The state of Florida has an abundance of extremely talented high school football players.

Which is why it might surprise some people that the Jim McElwain’s Gators coaching staff is expending so much of its recent efforts on recruits from outside the Sunshine State.

According to a report from SEC Country’s Zach Abolverdi, 54 of the 58 offers the Florida coaching staff has issued to recruits since National Signing Day are to players from outside Florida.

In total, 118 out of the 179 offers the Gators have on the table for the 2017 recruiting class are to non-Florida residents, and they extend to 25 different states.

Abolverdi writes that even 2018 recruiting efforts have an early non-Florida feel, with 27 of 37 offers going to out-of-state players.

“I don’t think what we do is hand out offers. A lot of people do in this business, OK. That’s not our gig,” McElwain said. “When you find somebody nationally that has a distinct reason or a want or an interest in the Florida Gators … you’re going to go ahead and do what you can to get them to be Gators. “I wouldn’t say it’s anything abnormal than what we’ve done before, but obviously the brand makes it one of those things where a lot of people want to take a look.”

It’s a calculated move for McElwain.

The Gators have a national brand that will remain very visible within its home state, as the recruits from Florida won’t suddenly forget about the SEC East champions.

Getting some coaches’ faces in front of players from places like Texas, California, Georgia and the like isn’t necessarily a bad strategy to supplement what should still be strong in-state recruiting.