Tag: contact period

Florida coach visits this 5-star CB to kick off January contact period

Florida cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond stopped by a priority recruit’s high school on Friday as the contact period opened up.

Florida cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] opened up the January contact period, which runs from Jan. 13 to Jan. 28, by visiting the high school of a five-star recruit in the class of 2024, according to 247Sports.

[autotag]Charles Lester III[/autotag] included the Gators in his top five just two weeks ago and is a top-25 player in the class, so it only makes sense for Riverview High to be Raymond’s first stop. Florida signed an elite defensive backs class in the 2023 cycle and pulled off a miracle during a short 2022 cycle by landing five-star safety [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag]. Much of that success is thanks to Raymond, and Lester seems like his top priority in the upcoming cycle.

So far, things seem to be going well for Raymond and Lester, but there’s not timetable for a decision in place. He’ll visit Florida State over the coming weekend for a Junior Day and previously named the Seminoles and Alabama Crimson Tide as programs piquing his interest. In the past, Lester has claimed that coaching connections will play a big part in his decision, so Raymond is the right man to take point on this one.

The 247Sports composite ranks Lester at No. 22 overall and No. 3 among cornerbacks in the class of 2024. After missing on Cormani McClain in 2023, landing an in-state five-star defensive back would be a massive win for the Gators.

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Florida DC stopping by prospect-filled state semifinal as contact period begins

The early signing period is approaching rapidly, and Florida is putting in the work on the recruiting trail as the contact period begins.

The NCAA’s contact period for FBS programs kicks off on Friday, and Florida is one of many schools that will have coaches attending high school games over the weekend to check in on top commitments and targets.

Florida’s defensive coordinator and safeties coach Patrick Toney will be at the Osceola (Kissimmee, Florida) and Lakeland (Florida) game on Friday, according to 247Sports. Toney is there to see defensive back commit [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and four-star UCF defensive line commit [autotag]John Walker[/autotag].

Jackson has been committed to Florida since late July and is one of the more promising recruits in the class. Walker has been a flip target for Florida since he committed to the Knights on the same day that Jackson pledged his services to UF, and he has an official visit coming up on Dec. 9. That should make things interesting for Walker as the early signing period approaches, and having a teammate committed to Florida can’t hurt the cause.

The other four-star recruit on Osceola is four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Derrick LeBlanc[/autotag], who is committed to Oklahoma. There’s been little talk about pursuing him as a flip target since the commitment, so expect Florida’s energy to be focused on Walker for the most part.

Lakeland boasts the nation’s top defensive back, five-star cornerback [autotag]Cormani McClain[/autotag]. He stunned the recruiting world by picking Miami over Florida and Alabama, and he’s unlikely to flip at this point in the cycle. Still, Florida did get quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag] to flip from the U to UF, so anything is possible.

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