One of the highly-regarded cornerbacks in the class of 2022 says he will be lacing up the cleats for the University of Florida at the collegiate level.
Julian Humphrey, a Rivals100 prospect from Houston (Texas) Clear Lake, just teamed up with Dan Mullen's program over additional offers from Texas A&M, Penn State and Ohio State among others.
It was only roughly a month and a half ago when UF extended an offer, while some additional finalists have been in hot pursuit for nearly a year; however, as Humphrey approached the finish line, he says the Gators' academic prestige and track record with manufacturing NFL talent was simply too appetizing to pass up.
"Everything about Florida is amazing, from the school all the way to the academics," Humphrey told Gators Territory. "I love Florida because of the coaches. I want to go to a place where I'm going to be coached by the best. I want to be coached by coaches who already put DBs out in the NFL. I want to be coached by the best pretty much and who are known for putting out DBs."
As expected, there are a stable of UF coaches who are prioritizing Humphrey on a daily basis. Positional coach Jules Montinar is pushing all the right buttons as the lead recruiter, while Dan Mullen has certainly made his presence known as well.
The Gators were consistent from the jump and that truly resonated with Humphrey and those closest to him, resulting in today's verbal commitment.
"Coach Jules, the DBs coach, coach Mullen and coach Grantham, I just love them because what they're doing over there is amazing," Humphrey said. "Coach Jules is having a great experience with DBs and they produce DBs as well.
"Most schools usually offer and go, but I talk to them every single day, so why not them?"
In addition to making a splash between the white lines, Humphrey is highly-regarded for track and field as well. He boasts hand-timed bests of 20.88 and 10.27 in the 200M and 100M, respectively, while his laser time of 21.17 is reportedly the third-fastest in the nation this year.
During his junior campaign, the four-star prospect racked up 24 tackles (18 solo), eight pass deflections, an interception returned for a touchdown and a forced fumble. He recorded a 70-yard receiving touchdown on the season as well.
"Florida is getting a lockdown DB who can play man on his own and doesn't get beat deep. I will not get beat deep," Humphrey said. "With my feet and size, I'm able to play corner and safety."
Despite making his commitment to the Gators, Humphrey says he still plans to make use of the official visit process. He will be setting foot in Gainesville June 11-13, while Penn State is scheduled to roll out the red carpet during the weekend of June 18.
With the addition of Humphrey, the Gators now hold commitments from five prospects in class of 2022. The Lone Star State native is also the highest-rated and first defensive back in the class.
Stay tuned to Gators Territory.
