Florida Gators Football Recruiting: Malik Davis Update

The Florida Gators football program has landed a gifted running back recruit in Malik Davis. Find out the latest development in his recruitment.

The Florida Gators received a glimpse at the future during the 16-10 victory over the LSU Tigers. Jordan Scarlett ran the ball 22 times for 108 yards and Lamical Perine amassed 38 yards on seven powerful carries.

That dynamic duo could soon be joined by another promising running back in class of 2017 recruit Malik Davis.

Florida certainly has talent at the running back position, but depth is nothing short of vital in the SEC. Between potential injuries and multi-back rotations, the presence of multiple playmakers—or lack thereof—can make or break a season.

According to Andrew Spivey of Gator Country, Davis may still make visits to other schools,

"“I don’t know about other visits yet,” he said. “But I’m pretty much all in with the Gators. I might visit North Carolina and Miami but I’m not sure. It’s probably not a chance they can flip me though because I just feel at home here and love the atmosphere.”"

It’s not a guarantee that Davis will be playing for the Gators next season, but it’s fair to believe that he will be.

Despite his decorated high school career, which includes his rushing for upwards of 6,000 yards, Davis isn’t the most highly-touted of recruits. The Tampa, Florida native is listed as a three-star recruit on ESPN, Rivals, Scout, and 247Sports.

As he closes in on 7,000 career rushing yards and sets Hillsborough County records, the three-star rating is looking like an undersell.

Though he isn’t the most revered of recruits, he could be one of the most valuable grabs from the recruiting class of 2017.

Scarlett is a sophomore and Perine a freshman, which creates the foundation for a dynamic rotation. Davis has a low center of gravity and good hands out of the backfield, which would be a welcome addition for a Florida team that’s struggled to throw the ball.

Per Spivey, Davis outlined what head coach Jim McElwain and the Gators see in him: an every-down back.

"“They feel like I’m an every-down back,” Davis said of what Florida sees him doing. “They feel like I can come in and make an impact soon. They said they know that I don’t have to come out if they want to throw the ball because I can catch.”"

That’s a promising sign for the future of Florida football.

Davis could still jump ship and join the Miami Hurricanes or North Carolina Tar Heels, but it seems unlikely. Nevertheless, McElwain and the Gators must put in the necessary effort to ensure that he’ll be in Gainesville next season.

That’s proven to be especially true over the past five games.

Florida should do what it must to solidify its place as Davis’ next stop.

Must Read: Who stepped up against LSU?

Davis could help transform the Florida Gators’ offense into a more consistent threat in 2017 and beyond.