Gators going south for a Miami safety

Despite Dalvin Cook and Ermon Lane’s high-profile decommitments in the last recruiting cycle, the Gators actually pulled in a solid class from South Florida. Will Muschamp added Quincy Wilson and Khairi Clark to the defense while the addition of Kurt Roper was able to lure C.J. Worton, Treon Harris and Brandon Powell to Gainesville to play offense.

The Gators are back on the road, traveling south down the turnpike to lure in another south Florida prospect in safety Tim Irvin (5-9, 186, Miami, FL Westminster Christian).

Irvin remains uncommitted, but he didn’t feel out of place last weekend in Gainesville. Coming from Miami, Irvin spent a lot of his visit spending time with other players from his area like Quinton Dunbar, Treon Harris and C.J. Worton.

“Yeah. I have a lot of players I’ve played with from down south that I’ve played with in 7-on7’s and stuff that go here. I talked to them about the campus and everything, the football structure and about what life is like up here.”

Being able to see other players from Miami up in Gainesville and enjoying themselves made an impression on the 2016 safety.

“It has a lot to do with it,” Irvin responded when asked if Florida’s recent recruiting success in south Florida will help the Gators with him. “I see, as of right now, he has a lot of down south talent out there playing with them now. That’s really going to help me a lot with my decision.”

Even though he is only a rising junior, Irvin has some very set criteria for how he will go about finding a school to play at — and again, Florida’s success with kids from his area will greatly help Florida.

“First, how can I adapt to the environment, how can I adapt to the weather? Stuff like that,” he said. “Next, the education standpoint, what can I do after my football career is done?”

Irvin wants to wait until the Army All-American game to announce his final commitment and insists that he’s wide open in recruiting at the moment.

“As of right now I’m open to everyone,” he said. “Everyone asks me if I have a favorite school or this or that but I’m just open to every school. I’m taking it all in.”

Irvin liked what he say while camping for Friday Night Lights and he wants to get back up to Gainesville for a visit to take in a game day experience for himself.

“As of right now I think I’ll come back for a couple games this year,” Irvin said. “Basically I’ve seen everything. I don’t really have anything that I can think of.”

For more Nick De LaTorre reports on Florida Gator Recruiting joining Gator Country.

Nick de la Torre
A South Florida native, Nick developed a passion for all things sports at a very young age. His love for baseball was solidified when he saw Al Leiter’s no-hitter for the Marlins live in May of 1996. He was able to play baseball in college but quickly realized there isn’t much of a market for short, slow outfielders that hit around the Mendoza line. Wanting to continue with sports in some capacity he studied journalism at the University of Central Florida. Nick got his first start in the business as an intern for a website covering all things related to the NFL draft before spending two seasons covering the Florida football team at Bleacher Report. That job led him to GatorCountry. When he isn’t covering Gator sports, Nick enjoys hitting way too many shots on the golf course, attempting to keep up with his favorite t.v. shows and watching the Heat, Dolphins and Marlins. Follow him on twitter @NickdelatorreGC