Four-star North Gwinnett, Georgia, defensive tackle [autotag]Kayden McDonald[/autotag] made his second stop by the University of Florida on June 17, and the official visit has the Gators in his top three, according to All Gators.
“They definitely moved up. I’m considering Florida [heavily],” McDonald said.
Just days before the visit, McDonald had included UF in his top 10, but the recent trip seems to have accelerated things. Dan Mullen‘s staff didn’t do much for him, but McDonald has grown fond of Billy Napier‘s group and sees how the changes that are being made have affected the players.
He also sees a chance to play early at Florida, which is always enticing for someone looking to develop quickly. Defensive tackle is a position of need for the Gators with [autotag]Gerveon Dexter[/autotag] eligible to move on to the pros following this season, so the door should be open for McDonald to get reps in as a freshman if he does sign.
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Even the players at his position want him on board. Freshman defensive tackle [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag], a former four-star recruit himself, made it clear over the weekend that he wanted to play beside McDonald.
“He was telling me we’re gonna be first-round draft picks,” he said. “Just kind of like a big brother to me. I was hanging out with him the last time I came. He was just telling me ‘come work.’ Coach Chaos (Sean Spencer) will help you get to where you need to be.”
Spencer’s work in the NFL has meant a lot to the defensive line recruits looking at the Orange and Blue, and it could be what gets McDonald on board.
Looking ahead, McDonald has another official visit to Michigan State planned on Friday, June 24, and then he’ll take a break to decide where he wants to take his three remaining visits. A commitment isn’t expected until around October at the earliest.
The On3 consensus ranks McDonald as the No. 290 overall recruit and the No. 39 defensive lineman in the class of 2023.
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