The Florida Gators recruiting class of 2018 is already solid but the staff is looking to add some offensive linemen to the class as they only have one committed right now.
Last Saturday, the Gators hosted one of their top targets in offensive lineman Richard Gouraige (6-5, 271, Tampa, FL. Cambridge Christian) who liked what he seen from his position group.
“It was great,” Gouraige said of his visit to Florida on Saturday. “It was amazing seeing what Coach [Brad] Davis is doing with the offensive line, but they still need to get better. They still had a tough loss.”
Gouraige paid close attention to the offense and he liked how the linemen were able to set up the running game against LSU.
“The offensive linemen were just playing very strong and getting to the second level,” he said of the Gators offensive. “They were creating holes for their running backs and stuff like that.”
Offensive line coach Brad Davis has been the main recruiter for Gouraige and he likes how the coach interacts with his players.
“I can just tell that he loves all his players,” Gouraige said on what he thinks of Davis. “He just wants the best for them and he’s pushing them as hard as he can to be great.”
Florida has been one of the top teams for Gouraige for months now but another team is creeping up on the Gators.
“Florida and Clemson are at the top right now,” he said on who’s standing out to him. “It’s been Coach Caldwell pushing me to be their guy on the offensive line. Coach Dabo Swinney, Coach Elliot, all those guys are recruiting me to Clemson.”
The offensive lineman has maintained that he doesn’t want to rush a decision but he says he knows what he’s looking for in a school.
“I just wanna make the right move for me and my family,” Gouraige said on what he’s looking for in a decision. “Just wanna make the right decision for all of us. It’s gonna be a one-time opportunity. I can’t ever do this again, so I might as well just take my time with this process.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Florida is still a little ahead of Clemson for Gouraige based off of everything I’ve been told but some people are in his ear for Clemson and vice versa for Florida. Official visits will be key for Gouraige and his mom.