Program Profile: Gainesville Red Elephants

<em><strong>Looking Back</strong></em> The Gainesville football program reached new heights in 2012 after winning the state championship on the back of Deshaun Watson. However, in the last few seasons, the program has sputtered and struggled to get back to where it used to be. Regardless, the fan support and the potential for a winning football program never wavered, even in those tough years. In comes former Hoover (AL) HC Josh Niblett and his coaching staff looking to turn things around. At Hoover, Niblett led the Bucs to six state titles in 14 seasons during a dominant run in Alabama. After checking out Gainesville in person, the coaches and players are in high spirits and ready to get this season underway, but they understand that there is still work to do. Here is everything you need to know about the new-look Red Elephants in 2022. <em><strong>Players to Watch </strong></em> <strong>Naim Cheeks</strong> - RB - 5’9 - 2023 Of all the returning players on the team, Cheeks is probably the player that draws the most attention. Cheeks might not be the tallest back, but he is built extremely well and moves better than anyone else on the field. He is a smooth runner that has the ability to make defenders miss with quick cuts, and he has the acceleration and explosiveness to get away from defenders in the open field. To go along with his impressive physical traits, Cheeks showcases some excellent vision on film. Not only is he a patient runner behind the line of scrimmage, but he also knows when to break things outside and when to fight through contact for extra yards. Cheeks has already seen plenty of FCS and GO5 offers come his way recently, but more could be approaching with a big senior season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="126596" first="Jeremiah" last="Telander"]</strong> - LB - 6’2 - 2023 Telander is without a doubt the most noteworthy prospect on the squad, and you can tell by just looking at him. He is an extremely well-built prospect that offers some unbelievable athleticism at the LB spot. As a matter of fact, he can be seen on film returning kicks and making plays on offense with the ball in his hands. When you pair that with a huge prospect that is extremely physical, you have yourself a blue-chip prospect. Telander’s speed allows him to cover plenty of grass in the middle of the defense and come downfield in a hurry. Once he makes contact with an offensive player, his size and power do the rest. Telander has seen offers come his way from schools like Georgia Tech, Florida, Nebraska, and numerous other PO5 programs. There is reason to believe that Telander’s recruitment is just getting started as he gears up for what should be a huge senior season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="327202" first="Darius" last="Cannon"]</strong> - WR - 5’10 - 2023 While PO5 offers haven’t rolled in for him just yet, I personally view Cannon as a major PO5 talent. Why? He is simply a playmaker that is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He is an extremely polished route runner with lightning-quick feet. I have seen him in person a few times now, and each time he continues to improve on his speed and footwork. His ability to create separation makes him a threat in the downfield passing game, but he does plenty of his damage in the screen game as well. He has excellent vision with the ball in his hands and can slip tacklers with ease. Cannon was an extremely productive player for White County last year, and a big season at Gainesville should put him on the radar for bigger schools. <strong>Dre Raven</strong> - CB - 5’11 - 2023 Like Cannon, Raven has a PO5 skillset and frame despite lacking the PO5 offers. At 5’11 with long arms and speed, he is a great candidate to put on the outside and be used as a press corner. However, on film, you can also see that he has the ability to drop back into zone coverage and break on the ball with ease. Either way, he is an extremely fast prospect whose skillset gives you plenty of value and versatility on the defensive side of the ball. Raven is another one of the top returners from last season, so he will be leaned on as a team leader for a team that has seen a lot of new faces come in recently. Raven has a few offers and interests under his belt, but he should see that number grow over the course of the next 9 months. <strong>Tre Reece</strong> - ATH - 2023 Last season at Jefferson, Reece showed off some serious versatility and playmaking ability. Those two attributes should be put on full display as he enters his first and final season with Gainesville. The first thing you notice about Reece is his excellent speed, which is showcased on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he can beat any defender to the edge with his speed and turn-up field, but his vision is good enough for him to run between the tackles and pick apart defenses with his shiftiness. Defensively, he is an extremely physical player that likes to come downfield and make big hits on the ball carrier. At the end of the day, Tre Reece is a playmaker that will make plays anywhere you line him up. Because of that, he is a player you need to have on your radar. He is still somewhat under the radar as a recruit, but the Gainesville staff is extremely high on him and believes he will blow up on the trail. <strong>Other Players to Watch:</strong> 2023 TE Sky Niblett, 2023 DB Elias Ballard, 2024 QB Callum Fraser, 2025 ATH Carmelo Byrd &nbsp;