Tag: official visit

Former Texas WR Johntay Cook set for visit with Florida football

Former Texas WR Johntay Cook is expected to visit with the Gators this weekend after entering the transfer portal.

Former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook is set to visit the University of Florida this upcoming weekend, from Saturday to Sunday, according to Mike Roach of 247Sports.

Cook, a highly-touted recruit from DeSoto, Texas, had announced that he’d be entering the NCAA transfer portal last month after playing in a reserve role for the Longhorns. He played in just six games and logged eight catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns.

Known for his explosive speed and route-running ability, Cook had a standout high school career that made him one of the top recruits in the nation.

Rivals and On3 labeled Cook as a five-star recruit while ESPN and 247Sports had him as a four-star. Also, 247Sports has Cook as the No. 13-ranked receiver in the transfer portal and No. 35 overall.

The Florida football program initially extended an offer to him during Dan Mullen’s tenure with the Gators, and this was reconfirmed when Billy Napier and his new staff took over. Napier and his staff are set to make a strong push for Cook and he’d be a perfect fit for their system, which relies heavily on speed and versatility on the outside.

The Gators have been on the lookout for game-changing talents as they aim to revamp their offense for the upcoming season, especially in the wide receiver room.

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Michigan State football to host Texas DB on official visit

A rising defensive back from Texas will be officially visiting East Lansing this weekend

Michigan State has made the defensive backfield a priority as they close out their 2025 recruiting class, that remains the case when the Spartans close out the regular season against Rutgers.

MSU will be hosting Evan Young on an official visit. Young is a 6’0″, 180 pound defensive back from Lufkin, Texas.

Spartans Wire broke down Young’s recruitment with the defensive back earlier this month

Young is only ranked by 247Sports, who has Young rated as a high 3-star with an 87 grade.

Michigan State will continue preparing for a massive recruiting weekend ahead of signing day.

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2025 WMU RB commit to officially visit Michigan State football

MSU will be hosting a running back committed to Western Michigan on an official visit this weekend

Michigan State football is set to host Miami (OH) commit Cairo Skanes on an official visit this weekend, and now, the Spartans will be adding another MAC commit to the visitor list.

Zion Gist, a running back committed to Western Michigan will also be making an official visit to Michigan State. Gist has been committed to the Broncos since June 1.

Gist is a 6-foot, 200 pound running back that is a 3-star prospect with offers from Kent State, Marshall and WMU.

The Spartans have yet to formally offer the prospect, but that may be on the way when he arrives in East Lansing.

Michigan State football to host 2025 North Carolina DB on official visit

MSU is set to host a 2025 DB from North Carolina on an official visit this weekend

Michigan State football will be hosting a big time visitor this upcoming weekend, where the Spartans will face Purdue.

Cairo Skanes, a Miami (OH) commit, will be in East Lansing this coming weekend on an official visit. Skanes is a native of Charlotte (NC) and attends the Providence Day School. He is a 6-foot, 160 pound defensive back. He is ranked as a 3-star on On3 sports.

Skanes has broken out it recent weeks, having an outstanding Fall season, receiving five offers from power conference schools. Aside from MSU, Duke, NC State, Virginia and Wisconsin have all thrown their names in the race.

Wisconsin hosted the defensive back on an official visit on Nov. 9, and seem to be in the thick of a race that the Spartans want to win.

Skanes was listed as a prospect to look out for on the defensive side of the ball for MSU.

Florida getting 5-star WR committed to Oregon on official visit

After an eventful visit to Florida last for the LSU game, five-star wide receiver commit Dallas Wilson, an Oregon commit, is taking an official visit to The Swamp.

Florida hosted several high-profile recruiting targets last weekend for the LSU game, and an upset victory has the Gators trending up for five-star wide receiver [autotag]Dallas Wilson[/autotag].

The Oregon Ducks earned a commitment from Wilson in January 2023, but the Gators and Miami Hurricanes have continued pushing for him. Florida had an official visit lined up with him over the summer, but he changed that trip to Miami. Now the Gators are back in the driver’s seat with the best chance to flip Wilson, according to 247Sports.

Wilson plans to return to the Swamp this weekend for the Ole Miss game on an official visit. Another win or at least a strong performance against the ninth-ranked Rebels could lead him to a flip.

“(The LSU game) was electric,” Wilson said. “I got here a little late, so it was 7-0, Florida was up. Then they pulled out the win. It was back-to-back touchdowns, and it was just crazy out there. Oh my God. Touchdown after touchdown, fireworks going off every second. The crowd is outstandingly loud. It was the difference.”

Of course, DJ Lagway’s performance stood out the most to Wilson, particularly his connection with Elijhah Badger, who reeled in six catches for 131 yards and a touchdown. Wilson’s 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame is large enough to play that “X” receiver position, and Florida desperately needs to find a replacement for Badger.

“Coach Napier and Billy G(onzalez) were telling me about Badger,” he said. “They were like, ‘that’s what they need at the X position.’ I can come in, and be that same guy. (Napier) compared me to Julio Jones, Amari Cooper and other great receivers he’s coached across the years.”

Recruiting Summary

Wilson is a four-star recruit everywhere but 247Sports, where he was granted that fifth star. However, both the 247Sports composite and On3 industry ranking, which consider all four major recruiting services, list him as a five-star talent.

The 247Sports composite has him at No. 19 overall and No. 3 among wide receivers in the class of 2025. The On3 industry ranking is slightly more bullish on him at Nos. 19 and 2, respectively.

“Self-assertive wide receiver with the size, hands and speed to emerge as a true impact player for a College Football Playoff contender,” said 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins in an August report. “Launches out of his stance and attacks cushion with conviction before breaking off defensive backs with snappy cuts. Firm 10-inch hands and a 6-foot-3, 205-pound frame give him the advantage more times than not at the catch point and has put a few acrobatic grabs on the highlight reel over the years.”

Wilson could fill the deep, vertical threat hole left in Florida’s 2025 recruiting class after Joshua Moore flipped to Miami, but he has some run-and-catch ability, too.

There are no crystal ball predictions submitted for Wilson due to his long-standing commitment with Oregon, and Florida does not appear on the On3 recruiting prediction machine yet. Expect the situation to change significantly following the official visit.

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Florida impresses Cincinnati OL commit on official visit

Florida hosted Cincinnati commit Jahari Medlock this weekend for an official visit, and the Gators made a “huge jump” after beating Kentucky.

Florida didn’t host a bunch of recruits in Week 8, but the four players who were in Gainesville this weekend on official visits experienced what a big win in the Swamp looks like.

Among those four official visitors was Cincinnati offensive tackle commit [autotag]Jahari Medlock[/autotag].

“It was real good. It was way better than I thought it was going to be,” Medlock said to Gators Online. “I thought they were just going to show me a little here and there, but nah, they came with the heat, I’m not going to lie. It was real good. The environment was something different and something I’ve never experienced. The team spirit was different, too.”

The Gators crushed the Kentucky Wildcats, winning the game by a four-touchdown margin. It’s the kind of win that makes kids want to play for the Orange and Blue.

“The campus is huge, and they showed me around,” he said to 247Sports. “Got to meet a lot of the staff and the players. It’s like one big family here. Everyone is really close. They had a presentation on NIL, and that got me really thinking. It’s real cool. I like how they do that. The game was crazy in The Swamp. I’ve never experienced an environment like that. I loved it.”

Medlock talks family

As usual, Billy Napier’s staff recruited the family as well of the player. Napier has consistently prioritized players who come from what he considers a strong family and is quick to mention it after those players are signed. Both of Medlock’s parents joined him on this visit, and that could help the Gators in the long run.

“It was way better for my dad knowing he got to see all this with me. It’s his first time on a college visit,” he said. “Made me feel real great. This is my mom’s favorite team, so it was cool my dad got to see it.”

Medlock will head to Cincinnati on Nov. 9 for a visit. He doesn’t have any other officials on his calendar. Florida is “even higher” on his list now, but it takes a continuous effort to flip players who are already committed. Georgia Tech is another program in the race, but UF is pushing harder right now.

Recruiting Summary

Medlock is a consensus three-star recruit across the four major recruiting services. The 247Sports composite lists him No. 724 overall and No. 53 among offensive tackles in the class of 2025, while the On3 industry ranking is a bit more bullish on him at Nos. 702 and 43, respectively.

The On3 recruiting prediction machine only lists Cincinnati right now, but there’s no doubt that Florida is back in the race to flip him.

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Florida football sets official visit with coveted 2025 IOL recruit

The Gators have an important 2025 recruit set for an official visit against LSU.

The college football season is in full swing but Billy Napier and the Florida Gators nonetheless continue to pursue prep talent relentlessly on the recruiting trail. The latest news from the front has a member of the 2025 cycle coming to Gainesville in November.

Interior offensive lineman [autotag]Nelson McGuire[/autotag], a three-star talent out of Midlothian, Texas, who decommitted from the Minnesota Golden Gophers back in June, now has a date set with the Orange and Blue for Nov. 16 when the LSU Tigers come to town.

Napier and Co. offered the recruit a scholarship on Aug. 4 to which he responded positively.

“I know they are a good program and have a history of winning,” McGuire told Gators Online. “They are all about development over there at Florida. They are a great team. I just want to see where everything goes with them. I got to talk with the coaches a little bit more.”

Top Schools

The Auburn Tigers are currently in the lead for the offensive lineman’s talents.

“As of right now, they’re my leader,” McGuire told reporters. “No other school has shown me the kind of energy that they have. With the game, with the team, with the coaches and everything like that.”

The Clemson Tigers, Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies and Texas Tech Red Raiders are also reportedly in the mix.

Recruiting Summary

McGuire is ranked No. 527 overall and No. 34 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 45 and 542, respectively.

On3’s recruiting prediction machine gives Auburn a 57.1% chance of earning his commitment while Texas Tech trails behind at 38.5%.

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Florida DL commit lays out travel schedule, future official visits

A commitment doesn’t mark the end of a recruiting race, and Florida is going to have to keep pushing to keep defensive lineman Joseph Mbatchou in the fold.

Verbal commitments don’t mean a thing until a national letter of intent is signed.

Billy Napier and the Florida Gators know that fact all too well, and it’s why they’ve prepared for continued competition in the recruiting race for Grayson High (Loganville, Georgia) defensive lineman [autotag]Joseph Mbatchou[/autotag].

Since committing to Florida on July 31, Mbatchou, a Cameroon native, has picked up offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas and USC.

With offers also come visits. Mbatchou is set to take official visits to Auburn, Georgia State, South Carolina and Texas, according to 247Sports. Florida is responding accordingly.

Mbatchou will attend Florida’s season opener against Miami on Saturday — it will be his first game inside The Swamp — and he also has an official visit lined up for the LSU game on Nov. 16.

The Gators also have the advantage of being the first team to offer Mbatchou. Napier and Co. believed in him before everyone else did, and that kind of endorsement goes a long way. Everyone crowds around the guy who finds the needle in the haystack.

“I talked to Coach (Gerald) Chatman, Coach (Mike) Peterson, and Coach Napier, and they felt like genuine people to me,” Mbatchou said. “I like the academics, the facilities, I like everything about Florida, so I committed. We’re just going to go from there. See what happens during the season.”

Recruiting Summary

Mbatchou is a three-star recruit everywhere but ESPN, where he has yet to receive a grade. The On3 industry ranking puts him at No. 1,195 overall and No. 121 among defensive linemen in the class of 2025, while the 247Sports composite has him at Nos. 1,248 and 133, respectively.

The On3 recruiting precision machine gives 98.7% odds for Florida to land Mbatchou, which is mostly because he’s verbally committed there. No other teams are listed in the race (right now), but Auburn feels like a team to watch moving forward.

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Five-star 2025 forward sets official Duke basketball visit for September, per report

According to a Friday report from 247Sports’ Dushawn London, five-star 2025 forward Dwayne Aristode will visit Duke in late September.

The Duke basketball program will host a five-star 2025 prospect in late September, according to one Friday report.

247Sports’ Dushawn London wrote that Dwayne Aristode, the 19th-ranked player in 247Sports Composite rankings for the Class of 2025, will make an official visit with the Blue Devils from September 20-22.

Aristode, who plays for Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, measures out at 6-foot-7 and 205 pounds. He averaged 12.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game as a junior last season, and the Bobcats finished with a 27-7 record.

The small forward joins a lengthy list of 2025 targets for head coach Jon Scheyer. While the Blue Devils haven’t earned a commitment yet (and missed out on top-ranked recruit AJ Dybantsa), Duke has been connected to names like Cameron and Cayden Boozer, Nate Ament, and Shelton Henderson, all of whom are within the top 25 in the Composite rankings.

London also wrote that Aristode set up visits with Michigan State and USC. The five-star will visit the Spartans in late August and the Trojans just days before he heads to Durham.

Aristode has also fielded offers from Arizona, Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana, and Connecticut.

Florida pushing for multiple visits from Oklahoma DL commit

Miami-based defensive lineman Floyd Boucard committed to the Oklahoma Sooners over the summer, but Florida is still pushing for an official visit.

Miami Central defensive lineman [autotag]Floyd Boucard[/autotag] pledged his services to the Oklahoma Sooners on July 20, but Florida’s recruiting staff isn’t slowing down its pursuit of the in-state recruit.

Boucard told Gators Online that Florida recently invited him to the season opener between Florida and Miami on Aug. 31, and he plans on attending. Not only that, but Boucard feels an official visit to Florida is likely to happen at a later point in the season.

“Florida was always a school I was really considering,” Boucard said. “When I committed to Oklahoma, even though Florida wasn’t in my top schools, they really were in the top with my heart. That’s somewhere I really enjoy going to.”

Boucard’s relationship with Florida is strong, but it’s going to take a lot to flip him from the Sooners. He said he’s “1,000% committed,” to Oklahoma, and Florida isn’t the only team still courting him.

Right now, Florida is simply still in the race, but a win over Miami could change things dramatically.

Recruiting Summary

Boucard is a three-star recruit everywhere but Rivals where he earned a fourth star. The On3 industry rankings put him at No. 458 overall and No. 43 among defensive linemen in the class of 2025, while the 247Sports composite has him at Nos. 437 and 48, respectively.

The Sooners have a dominant lead on the On3 recruiting prediction machine with 95.2% following his commitment. Miami (1.5%) is the only program with a greater-than-one percent chance to flip him — and not by much.

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