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Recruiting Fact or Fiction: Gators, Miami, Cedric Baxter

In Mike Farrell’s Fact or Fiction – Recruiting Edition – he looks at whether the Gators will finish with a top-5 class…

Mike Farrell| October 27, 2022 (Updated: July 9, 2025)
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In today’s Fact or Fiction— Recruiting Edition — I look at three big recent topics in football recruiting and decide whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.


1. Gators will be top five class now.

Farrell’s take: FICTION

Cormani McClain’s expected commitment is huge for Billy Napier — HUGE. And this class is top 10 but even the top CB in the country doesn’t boost it to top five. But how close are they? I have them No. 7 and that’s kind of incredible based on what we’ve seen in recent years from head coaches, the off and on season they’ve had and the nasty competitive recruiting in the south. The only SEC teams ahead of them are Alabama, Georgia and LSU and each of those teams have an easier in state path to talent. Napier has a chance to build something special with some patience. Especially with Miami struggling.

Super 16 Lakeland High School football – Cormani McClain in Lakeland Fl. Monday July 52, 2022.

2. Miami recruiting is taking a hit.

Farrell’s take: FACT

A “hit” is relative but I look at it this way — they had a chance at McClain and ran No. 2 in his recruitment but the rough start to the season eliminated all chances. They have led for a long time for 5-star OT Samson Okunlola but haven’t closed yet and now he’s visiting Florida. These are little things but it’s hard to recruit when things aren’t great on the field. Mario Cristobal is a great recruiter and this should be a top 10 class but it’s getting harder with each loss.

Thayer Academy’s Samson Okunlola, of Brockton, blocks a pass rusher during a game against Milton Academy on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022.

3. Cedric Baxter will flip back to FSU.

Farrell’s take: FICTION

This is a tough call and closer than many think as the Florida 4 star RB was once committed to FSU but decommitted and is now “solid” to Texas. But an official visit coming up to the ‘Noles is interesting and playing closer to home is always a factor. Bijan Robinson is a great selling point for Texas and they have a great class and I think they keep Baxter in it but this is close.

2023 four-star RB Cedric Baxter from Orlando, FL (Edgewood)

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Category: Fact or Fiction, RecruitingTag: Billy Napier, Cedric Baxter Jr., Cormani McClain, Florida Gators, Mario Cristobal, Miami Hurricanes, Mike Farrell, Princewill Umanmielan, Samson Okunola, Texas Longhorns
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