Florida Recruiting: Gators Land 2024 OT Westphal

The Gators have added their fourth offensive lineman of the 2024 class after four-star OT Fletcher Westphal announced his commitment on Monday.

Westphal is the first four-star offensive lineman of the class, joining three-stars Marcus Mascoll, Noel Portnjagin and Mike Williams.

The 6-foot-8, 335 pound tackle is by far the largest player in the 2024 class, regardless of position, and should greatly excite Billy Napier and offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton. The Gators were considered to be favorites alongside Clemson but ended up beating out not only the Tigers but also Arkansas and Georgia among others.

Despite his massive frame, there is little concern about his mobility. Westphal has proven flexibility and a great range of motion as well as a strong sense of balance that supports his style of play, which is fast off of the ball and explosive. While his footwork needs to be developed a bit more, he should have no issues transitioning into a strong offensive lineman at the collegiate level.

The Leesburg (Va.) native is ranked as the No. 20 offensive tackle in the class of 2024 by 247Sports, and No. 22 by On3. Both outlets have Westphal as one of the best athletes in the state of Virginia.

With Westphal's commitment, the 2024 class is now up to 18 commits, which is tied for third most in the SEC. However, the Gators sit with the second ranked class in the SEC just behind Georgia. Nationally, Florida remains at third according to both On3 and 247Sports. Florida recruiting has undergone a complete transformation in the last month and a half, with the expectation that things will not slow down for some time.