The SEC is a battleground unlike any other on Saturdays in the fall. The real competition begins in the football recruiting process, though.
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The Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Florida Gators were duking it out per usual, but Florida head coach Dan Mullen (who, by the way, has no problem dunking on Georgia's fan base) emerged victorious by snagging one of the nation's best tight ends.
TE Gage Wilcox Signs With Florida
.@GageWilcox12 welcome to the 🐊 fam! #ChompDown21 https://t.co/QMRQlPAnIk pic.twitter.com/T1lspbkyNt
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 16, 2020
RELATED: Florida Secures Talented 4-Star QB for 2022
Four-star tight end Gage Wilcox made his commitment official when he signed his letter of intent on NCAA national signing day in December 2020.
Wilcox originally committed to the University of Florida in an Instagram Live video in March 2020. The 6-foot-4, 228-pounder out of Tampa, Florida, is rated the No. 12 tight end in the nation and No. 308 overall prospect in the country according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
https://twitter.com/GageWilcox12/status/1233535185217564675?s=20
Wilcox trolled Georgia by choosing a Gators hat instead of a Bulldogs one in the video on social media before celebrating his decision with friends.
Wilcox is a valuable member of the 2021 Florida football recruiting class, filling an important void left by Kyle Pitts—the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. UF ranks 12th nationally and has 22 commits in its class, 12 of which are four-star athletes and nine of which are three-star athletes. That group includes a quarterback who is the son of a longtime NFL passer. TE Gage Wilcox is one of four UF recruits who has signed his letter of intent.
UF and UGA were two of 18 offers Wilcox was weighing, including from SEC and Power 5 programs like Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Penn State and South Carolina.
Wilcox, who was originally recruited by UF assistant coach Larry Scott and tight ends coach Tim Brewster, told Inside the Gators he chose the Florida due to his relationship with the coaching stuff and the proximity to home.
"In the end, it really came down to Florida, Alabama, and Georgia. I liked the big-name schools, said Wilcox. But with Florida, I really liked what Mullen was telling me. Also, both of the tight-end coaches, both Larry [Scott] and [Tim] Brew[ster] were great people. They both seem to treat it like a father role and like mentors when I get to college. Florida is also close to home and close to my mom."
Gage Wilcox Highlights
2021 TE Gage Wilcox (@GageWilcox12) with a nice route and catch. pic.twitter.com/JwXQddHuRM
— Jackson Ramer (@JacksonRamer) June 15, 2019
WCC: 2021 tight end Gage @GageWilcox12 Wilcox going through cone drills. Complete coverage on https://t.co/20NhoUoogb pic.twitter.com/zl5g9kk1bz
— Inside the Gators (@InsideTheGators) June 15, 2019
Whether the Florida signee becomes the program's next great tight end is up to him. UF has produced NFL-bound tight ends like Jordan Reed, Aaron Hernandez and Ben Troupe. Wilcox has the physical attributes, hands, and athleticism, to become next on that list.
Wilcox put up some big-time statistics at Jefferson High School. As a senior, he caught 11 receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns. He's poised to grow on that production down in Gainesville.
Florida's newest offensive weapon has the red zone presence to help the Gators reach their first College Football Playoff.
