Florida has shifted their primary focus to the state of Georgia to begin the third week of the spring evaluation period, sending three coaches into the state to recruit.
On Monday, the Gators had a coach by to see defensive end Austin Bryant (6-4, 251, Thomasville, GA Thomas County Central).
“Coach [D.J.] Durkin came by to see me on Monday,” Bryant said. “He couldn’t really talk to me but it went pretty good. My coach said that he had some good things to say about me and that really want me in Gainesville.”
Bryant wasn’t going to let Durkin’s visit go unnoticed as the defensive end gave Durkin a phone call Monday night to talk to him more about the Gators.
“I called him last night [Monday] after practice and talked to him a little more,” Bryant said. “He was telling me how good of a fit I am for them and that they really want me in Gainesville. Coach Durkin said that he wants to get me back on campus soon and that he’s ready to see me visit more. I told him that I will be back down there for Friday Night Lights.”
The communication between Bryant and Florida has been consistent as the Gators defensive coordinator tells Bryant how he will fit into the Florida defense if he chooses the Gators in February.
“I talk to Coach Durkin once a week, at least,” Bryant said. “He tells me that I can make big time plays and play what [Jonathan] Bullard plays now and a little bit like what [Dante] Fowler does when he stands up. He said that I can do multiple things in their defense.”
The Thomas County prospect has over a dozen offers and he says that six schools are recruiting him harder than the others.
“Florida, Clemson, Florida State, Stanford, South Carolina and Notre Dame are recruiting me the hardest right now,” Bryant said. “I still don’t have any leader or anything though right now.”
With so many schools still vying for Bryant’s signature, he plans to take a lot of visits this summer to see the campuses in person so he can make a decision.
“Hopefully I will be able to visit Florida, Clemson, South Carolina and a few others in June,” Bryant said. “After I take all of those visits I will have a better idea of those schools. I’ll commit whenever I feel the time is right.”