Athlete Demetris Robertson (6’0”, 180, Savannah Christian School) is a wanted man with the Florida Gators, in more ways than one.
The number one athlete in the country finally got to take a step into the Swamp where he met head coach Jim McElwain and staff during the programs annual Friday Night Lights.
“It went well,” Robertson informed GatorCountry.com of his time in Gainesville.
“[I] got to see the campus in depth a little bit more, academic part. Got to meet with the coaches, things like that… Just really get the vibe of the campus and the players, things like that.”
While meeting with the coaches, this class of 2016 athlete saw the full extent of their desire for him.
With the ability to play both wide receiver and corner back, Robertson told GatorCountry in June that Florida was looking at him primarily as a defensive player. But after stepping into the coaches’ office on this late July weekend, Robertson has learned he has the pick of the litter, and is hearing it from both sides of the ball, particularly defensive backs coach Kirk Callahan and wide receivers coach Kerry Dixon.
“They just said I can pick anywhere I want…just basically I can play any side of the ball I want to…they said I could choose, I mean they’re fighting over me but they said I could choose.”
The reputation of strong defense at The University of Florida weighed against the promise of a new offense with Jim McElwain cancel each other out for Robertson who says a decision on where he’d plug himself in would be born more out of necessity than aspiration.
“It wouldn’t matter,” he says.
“Wherever I’m comfortable at, wherever they need me at the first year.
But that’s all per se for now, second tier decisions if you will, as Robertson still has to deal with the actual matter of choosing where to play his college ball.
As for that choice, he says it will most likely come on National Signing Day (February 3, 2016).
With a Florida visit in the books, and one that Robertson says he really liked, the Gators are now in his top 6, along with (in no certain order) Alabama, Georgia, Stanford, FSU and Ohio State.
If he sticks to his NSD plan, the Gators will have the football season to continue to court the Savannah native, and he promises to be back for some of those dates, making the easy drive over the state line.
“It only takes like 3 hours, [so I’ll] take some unofficials, I’ll come back.”
Even if the Florida Gators do their part and get their wanted man, the fun will only just be beginning for the athlete. Because after all of that, there will still be two more coaches determined to beat the other and win over Demetris Robertson.