SIX BITS: Dunlap’s future, QB offered, DT Floyd, Big Board, Smith and Holliday, Lewis

1 » Though juniors cornerback Joe Haden and tight end Aaron Hernandez have declared for the 2010 NFL Draft, the decision is not an easy one for defensive end Carlos Dunlap. Once considered a top-five talent, Dunlap’s arrest and subsequent suspension for DUI prior to the 2009 SEC Championship had him fall down draft boards. “The feedback that he’s gotten is that he will go late in the first round or early in the second round,” Dunlap’s father told Rivals on Tuesday. “Staying to get a degree isn’t going to be an issue because he’s on track to graduate in December. He’s close enough to getting his degree that he can do it anytime. So does he want to come back to finish up his education and maybe be the top overall draft choice next year or does he want to come out right now and start working on his NFL career?” Dunlap’s father will also consult former Florida Gators defensive coordinator Charlie Strong for advice. “We value Charlie’s opinion. We value Charlie’s evaluation. We value Charlie’s leadership. So if Charlie tells us this is how he thinks it should be, I trust he is going to tell us what is best for Carlos based on the evaluations and feedback he has received.”

2 » JC Shurburtt of ESPN is reporting that Gators quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler has extended an offer to five-star 2011 QB recruit Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, FL). “I was real excited about the offer,” Driskel said. “I have been talking to Coach Loeffler just about once a week, and he told me that he was ready to offer me. When I got it, obviously I was real excited.” He has also received offers from Auburn, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss and Florida International. Driskel also told Shurburtt that while he does currently live in Florida, location won’t factor much in his final decision. “When I was younger, we moved around a lot because my dad was in the Navy,” he said.

Four more BITS including recruiting and NFL Draft news after the jump!

3 » Five-star defensive tackle recruit Sharrif Floyd (Philadelphia, PA) is planning to make his commitment on Saturday during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. With his list narrowed to Florida, North Carolina, Ohio State and South Carolina, Floyd has told multiple reporters that he is ready to surprise everyone with his pick. “I do know my decision,” he told Scouts, Inc. “I think a lot of people are going to be shocked by my decision. I can’t wait. It will be a lot of weight lifted off of my shoulders.” It looks like the Gators and Tar Heels are his two finalists. “Florida overall, I genuinely care about Coach [Urban] Meyer and we talk on a daily basis,” Floyd said. “I just like Florida and what the program has to offer.” Florida has the unique opportunity to land as many as four five-star recruits on Saturday. OGGOA will have full coverage.

4 » In his latest Big Board, ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr. continues to list three Gators juniors. Haden has moved up one slot to No. 6, Dunlap jumped three spots to No. 14 and Hernandez moved up four to No. 15. Seniors QB Tim Tebow and linebacker Brandon Spikes are not in Kiper’s top 25.

5 » Florida graduate assistant Zach Smith was hired by new Marshall Thundering Herd head coach Doc Holliday as his wide receivers coach on Monday and has been going through a hectic transition ever since. “It’s great to have the opportunity to work with coach Holliday again,” Smith said. “He was pivotal in winning both national titles [with the Gators], both as a recruiter and a phenomenal teacher and coach.”

6 » Freshman golfer Amelia Lewis told the University of Florida over the holidays that she would not be returning to college in the new year. “I just knew it wasn’t for me,” she told GolfWeek. Instead, Lewis will practice and prepare for a shot at a selection to the 2010 U.S. Curtis Cup team, which will be announced in February. During her short career wearing Orange and Blue, Lewis played in two events, finishing tied for 11th at the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown.