Florida football is coming off its biggest recruiting event of the summer having conducted its Friday Night Lights and team cookout events last weekend. The affairs brought many of the top prep prospects across three classes to the Swamp as [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. rolled out the red carpet for the burgeoning teenagers.
Among those in attendance was four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag] out of Gardendale (Alabama), who got a second taste of the new staff’s cooking after an official visit back in June. According to Swamp247’s Blake Alderman, the Gators made a solid impression upon the 6-foot-5-inch, 280-pound trench warrior during his recent stop.
“It was real good,” Collins said. “I got a chance to get close with some of the other recruits there. I was glad I got down there. Really the biggest highlight for me was getting down and hanging with the recruits. I got to see the new facility they have. They should be moving into it in the next couple of weeks, but it looks crazy.”
Co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag] has spearheaded the recruitment of the rising senior, while assistant for college personnel and on-campus recruiting [autotag]Chase Clark[/autotag], along with co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag], and defensive line graduate assistant [autotag]Kali James[/autotag] have also made significant contributions to the effort. Together, they have constructed a vision for how Collins’ talents would be best utilized in Gainesville.
“They want me to be a defensive end for them, but they also want to move me around. They said I can move inside on the defensive line or even move outside and stand up. They want me to play all over. I am feeling like a priority for them. I like the fact they want me to be versatile like that. I feel like it makes it better for me in the long run. They tell me they need me there. They just stress it bad how they need me.”
Despite the positivity conveyed in the young recruit’s words, he still has a tough choice ahead of him and has not yet set a firm decision date. Florida is also fighting against the Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs, South Carolina Gamecocks and Oklahoma Sooners for the defensive lineman’s commitment. However, he does expect that decision to be made sometime soon.
“Hopefully in the next few weeks,” he predicted. “I just am looking at these relationships, how early I can play, and just the place I feel at home the most.”
Collins is ranked No. 70 overall and No. 6 at his position in his class nationally according to the 247Sports composite, while the On3 consensus has him at Nos. 60 and 7, respectively. The Tide are out in front of the other schools on On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine with an 89.9% chance of landing him, while the ‘Dawgs are second at 3.3% and Gators third at 2.4%.
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