Florida football: Gators recruiting another unicorn tight end to Gainesville
By Will Thomas
Florida football is putting together an elite 2024 recruiting class, and one of their targets could be their next freak of nature tight end.
Ever since Kyle Pitts left, the Gators have been looking for their next feature playmaker at tight end. They may have their eyes on one in the 2024 class.
4-star tight end Walter Matthews, out of Hiram, Georgia, is ranked as the 109th-best player in his class, and the 5th-best tight end. He’s also a top-20 player in the state of Georgia.
Alongside the Gators, Matthews also holds offers from Michigan, Ohio State, Texas A&M, LSU, and others.
What sets Walter apart from the other tight ends is his size. He’s 6’7”-245, which is the biggest of any other tight end in the top 20 of TE rankings.
His speed combines well with his other skills and doesn’t limit his ability to run or move in open space. He has great hands, 4.6-40 speed, and a 37-inch vertical jump (non-verified).
For comparison’s sake, Kyle Pitts was 6’5-5”-235 as a recruit. I’m not saying that Matthews is the next Kyle Pitts, but he certainly has the size for it.
Kyle was able to use his combination of height and speed to be a mismatch against anybody that was covering him, and with Matthew’s skill set, he could easily become the same type of impossible cover for a defense.
Regardless of comparisons, Matthews is a guy that Billy Napier and the Gators should be going after. Taking elite talent from the state of Georgia will send a message to the rest of the country that Napier and his staff aren’t backing down on the recruiting trail.
Walter will also be another top-tier pas catcher that DJ Lagway can pair up with in the class of 2024. Having Lagway committed will also help draw Matthews’ attention, and make Gainesville more appealing.
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