Teaming up with Florida was about chasing greatness for TE Jonathan Odom
GatorsTerritory caught up with UF pledge Jonathan Odom to break down his commitment to Dan Mullen’s program and gather his thoughts on the future of Florida football.
The 6-foot-6, 230-pound tight end discusses what led him to choosing the Gators, who he is recruiting on behalf of the staff and what his bold prediction is for the team this upcoming season.
1. In your own words, how does it feel to be committed to UF?
“It feels great. I think we’re building a great class. I just felt the energy from the coaches every time I went up there and from other players. Just how everyone wants to be there and everyone is ready to work day in and day out.
2. You pulled the trigger after attending the Great Gator Grill Out in May. What led you to making your commitment?
“Like I said, they’re a growing program and I want to be a part of building something great as they’re already great. Position wise, I think coach [Larry] Scott is going to be doing something great. I’ve heard from many people that he’s one of the greatest coaches on the staff. He’s positive; I love coach Scott’s energy.
“I love the way coach Mullen has a plan to use tight ends in different areas and how he uses them and creates mismatches all over the field. And I think that’s where I can be used best. He uses a tight end all the time. That was a huge draw for me. Close to home – you couldn’t really beat it.”
3. What does it mean for you to continue your family’s legacy with the Gators and start your own path at Florida?
“Obviously, it was great that my dad played there for football and my mom played there for basketball. That’s cool and all. But I hadn’t been to a Gator game or even up to Gainesville since I was like six or seven before I started getting recruited by them. My dad didn’t want there to be any bias. There wasn’t; it was completely my decision.
“Basically, my family was trying to make sure that I didn’t go there for a legacy just because they went there. They were telling me all different things and just making sure it was the right decision for me. Obviously, they were happy when I chose it.
“Me starting my own way, hopefully I can create a legacy of my own. That’s my goal. My dad has his thing. In no shape or form does he want it to be a whole comparison to him. He wants me to be able to start my own thing and do my own stuff and that was kind of the goal. And I have a feeling I’ll be able to do that.”
4. Dan Mullen’s staff has put together a solid recruiting class so far. Who are you recruiting for the team?
“My friend that I actually met on another official visit – Marcus Dumervil – he’s an offensive tackle. I met him at the LSU official visit. We’ve been talking for a while. I think that he’d be a great fit for the Gators.
“I have a kid [Jordan Young] in my school that has an offer from [Florida]. He’s 2021 and I’ve talked to him a lot. That’s kind of where I am for recruiting for us.”
5. What is your pitch to recruits on behalf of the Gators?
“I kind of give them the same pitch that the coaching staff gave me. I’m not trying to make someone go to Florida just because I said so; I want them to go to Florida because they want to. At the end of the day, those are the people that we want around. The people that want to work.
“So I kind of just tell them this is a great program. We’re going to come here to work. Our class is going to be something great and the coaches are going to look out for us all the time. They’re not going to be conditional coaches… they have a big emotional connection to the players, which is another huge thing I liked on and off the field.
6. What kind of relationship do the commits have in this class? Did you all build it up a little bit during Friday Night Lights?
“I don’t know if you saw the whole beef thing on Twitter. Some other commit from FSU was saying the commits weren’t together. That’s the furthest from that. I don’t know when he was committed who else was committed, but we have a group chat on Twitter. We all talk, we all talk almost every other day.
“We had a great time at Friday Night Lights just hanging out the whole time and talking. We’re all developing a close bond with each other. It’s a great relationship, to be honest. We all joke around with each other. We’re really starting to become a brotherhood. I think that’s something big.”
7. You have had an opportunity to spend a lot of time around current players. Who do you talk to the most when you’re on campus and what do they say to you?
“Malik Davis, who went to my school, he was the running back at my school when I was a freshman. I talk to him every time I come up. I know Zach Carter, he went to Hillsborough. So I talk to him too.
“On the offensive side of the ball, it’s usually Lucas Krull who I talk to the most because that’s who was the host on my official visit. I started talking to Kyle Pitts and I talk to Keon [Zipperer] a little bit. I’ve started talking to the whole tight end room and started to develop a relationship with the guys I’ll be with for the next four to five years.”
8. With your final season of high school football coming up, what personal expectations do you have for yourself?
“For myself, I’m trying to really focus on trying to be a leader. Just trying to be a leader on and off the field. Stats wise, I guess, just really trying to be the biggest threat I can be. Whether my biggest threat is being a decoy – because I’m sure teams are going to try to double cover me and all that different type of stuff… if it’s me being a decoy versus me having to jump over a couple of kids to catch the ball, it’s that too. Whatever the team needs, I’m going to play my role and do the best I can.”
9. In one year, you will be strapping up the pads and practicing with Florida. On and off the field, what do you want to accomplish in your freshman season?
“My biggest goals for when I get to Florida is really just to learn and soak it all in. Whether they need me to start or whether they need me to just to be the backup and do my time and soak in the offense. Try to learn from the older guys and work my way up the depth chart. And hopefully end up starting. That’s my ultimate goal.
“Freshman year, I got to develop some; get bigger, get faster, get stronger. I’m going to just do whatever I can with what they give me. I’m sure I’ll get some playing time my freshman year, but nothing is guaranteed. I just can’t wait to get up there and start working.”
10. Mullen and company are looking to build upon a successful 10-3 campaign that resulted in them winning the Peach Bowl. What record will the Gators have this season and how do you see them finishing?
“So, this is what really bothered me: I’ve been looking at all these rankings and they have Michigan ahead of Florida. It’s just beyond me how Florida can absolutely destroy Michigan the last time in the bowl game and them end up ranked being higher, which has made no sense to me.
“My ultimate prediction is… I’m thinking they go 14-1. I think they might lose one game. I still think they go to the College Football Playoffs and probably win a national title this year. That’s my prediction.”
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