Florida football hosted a quartet of top transfer targets this past weekend in Gainesville, including an Ivy League standout who made his official visit.
Senior defensive lineman Joey Slackman, who played the last three seasons with the Pennsylvania Quakers and is rated at four stars, spoke with Swamp247 after his stop in the Swamp.
“It was awesome,” Slackman said. “It was really great to meet the staff. Talking with Coach Armstrong and Coach Napier about where I fit in the defense. Talk some scheme, talk some ball. Seeing the facilities and everything. It’s been a really good time. [The highlight] was just now talking with Coach Armstrong about where I fit in the defense. Talking scheme and getting to work.”
The 6-foot-4inch, 300-pound lineman visited the Wisconsin Badgers the weekend prior and is scheduled to visit the North Carolina Tar Heels, Virginia Tech Hokies and Michigan Wolverines. However, he has already noticed some unique features of UF’s program.
“The brand of the Gators is unlike a lot of other places. The coaches did a really good job explaining the plan they have moving forward to turn this thing around, and where they see me fitting in their defense, and being a part of this thing.”
Not only that but Napier and Co. made sure that Slackman knew he had a place on the roster as the team rebuilds its defensive line.
“They kind of stressed [the need],” he said. “The kind of said I fit as a big end, big tackle position. Kind of what I played at Penn. They expressed a clear interest. I think it’s mutual, and I am sure we will be in communication over the next couple of days and figure it out.”
As for where the Orange and Blue stand among the other suitors?
“Florida is up there,” he said. “I have other visits scheduled for the end of the week… I am looking at a couple schools… Still kind of keeping my options open for now. I kind of narrowed it down to those five. I am open to communicating with everyone right now. I am not sure where I want to end up yet. Florida is up there.”
The former all-Ivy League first-team selection is 247Sports’ third-ranked defensive lineman in the portal (22nd overall), following a season that saw him amass 50 tackles — including four sacks.
During his three years on the field, Slackman played 28 total games, with 115 total tackles — 25 of them for a loss and 11 of those sacks — as well as three passes defended, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick.
Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.