With national signing day and the 2023 recruiting class in the rearview mirror, attention turns to the 2024 class and the players that Billy Napier will target.
The 2024 class is a big one for Napier and his staff. The 2023 class was the first one that Napier was in charge of for the entire cycle. After being hired in December 2021, Napier had little time to keep together a class that former head coach Dan Mullen put together. The 2022 class saw the program's first-ever player from IMG Academy in Bradenton when Kamari Wilson signed with the Gators.
The 2023 class was an improvement from 2021 and showed what Napier prioritized in recruiting. According to On3, of the Gators' 20 high school recruits, 16 were considered blue-chip prospects (four or five stars). 70% of the 2023 class consisted of players from the state of Florida, compared to just 25% from the 2022 class.
It seems like Napier is on pace to, at a minimum, maintain the same level of quality from the 2023 class. In a recent article by ESPN, Tom VanHaaren makes a point to mention Florida commit DJ Lagway as one of the three 2024 quarterbacks with a five-star grade. That is particularly important to the Orange and Blue, given the Jaden Rashada saga that the program went through over the last six weeks. After his commitment in December, Lagway has been vocal about his openness to recruit for the Gators.
One player that could use a call from DJ Lagway is Hollywood, Florida, native Joshisa Trader. The Chaminade-Madonna wide receiver is the top player at his position in the 2024 class. In addition to the Gators, programs like Ohio State, Miami and Florida State are all pushing hard to secure his services. Landing a player like Trader would go a long way in re-establishing the Gators as the best in-state option for top talent in the state of Florida.
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Story originally appeared on Gators Wire
