The Florida Gators are going through the evaluation period right now where they are handing out new offers on a daily basis as they prep their 2016 recruiting board.
One of the latest offers to go out was to defensive lineman Darius Whitfield (6-3, 260, Mobile, AL St. Paul’s) who heard the news from recruiting coordinator Drew Hughes.
“Coach Hughes from Florida was the coach that offered me,” Whitfield said. “He was just talking to me about junior day and he told me that he wanted me to be apart of the Florida family so he wanted to offer me.”
Whitfield has not only been talking to Hughes but also other defensive coaches and they have told him how the Gators plan to use him in the Florida defense.
“I’ve been talking to Florida pretty regularly and they sent me a lot of mail,” Whitfield said. “I talk to coach Hughes and a few of the other coaches. They have been telling me that they want me at defensive end and some defensive tackle. They want me as a 3-4 and as a 4-3 tackle.”
Florida has shown Whitfield a lot of love lately and that has a lot to do with the relationship he has developed with Hughes.
“I really like coach Hughes a lot,” Whitfield said. “He’s a real cool guy and is down to earth. We have built a pretty good relationship with each other. I’m excited to get down there for a visit to meet him and the other coaches.”
The interest from Florida is something that Whitfield has been dreaming of for sometime now and now he wants to visit Florida so he can took a photo with one of the Gators unofficial mascots.
“I always liked Florida when I was a little kid I was a Florida fan,” Whitfield said. “One of my favorite defensive lineman was Dante Fowler and before that it was Dominique Easley. I was looking on Youtube and I didn’t know that Easley started the Chuckie doll and then gave it to Fowler when he got hurt. When I come to Florida for my visit I want to take a photo with the Chuckie doll.”
Whitfield has never visited Florida before but that will change very soon as the Alabama prospect and some friends will travel to Gainesville for an unofficial visit.
“I’m going to visit Florida next weekend for junior day,” Whitfield said. “I want to meet all of the coaches and develop a better relationship with them. I also want to see the education facilities and I want to see my major which is broadcast/journalism.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Florida has a decent shot early on with Whitfield but the key will be holding off Alabama and Auburn once they offer which is likely to come this spring. A good junior day would definitely help Florida though.