Florida Gators West Coast recruiting update

While the vast majority of Florida Gators incoming commitments usually hail from states along the Atlantic Ocean, the team has been looking to expand its recruiting base and is making serious headway on the West Coast and in California.

In fact, the team’s highest rated uncommitted prospect, five-star defensive end Ronald Powell, plays his high school ball for Rancho Verde in Moreno Valley, CA. At 6’4”, 230 lbs. with a 4.52 second 40-yard dash, Powell lists the Gators and USC Trojans as his top two schools. He has already taken three unofficial visits to Gainesville, the latest just a few weeks ago when Florida defeated the Tennessee Volunteers, and plans to take an official visit when time permits. Nevertheless, the Gators are already in the top two for his commitment. “I would like to see some other schools, but USC and Florida are at the top,” Powell said, “and I really don’t see that changing.”

Powell has had his Gators scholarship offer for some time; four-star safety Dietrich Riley of St. Francis in La Canada, CA, just received his. “I started hopping around,” Riley said of his reaction when learning of the offer. “I started running around the house. I was happy.”

An impressive 6’1”, 200 lbs. with a 4.47 second 40-yard dash, Riley said he has been waiting to hear from Florida for a while. “I was very patient throughout this whole process and I finally landed the offer,” he said. Riley is currently in the process of planning an official visit to Gainesville and looks forward to meeting head coach Urban Meyer in person after speaking with him on the phone. “[Meyer said he] was impressed with my film, just my versatility and what I can do on both sides of the ball. He loves how aggressive I am and the attitude I play with.”

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