Top-50 junior Sam McCall to stay put in Florida, chooses the Gators
One of the Sunshine State's can't-miss prospects in the class of 2022 is now off the board, as Sam McCall committed to Dan Mullen and the University of Florida on Wednesday, which is also the Rivals100 prospect's birthday.
McCall, a 6-foot-3, 189-pound defensive back from Lakeland (Fla.) Lake Gibson, is a top-35 prospect nationally who has already piled up over two-dozen offers. He also recently dished out a top three of Alabama, Oklahoma, and obviously Florida, but simply found no reason to wait any longer, resulting in today's verbal commitment.
The Polk County target noted that several schools wanted him at free safety, but Torrian Gray envisioning him at cornerback pushed UF over the top.
"He's telling me, 'I don't want you at free safety. I'm going to put you at cornerback,'" McCall previously told GatorsTerritory when discussing his pledge to Florida. "That was big for me because I needed that. Really, I didn't want to play no safety, no free safety. I was a corner.
"The loyalty that we have and where he's from down here. He's telling me I can play corner. That's what made me really want to have my mind on Florida. That's why."
Another appealing aspect about UF for McCall is the program's rich history with putting defensive backs into the NFL. Florida's 'DBU' tradition and Gray's development of his players was a crucial factor for McCall in his decision to join forces with the program.
"Coach Torrian, he prepares his DBs to be ready," McCall said. "It's just no doubt about them; they're ready to go, they're ready to play. Like C.J. Henderson, just looking at that, a DB went No. 9 from Florida. I think I can be that. So, the potential I have, I might be picked higher than that."
The coronavirus pandemic has canceled or postponed plans for a number of high school players, and there is still some uncertainty as to when visits will resume.
McCall intends on making his way to the Swamp when the NCAA allows for recruiting trips to start up again, but he wants to explore a couple of other top options as well.
"I'm going to leave the door open, but I'm 100 percent with Florida," McCall previously told GT. "I'm going to leave it 100 percent open to other schools, but they're probably going to know I'm 100 percent with Florida all the way."
Below is what Rivals had to say about McCall following a stellar performance at this year's Rivals Camp Series Orlando.
"McCall can play both wide receiver or defensive back, but it’s starting to seem like his future is at corner. McCall showed off the full range of why he’s considered a top-flight prospect, as he stayed in the hip pockets of wideouts for most of the afternoon but used his incredibly long arms to recover on the rare occasion that he gave up a step. McCall is getting more polished by the month and is on his way to becoming a truly national prospect."
Through seven games of the 2020 season, McCall, the second-ranked safety in the 2022 class, has recorded two interceptions, three pass deflections, along with punt and kick return touchdowns.
The 34th-ranked junior has witnessed a whole lot of success on the offensive side of the ball as well. In addition to his one rushing touchdown, McCall has reeled in 23 receptions for 469 yards and six touchdowns for the 6-1 Braves.
In addition to the three aforementioned schools, McCall possesses offers from Auburn, Georgia, Florida State, Miami, Tennessee, Penn State, South Carolina and Kentucky among others.
Stay tuned to GatorsTerritory.