It’s no secret that the Florida Gators recruiting class of 2017 must have several defensive tackle prospects in it to help feel a void on the roster that gets worse after this year.
Last Wednesday running backs coach Tim Skipper took a step in trying to fill that void when he visited defensive tackle Neil Farrell (6-4, 285, Mobile, AL Murphy) at his school.
“Coach Skipper came by my school on Wednesday,” Farrell said. “He couldn’t talk to me but he just wanted to see me in-person and then I called him that night. He’s a good coach and I liked him.”
Farrell is one of the top defensive tackles in the state of Alabama and received a message from Skipper that he was needed in Gainesville.
“He said that they really want me at Florida,” Farrell said. “He said that they have a couple of players that are graduating and leaving early so I would have to chance to play early there. That means a lot to hear that I could play early at a SEC school.”
Skipper and Farrell have been talking a lot over the phone the last few months and the defensive tackles like his area recruiter.
“Coach Skipper is a real outstanding coach and laid back,” Farrell said of his impressions of Skipper. “I know that if I went to Florida that we would have a great relationship with each other and I wouldn’t have to worry about being close to a coach.”
The next step for Farrell and Florida is for the defensive tackle to visit Gainesville, and that could come on as early as this summer.
“I’ve never been to Florida but I’m definitely going to visit them,” Farrell said. “I don’t watch a lot of football but I know a little bit about Florida. I know they’re in the SEC and have a good football program. I just want to get down there for a visit.”
Right now Farrell is playing the waiting game and he has no leaders, but does have a few schools after him hard.
“I don’t really have any standouts but several schools are recruiting me hard,” he said. “Florida, LSU, Michigan, Mississippi State and Clemson are recruiting me hard. Auburn is also. I’m just trying to find the best fit for me.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Farrell says that he talks to Lamical Perine and Kadarius Toney a lot and that they have both told him a lot about Florida. Perine is personally recruiting Toney to the Gators as well. Right now Farrell is wide open, but he has shown a lot of interest in the Gators.