Corey Raymond – Page 6 – Syndication Server

This 5-star 2024 recruit praised Florida’s cornerbacks coach

Top 2024 recruit Desmond Ricks vocal about Corey Raymond being the reason he chose to visit Florida last weekend.

One of the first hires head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] made to overhaul the Florida football program was adding cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag], who also serves as the assistant head coach on defense. Regarded as one of the best defensive back brains in the nation, the signal was clear: Napier wanted the best of the best.

Eight months later and that hire is already paying dividends. The top cornerback and No. 2 overall player in the 2024 class, [autotag]Desmond Ricks[/autotag], told Sports Illustrated’s Zach Goodall that the sole reason why he chose to visit Florida during July’s one-week window of in-person recruiting was to spend one-on-one time with Raymond.

Raymond has a history of recruiting elite defensive backs to his institutions and an even better history of developing them to be NFL-level talents. He spent the last decade of his career at his alma mater LSU where he produced seven first-team All-Americans and 14 NFL draft picks, including three first-rounders.

The IMG Academy standout was all business at last weekend’s visit, spending time with Raymond and Napier. The weekend marked Ricks’ second visit to Gainesville this season, where he was able to see the Heavener Football Training Center near completion, which has come along drastically since his first visit back in January.

If the Gators are going to land one of the best players in the 2024 class, they’ll need to show Ricks what they can do to develop him into the player he wants to be. They’ll have to fight off top programs such as Alabama, LSU, and Miami — all programs that Ricks intends to visit this fall.

One-on-one time with the best defensive backs developer in the nation is a great start to what could be the biggest singing to date in the Billy Napier era.

[mm-video type=video id=01g95kkdf8zxef930p5y playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g95kkdf8zxef930p5y/01g95kkdf8zxef930p5y-fa9a6ddbd321112e31f9e69a04952473.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=88645,88644,88636,88590,88582]

[listicle id=88620]

[listicle id=88493]

[listicle id=88059]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

5-star CB getting familiar with Florida’s position coach

Having cornerbacks Corey Raymond on staff made the difference for Florida this weekend for 2024 No. 2 overall recruit Desmond Ricks.

Several of the top college programs in the country hosted recruiting cookouts over the weekend, but 2024 five-star cornerback [autotag]Desmond Ricks[/autotag] chose to stop by the University of Florida instead of Alabama, Miami or Ohio State among others.

The reason he chose Florida is fairly simple, according to 247Sports’ Blake Alderman. Cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] is known as one of the top position coaches in the country, and he has produced several first-round NFL talents. Getting a chance to chop it up with coach C-Ray was enough for Ricks to put the other schools asking him to come by to the side.

“Coach Raymond is the reason I’m here,” Ricks said. “Everybody else was having their cookout today, but I decided to come here to see coach Raymond.”

Ricks arrived in town the day before the cookout to observe Friday Night Lights. He enjoyed being around other top recruits and Gators commits and got to see the coaching staff in action. His family also got to tour the new facilities, which should be ready in the next couple of weeks.

“The facilities were new,” he said. “Walking through that and seeing everything that’s being built, you can see that there’s a change in Gainesville.”

Now that this trip is wrapped up, Ricks is considering returning to Florida for an official visit. He wants to visit Alabama, LSU and Miami, so it should be a competitive race for one of the top talents in the class.

Ricks is No. 2 overall on the 247Sports composite and is No. 1 among cornerback and Florida recruits in the class of 2024.

[lawrence-related id=88500,88485,88462,88458,88450]

[listicle id=88466]

[listicle id=88301]

[listicle id=88059]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Florida hosted this top-100 DB during a busy recruiting weekend

Could Billy Napier be looking to flip another blue-chip recruit? Dijon Johnson, a four-star defensive back committed to Ohio State, was in town for Friday Night Lights.

The Florida Gators are in the middle of their busiest recruiting weekend of the summer right now as Friday Night Lights and the team cookout take place. The visitors’ list heading into the weekend was long and filled with blue-chip talent, but there were a few names that showed up unexpectedly.

One of those names is four-star defensive back [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] out of Wharton High (Tampa, Florida). Johnson, or “Mustard” as he’s affectionately called, committed to Ohio State in April, but he’s clearly still taking a look at other programs. The expectation was for him to pop up at the Miami recruiting cookout on Saturday, but Johnson told 247Sports that he was staying in town for Florida’s cookout instead.

This is the second trip Johnson has made to UF within the week. He and his dad were on campus to meet with cornerback coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag]. He could be seen spending most of his time with Raymond or co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag]. The dead period ended on Monday and starts back up in August.

There’s no guarantee that Johnson backs off his pledge to OSU, but things look shaky at best right now with that commitment and Florida is primed to swoop in if he does change his mind. It also seems like this is one of the recruits Florida will have a leg up on against Miami, but that could (and has) changed in a heartbeat with other players this cycle.

The Gators already have a trio of in-state four-star defensive backs in the class, Osceola cornerback [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] (Kissimmee), West Orange (Winter Garden) safety [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag] and Bartram Trail (Jacksonville)cornerback [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag].

Johnson would be the highest ranked of the bunch at No. 93 overall on the 247Sports composite. He’s also ranked No. 10 among cornerbacks in the class of 2023.

[lawrence-related id=88438,88428,88425,88420,88420]

[listicle id=88301]

[listicle id=88195]

[listicle id=88059]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Gators add another elite defensive back to the class of 2023

The Gators are on a roll. Four-star safety Jordan Castell’s commitment is the third in as many days for Billy Napier and Co.

Florida’s hot streak continued Saturday morning with the commitment of four-star safety [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag].

The West Orange High (Winter Garden, Florida) recruit picked UF over Alabama and Tennessee on a YouTube live stream. Experts pegged Castell as a Gator in early June after his official visit to the Swamp. He all but confirmed the decision the night before by replying to Florida commit Treyaun Webb’s tweet that predicted more commitments over the weekend.

Above all else, Castell seemed fully onboard with [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s mission of keeping in-state talent at home.

“Florida, you know, just putting on for the city,” Castell said. “I can stay home, family can watch me, why would I go make somebody else’s state better when I can do it at the crib.”

He praised Alabama and Tennessee, but Florida’s defensive back coaching duo of [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] and [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] seemed to put things over the edge.

“Coach Raymond, that’s the GOAT man,” he said. “Check his resume and just look what that man did. I went to go work out for him and he just taught me so much just through that period. I know that me being out there (Florida) for three years, yeah, I’m going to be nasty.”

Castell is ranked No. 199 overall on the 247Sports composite and No. 13 among safeties in the class of 2023. He’s the 15th player to commit in the cycle and should move Florida up a spot to No. 13 in the team rankings.

[lawrence-related id=88420,88382,88374,88370,88366]

[listicle id=88301]

[listicle id=88195]

[listicle id=88059]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Nation’s top CB recruit earns new player comparison from Gators coach

Florida cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond wants to coach five-star Cormani McClain, and he’s already comparing the recruit to one of his former players.

When cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] left the LSU Tigers to coach under [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] at the University of Florida, many assumed the nation’s top defensive backs would follow him. That assumption came true with five-star safety [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] in the 2022 cycle, and Raymond seems locked in on landing the highest-rated defensive player in the upcoming 2023 class, five-star cornerback [autotag]Cormani McClain[/autotag].

McClain had the Gators near the top of his list before the coaching changes took place, but bringing in one of the most respected coaches in all of college football hasn’t hurt UF one bit. Raymond’s track record speaks for itself. At LSU, he sent 14 players to the NFL Draft, including four first-rounders — Derek Stingely Jr. in the most recent draft, Jamal Adams and Tre’Davious White in 2017 and Eric Reid in 2013. Let’s not forget about Tyrann Mathieu, either, who has more than made a name for himself in the pros.

Raymond sees McClain as the next potential name on that list, and perhaps the first to come at UF.

“Coach C-Ray, me and him got a great relationship. I think it’s there,” McClain said to Gators Online. “He produced a lot of great athletes. I look up to coach C-Ray as one of those guys that you know is going to get you to the league and the things you need to get there…

“He compared me to the most recent LSU DB, Stingley.”

The duo may get a chance to reunite as soon as the end of the month for Florida’s Friday Night Lights camp and recruiting cookout. Nothing is finalized yet, but McClain is expected to turn up over the weekend.

When it comes to making a decision, he plans to do so in December and will choose whoever he feels can develop him the best. That could mean that Raymond is the deciding factor when it comes down to it.

McClain is ranked No. 2 overall on the On3 consensus and is No. 1 in the state of Florida and among cornerbacks in the class of 2023.

[mm-video type=video id=01g8bnbcjv3dh7pn460g playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g8bnbcjv3dh7pn460g/01g8bnbcjv3dh7pn460g-e2cf64f1d1948be9a7786847faa244a9.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=87851,87815,87709,87700,87690]

[listicle id=87738]

[listicle id=87673]

[listicle id=87353]

[listicle id=86978]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Nation’s top cornerback recruit planning return date to the Swamp

Florida is staying close with the top cornerback of 2023, Cormani McClain. He’s looking at the end of July to return to the Swamp.

The top defensive back in the class of 2023 is still considering Florida, but it looks like five-star cornerback [autotag]Cormani McClain[/autotag] will make a decision closer to the end of the year rather than the end of summer date he teased back in spring. He now plans to take official visits over the season and decide around December, according to Swamp247.

McClain also is likely to attend Florida’s upcoming Friday Night Lights camp on July 29, but he said that the trip is not official just yet. Speaking of visits that are official, McClain made his way down to Miami in June for his first of five OVs. Alabama will get the second one on October 5 when the Crimson Tide hosts Texas A&M, and Florida and Georgia should get one as well.

The Gators have kept close with McClain, especially cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag]. It was Raymond who helped Billy Napier reel in [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] last cycle and his reputation as an elite defensive backs coach is a big plus for McClain.

“Coach C-Ray, me and him have a great relationship,” McClain said to 247Sports. “I think it’s there. He produced a lot of great athletes. I look to Coach C-Ray as one of those guys that I know is going to get your to the league and the things you need to get there.”

The 247Sports composite ranks McClain No. 3 overall and No. 1 among cornerbacks in the class of 2023. He’s also the top-ranked player in the state of Florida out of Lakeland High.

[mm-video type=video id=01g81j39pyp8a7a783c2 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g81j39pyp8a7a783c2/01g81j39pyp8a7a783c2-14f5a0e712c274cc913fa10896869b12.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=87595,87592,87551,87520,87459]

[listicle id=84331]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

2023 Recruiting Profile: Can Florida land 4-star safety Joenel Aguero?

One of the top safeties in the class of 2023, four-star Joenel Aguero, has UF in his top four and will announce his decision on July 23.

One of Florida’s top out-of-state targets is four-star safety [autotag]Joenel Aguero[/autotag] out of St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Massachusetts. He’s set to make his college decision on July 23 and will choose among the Gators, Georgia Bulldogs, Miami Hurricanes and Ohio State Buckeyes.

Georgia is considered the heavy favorite with a 93.6% chance on the recruiting prediction machine, but Florida has done its best to compete with the Bulldogs for the former IMG Academy defensive back. Aguero has shown interest in reuniting with former teammate [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] in the Gators’ secondary and has developed decent relationships with safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] and cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag].

[autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. hosted him on an official visit in June, but it was sandwiched between trips to Georgia and Ohio State, and Miami ended up getting the final visit. Mario Cristobal has been on a tear lately, so this would be a nice win over both UM and UGA for Napier if he can pull it off.

Here’s all you need to know about the blue-chip defensive back.

This 4-star safety recruit set to make 3rd Gainesville visit this month

The Gators will have a whole gaggle of recruits on campus at the end of July for the Friday Night Lights/cookout weekend.

Billy Napier has managed to get another four-star defensive back recruit on campus during the last weekend in July.

[autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag], the 6-foot-2-inch, 195-pound safety out of West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Florida, will be in Gainesville for the July 30 cookout the Gators are hosting for recruits. Castell told 247’s Blake Alderman that he could potentially be in attendance for the Gators’ Friday Night Lights recruiting event the night before as well.

Friday Night Lights is an annual recruiting event hosted by Florida football where recruits can work with coaches under the lights of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

This visit will be the third for Castell since the Gators offered him earlier this year. He took an unofficial visit in the spring and an official visit in June. Florida co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] and cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] are spearheading Castell’s recruitment, and it seems to be paying dividends.

Castell told Alderman that both coaches have played a large part in his recruitment, highlighting Raymond’s prior experience in developing high-level talent and how both coaches want to see Castell play all over the secondary.

Castell is expected to announce his decision on October 1st with Alabama and Tennessee listed as the other finalists, with the Gators currently in the lead for Castell’s signature.

Castell is currently listed as the No. 15 Safety in the country, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.

[mm-video type=video id=01g78hh5tt8w3y9jse2q playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g78hh5tt8w3y9jse2q/01g78hh5tt8w3y9jse2q-a8ea9c74f82ac39afa3f942ca980b663.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=86872,86862,86855,86835,86813]

[listicle id=86735]

[listicle id=86519]

[listicle id=86339]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Gators get recruiting predictions from 247Sports, On3 for 4-star CB

The Gators got predictions from two major scouting services recently for this 4-star in-state recruiting target.

A pair of predictions have been made on a four-star defensive back from the state of Florida.

Cornerback [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] out of Kissimmee (Florida) Osceola is slated to announce his commitment on July 28th, along with teammates [autotag]Derrick LeBlanc[/autotag] and [autotag]John Walker[/autotag]. According to On3’s Corey Bender and 247Sports’ Blake Alderman, the Gators are predicted to come out on top for Jackson’s signature.

The 6-foot-1-inch, 180-pound rising senior was offered by the Florida staff earlier this spring and has made multiple visits to Gainesville in the months since, including a trip on June 20 where he had a one-on-one workout with cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag].

Raymond is one of the reasons why Bender and Alderman are predicting that Jackson lands in Gainesville. The proximity to home is also a strong factor, with Gainesville around 110 miles north of Jackson’s hometown.

According to On3, Jackson is considered to be a top 50 player in the state of Florida and is considered a 4-star prospect on both On3 and 247Sports. He is also considering Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Penn State.

This 2023 safety is ‘really high’ on Florida following third visit

Bryce Thornton’s third trip to the Swamp offered far more one-on-one time with coaches than his previous visits had.

Last Sunday, Milton High (Alpharetta, Georgia) safety [autotag]Bryce Thornton[/autotag] made his third unofficial visit to the Swamp. The three-star recruit was part of a smaller group of visitors that came to Gainesville on the final day of the quiet period, which led to him receiving more attention than he had on previous visits, according to Swamp 247.

“This was more one-on-one,” Thornton said. “I got to hang out with (defensive coordinator and safeties coach Patrick) Toney more and it was less people (on campus).”

He also got to spend time with head coach Billy Napier and cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] as well on the visit, and all three coaches made it known that he was a priority target for them. They went over [autotag]Trey Dean[/autotag]’s film to give Thornton an idea of where he’d fit into the offense. Right now, his versatility projects to time at both free and strong safety, and Florida could use him at the STAR position if necessary.

Thornton won’t decide until November, though, and he has officials lined up throughout the season. Miami gets him first from Sept. 23-25 for the game against Middle Tennesee, and Alabama gets him over the Oct. 7 weekend when the Crimson Tide host Texas A&M. Then, it’s off to Florida on Oct. 21 during one of the Gators’ bye week, and LSU vs. Alabama is his final scheduled visit on Nov. 5. He’s looking to add a fifth to the itinerary as well.

I’m here Go Gators @chaseclarkUF @JeremyO_Johnson @Blake_Alderman @JoeHamilton__ @PToney pic.twitter.com/VSGp2m8Ea3

— BRYCE THORNTON (@Brycethornton_2) June 25, 2022

Alabama and Florida are considered the frontrunners right now, but November is a long time from now and feelings can change depending on how things go over the fall. Thornton didn’t outright name the Gators as leaders, but his comments to Swamp247 following the visit were favorable for UF.

“I’m really high on Florida,” he said. “I just love it when I’m down there. I just have a great vibe when I’m down there and I feel like I could stay there and live there.”

Thornton is ranked No. 45 among safeties in the class of 2023 and is a top-500 recruit on the 247Sports composite (No. 486). On3’s individual rankings do have him listed as a four-star recruit and up to No. 27 at his position, though.

[mm-video type=video id=01g6n71ys2gkjcdzct05 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01evcez1p3ybm8h26z image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g6n71ys2gkjcdzct05/01g6n71ys2gkjcdzct05-ecf0705d088dc45bc00b54b1db81948e.jpg]

[listicle id=86519]

[listicle id=86339]

[listicle id=86266]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!