Florida Gators offer JUCO OL Ashton Julious

The Florida Gators are having a better year with their offensive line play but they are still in need of linemen to create depth on the team moving forward.

With that concern still over their head, the Florida Gators are recruiting several JUCO offensive linemen and they offered JUCO offensive lineman Ashton Julious (6-8, 330, Scranton, PA Lackawanna C.C.) last week.

“It means a lot to get the offer, I was really excited when I got the news of the offer,” Julious said. “It’s a big offer, you know the Florida Gators are always going to be a big offer for you. It’s a special one.”

Offensive line coach Mike Summers was the one who delivered the news to Julious and he had a message for the JUCO offensive lineman.

“Coach Summers was the one who told me that I was getting the offer,” he said. “He was just like we are going to offer you and that he really likes me as a player. He just said that I would be a good fit for their program and that they needed me there.”

Summers officially offered Julious last week but the two have been talking for weeks now and Julious says it has gone well.

“He has really just been trying to get to know me and build a relationship with me, and it has been good to talk to him,” Julious said of Summers message as of late. “He just keeps telling me that he really likes my film and that I can play both guard and tackle for them. It really doesn’t matter which one I play.”

Julious has yet to visit the Florida Gators but he says that he has watched several of their games this season and he’s impressed by he has witnessed from the team.

“They are a pretty good team and a really young team,” he said of Florida in 2015. “I think they have a chance to be really good and get better each game. I think they have a bright future with Coach McElwain there. I know that they need more linemen on the team.”

The JUCO offensive lineman is originally from South Carolina, so of course they will always be talked about as the favorite, but Julious says that isn’t necessarily the case.

“I’m still pretty open really,” Julious said. “I mean of course South Carolina is always going to be an option for me because it’s close to my home but it really doesn’t mean that much. I’m not really trying to go back home and my decision is really about what’s best for me.”

Most prospects have until February to take visits but Julious has a much smaller window to do that and he hopes to get two more visits in to other schools before making a decision.

“I’m going to Oklahoma on October 24th and I’m trying to set up something to Florida,” he said. “I’m graduating in December so I have to take visits pretty soon. I want to make a decision by the end of the season or before I go back home in December.”

INSIDERS TAKE: Julious has two years left to play and he’s a guy that can play any of the four offensive line spots, which include both tackle spots and guard spots. Right now I would say Julious is very open in the process and Florida has a good shot here if he visits.

Andrew Spivey
Andrew always knew he wanted to be involved with sports in some capacity. He began by coaching high school football for six years before deciding to pursue a career in journalism. While coaching, he was a part of two state semifinal teams in the state of Alabama. Given his past coaching experience, he figured covering recruiting would be a perfect fit. He began his career as an intern for Rivals.com, covering University of Florida football recruiting. After interning with Rivals for six months, he joined the Gator Country family as a recruiting analyst. Andrew enjoys spending his free time on the golf course and watching his beloved Atlanta Braves. Follow him on Twitter at @AndrewSpiveyGC.