Florida football’s Friday Night Lights and team cookout recruiting events brought a plethora of prep prospects to the Swamp at the end of July, giving [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his staff an opportunity to host some of the best that the high school ranks have to offer. While a good deal of attention was focused on the 2023 class, the program was also looking ahead to the years down the road as the new administration takes a longitudinal approach to rebuilding the Gators’ gridiron brand.
One coveted member of the 2025 cycle is defensive lineman [autotag]Armondo Blount[/autotag], an in-state recruit out of Dillard High in Fort Lauderdale who made a strong impression on the team with his superlative performance in the Swamp last Friday night. The rising sophomore is already a hefty 6-foot-3-inch, 230-pound trench warrior and Napier definitely saw something in him, personally extending an offer at the conclusion of the camp.
“After the camp I went in and talked with the head coach for a little bit,” he told Swamp 247Sports’ Blake Alderman. “After we talked, he told me that I had a chance to come to their school and that I had an offer. He said my pass rushing is much better than a normal player my age. He said he wants to get to know me and was asking me about myself. He said he is someone he really wants there.”
Co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag] also made a strong impression on the young student-athlete. “He is a good coach,” Blount offered regarding Florida’s assistant. “He coaches with a lot of energy and excitement. He coaches like he wants to be out there.”
The Gators have a lot of competition for the recruit’s talents, and despite growing up in the Sunshine State, the Orange and Blue unfortunately has not been a focus for him during his formative years.
“I watched some of their games growing up, but I don’t know too much about them. I know back in the earlier part of the 2000’s they had some really great teams. That was when I was watching them. They were crazy.”
As far as getting the coveted recruit back on campus sometime soon, Blount has an idea of his itinerary for the coming fall and plans on swinging back through Gainesville for a game that has yet to be decided.
“I am going to try to get to Alabama and UM for some games,” he told Swamp247. “Maybe Ohio State for a game. I am going to come back up to Florida for a game, but I have to pick which one I want to go to. I think I am going to try to go to the LSU game.”
Blount is currently unrated and unranked by the major scouting organizations but both Rivals and On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine have the Miami Hurricanes as an early favorite for him, with the former offering a Fan Futurecast prediction of 83% in favor of the ‘Canes while the latter gives Miami 31.9% shot. The RPM also has the Ohio State Buckeyes second at 27.9% while the South Florida Bulls trail behind in third at 2.2%.
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