South Florida snags pair of Tampa area receivers

As National Signing Day continues to creep closer, more recruits are making their college intentions known.

A few of the Tampa Bay-area's bigger recruits did just that this past week. And two of them won't be traveling far.

University of South Florida (in Tampa) picked up commitments from two of the Bay area's best wide receivers from this past prep season in Jefferson's Andre Davis and Robinson's Ruben Gonzalez.
Davis, ranked as a 3-star (4-star by some) recruit by numerous national scouting services, helped lead Jefferson to the Class 3A state championship. Davis (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) caught 55 passes and had 12 touchdowns. In addition to USF, he was being recruited by Texas Tech, Rutgers, Florida State and West Virginia.

In Gonzalez, the Bulls get a 6-foot-3, 195-pound possession receiver who grabbed 46 catches and had seven touchdowns as a senior at Robinson.

Another big announcement this past week came from Pasco (Dade City) safety Jamie Byrd, who verbally committed to Boise State. Byrd, who posted 73 tackles as a senior, also had interest from Iowa State, New Mexico, Purdue and Florida Atlantic.

Other Bay area players making commitments include Jefferson defensive lineman Manny Cromuel (South Dakota), Clearwater running back/cornerback Bennie Niles IV (Dartmouth), Pasco (Dade City) all-around player Hakeeme Ishmar (Florida Atlantic) and Jesuit (Tampa) quarterback Patton Chillura (Penn).

Meanwhile, one of the more high-profile Bay area players still undecided has received more college offers.

Armwood quarterback Josh Grady, the owner of 30 scholarship offers, has gotten new offers from Minnesota and Vanderbilt. Grady's most recent visits were to South Florida and Iowa State.

Grady led Armwood to the Class 4A state championship, where it lost to Tallahassee Lincoln in a 17-14 upset. Grady threw for 2,000 yards and 22 touchdowns and ran for another 500 yards and 13 scores while leading the Hawks to a 14-1 mark and the state runners-up finish.

Also in the quarterbacks receiving offers department, Robinson's Blake Rice and Land O' Lakes' Stephen Weatherford have received offers.

Rice picked up an offer from Division I-AA Elon (N.C.) University while Weatherford received an offer from Cincinnati. Previously a USF-commit, Weatherford re-opened his recruiting.

Robinson running back/defensive back Frankie Williams is deciding between North Carolina State, Purdue, Texas Tech and Nebraska.

And Mitchell (New Port Richey) running back Ricky Trinidad continues his search for a college. A prep standout (1,300 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior), Trinidad suffered a season-ending knee injury in September.

His offer from Georgia Southern was pulled shortly after the injury.

Trinidad, who piled up 600 yards and seven touchdowns in the three games he played in 2010 before his injury, is now being recruited by Division II Nebraska-Kearney.