Florida football: IMG Academy is key to UF’s resurgence

When it comes to high school football, IMG Academy is considered one of the elite national programs.

Since expanding its football program from just a summer camp to an actual high school football team back in 2013, IMG has become a factory for collegiate superstar talent, with several of their alumni going on to have successful collegiate careers throughout the country.

In last season’s college football playoffs, there were 15 alumni from IMG Academy that were on the rosters for all four playoff teams. This included Alabama’s Evan Neal, who was recently drafted no. 7 overall in this year’s draft by the New York Giants.

Yet despite being in the heart of Manatee County, less than 200 miles away from Gainesville, the University of Florida has practically been non-existent with recruiting players from this high school powerhouse.

Prior to the 2022 recruiting class, the Gators previously signed only one recruit from IMG: cornerback Kamar Wilcoxson. However, there should be an asterisk next to that, as Wilcoxson was on IMG’s roster for a few months before he committed to the Gators and reclassified himself as part of the 2020 class, without playing a single game for IMG.

Many orange and blue fans have developed their own speculations and theories over the years as to why the Gators have struggled to sign players from IMG.

Just when it seemed as though UF had permanently exiled itself from recruiting at Bradenton football factory, new Gators head coach Billy Napier turned heads by reeling in IMG four-star safety Kamari Wilson less than 10 days after accepting the Florida job.

Shortly after signing the no. 17 recruiting class in the nation, Napier said recruiting would be a high priority for him and his staff. Particularly in the sunshine state.

“History would indicate that when Florida has a really good football team, it starts right here in our backyard and works out,” Napier said during his National Signing Day press conference back in February. “Certainly, with the 2023 group, that will be the mentality.”

Just a week before they open the season by hosting no. 7 Utah, the Gators currently sit no. 10 overall in the 2023 recruiting rankings, according to 247 Sports. Among their 20 current commitments, 16 of them play high school football in the state of Florida.

Two of Florida’s most notable commitments include four-star defensive lineman Will Norman and four-star offensive lineman Knijeah Harris, both of whom play football at IMG.

Among the top players currently uncommitted, one of Florida’s biggest priorities between now and early signing day on Dec. 15 is five-star defensive end Samuel M’Pemba. M’Pemba, who is also being heavily courted by other SEC programs such as Georgia and Alabama, is teammates with both Norman and Harris at IMG.

Looking ahead to the 2024 recruiting class, the Gators have their eyes set on several prospects from IMG Academy already. Perhaps most notable is five-star defensive back Desmond Ricks, who plans to attend Billy Napier’s inaugural game in the Swamp on Sep. 3.

When Florida hired Billy Napier back in December, the expectation amongst many in the Gator Nation was that he would not only fix the toxic culture that was left to fester by the previous coaching staff, but that he would also elevate Florida’s recruiting game back into at least the top 5 nationally for the first time since 2013 under Will Muschamp.

Though the Gators have not quite climbed up to the top 5 just yet in this recruiting cycle, Napier and his army of assistants have already begun to rebuild Florida’s recruiting perimeter within the sunshine state, starting with IMG Academy.

Before concluding his first season as Florida’s football coach, Billy Napier could very well triple or quadruple all-time signees from IMG.

When Wilson committed to Florida less than nine months ago, at the time it was perceived as Napier going all in on one of IMG’s top prospects in order to salvage the 2022 recruiting class.

But looking at it from an aerial point of view, that was just Florida’s first step in establishing a 200-mile-long pipeline from The Swamp and the new $85 million Heavener Football Training Center to IMG Academy.

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