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Florida adds CB Wardell Mack to Gators’ third-ranked class

Florida head coach Billy Napier is luring top talent to Gainesville as he builds one of the nation's top 2024 recruiting classes. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP, File)
Florida head coach Billy Napier is luring top talent to Gainesville as he builds one of the nation’s top 2024 recruiting classes. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP, File)
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Florida continued to build one of the top 2024 classes and infuse the Gators with defensive talent with Monday’s commitment from cornerback Wardell Mack.

Coach Billy Napier’s third recruiting class at UF sits No. 3 in the 247Sports team rankings, behind Georgia and Ohio State and ahead of Alabama and Florida State in the battle for the nation’s top talent.

Napier and his staff tapped their Louisiana connections to lure Mack to Gainesville from Marrero, a New Orleans suburb. Secondary coach Corey Raymond and running backs coach Jabbar Juluke — a pair of former LSU assistants — tag-teamed their ol’ stomping ground for Mack.

FILE - Florida head football coach Billy Napier runs players through drills during NCAA college football practice in Gainesville, Fla., Aug. 1, 2023. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP, File)
Florida head coach Billy Napier is luring top talent to Gainesville as he builds one of the nation’s top 2024 recruiting classes. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP, File)

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Mack is rated the nation’s No. 13 cornerback and No. 115 overall prospect, according to  247Sports’ composite rankings.

Among the 22 commitments, the Gators have 11 among the nation’s top-250 players — eight of them on defense. Mack, who hails from John Ehret High School, is among four defensive backs in the class, including Xavier Filsaime of McKinney, Texas, the No. 32 overall prospect. Safety Josiah Davis of Nashville, Ga., and Sarasota cornerback Teddy Foster are slated to join Raymond’s secondary.

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com