Florida Gators cornerback commitment might have signaled the end of Joe Haden's collegiate career

GAINESVILLE -- Gator Clause usually doesn't write much about recruiting during the college football season but the Florida Gators' latest commitment has piqued our interest.

Josh Shaw (6-1, 195 pounds), a high school cornerback from Palmdale, Cali., pledged his allegiance to UF coach Urban Meyer on Tuesday. This is interesting for several reasons. One: The Gators went to California to find a defensive back. When is the last time Florida lured a defensive back out of California? I don't know. It's pretty rare, considering the enormous amount of elite high school defensive backs in Florida. Two: The addition of Shaw could be an indication that UF junior cornerback Joe Haden only has four more games remaining in his collegiate career.

In three short years, Haden has gone from one of Maryland's best high school quarterbacks this decade to one of the best collegiate cornerbacks in the country. ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay wrote last Friday that Haden is currently college football's top-rated cornerback, according to NFL scouts. "If Haden elects to leave school early he will give the corner group an elite prospect worth drafting in the top 10 overall..." wrote McShay.

Like most starting juniors at UF, Haden will request an NFL draft evaluation in the months following UF's season. It's safe to assume that Haden will strongly consider leaving school early if he is projected as a first-round pick. How confident is the Gators' coaching staff that Haden will leave early? Well, they're confident enough in Haden's early departure that they told Shaw, the Californian, that Haden will likely leave.

Of course, we all know that coaches will tell recruits anything prior to National Signing Day. We can argue recruiting tactics another time. There is certainly a chance Haden could return to UF for his senior season. His younger brother, Jordan, is a 2010 UF commitment and Jordan Haden told me earlier this season that his older brother would like to play at UF with his sibling. That being said, the Shaw family and the Haden family have apparently been in communication this season, which means Shaw didn't announce his decision on Tuesday without doing his research.

Haden's departure after this season would open a starting spot in the Gators' secondary. We'll assume that sophomore cornerback Janoris Jenkins will retain his starting role next season. That means Shaw would battle with freshman Adrian Bushell, junior Moses Jenkins, redshirt freshman Jeremy Brown (assuming he's healthy) and a few other 2010 incoming freshmen for Haden's vacated position.

How does Shaw's decision on Tuesday affect the Gators' 2010 recruiting class? Shaw is the ranked third nationally among 2010 cornerbacks, according to Rivals.com. Landing such a high-profile recruit could mean the Gators are no longer in the running for Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas cornerback Lamarcus Joyner, rated the No.1 cornerback in the nation. Florida currently has commitments from three cornerbacks: Shaw, Demar Dorsey of Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson (18th nationally) and Jaylen Watkins of Cape Coral (seventh nationally). Joyner's teammate at St. Thomas, cornerback Cody Riggs, is ranked eighth nationally by Rivals and is also being recruited by the Gators.

-jo-

Comments

[Sarasota'cane]

Gators recruit nationally
Canes recruit Northwestern

Gators win SEC titles and National Championships
Canes win 6th best team in the ACC

Gators have a tough QB, one of the best to ever play college football
Canes have a turnover machine who wears pink suits, watches sponge bob, and wears a soft cast

Gators have the best coach in college football
Canes have bozo who doesnt know a single thing about player development, recruiting O-line, timeouts, clock managament, and anything else related to head coaching.

[oj namdoog]

Ur run is just about over GOOBERS, enjoy it. (just like this GOOBER wrote a few blogs ago)
And the CANES run is just beginning (and u'all know it).
With timmy in the philippines.
With RURAL in South Bend.
With Charlie in Tallahassee.
With u'all replacing ur entire defense.
With a career back-up at QB.
With ur smurf RBs.
With that stellar receiving corp.
With that outstanding o-line that has protected teabag so well this year, just think with a less mobile QB back there.
7-4 or 6-5 next year at best and that's because of ur cream puff non-conference schedule..

[FZB]

Can someone from the Lizard nation post josh shaw criminal record ???? must be a dozzzzy !!!

Hey Sarasota, you're a closet Gay-tor fan, why don't you just come out and pledge your love
to the Lizards and Urbie the liar ???

you're pathetic...

[BV]

Jo--how many juniors do you project leaving the Gators? Between seniors and juniors how many starters are projected to leave after this season? Thanks.

[d]

sarasota cane, are you a canes fan or a gator fan. traitor. you are pathetic

[Apples]

I don't think it's over for either Riggs or Joyner. Dorsey may end up playing safety, and Joyner is being recruited as an athlete who could take over for Brandon James on punts and kickoffs.

[oj 's professor at McFatter Tech]

oj namdoog,

Quick observations on your 3rd grade rant:

Yes, Brantley during his UF career has been a back up to Heisman winning, two time national champ, and starting QB to an undefeated team. So you want them to bench Tebow for him?

[sardi214]

LoL. Here come the CANDYCANES! Pls. stay in UM's pathetic blogs and leave this one to the BEST FANS and SCHOOL in FLORIDA. I'd have to agree with one of your own (SARASOTA CANE,)the GATORS are the team of the present and the future looks bright as we move on. All of you CANDYCANES need to stop reminiscing on the old days when UM used to win that soft A** conference and back when they won that championship and had that great team. Get over it! UF Reigns SUPREME and remember that we will meet again and we will settle this on the gridiron. Peace! GO GATORS!!!

[Gator Mike]

Jo -- did you hear Kirk Herbstreit's take on Gator offense this A.M. on Rose's show? Probably the most thoughtful explanation on why the offense seems so un-inspired at times this year.

[Goody]

Gator Mike,

For those not living in South Florida, enlighten us, please?

-jo-

[Goody]

Juniors who could possibly leave early for the NFL:
CB Joe Haden
DE Carlos Dunlap
TE Aaron Hernandez
FS Major Wright
SS Ahmad Black
LB A.J. Jones
OL Mike Pouncey
OL Maurkice Pouncey
DE Justin Trattou
OL Carl Johnson
RB Emmanuel Moody
OL Marcus Gilbert

Players who I think will leave early:
Haden
Hernandez
Dunlap

Players who I think will consider leaving early but then return:
Wright
Black
Jones
Pounceys

Players who I think won't even consider leaving early:
Trattou
Johnson
Moody
Gilbert

-jo-

[Gator Mike]

In short Herbie attributed their sluggishness to boredom. He noted that they play best when threatened, hence the 'bama game should bring out the best in them.

[JAY]

Sarasota'cane you not a true cane fan you talking straight crazy. Just so you know UM dosent have to go nationaly to recuit. Everybody is coming down here TRYING to recuit from MIAMI-DADE. Now lets Paint a picture just think what if them miami boys were to just stay here and play at MIAMI you Cane Haters would be at a all time high.FLA you wont even be a factor next season you offense is trash now so I can only imagine what it will look like next season you all have a full time back your throwing into the mix next season gators will be garbage MIAMI WILL REIGN SUPREME ONCE AGAIN SO GATORS STOP RUNNING FROM THE HURRICANES AND TAKE UR WHOPPING LIKE A MAN cuz we all know yall didnt want to play us cause Urban knows we going to bring the pain(you seen how well we where playing until the refee's started playing for yall like they been doing all this season.

[Goody]

Just an FYI: According to the poster's IP address, the "Sarasota Cane" who left a comment on this blog is not the real Sarasota Cane.

-jo-

[ko classic]

black and jones wont consider

[Sarasota' cane]

I'm I the real Sarasota'cane?

[Gator Mike]

Who cares about the "'canes" numbskulls that post on this blog. These "haters" are probably all the same guy. The real 'canes fans are on their own blog and could give a crap about the Gators.