The Florida Gators coaching staff is finally getting to a level playing field in recruiting in the class of 2017, as they have had time to build relationships with many of these prospects.
2017 receiver James Robinson (6-3, 185, Lakeland, FL High) is one of those prospects that the Florida Gators are after hard in 2017, but another school has taken the early lead.
“Clemson, Florida, USC, Alabama and Ohio State are coming at me,” Robinson said. “Right now Clemson leads for me. It’s the relationship with the coaches right now, me and Coach [Jeff] Scott have a good bond.”
The Gators won’t go quietly on the top instate receiver, as cornerbacks coach Kirk Callahan is recruiting Robinson for Florida.
“Florida is home and will always be home no matter where I go,” he said of Florida. “Florida was my dream school growing up and Coach Callahan is the coach that is recruiting me from Florida.”
Callahan, who recruits the Lakeland area, is a younger coach that relates well with Robinson and the receiver likes the message Callahan is giving him.
“Coach Callahan is telling me to stay in state and that Florida is close to home and only two hours away,” Robinson said. “Coach Callahan is like a coach/brother to me, so we have a good relationship with each other.”
There is no secret that the Florida Gators need a big play receiver. Robinson fits that bill perfectly and he sees what his future could be like in Gainesville.
“I feel like with [Antonio] Callaway on one side and me on the other side, you can’t beat that,” he said. “Daquon Green is going there too. Jake Allen is coming in my class too. It’s tough with them and Clemson because they both keep picking up these big commitments.”
Two of the Florida Gators top 2017 commits are recruiting Robinson now including the Gators signal caller for 2017.
“Me and Daquon just started talking to each other,” Robinson said if anyone was recruiting him. “Jake actually didn’t know me until I put on a show at Friday Night Lights this past summer. After that he was telling me that I need to come to Florida and stuff like that.”
This spring the Gators will have their chance to get back on top when they host Robinson for a junior day.
“Right now I’m trying to get back up to Clemson, Tennessee and some of the schools that I haven’t visited,” he said. “I’m going to go up to Florida but I haven’t decided which junior day I’m going to yet.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Robinson is one of the top receivers in the state for 2017 and is a guy that Florida needs to land badly. Clemson has had the lead for sometime but the Gators are still in the thick of things.