Four-star defensive lineman Derrick LeBlanc will return to Gainesville on Thursday for his second visit of the month to the Swamp, according to 247Sports. LeBlanc’s interest in Florida was very high coming off his March 5 visit, and coming back so quickly has experts convinced that he’ll wind up a Gator eventually.
247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong and On3’s Corey Bender submitted crystal ball predictions to their respective services for LeBlanc in favor of Florida on Wednesday. LeBlanc told Wiltfong that Florida was in the lead and that he “loved them the most” with a July 23 commitment date set.
With over 30 offers on the table, UF’s proximity to Kissimmee plays a large role in LeBlanc’s recruitment. He was able to see most of the team’s home games last fall, and short notice trips like Thursday’s visit are easy to put together.
UCF and Miami are the other in-state schools in the mix. The Knights will host LeBlanc on Saturday as they look to cut into Florida’s apparent lead. Ohio State and Penn State are the two main out-of-state options LeBlanc is considering.
A consensus top-100 recruit, LeBlanc’s recruitment could take a turn at any moment if the right school decides to put him at the top of their board. But the Gators are the team to beat right now, and crystal balls don’t come this early all that often.
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