These are the football players signed, sealed and delivered for the Gators, who entered the day with 21 signed from December’s Early-Signing Period, on National Signing Day:
DIWUN BLACK
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 215 pounds
Ranking: No. 9 inside linebacker prospect in the 2019 class by 247Sports. No. 5 overall prospect from Florida.
Hometown: Forest, Mississippi
High School: Osceola
How he fits: Black can realistically play multiple spots for Florida. He could play inside linebacker, where he excelled as a junior at Forest High before transferring to Osceola for his senior year. But Black also has potential at the nickel and dime positions, and he has the vision and hands to play safety at the next level. The Gators are likely salivating at their new multi-tool on defense.
KHRIS BOGLE
Position: Defensive end
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 215
Ranking: No. 49 overall prospect in the 2019 class by 247Sports. No. 3 weak-side defensive end
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale
High School: Cardinal Gibbons
How he fits: Widely regarded as the top pass rusher out of the state of Florida in the 2019 class, Bogle gives the Gators an absolute unit on the defensive line. With elite size and speed for the position, Bogle boosts a defensive line looking to replace several starters. Dan Mullen has now stolen elite defensive ends from the Crimson Tide in consecutive classes. That’s seemingly how you retake the state.
KAIIR ELAM
Position: Defensive back
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 185 pounds
Ranking: No. 10 defensive back in the 2019 class by 247Sports. No. 9 overall prospect from Florida.
Hometown: North Palm Beach
High School: The Benjamin School
How he fits: Elam gives the Gators another top-10 defensive back in the 2019 class, in turn keeping him out of the clutches of Kirby Smart and Georgia. After defensive backs coach Charlton Warren was hired away by the ‘Dawgs, it appeared the Gators could lose one of the state’s top uncommitted prospects. But Mullen’s hiring of Torrian Gray, coupled with his strong relationship throughout the cycle with Elam, results in the Gators landing the dynamic defensive back.
ARJEI HENDERSON
Position: Wide receiver
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 185 pounds
Ranking: No. 23 wide receiver by the 247Sports composite ranking. No. 22 overall prospect out of Texas by 247Sports.
Hometown: Richmond, Texas
High School: Fort Bend Travis
How he fits: Henderson committed to the Gators on Jan. 2, rounding out a wide receiver class that lacked a dynamic talent despite signing three wide receivers who are highly regarded inside the UF program. Henderson stuck to the very end despite multiple programs pursuing him, and he’ll arrive in June with an opportunity to crack Florida’s deep wide receiver rotation.
Huge get(Bogle). Love getting the Florida players. Hurts BAMA, so it’s doubly good. Kick BAMA out of Florida especially south florida.
Kick Bama out of the college playoffs! Looks like 3 good gets above. Go Gators!
Great to see Gators having success in the talent rich south Florida area, with this one being especially sweet coming at the expense of Alabama! With the current state of FSU and UM programs, this is an open window for UF to aggressively pursuit the best of the best. Go Gators.
Great class! Kudos to Coach Mullen and the staff. 2020 class is already shaping up nicely too. The Gators are quickly getting back to where they should be.
Great class! Sorry so many Florida players left the State that has taken care of them throughout their high school years. Kudo’s to those players that showed how important loyalty and family are by sticking with their home State! Best of luck to All… Grats to the HS coaches that supported the State of Florida! Go Gators!