Florida football recruiting: Gators flip four-star OL Roderick Kearney from Florida State

By OnlyGators.com Staff
October 24, 2022
Florida football recruiting: Gators flip four-star OL Roderick Kearney from Florida State
Football

Image Credit: Emma Bissell, UAA

Just hours after head coach Billy Napier expressed his excitement over the Florida Gators’ growing Class of 2023 amid a potential signature commitment that may occur later this week, Florida wound up getting a nice appetizer to whet its appetite. Four-star offensive lineman Roderick Kearney (Orange Park, FL) on Monday night decided to commit to the Gators, flipping his pledge from the Florida State Seminoles.

“Gator baby 904 to the 352,” he tweeted shortly after providing a statement about his decision to move on from FSU.

Kearney (6-foot-4, 300 pounds) switched his verbal pledge to Florida four months after initially committing to Florida State and less than two months before the earning signing period. This despite Kearney taking an official visit to the Seminoles on Oct. 15. He previously took unofficial visits to both schools in September.

The No. 123 overall prospect in the Class of 2023, Kearney becomes the Gators’ fourth-highest rated commitment. His pledge boosts Florida one spot ahead of Clemson to No. 8 in the 247Sports Composite team rankings. Kearney is the 18th of 22 Gators pledges from the Sunshine State and the 18th blue-chip prospect in the class.

In other recruiting news: Four-star athlete Creed Whittemore (Gainesville, FL) decommitted from the program over a week after taking a visit to Mississippi State. Whittemore, whose brother Trent is currently a redshirt sophomore wide receiver at Florida, proceeded to commit to MSU shortly thereafter. While it is unknown if Trent intends to transfer to play with his brother next season, the fact that is he not a significant part of UF’s offense would indicate that is a possibility.

In other other recruiting news: Five-star cornerback Cormani McClain (Lakeland, FL), the No. 2 overall player in the nation, will choose between Florida, Alabama and Miami on Thursday night. McClain, who has long been considered a lean for the Gators, has a chance to be the crown jewel of what may well be the most talented and deepest secondary class in the nation by the time the early signing period rolls around in December. Should McClain (6-foot-2, 165 pounds) choose the Gators, he will become the program’s highest-rated commitment and potential signee since offensive tackle Martez Ivey in 2015. Florida’s class ranking would not rise, but McClain jumping on board would eliminate the gap between itself and the programs ranked second through seventh in the rankings.

CommitPos.Rating
Kelby Collins (44)
DL*
Ja'Keem Jackson (60)
CB*
Aidan Mizell (102)
WR*
Eugene Wilson (110)
WR*
Dijon Johnson (114)
CB*
Roderick Kearney (116)
OL*
Kamran James (168)
DL*
Will Norman (192)
DL*
Jordan Castell (208)
DB*
Sharif Denson (220)
CB*
TJ Searcy (257)
DL*
Gavin Hill
DL*
Aaron Gates
ATH*
Treyaun Webb
RB*
Andy Jean
WR*
Bryce Thornton
DB*
Jaden Robinson
LB*
Caden Jones
OL
Knijeah Harris
OL*
Bryce Lovett
OL*

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