Recruiting season remains in high gear as preps play out their spring schedules across the nation. For Florida football, it has been a tireless process of evaluating potential prospects while making connections with the young student-athletes in an effort to attract them to Gainesville and re-establishing the Gators as the preeminent force in the state of Florida.
One of [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s top targets in the 2023 recruiting cycle is 5-star cornerback [autotag]Tony Mitchell[/autotag], who received a visit from cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] on Monday at Alabaster (Alabama) Thompson. Raymond is the second coach to visit the 6-foot-2-inch, 180-pound prospect after co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] dropped by a few weeks ago.
Florida currently sits among Mitchell’s five top schools, which also includes Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, and Oregon, though he continues to entertain suitors from outside of this list. While he has not set an official visit with Florida yet, Mitchell has visited Florida’s campus twice since the coaching staff turnover. Gainesville appears to be an intriguing landing spot for him based on a quote from Swamp247.
“The chance of playing early stands out to me. I trust Coach Napier and what he’s going to do for Florida in the future. Coach Raymond is a great DB coach and knows how to develop players and he’s sent a bunch of guys to the league. Just being a good fit for their school all makes me like it.”
Mitchell also offered the following to GatorsOnline.
“I’d say the staff they have with coach Raymond, coach Toney, and with me being from Florida, just getting the vibe here and seeing the love I get. The fan base is crazy. Also, the development I know I would get and having the chance to play early and contribute.
“It’s just all love. It’s just a different vibe and energy from this staff. They’re really going to show you they truly care and they want you to be there.”
The 247Sports Composite currently ranks Mitchell as the nation’s No. 20 overall prospect and No. 3 cornerback nationally in the 2023 recruiting class, while the On3 Consensus has him No. 21 overall and No. 2 cornerback nationally. Florida sits in third place on On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine with an 11.6% chance of signing him.
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