Florida football recruiting: Gators in top 5 for 4-star OT in 2024 class

Florida football recruiting is starting to turn to the trenches in the 2024 cycle with a couple of elite skill players already locked up.

One of their biggest targets just put the Gators in his top five schools.

Fletcher Westphal, from Leesburg, Virginia, just released his top five, and the Gators made the cut.

The other four schools on his list are Georgia, Clemson, Auburn, and Arkansas.

247 Sports has Westphal ranked as the 223rd-best player in the class, the 19th-best OT, and the 4th-best player coming out of Virginia.

The biggest thing that stands out about Flethcer is the way that he himself stands out. He measures in at 6’8”-305, which is just stupid size for a player still in high school.

As we wrote about a while ago, he imposes his will on the field with his size and strength and doesn’t give defenders a chance once he gets his hands on them.

Even if imperfect technique, he still pancakes guys like it’s no problem on the field.

One concern for a guy this size is that he may be slow and not able to move with defenders. But Brian Dohn of 247 doesn’t think that’s an issue for Fletcher.

"“Fires off quickly as snap. Has quick feet and plays balanced…Can scrape and get to second level.”"

But, like any high school prospect, there are still some things he needs to work on.

"“Has to continue to develop footwork when pulling to get out sooner and be cleaner leading the play. Has to continue to improve mirroring ability in pass pro. Increasing upper body strength will come with time.”"

It’s safe to say that landing Westphal would be a big get for Billy Napier and the Gators. Not only do you beat out a couple of powerhouses on the trail, but you add a big piece to your offensive line for years to come.

We’ll see if they can get it done.

Keep up with Florida football recruiting at Hail Florida Hail.