Gators look to rope in this 5-star linebacker with recruiting visit

Harold Perkins will announce his commitment on Sunday, but he may still take a UF visit later this month.

The Gators aren’t a finalist for five-star Cypress, Texas, linebacker Harold Perkins. The 6-foot-2.5-inch, 210-pound player is set to announce his commitment on Sunday during the Under Armour All-American Game between finalists LSU, Texas and Texas A&M.

However, Perkins will not sign his letter of intent until February, and he plans to take several visits even after announcing his commitment. According to 247Sports, Florida is one of the schools he intends on visiting, along with USC and possibly LSU.

The previous coaching staff at UF recruited Perkins and tried to get him on campus on several occasions, but it never worked out. Though no date has been scheduled, Perkins said he would like to visit either the weekend of the 14th or the 28th.

One of the factors reportedly leading to Perkins’ interest in the Gators is five-star safety signee Kamari Wilson, who is on the same team as Perkins for the All-American Game. Wilson has apparently been recruiting Perkins, who has never been on Florida’s campus before.

Perkins said that defensive coordinator Patrick Toney has been his primary recruiter, but he’s also talked to head coach Billy Napier and defensive analyst Jamar Chaney.

The No. 5 overall player and top linebacker on the 247Sports Composite, Perkins will almost certainly be committed to another school when (or if) he decides to visit Florida. But if the Gators can find a way to sway him, he would be a major addition and the highest-ranked player they’ve signed since Martez Ivey in 2015.

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