Earlier Sunday Charlotte (N.C.) Mallard Creek offensive lineman TJ Moore found himself at No. 3 overall on Inside The Gators list of top uncommitted Florida targets.
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By Sunday evening he was part of the Gators commitment list.
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* Giving Gators fans gifts on Christmas Day
* Best Guesses on Filling Remaining Needs (I)
* Best Guesses on Filling Remaining Needs (II)
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The Florida staff just recently offered the four-star big man after he received an improved test score that would allow him to be admitted to the University of Florida.
After all the work to earn the offer, Moore knew Gainesville is where he wanted to continue his career.
“I had to really work for this offer because I had to get a better SAT score for it and I did that, so the offer was there for me,” explained Moore. “That really pushed me and told me that Florida is going to be there to push me, and I like that about them. Coach [Mike] Summers and I have been talking a lot lately and we have a real good relationship. He is going to push me and be a great O-line coach and Coach Mac is great. Its just Florida you can’t go wrong with that.”
Though Moore wanted to wait until Christmas to go public with his news, he actually informed the coaching staff on Saturday during a phone call to offense line coach Mike Summers.
It was news that was well received by the Florida line coach.
“I actually talked to them yesterday [Saturday],” said Moore. “Coach Summers was really happy and I could tell over the phone. He wanted me to wait until my official visit and do it in front of Coach Mac, but I wanted to do it now. That way when I get down Coach Mac knows I am coming to play for him.”
The Gators have had prior success at Mallard Creek High School – signing former five-star offensive tackle D.J. Humphries, who was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the NFL draft.
According to Moore, he and Humphries have been in touch a lot lately, and Humphries had nothing but good things to say about his former school.
“I haven’t told him I was going to commit, but he and I have been talking for the last four weeks about college and the best place for me. We didn’t even talk about the best school for me but he just told me college is a grind and I need to work. I am going to keep working hard and keep talking to him, and he’s told me some good things about Florida. I see his choice to go to UF worked out for him.”
Originally the 6-foot-4, 270-pounder was planning to officially visit Florida the final weekend before National Signing Day. However with his commitment now in the books, Moore is planning to visit Florida the weekend of January 20th, and it will be his only visit.
“I was going to see other places for fun, but fun is over. It’s time to get ready to work so Florida will be my only visit. I want to see the campus more when I get back since I have seen the facilities and all of those things around UF. I know they got some new dorms and I have done some research on Twitter about it, but I want to see it myself. I want to see the weight room and the little things about my next home for three to four years. The only thing I may need to worry about it alligators since they are all around the campus.”
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