Florida checks in on top lineman
Jerome Carvin is nearly a month away from enrolling in college. The 6-foot-4 and 305-pound offensive tackle from Cordova (Tn.) High School plans to sign a letter of intent in December. After that, he’ll enroll at his school of choice. And he’s already done his due diligence when it comes to making a decision on his college future. It’s still November and Carvin has already taken all five of his official visits.
But just days ago, Carvin realized he had a new school to consider. That’s because Florida hired Dan Mullen away from Mississippi State. The Bulldogs were one of Carvin’s top choices.
“Really the reason it caught my eye again was because Coach Mullen got the job,” Carvin said when asked about Florida.
Recently it seemed the Gators were on the outside looking in. But now (despite the fact that Carvin won’t name favorites), that program seems to be one of his top choices.
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“It was really because of the communication with the old staff,” Carvin said when asked why Florida seemed out of the running. “I didn’t really have that communication with the old staff. I had great communication with Mississippi State when they were there, Coach Mullen, Coach (John) Hevesy and all those guys were there.”
New Gator offensive line coach John Hevesy visited Carvin on Tuesday shortly after contacting him about the move to Gainesville.
“He called me to re-offer me,” Carvin said when asked about his meeting with Hevesy. “He let me know he was going to go over to Florida with Coach Mullen. He let me know nothing has changed and that at every school, they bring the same program and same offense.”
When asked if he would visit Florida, Carvin responded with a “yes.”
“I’m still open recruiting wise, so it would be great to get a look at Florida,” Carvin said. “I’m trying to to go down there in a couple weeks and see that side of things.”
That visit will happen around the December signing period.
“I’ll probably try to visit the week after next, probably that weekend,” Carvin said. “That Friday, Saturday, Sunday, I’ll try to check out the place.”
His visit to Florida will have to be an unofficial. That’s because he’s already used up all five of his official visits. In addition to that news, Carvin says he hasn’t been to Gainesville since the Florida Spring Game. But apparently, none of that matters when it comes to making a decision on his college future.
“I wouldn’t say they’re behind the other schools,” Carvin said when asked if Florida would have to catch up to the schools he’s visited. “I would just say I don’t know that much about Florida school-wise but I grew up watching the whole SEC though. I’m from Memphis so I grew up watching Florida, the LSUs, the Alabamas, the SEC and all the dominant schools there were when Tim Tebow was there. I grew up watching that. So I know that part about Florida but I need to know the academic part of Florida. Like are they good at my major, how many people do they graduate out of my major and all of that. That’s what I need to find out.”
And since he already held a scholarship offer from Florida, he says he did do a little bit of research on the school. he just wants to do more.
“I had an offer from Florida from Coach (Brad) Davis, the previous o-line coach and I went to the spring game,” Carvin said. “So I had already been down there and I’ve seen a little bit of the campus, not too much of it. But I had a good feeling when I went down there the first time and now I have a really good relationship with Coach Hevesy, Coach Mullen and Coach G (Billy Gonzales), they all recruited me at Mississippi State. So it’ll give me a better look at Florida and I know all those coaches very well, I have a great relationship with all the coaches.”
When asked about a commitment date, Carvin says he isn’t sure exactly when he’ll announce anything. he says it could be on or before the December 20 singing day. He also thinks he’ll be choosing from about six different schools.
“It’s pretty much those officials I took and Florida,” Carvin said.
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