Florida Football: Five recruiting busts for Gators under Dan Mullen

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 13: head coach Dan Mullen of the Florida Gators is interviewed by ESPN after defeating the Samford Bulldogs 70-52 in a game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 13, 2021 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) /

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Dec 18, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans cornerback Chris Steele Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Florida Football Recruiting Bust 2019: Chris Steele

The top-rated player out of Florida’s respectable but not elite 2019 recruiting class, Chris Steele was a top-50 prospect that went on to have a decent college career as a mainstay starter in the Power 5 that has bounced around to a couple of NFL teams since.

While he didn’t live up to his initial ranking, to call Chris Steele the player a bust is unfair.

The problem is that Steele never played a down for the Florida Gators.

Now this wasn’t necessarily Steele’s fault. He shared a dorm room with a fellow 2019 signee Jalon Jones, and Steele quickly became uncomfortable rooming with Jones after Jones was accused of sexual battery in April of 2019.

Steele requested to move rooms, but Florida didn’t immediately approve his request, leading to Steele leaving Gainesville to head back home to California.

Losing one of his top-rated prospects in back-to-back years was not a good look for Mullen.

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