While kicker is not usually the position of emphasis when it comes to recruiting, Jim McElwain hopes he found the guy to own the job at Florida. Eddy Pineiro, the nation’s number 1 kicking prospect in the nation, committed to the Gators on Tuesday night and plans to enroll early. He chose Florida over Alabama and Miami.
Pineiro, a junior college prospect, comes from ASA College in Miami but was on a soccer scholarship. Thus, he will maintain all four-years of eligibility when he transfers to Florida.
The three-star kicker recently turned heads on social media after Pineiro posted a video on his Twitter account where he drilled a 77-yard field goal in practice.
77 yarder the grind don't stop working hard to be the best. pic.twitter.com/p5s4GQVpAi
— Odell Kickem pineiro (@eddypineiro1) December 1, 2015
It should be noted that Pineiro has extremely limited experience kicking in an actual game. Pineiro has never kicked in a junior college game but has kicked well enough in front of McElwain and Alabama head coach Nick Saban to gain offers from both SEC programs.
Meanwhile, junior college running back Mark Thompson has signed his letter of intent and will be another midyear enrollee. The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder racked up 1298 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns for Dodge City Community College (Kansas) this season.
Another JUCO midyear enrollee is wide receiver Dre Massey, who announced on his Twitter account that he also signed his letter of intent on Wedesday. The 6-foot, 185-pound athlete had 1013 all-purpose yards and 9 touchdowns this season for Holmes Community College (Mississippi).
“These are all guys who expect to come in and compete for valuable playing time,” said McElwain on the JUCO players coming in. “They obviously have skill sets.. that have identified as people who are going to be successful SEC players.”
“We’re excited about those guys being here and obviously just adds to what a great momentum we have in this recruiting class already,” McElwain added.
Other players who are set to enroll early include four star quarterback Feleipe Franks (Wakulla High), quarterback Kyle Trask (Manvel, Texas), athlete McArthur Burnett (Pahokee), offensive lineman Stone Forsythe (West Orange), wide receiver Josh Hammond (Hallandale), wide receiver Freddie Swain (North Marion) and defensive back Chauncey Gardner (Cocoa).