Five-star defensive back [autotag]Tony Mitchell[/autotag] made his second trip to Gainesville of the year on March 26, and he left the Swamp with the Gators on top of his recruitment, according to 247Sports.
Mitchell has long admired cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag]’s ability to prepare players for the next level, and seeing him work in person seems to have strongly impacted the Thompson (Alabaster, Alabama) recruit.
“I would say they’re in the lead,” Mitchell said. “It was great getting to see the guys, live action in practice, seeing how coach Patrick Toney and coach Raymond coach the DBs.”
Great Weekend In Gainesvilleđ. pic.twitter.com/9oqGM1btIR
— Tony Mitchell (@DatGuyTM) March 27, 2022
Listed as a cornerback in some places and a safety in others, Mitchell has the size and athleticism to play any position in the Gators’ secondary. That flexibility would give him plenty of chances to play at Florida early on, and he feels like he’d be a good fit in the system.
Florida got Mitchell in at the right time. He has just one unofficial visit left on his schedule to Texas A&M for the team’s spring game. He’ll work out which schools he wants to take official visits to over the summer, but he doesn’t have a commitment date lined up just yet. He says he’ll do it when it feels right.
Of course, Mitchell has a history of making in-the-moment decisions. He committed to Tennessee as an eighth-grader and ultimately backed off that pledge before starting high school. Three state championships later, he’s hoping that his next commitment will be his last.
Alabama, Clemson and Georgia are the other main teams in the mix with Florida and Texas A&M. The Crimson Tide have the home-state advantage, but Napier and Raymond seem intent on getting the best defensive backs in the country to Gainesville.
Mitchell is the No. 3 cornerback and the No. 19 overall recruit in the class of 2023, according to the 247Sports composite.
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