GFDL makes 96L a cat 5 hurricane by 96 hours, with the pressure bottoming out at 918.5 mb at 102 hours between the Keys and Cuba. That is the deepest system I can remember the GFDL ever generating, in my relatively limited experience looking at the model. If nothing else, that seems to suggest that conditions will be favorable for strengthening if a tropical cyclone can establish itself.

Timing will be important with this system... if it moves relatively quickly into the Gulf under the building ridge, it will probably tend to move W or WSW and affect Mexico rather than the U.S. Gulf Coast. If it moves as slowly as depicted in the GFDL, then a northerly turn would be more likely at some point.