Malik Morris signs with Florida plus eight more Polk athletes who signed
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Billy Napier was the Florida’s head football coach when Lakeland linebacker Malik Morris committed in July.
Five months later, Napier is out and Jon Sumrall is the new head coach, but Morris remains a future Gators. Morris signed with Florida on Wednesday morning as one of nine Polk County high school football players who signed on the first day of the early signing period. Two signed from Lakeland, four from Lake Wales, two from Auburndale and none from Lake Gibson.
Morris, a 6-foot-1, 225-pound senior linebacker, was rated as a four-star prospect and as the No. 3 linebacker and No. 25 overall player in Florida by the USA Today Florida Network. He was The Ledger’s Big School Defensive Player of the Year ind 2024.
Here are the nine players who signed on Wednesday.
Auburndale
WR Darion Jiles, Southern Mississippi
Jiles emerged as one of the top receivers in the county this year and finished with 21 catches for 682 yards and eight touchdowns.
DE James Tilus, UConn
Tilus was basketball player until a couple of years ago but became one of the top defensive lineman in the county in just a couple of years. He had 60 total tackles and 13 sacks.
Lake Gibson
DB Cason Dash, Florida International
Dash decommitted from UConn and signed with FIU.
Lake Wales
DB Myrone Jean, Tulane
Jean led the Highlanders with four interceptions.
WR Gabe LeGrand, USF
LeGrand bounced back from missing his junior year with an injury and finished with 37 receptions for 574 yards and nine touchdowns.
DB Cedarius Christian, Bowling Green
Christian is a shutdown cornerback.
LB D’Cari Smith, Stetson
Smith led the Highlanders in solo tackles and was second with 19 tackles for loss.
Lakeland
DB CJ Cresser, USF
Cresser has 50 total tackles and 11 tackles for loss.
DE/LB Malik Morris, Florida
Morris has eight sacks and 19 tackles for loss.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Malik Morris signs with Florida plus eight more Polk athletes who signed
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