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Florida football recruiting: The biggest flips in Gator recruiting history

By Will Thomas

Jan 3, 2015; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators defensive lineman Dante Fowler (6) looks to the crowd at the close of the game agains the East Carolina Pirates in the 2015 Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2015; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators defensive lineman Dante Fowler (6) looks to the crowd at the close of the game agains the East Carolina Pirates in the 2015 Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 11, 2014; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators defensive lineman Dante Fowler Jr. (6) against the LSU Tigers during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. LSU Tigers defeated the Florida Gators 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Florida football recruiting biggest flips: Dante Fowler Jr (2012-2014)

Another elite prospect that the Gators nearly missed out on was Dante Fowler Jr in the class of 2012.

Fowler was a top-15 player in the country coming out of his class and was ranked as the second-best defensive end, behind Noah Spence who went to Ohio State.

His recruitment started off pretty much as bad as it can for Florida. He was a lifelong Florida State fan and grew up hating UF.

Which isn’t great as you try and recruit him to play for you.

Dante committed to the Noles in December of 2010, and it didn’t seem like anybody would be able to catch FSU.

But Fowler took an official visit to Gainesville in January of 2012, and the Gators did enough to persuade him that he signed to the Gators about two weeks later.

Taking a recruit from FSU is always fun. But snagging a lifelong Nole fan in the final weeks of his recruitment had to feel pretty sweet for the Gators’ coaches.

As a fan, I know I liked it.

With the Gators, Dante wreaked havoc on opposing offenses, with 140 tackles, 33 for a loss, 14.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles.

His best year was his last in 2014, where he made 60 tackles, 15 of which were for a loss, made 8.5 sacks, and forced two fumbles.

The Gators haven’t had a chaos-causer quite like Dante ever since he moved to the NFL, where he’s had a solid career.

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