few years into his career defensive side of the ball this is really where the key of the season's going to be is the defense better than it was last year because if the offense Remains the Same has the same production as last year but the defense is just average we probably win at least I would say six to seven games conservatively speaking but they're gonna have to tackle they can't be coverage bust you know like you can't let a guy Scamper 85 yards and his Heisman reel for a touchdown that those stuff can't happen anymore Florida has to improve on the defens side of the ball I think they have and we've seen in the spring the tackling seem to be better in the spring game yes there were some coverage Buffs that stuff that's going to have to get cleaned up for the season but the tackling was better and that was a huge issue last year that led to a lot of problems where Florida just got gased they got tired and quite frankly it looked like they gave up so is that secondary equipped to do it I think Jason Marshall coming back for his final season in gainesfield he's got a lot to prove he's a guy that many Peg is is potentially an early draft entry going into 2023 didn't live up to it hopefully he lives up to it in 2024 so he can get drafted he's one of the few of the paletto 5 that you know we're still waiting to see if he's the one that gets drafted a lot of those were making the rounds earlier this week after the all time bust that was my tweet that went out there all time bust we can go through that too but go ahead and finish your yeah no I mean I think guys like Marshall Devin Moore jaem Jackson takes a step forward in his second year Sharie Denson holds down that that star nickel spot you know that's where I think that secondary could be really good and I I agree we brought in safeties for reason and tresy bridges and DJ Douglas and ASA Turner there is a reason we brought three safeties in that room because that safety room did not get it done last year did not get it done Bryce Thor Jordan Castell hopefully they take a step forward in rer it is incredibly difficult to play safety in the SEC as a true freshman those guys did it and they did it abnormally but not great I think Jordan Castell has the most potential to become an all conference safety out of the two but there's a reason we brought in three transfers in that room yeah hopefully one of those guys emerges and you then pair them with a guy that's been in the program for a year either Thorton or Castell hearing some things also about Aaron Gates had a pretty good spring we'll see if he slots into that safety spot or that Niel spot if her he could play potentially both so overall I do think the roster was better but there are still questions there are still questions after taking all the transfers all of the high school players and ultimately you know these are some good wins we uh got today there there were some good wins oh and I didn't even mention the linebacker room the linebacker room you brought in a guy like Grayson Howard who's becoming that that Alpha next to Shamar James in the middle so you got shmar James and Grayson Howard that right there those were some big wins for Florida in the portal when we got Grayson Howard if he can pull it down there in the middle too and then you have maybe miles gram eron Charles as a freshman of course come in and play then that room is I think just better so overall I do think we made some improvements we brought some guys back that we needed to bring back in Camron Jackson Caleb Banks Kelby Collins but now you've got to show Improvement you've gotta show Improvement otherwise you know it it's a tougher schedule it's and there's a there's a scenario where this roster maybe on on paper as well as just talent wise is better but the record is not going to reflect it and I think that's the biggest fear of a lot of fans going into the summer before fall Camp begins in just three short months here but I think that the staff did as good as they possibly could have maybe a couple of Misses here and there as there always are in recruiting but I do feel a little more confident coming out of the spring that this isn't going to be a complete utter collapse in the fall I guess that's I guess that that's one way to put it um again though you you can't you can't ever know that because there there always going to be some guys who pan out even when you thought for sure they were going to work out for you that's just how it goes I mean Jason Marshall a five star that we added um we thought oh they can't miss that that's going to be you know Dan mullen's uh star pupil in the secondary well it hasn't really worked out that way I mean a guy like a guy like ASA Turner is a perfect example like he comes from Washington he's he's played the national championship game he was there for a couple years before so you think all right well he's got that winning pedigree in him but maybe there's something about the scheme that just doesn't click with him maybe he doesn't pan out that's just hypothetical it could happen to anybody like at this point with Billy Napier's team I just need to see it for me you know for myself to believe it um P five by the way you gota you got to shout that out that is that is one of the most amazing just like high schoolwide busts that I've ever ever seen so if you remember like in 202 there were a lot of fights on Twitter between Florida and Miami fans over that too which is just hilarious now thinking about it in retrospect and there still are like your guys busted worse than ours did the Miami takes were worse at least the Florida guy stayed his whole career at Florida like that they're still they're still going at it but yeah real quick Leonard Taylor Miami undrafted um brashard Smith who was a fourar T Taylor was a fivar Taylor is a f star four-star receiver brashard Smith mostly played on special teams transferred to a program that's still best known for getting the death penalty SMU that's okay no didn't work out Savon Collins didn't even make it to Miami he went to another school in Miami FIU played in two games that was it that was the totality of his career Corey Collier went to Florida transferred to Nebraska then transferred again to Florida A&M Jason Marshall is the last one standing at his original school that he first committed to and though he certainly has not lived up to his festar billing is the only one you can even say somewhat played out I think he didn't he get freshman All Conference honors am I remembering that correctly he might have his freshman I think he got fresh or some sort of he was definitely a player of the week one week yeah freshman of the week one week he's the most decorated out of all of them right and will and I think if you honestly put a bet on it would get drafted next year not saying he's a first round pick or even a day two pick but like I think he a on him someone will take a chance on him later I mean if Marco Wilson can get taken after his Antics uh who you know Jason Marshall has to probably get at least a shot you would think maybe I don't know we'll find out next April no I just gotta this is a little bit of breaking news I love when this happens on I love when this happens on the show it's not it's nothing really huge but um I just got verified on Twitter Hey Oh wait so does that mean you paid did you pay Elon for that no you didn't pay Elon wow okay for does do you get editing privileges editing Privileges and I I get longer post I knew you know what I I had posted the longer post before I don't I guess that was when I should have known I didn't even think about it then I didn't have the check I just got the check mark I just got notification but a couple days ago I posted a longer post but yeah I can edit stuff I can post longer videos meaning we can bring this show to you guys on on Twitter in longer forms um yeah that's a good plus that's a good plus yeah share with your friends now share with your friends and officially on Twitter the brand is officially the brand um yeah that's awesome yeah no that's that's cool that's um yeah but so I mean look the roster the point I was making with with pal 5 was that you can have a guy that looks to be a slam dunk on paper and it just doesn't work out for reasons that you can't predict so like on paper I'm thrilled that we got jir gley I'm thrilled that we got DeAndre Robinson I'm thrilled that we got ASA Turner I'm thrilled that we got pup Howard they've done nothing on the field and the fall for the Florida Gators so I'm in I'm hopeful I think that the roster situation is better but I would draw a very very thick line between the roster is better and we're going to see better results on the field because for the reason you just mentioned with the schedule that's anything but a guarantee and the last point I'll make before we wrap tonight is that just go to show why Stars matter because you have to get as many as possible knowing that they're going to be bust it happens every single year the percentages of of a guy trying to make it to the NFL are this much so even the higher probability that you the the more four and five stars that you get the data shows they will more likely get drafted and the more players they get drafted will mean you had a more talented roster and therefore more success probably at the college level that just and that you know Bears out with the fact that Kirby Smart in the 2018 class which won his first national championship the School's First in 41 years had 18 guys get drafted Dan Mullen in four in his four classes only nine I mean that is a perfect example of why it by and that and that kind of shows too the level of rebuild that this program was going under and I don't think Gator fans truly came to grips with it until it really dawned on me after the NFL Draft when we only had one guy drafted in rookie piol and at least he was a first round pick the 49ers reached on him and gave him a first round flyer but that is just incredible that it it it took that so if it weren't for that Florida would have been over for the first time since like 1957 of having a draft I got drafted it was the first time since 1980 that we only had one I mean I mean it's just insane stuff and it really dawned on me this past weekend when the draft happened of how far Florida has fallen sa program and I me that that's embarrassing too like if you think about it Ron zuk and will muschamp and Jim M were are pretty much considered to be royal failures at Florida J M had a lot of guys draft it I mean that's kind of crazy if you go back and look at his players the amount that guy drafted way more than Dan Mullen and he gave us TR and Tony the N Pitts exactly well Pitts was by Mullen so technically Pierce and Pitts fall under a Mullen class but we know who really recruited them to Florida Pierce yeah yeah I mean that like even even the past like gator coaches didn't work out recruited better so go back to that day in Jacksonville when Dan Mullen is like disgusted with Dave waters for daring to ask him a recruiting question and Mullen gives him like well we we'll talk about that when his recruiting season just like middle fingers up at Dave like f you for daring to ask me about something that's pretty important in my job uh well now we know why because when when Jason Marshall is like one of your best recruits I'm not talking about guys that you inherited or had other you know staffers kind of help you with or that already had the connection but like that's one of your best recruiting wins from a I did hard work to get him standpoint like that's the best one of the best cases you have to show for it that is a pretty strong indictment but you know what he is getting paid $12 million to just post feet picks on a beach in front of a pool so I guess we're both happy right now I actually misquoted we've had a dra a guy drafted every year since 1953 1952 was the last time Florida didn't have a draft pick and I was correct 1980 was the last time Florida only had one draft pick that was Scott brandley to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers I think a lot of Gator fans might know who Scott was had a pretty terrible injury in his time at Florida my mom was actually at the game when they wheeled him off the field in the 1979 season against Georgia Tech a little bit of Gator history there but yeah I mean if you go back and I'm I'm I'm pulling it up now there's a lot of gators that were drafted so I'm trying to scroll to it but if you go back to like the guys that were drafted in the gym MN era pretty much starting I guess you could say what 20 technically 2018 that would be like really the start of like true like you had Tav Bryan Duke Dawson Antonio callow Johnny T Johnny was a mus champ player so was Marcel so you right there had Tav Bryan Duke Dawson Antonio callow that's three 2019 you had Jawan Taylor jakai poite CJ Gardner Johnson bosan Joseph Jordan scar all Gator all Jim MN players that's one two three four five six that brings him up to nine in two drafts nine Mullen Hony had nine and four and then the 2020 season you had CJ Henderson van Jefferson Jabari ziga Jonathan grenard L Michael perine Freddy Swain Tyreek so grenard was a Mullen player transfer transfer in so he gets credit for that one and same with uh van Jefferson so right there that's one two three four five more that were M players that brings his total to 14 don't forget James Houston James H uh yeah he wasn't drafting 21 21 21 yeah I'm getting the 21 now because in 21 you had Kyle pittz technically a mulling guy but it was recruited by Ma so then Tony Tony was definitely a Matt guy that was one of those diamond in the roughs guys that he got Kyle TR Marco Wilson Evan mcferson was a Mullen guy Shawn Davis another MN guy darl Slayton M guy Stone foresight M guy so right there I mean that that brings his total to 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 and four 20 and four years now that's still a far no we're gonna talk I mean that was Mullen that was Mullen so like but I mean even still like that is I mean that right there 20 guys compared to the nine it's double and that that's a coach that got fired at Florida I mean it really goes to show like how bad how bad it got uh so part part of that part of that though is just a lack of development too but yeah obviously yes of course it starts with recruiting that's where everything starts so yeah there there's no there's no defense of that the off the offensive line especially was was pretty glaring too because like remember um like the must champ and M Wingers you would still have some offensive lineman just get drafted pretty high like DJ Humphries uh like like a David Sharp like would get drafted so you had some I mean and to be fair Napier did to with CBO um he did identify him first at Louisiana and then brought him over to Florida so that was that was a fully um Napier development process there but just the lack of numbers aside from him on the offensive line is pretty pretty astonishing and that is where football is one and is one and loss in the trenches so you know kind of not a surprise that Florida hasn't had a lot of guys drafted there when you look at the win to the last couple years agreed agreed well Neil I think that about does it this was a really good show it was good to be back and hopefully can be back a little bit more appreciate everybody for for uh I don't know if they missed me or not but whether you did or didn't I'm back and it was good to be back in the chair tonight under behind the mic and make sure that if you do like all of our content to like And subscribe our show on our YouTube leave a comment down below what you think of the transfer portal Hall overall the season what you think it means for the 2024 season and also head on to an Allin weather.com merch to purchase some merch Neil sporting it today he's got that looks like a dry fit t-shirt as well as hat go on there to check it all out deck yourself out this summer for where that Gator merch proudly no matter what the results are out on the field we thank you all for tuning in tonight for another episode of the all kinds forecast and until next time go Gators and also stay on the lookout for maybe doing some different things on Twitter now that on all kinds of weather is verified that's a cool new feature I truly don't know what that's going to mean for for our content but um that does open the door for potentially some changes also can get some more listener involvement um I know Elon is rolling out the updates there but we want this to be an interactive thing so if you have comments also on on Twitter on Facebook whatever platform that we we may post these video clips on we want to hear them regardless of where you're hearing this um and Spotify too we we can get comments on there too so wherever you're listening as well as YouTube um watching obviously let us know what you think I didn't mean to steal your thunder Chris it is good to have you back but had to throw those things in there it's all good yeah I know we're excited about that's good news and didn't even have to pay them for it so make sure if you're following on the Twitter account there for those updates in all kinds of weather and uh we'll see you next time for another episode of in all kinds of grass have a good night everyone [Music]