Florida picks up big commitment from four-star 2015 RB Jordan Scarlett

By Adam Silverstein
February 2, 2015

With National Signing Day approaching, the Florida Gators desperately needed to start landing some top-notch prospects and did just that on Monday when four-star running back Jordan Scarlett (Fort Lauderdale, FL) announced his verbal commitment to the program.

A one-time Florida Atlantic pledge who was committed to Miami as recently as Saturday, Scarlett (5-foot-11, 222 pounds) is ranked as the 12th best running back and No. 118 overall player in the nation per the 247Sports Composite.

Scarlett decommitted from UM on Saturday in the middle of an official visit to Florida State and quickly set up a new announcement for Monday night, leading many to believe the U.S. Army All-American would wind up with FSU. Instead, he made the call for UF, which he officially visited two weekends ago.

An explosive talent out of the backfield, Scarlett took 143 carries for 1,124 yards and 26 touchdowns last season for St. Thomas Aquinas High School. On 500 career high school rushes, he’s picked up 4,530 yards and crossed the goal line 79 times.

With Matt Jones leaving early for the 2015 NFL Draft and Mack Brown graduating, junior Kelvin Taylor will be the only running back with extensive playing experience on the field for the Gators next season. Scarlett will compete for playing time with sophomore Brandon Powell (who was used out of the slot and on passes out of the backfield) and redshirt sophomore Adam Lane Jr. (who saw his first major action in the 2015 Birmingham Bowl, winning the game’s Most Valuable Player award).

There is no doubt that Scarlett was a big get for head coach Jim McElwain, who is trying to fill his depth chart with game-breaking players as he retools Florida’s offense.

Scarlett is the seventh 2015 commitment the Gators have gained in the last nine days. He’s also the fourth player UF has added from South Florida and second senior from St. Thomas Aquinas to join Florida’s recruiting class, joining three-star offensive lineman Richerd Desir-Jones.

The first consensus four-star prospect to make a pledge for the Gators, he gives Florida 15 total commitments in the Class of 2015. Scarlett is the second player to commit to UF on Monday.

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* Dillon is expected to flip from UF to LSU.