Florida Gators recruiting: UF a “dream school” for Zipperer

Before Friday Night Lights takes place in the Swamp the Florida Gators hosted a “Sensational Sophomore night Thursday in the indoor practice facility. One of the big targets, literally and figuratively Thursday night was 2019 tight end recruit Keon Zipperer, who came in at 6-1, 235 pounds.

The Gators picked up a 2018 tight end commitment earlier on in the day Thursday, but the position is one that Florida knows it needs to continue loading up on and the Gators are very interested in Zipperer. The feeling is mutual.

“It’s my dream school,” he said of UF. “I gotta come to something like this. It felt good to work with college coaches I haven’t gotten to work with before.”

Zipperer, a Lakeland native, grew up watching Florida and cheering for the Gators. He’s been on campus several times and loves the environment. Thursday night he was working with tight ends coach Greg Nord but his main recruiter at UF is offensive line coach Brad Davis.

“I talk to Coach Davis the most. He says it doesn’t matter where I go he’s going to stay on me. He said to stay with him and he’s going to help me,” Zipperer said of Davis’ message to him. “Help me with school, on the field, out of school, just with life. That’s good. It’s like a father figure; something a father would say.”

Davis is only entering his junior season at Lakeland High School and doesn’t have any plans on making a final decision about his college intentions until his senior season. He did tell Gator Country that Clemson and Florida are the two schools that stick out to him at the moment and that he plans to be back in Gainesville for games this season as much as possible.

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