Article: Transfer Portal Target - ASU’s Elijhah Badger

He's the guy! Pearsoll needs to call this kid up and help lock him in! (That has probably already happened, the call, anyway) Elijhah and Tre would be pretty sick together. Add in all the other kids we have including TE's, we'd be set...

Go Gators.

 

Saw this:

Johnagator: Any portal updates/expectations?

AS: Arizona State receiver Elijhah Badger will visit Florida next weekend and right now that’s the only portal target that the Gators are in on. Florida has a good shot with Badger as the Gators have really done their homework on the receiver. Getting Badger would be huge for Florida as the Gators need another receiver for next year.
Florida Gators recruiting mailbag: May 8th edition | GatorCountry.com

 

I just hope he's good to go, if so... then I like The Gators' chances to land him. Here are some of facts about Badger below.


In his last two seasons with the Sun Devils, Badger combined for 1,579 yards and 10 touchdowns on 135 catches, establishing himself as the clear-cut No.1 option in Kenny Dillingham’s offense. The 6’2, 190-pound receiver totaled 199 targets during this span, leading ASU in targets by 45+ in 2022 and 2023.

Pro Football Focus gave Badger an offensive grade of 76.7 in 2023, which ranks first amongst Sun Devils’ receivers and first on their offense among anyone with 150+ snaps. Badger graded out as the 61st best WR in the FBS among eligible receivers in 2023, according to PFF. A similar story in 2022, where Badger posted an offensive grade of 76.1, ranking first amongst ASU wide receivers and third on the offen

 

It appears that Elijah Badger and Ricky Pearsall were teammates for 2 seasons. Gives me hope that Graham Mertz could have a similar connection to Elijah on the field since he and Ricky played in the same offense.

 

we CERTAINLY need help at WR.

 

Badger to Badger duo. That works.

 

He has 1 year remaining to improve his NFL stock. He's from California but probably not needing to stay out west at this point. Washington lost their HC. Arizona is Arizona. SEC which is where he needs to be. We shouldn't get outbid either.

 

Come on Elijah, you really want to be a Gator! Look what it did for Ricky Pearsall? Look what you can do for us!

 

And what we can do for you

 

Arizona won 10 games last year and returns the starting QB and a Biletnekoff finalist receiver in Tetoira McMillan. T-Mac will be a junior this year, and will likely be the first receiver drafted next year.

If Badger chooses Arizona, he'll be a #2 receiver, with a returning starting quarterback on a winning streak. That has to be tempting.

 

Aside from that. What's the draw though? Double NIL?

 

Huge day today. Come to the good guys...

Go Gators.

 

Staying close to home. Arizona is a preseason Top 25 team already too. And being an Alvin Harper to a Michael Irvin can mean putting up some huge numbers over the year.

 

Arizona went from one garbage conference to another. If Badger believes in his talent, he needs to come play with the big boys.

 

Time to be a Big Boy...

 

800 miles is certainly closer than 2800 miles but I don’t know that I would frame it as “close” to home. Arizona did have some nice wins last year under Jedd Fisch and certainly has some appeal to Elijah… we’ll see.

 

He’s a gator!

Edit:

 

The staff has managed to fill some holes from the portal (and not just bodies, but some premier talent) and snagged some great kids from HS ranks!

Four months to go and I'm feeling pretty darn happy.

My optimism the last two years was based on a combination of hopium, and wanting to just stop the pain. I suppose it was delusional thinking based on the roster and other unfortunate realities. Now, I legitimately feel optimism. And, it is my hope that we do considerably better than just make a bowl game!

Napier is a good man, a great recruiter and a good coach. I just hope we have an assistant coach that can scream so loud it makes the players pee themselves before they come out of the tunnel. These kids have each others backs and they're finally getting coached up. Now they just need to come out on fuego and finish the job on the field!

The Good Lord might have been shining down on the Gators, and maybe now they can put it all together...

Go Gators.

 

That’s pretty impressive for junior league football.