Florida football recruiting: The biggest flips in Gator recruiting history
By Will Thomas
Florida football recruiting biggest flips: Fred Taylor & Reidel Anthony (1994-1997)
Our final entry on this list was a package deal that the Gators were able to swipe away from FSU at the buzzer.
Fred Taylor and Reidel Anthony both committed early to go play for the Noles under the impression of playing for national championships and being at the top of college football.
But Florida’s coach at the time, Steve Spurrier, wasn’t having it. He was able to convince both guys to take official visits to Gainesville the weekend before they would sign to their school.
After that trip, both guys decided to be Gators, and we know what happened after that.
Fred Taylor ran for over 3,000 yards throughout his career with the Gators and had his most productive season in his senior year in ’97.
He carried the ball 214 times for 1,292 yards and punched it in 13 times. That year he was second in the SEC in both rushing yards and touchdowns, as well as rushing yards per attempt (6.0).
Reidel Anthony left a year earlier than Taylor did but also had his best season in his final run with the Gators in ’96.
That season he caught 72 passes for 1,293 yards and 26 touchdowns, as well as earning himself one rushing touchdown that year.
For all of his production that fall he was named a Consensus All-American and led the NCAA in receptions, yards, touchdowns, and points. He also brought a kickoff all the way back that season, because why not.
These two are in the books as some of the best players in Gator history, but if it weren’t for Spurrier’s late push, they would have put these numbers up for FSU instead.