Florida head coach Will Muschamp usually starts flipping prospects that are committed to other schools late in the recruiting process but he has already started on one prospect this year: Mississippi State linebacker commit Darrien McNair (6-3, 225, Ocala, FL Trinity Catholic) who visited Florida March 21st for spring practice.
“It went good,” Mcnair said. “Practice was real intense and the coaches took time to go over everything with the players. The coaches were real hands on with technique and making sure players were doing the little things right.”
McNair payed close attention to his side of the ball on Friday and was impressed by how fast and aggressive they played.
“The defense was good and they were real aggressive even though they didn’t have pads on,” he said. “They really fly around to the ball like a team.”
Florida’s coaching staff has told McNair that they want him at the WILL linebacker spot and on Friday he payed close attention to how linebackers coach D.J. Durkin coached his position.
“Coach Durkin has a good coaching style out there, “McNair said. “He makes sure his players fly around if they don’t he gets on them. I liked how he makes sure you stay low in all of the drills because it helps you on the field. I think I could fit in with his linebackers at the Will linebacker position.”
When practice was over McNair headed back to the coaching office where he received a strong message from Muschamp about where he stands on Florida’s priority list.
“Coach Muschamp said that he has me highlighted on his board and that he hoped I liked it on Friday,” McNair said. “He said that Florida is a lot closer to home and that he is going to continue to recruit me real hard.”
McNair remains solidly committed to Mississippi State but admits that if a change comes the instate Gators would benefit from it.
“I know that if I do change my commitment that Florida will definitely be my choice,” McNair said. “Right now though I’m just going to stay pretty even and stay committed to Mississippi State but since I live close to Florida I’m going to be seeing Florida a lot.”