Verbal commit No. 12 is in for USF’s suddenly snowballing 2020 recruiting class as Valdosta (GA) quarterback Tate Rodemaker has decided to cross state lines down I-75 and become a Bull.

QB Tate Rodemaker

6’4”, 195 pounds

Valdosta High School, Valdosta, GA

Recruiting Rankings (for now): Listed as a three-star by 247 (.8644 Composite Score), Rivals and ESPN.

Other Notable Offers: FAU, Colorado State, Troy, Southern Miss

Valdosta Area Recruiter(s): Kerwin Bell, Kade Bell and Jeremy Darveau, who all just won a Division II national championship at Valdosta State. (VSU also shares Bazemore-Hyder Stadium with Valdosta High School.) Given that Tate’s father, Alan Rodemaker, is the head coach at VHS, the signal caller has naturally been on the radar of the new USF assistants since 2016.

Listed at 6’4”, 195 pounds, Rodemaker set passing records for the legendary Peach State program last year with Florida verbal commit Jaheim Bell serving as one of his primary targets. He threw for 3,518 yards and 31 touchdowns while leading the Wildcats to the quarterfinals of the Class 6A state playoffs in Georgia.

The pro-style QB becomes the second quarterback to commit to the 2020 class after nearby Columbia HS dual-threat Jordan Smith out of Lake City. Rodemaker’s verbal commitment also marks the eighth offensive player to join this haul so far, indicating both the eagerness of kids to contribute to the #ShowandGo and the Bells’ aggressively getting prospects from their own backyard to join them in Tampa.

2020 Verbal Commits

• Tampa Gaither LB Chance Coleman
• Braden River RB Brian Battie
• Gainesville DT Gentle Hunt
• Lake City Columbia QB Jordan Smith
• Jacksonville First Coast WR Tyree Saunders
• OT Miller Merriweather-Lewis, WR Da’Quan Bailey-Brown, ATH Marquez Bell, LB Le’Vontae Camiel
• Daytona Beach Mainland RB Taron Keith and DeLand CB Ben Knox