The Florida Gators continued their big momentum on Sunday when receiver Ja’Marr Chase (6-1, 195, Metairie, LA. Archbishop Rummel) committed to Florida.
Chase was on campus over the weekend and participated in Friday Night Lights in Gainesville and he says the feel he got there made him decide to commit.
“I feel like that was the right decision for me,” Chase said on why he committed. “I felt comfortable with that decision and just felt like Florida was home.”
Linebackers coach Tim Skipper was the main recruiter for Chase and the receiver gives a lot of credit to him for helping him get to Florida.
“He made a big play by him making a better relationship to where we are and just me talking with him,” he said of his relationship with Tim Skipper. “He’s just a cool dude, you know. He’s laid back. He just likes to have fun. He always makes jokes with you.”
Another big reason that Chase committed to Florida was because of the Gators big land at quarterback this past weekend.
“Matt Corral. He was the main reason why I came,” Chase said on who else was big in his committing to Florida. “I told him that if he would come, I would go, too. That’s a great fit for both of us.”
Chase and Corral hung out a lot while on campus in Gainesville and they talked about what life could be like as a Gator.
“It wasn’t too much,” he said on how the conversation went with Corral. “We were just talking about how it would be if we both came to Florida and the offense they have and how they would use us. We were just thinking about that.”
This commitment and visit almost didn’t happen as Chase was scheduled to commit at the Opening but that didn’t happen due to a network confusion.
Shortly after that mishap by the NFL Network, Chase started talking to a fellow New Orleans guy who is currently at Florida.
“I was talking to Brad Stewart from New Orleans,” he said on what made him decide to visit Florida. “I was talking to Brad and he was just telling me that I’m gonna like it and stuff, so I took a visit.”
Chase took that as a sign that he was supposed to visit and the rest is history as he visited Gainesville.
“Yeah, because after what happened with NFL Network I just put myself back and started looking at more stuff,” Chase said on if he thought it was sign for him to visit Florida. “Then Brad told me, so I thought that was a sign about that.”
Now that Chase is committed to Florida, he’s looking at the future in Gainesville and landing Corral was big for him.
“It was pretty big,” Chase said on how big getting Corral was for Florida. “They have a quarterback now, Matt’s gonna step in and do a good job and hopefully get a starting spot.”
Chase and Corral have started to recruit other guys to Florida and the receiver says he has some things he tells each of them.
“Just go up there and see how you like it,” he said on his recruiting message for other guys to join him. “The coaches are gonna like you and you’re gonna like the coaches. You’re gonna love the coaches, so just go up there and see how you like the feel and see where you would fit in.”
One of the big targets that Chase is working on is receiver Jacob Copeland and he has a special message for him.
“Tell them it would make a difference,” Chase said on his message to Jacob Copeland. “We could both be on each side making big plays.”
LSU and TCU are still going to recruit Chase hard but the receiver says that he’s pretty set on his decision.
“I think I’m shutting my process down right now, because I’m pretty comfortable with Florida,” he said on his recruitment. “Yeah, I’m still gonna take my officials.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Chase says he plans to return to Florida for a game this fall and then take an official visit after the season is over. Chase isn’t an early enrollee but he seems pretty locked in with Florida.