Gators miss out on 2023 5-star OT ahead of early signing period
Florida missed out on Thayer Academy (Brockton, Massachusetts) five-star offensive tackle Samson Okunlola on Thursday. The blue-chip lineman chose the University of Miami over Florida, Alabama and Michigan State.
This isn’t the first time Billy Napier has lost a recruiting battle with Mario Cristobal for a five-star offensive tackle. Many fans will remember that the Hurricanes earned a commitment from the nation’s top prep offensive tackle, Francis Mauigoa, over the summer. That was around the same time that Miami got quarterback Jaden Rashada, but he would eventually flip to the Orange and Blue.
Okunlola’s recruitment came down to Miami and Florida. He was in Gainesville last week for his final official visit, but Miami got the final word on Tuesday by visiting him directly.
Breaking: Miami lands 5-star OT Samson Okunlola. The Canes beat out Bama, Florida and Michigan St. 🙌🏼
More from Okunlola: https://t.co/PQ627k6efL pic.twitter.com/Tuy6mXeycZ
— ChadSimmons (@ChadSimmons_) December 15, 2022
NIL was reportedly a factor in this decision, but that’s not unusual in today’s college football landscape, especially for a five-star prospect that’s worked hard to build his own brand. “Pancake Honcho” Okunlola announced his commitment with a hot stack and custom syrup holders for each of his four finalists. His pledge vaults Miami up to No. 3 on 247Sports’ team rankings.
Okunlola is the 20th-ranked player on the 247Sports composite regardless of position and is the third-highest-ranked offensive tackle in the class of 2023. The site’s individual rankings are even more bullish on him, ranking Okunlola at No. 14 overall in the class.
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