Florida has emerged as the early favorite to land 2028 Vero Beach (Florida) defensive lineman Josiah Taylor, according to a new On3 recruiting prediction machine forecast. Taylor publicly identified UF as the leader in his recruitment.
The Gators offered Taylor after their Friday Night Lights camp in June and have maintained consistent communication throughout the summer. Defensive line coach Gerald Chatman and assistant Jeremy Patterson have led UF's recruiting charge with the in-state prospect.
Auburn, Florida State, and Georgia are also eyeing the 6-foot-4-inch, 315-pound defender who the Gators believe is more valuable than his rankings suggest. In fact, Chatman and the staff view Taylor as one of the DL targets in the region. On3 claims that
through early relationship-building, the Gators are currently the team to beat.
As a sophomore, Taylor recorded 34 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. He helped lead the Fighting Indians to a 14-1 record. Taylor is expected to return to Gainesville for Florida's season opener and its home game against Ole Miss.
Josiah Taylor's recruiting summary
Taylor is the No. 523 overall prospect in the 2028 recruiting class and No. 58 at his position, according to 247Sports Composite. On3 industry rankings currently do not have an evaluation grade for Taylor, but project him to land at Florida, giving the Gators a 98.8% chance to gain his commitment. Nine offers have been extended to the sophomore, from programs like Baylor, Boston College, and Georgia Tech.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida an early favorite for in-state 2028 DL prospect Josiah Taylor
