South Carolina's loss is Florida's gain: Elite DE commits to Gators

End of the season coaching changes always have an impact on recruiting -- both in a positive and negative sense. 

Reaping the benefits of South Carolina's switch from Steve Spurrier to Will Muschamp, the Gators picked up the commitment of former Gamecocks' pledge Jordan Smith this past Sunday. 

A Scout.com 4-star athlete, the Georgia native initially opted to play in Columbia over offers from Florida, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan State, and Notre Dame. However as Smith's high school coach Marcus Jelks told Gator Country, the defensive end prospect clicked with Florida's staff. 

"He decided to commit because he had a good time and he felt like it was home. He just really connected with those guys and bonded really well with the coaching staff," said Jelks. "He felt like it was the best place to be for the next four to five years."

While Smith needs to bulk up and get physically stronger, there's no denying his immense athletic ability. He will enroll at Florida in January. As such, it will enable him to participate in the spring football period.