The Florida Gators have been busy in the state of California since Dan Mullen arrived as head coach of the Gators and he hosted an official visitor from the state earlier this month.
Tight end Ethan Rae (6-4, 240, Orange, CA. Lutheran) took his official visit to Florida two weekend’s ago and enjoyed his time on campus.
“I liked it a lot, I had a really good trip,” Rae said of his official visit to Florida. “My player host was [Kemore] Gamble one of the tight ends and also Emory Jones the freshman quarterback. The first day was more academic side of things, we toured the campus, met the professors that type of things. Then the next day was more of the football side of things, getting to see the trainers and talking about nutrition.”
Rae took an unofficial visit to Florida this spring but this time he got more time with the coaching staff.
“I just got to talk to Coach Mullen and Coach [Larry] Scott a lot more about the football side of things,” he said on what he learned this time compared to last time on campus. “Just about how I would fit into the offense and how they like to use the tight end and how the offense revolves around the tight end.”
Tight end’s coach Larry Scott broke down exactly how the Gators would use Rae if he chooses Florida for college.
“He wants me to be able to do everything,” Rae said on how Scott wants to use him in the offense. “He wants me to be able to line up in the backfield, be attached as well as outside and be in the slot as well.”
Rae and Scott got the chance to watch film together as the tight end’s coach showed Rae some of Mullen’s offense and how the tight end is used.
“I really like how they used them last year,” he said of what he thinks about the tight end’s in Mullen’s offense. “He plans to use the tight end even more. I got to see what they do during practice and the drills they go through and what they stress. I like how Coach Scott stresses details.”
Head coach Dan Mullen also spent time with Rae and his family as they continue to build their relationship.
“He was just obviously saying how much they want me there,” Rae said of Mullen’s message to him. “We just got to know each other even more and got our relationship to grow as well. My mom and dad loved them both a lot.”
The Gators were high on Rae’s list heading into the visit but the tight end says Florida improved its chances even more.
“Yeah it definitely helped them out, I like it a lot,” he said on if the official visit helped Florida’s chances with him.
Now that the dead period is in effect Rae says he might make a college decision soon.
“I’ll make a decision soon, like mid summer,” Rae said on what’s next in his recruitment. “No [more visits].”
INSIDERS TAKE: Florida and Oregon are the two schools talked about the most with Rae as he heads into a possible decision.