Q: Florida won a tough battle with the in-state Texas Longhorns. How were the Gators able to secure a commitment from you?
JR: “It was a little bit more teams than just them, but everybody just thought it was Florida and Texas. I won’t name the names of the two teams because I like to keep them on the down low. Just [Florida’s] coaching staff, they pulled me into that direction. My family was comfortable –super comfortable – with them. After we left that OV, I kind of knew it was the place and my family kind of knew it was the place. I just had to still take some visits to places just to make sure my mind was right.
“Coach [Torrian] Gray and coach Mullen, they really sold me. The whole staff really was amazing. Just hanging out with the players like Trey Dean, C.J. [Henderson], Marco [Wilson] and my host Donovan [Stiner]… all in all, it was just a great experience at the OV and I knew it was the place for me after I left.”
Q: You took your official visit to Florida in May. What did Florida do over the past couple of months prior to your announcement that elevated themselves in your recruitment?
JR: “Florida’s been my favorite school since I was little. So, just that name alone and that weight they put on themselves. The way they offered me and the way they did everything. The way they’ve been during the recruiting process has stood out to me because they really wanted me. That’s what I really feel like; since the beginning, they wanted me. That’s why I kept them at the top the whole time.”
