Joey Ivie, a top defensive line recruit, has committed to the Florida Gators. Ivie stars for Pasco (Fla.) High School. He also holds offers from Florida State, Miami, Mississippi State, Missouri, Purdue, Tennessee, Rutgers, USF, Vanderbilt, West Virginia and others.
Joey Ivie Commits To Florida Gators: Tweener Lineman Offers Versatility
Ivie stands 6’4” and checks in at 270 pounds, having bulked up considerably in the last year. He is very strong and quick, and does have room to add more weight.
Make sure to check out SB Nation's exclusive interview with Ivie from our spring recruiting tour.
But while most services list him as a defensive tackle, I project Ivie to play the 5-technique end position in Florida’s defense, similar to the position manned by Shariff Floyd in 2011. Ivie may slide inside on passing downs, but he doesn’t look like a traditional tackle, as his frame is narrower and longer than most tackles. This is a topic I discussed with Ivie during our spring visit:
Ivie is a really interesting recruit because he’s a very trim 270 pounds. He could be a jumbo defensive end or slide inside to defensive tackle. Much of it depends on how much he continues to grow. “End or tackle. Maybe a five-technique in a 3-4. A lot of colleges see me as an end on first and second down, and a pass rushing tackle on third down,” Ivie said. That would make sense as colleges increasingly look to control the edge with bigger defenders to combat the spread run game without committing extra men to the box. “I think that would be best for me. I’m hoping to get to 290, 300 and really play,” Ivie said.Florida now sits at 17 commitments and is on pace to again bring in one of the best classes in the country.
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