Florida Gators football recently picked up a commit from defensive lineman Francois Nolton. 14Powers.com recruiting analyst Steve Wright provides this film evaluation of Nolton.
Keeping local high school stars in-state should be the foundation of any good recruiting class and plan. That theory only makes more sense when you are the Florida Gators and head coach Dan Mullen is recruiting in one of the three best states in the entire country in terms of high school talent. That is why recruitment of 4-star defensive end Francois Nolton of Edison (Miami, FL) High School is an important pick up for Mullen’s class of 2022.
At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Nolton has the type of tightly muscled frame that coaches are looking for in edge rushers coming out of high school. He is ranked as the No. 214 player in the nation by the 247Sports Composite Rankings, as the No. 12 defensive end, and as the No. 28 player in the class out of Florida. He committed to the Gators over interest from the likes of Alabama, LSU, and Miami.
In this video you can see why Florida likes what it is getting in Nolton. In the first clip, he rushes from a stand-up position and beats his blocker with nothing more than a quick shake of this hips. That move allows him an inside rush to the quarterback and he quickly strikes for the passer to pick up a sack. The second play has Nolton with his hand on the ground – more of a traditional defensive end set up. In this play he again uses his lateral quickness to beat his blocker, even fighting through one of the more obvious holds you are ever going to see in order to make the play.
The versatility to play either as an edge rusher from the linebacker spot or as a traditional end certainly gives Nolton extra value and it will be interesting to see where and how Mullen uses him in the future.
Be the first to comment