Asa Turner COMMITS! Florida Gators, Billy Napier Add Former Washington Huskies Safety

Asa Turner Commits the Florida Gators have landed a commitment in the transfer portal in the form of Asa Turner from Washington we're going to talk about that here on locked on Gators you are locked on Gators your daily podcast on the Florida Gators part of the lockon podcast Network your team every [Music] day hello and welcome back to a bonus episode of Locked on Gators part of the lock on podcast Network your team every day thanks for making lock on Gator your first listen of the day every day we are available daily and free where we listen to podcast and on YouTube happy Thursday night I am Brandon Olson find me on Twitter at wns Brandon find all my written work with giants country and NFL 33 and we're gonna talk about a what what felt like it took forever to finally happen but ASA Turner Washington safety has committed to the Florida Gators and I mean this was I was told on Sunday night hey it's probably happening tomorrow and then we were told or then like time just kept going and it was like oh maybe it'll happen Wednesday night we should have a decision Wednesday night and then Thursday morning and then Thursday morning came and it felt like forever but well worth it for the Florida Gators to land a commitment from ASA Turner um I am ASA Turner by the way you see the hair it's me um we're just a little bit different in height that's fine it's fine we I play DB at the SEC level right um than but ASA Turner is someone that I am excited to have him join the roster I do think that he's going to wind up being safe 2 or safety three for the Florida Gator I I will say that for him he's a player where I've talked a lot about the best ability is availability and he has dealt with quite a few injuries throughout his career but when he was healthy he's pretty much always been a starter at at Washington when healthy the issue is again not being healthy not being available but ACA Turner is someone that I do think can step in right away I love his aggressive attacking mindset when the ball's in the air I think that that's something that Florida really hasn't had much of since 2021 Rashad Torrance and then he got significantly worse in 2023 and 2022 but I think 2021 Rashad torren is the last safety that Florida had where I go that's an aggressive attacking safety when the ball's in the air and so for me like having ASA Turner there I personally I think that alone could be enough to get him a starting spot or to be the first man Off the Bench like that that should be a first man into the rotation that should be his his identifier is that he is a ball Hawking safety because he is he just he's one of those like SE ball get ball kind of guys willing to go up and make a play for it and that's something that Florida really hasn't had even when Rashad porn was doing it he wasn't like exceptional at it he was just doing it but I think a a Turner or someone who that's what I think of when I watch his film when I watch him play from people I've spoken to I think of someone who has a high IQ which playing deep safety at the SEC level is not an easy thing to do and you need a high IQ to do that so playing it at a high level requires that and I do think that ASA Turner has that and he brings that to the table and that's something that I do think that we have to appreciate and acknowledge that that alone should get you sign significant playing time okay not just being a good cover man which I do think ASA Turner is pretty good but being able to come down and make a play on the ball whenever it's there and being a willing run Defender that's the downside I let's say he is Asa Turner is a willing run Defender his tackling however leaves some cause for concern and I do think that his presence gives Florida kind of an intriguing option at safety where you're playing a team who hey hey we know they're going to air it out or if it's in an obvious passing situation and you know they're going to air it out you put ASA Turner on the field and you go hey man go try to make a play on the ball when you're playing a team that you're like hey they're probably going to run the ball about 40 50 times this game maybe you don't play that much this week um but Florida also I mean everybody in the safety room struggled with tackling actually finishing these plays but I do think that looking at year two Jordan Castell year two Bryce Thornton having ASA Turner back with Will Harris who that that's obviously like that's the big selling point right for ASA Turner it's okay your your head coach has gone from Washington so you're like like there's big changes there you can come to Florida you you take that step up to the SEC and I get it you know SEC wasn't a big playoff team and then and all that the SEC is still the best conference in college football without a doubt in my mind not as dominant as they used to be but still the best and so you have sec play NFL general managers I promise you they're looking at the SEC more than any other place especially in the secondary so you're now going to the place where NFL teams are going to put more attention on you playing the SEC playing against an incredibly difficult schedule you're now here you're rejoining Will Harris who recruited you out of high school who is the reason you went to Washington you're now rejoining him as he's the new defensive backs coach in Gainesville it it's a match made in heaven here Florida gets the ball Hawking safety they have not had you maybe take a little bit of the pressure off Jordan Castell because Jordan castelle played like an Iron Man last year from not mistaken the most snaps played in the entire defense and a true freshman shouldn't do that like he was good for a true freshman started off strong really fell off after that like he kind of hit that freshman wall which is expected for like when guys get to that like a certain snap count that's kind of when they drop off a bit and so I think that looking at ASA Turner coming in like I think it's a great fit and I think that you get Jordan Castell doesn't have to play as many snaps but also I think ASA Turner is versatile enough to play both safety spots and I think Jordan castella is as well so I think that really opens it up where if you do start acea Turner and you want to go too high or if they're just on the same field at the same time and you want to go too high you can do that with two high safeties you could play cover two cover four you can play anything out of that because both guys have the ability to play The Deep safety or come down into the box if you want to show one high you can do that on either side and that's like we don't even have to worry about whether you're the boundary safety or the field safety it's just you're one of the starting safeties your left safety right safety for all I care like I do think that ASA Turner brings a lot to the table and now we're going to talk about the scholarship stuff because I know that that's been a conversation for Florida Gator fans for the really entire offseason that that's been a talking point we'll talk about that in just a second but first a quick word from eay eBay Motors Motors this bonus episode of lock on Gator directed by eBay motors with passion drive and patience that's what brings home the winning Trophy and it's also what keeps you ride or die alive eBay Motors says everything you need to maintain your vehicle and level it up to Peak Performance from superchargers roof racks exhaust kits LED headlights and more whether you're into speed power or style eBay Motors has got you covered with over 122 million parts for your number one ride or die yeah 122 million with eBay guaranteed fit your part is guaranteed to fit your ride every time or your money back because with eBay Motors you're burning rubber and not cash with all the parts you need at the prices you want it's easy to turn your car into the MVP and bring home that win keep your ride or die alive at ebaymotors.com eligible items only exclusion Supply eBay guaranteed fit is only available to us Florida Gators customers thanks again for making lck down G is your first or second listen of the day we are available daily sometimes more than once in a day and free whereever listen to podcast and on YouTube and for me ASA Turner I do think that he's a great ad but again the conversation now is around those scholarships because Florida in recent weeks you've added a few players I add clay Millan the quarterback from Colorado State you added deantre Robinson Jamir Grimsley both 2024 freshman uh that were part of the recruiting class with jir Grimsley was at Alabama and then he came over to Florida after Nick sain retired jir uh deantre Robinson was signed to Texas and then he kind of he he asked for his release after the defensive line coach went to LSU and so he came into the class Florida is at 85 scholarships before adding AA Turner for the fall they're at 82 before adding ASA Turner in the spring so all that tells you is that Florida still has two scholarships available for the spring and that they have to lose at least one player after the spring in order to be able to keep a Saturn or in order to be able to get under the 85 scholarship limit or to the 85 scholarship limit so that's why I'm not concerned with the scholarships I know that that's a thing that I've seen people talk about and even in the Discord and everything like they're go oh we're out of scholarship so we can't get Ace a Turner I think it was uh like last Monday I saw someone say that where they were just like oh we're at 85 now so we can't do it that's simply not true because you're at 85 for the fall but you're at 8 for the spring you can reasonably expect that at least one person is going to leave and if not truly you can push someone out if you want you can push out one of the guys who loses the battle on the offensive line one of the upper classman where you're just like all right you you haven't played much now you've lost the battle we've got guys coming in on the offensive line you're not going to get playing time go hit the portal you can do it at receiver if someone loses a battle or multiple guys lose battles that are upper classman you go hey we've got a lot of really good young receivers coming in you're not really a fit for us anymore and you can push them out so I'm not concerned about now being over the 85 scholarship limit because again you're not currently over the limit because you have three players coming in that are going to be midyear enroles out of high school it's uh Aaron ches I think it's air Jackson and deontre Robinson are all expected to be midyear enroles for the Florida Gator so you've still got those scholarships for the spring the expectation that I would have is that you'd go through the spring with AA Turner added not sure if you uh not sure if you add anybody else I doubt it at this point it's not something that Florida's really been pushing for so you probably give two Walk-Ons the scholarship just for the duration of the spring just you know save them some money be nice give two scholarships Walk-Ons for the spring or give two walk- on scholarships for the spring and then when it comes time for fall you lose at least one guy the expectations is you're going to lose more because guess what a lot of teams do a lot of teams lose guys when they like they go into spring and they're just like all right I'm going to compete here and if I lose then I'll leave gladly that you're probably gonna have someone hit the portal before the spring ends pretty sure every year Florida's had that happen in the past since Billy's been here uh not that that's a billy thing because the first year was Emory Jones came for like two days of practice and then he hit the portal um so I think the expectation should be that you're going to lose somebody and again you never know what's going to happen as far as some guys just show up and they get blown out of the water in Camp and they're like all right I think I'm just gonna call it a day and then you have that scholarship freed up um so for Florida I'm not concerned about the scholarships I am looking at the second transfer portal window and I'm saying all right if you want to be active there you have to get rid of more players but for the time being I wouldn't stress the scholarships too much you have who you have for the spring you have two scholarships available that you can still give to Walk-Ons for the duration of the spring and then we call that a day so scholarships are not a concern for me right now ASA Turner does make your secondary considerably better whether he's a starter or not he's made your safety room better I do think that he could play m multiple spots in that safety room I'm not too sold on him being a nickel he's done it a little bit but if we're moving a guy or if we're playing a transfer safety at nickel I think that DJ Douglas would be better fit for that DJ Douglas out of two lane um but so for for me like you've improved here still got a major concern at corner but your safety room has improved your safety play probably will improve and that in turn should help limit the Deep plays when you're playing quarters or cover three you probably have a better chance at stopping big plays now and hope that your Corners adapt and adjust and improve as well thanks for making lock down Gator your first listen of the day every day we are available daily and fre R the podcast we'll be back tomorrow to talk about the 2025 recruiting class for the Flor Gators and and their approach to recruiting for lockdown Gators I'm Brandon Olson don't forget to follow me on Twitter at wns Brandon find all my written work with Whole Nine Sports Giants country NFL 33 and I'll see you all next time