It’s a busy recruiting weekend for Florida Gators football as it hosts its first 7-on-7 tournament of the summer. Top 2019 corner back Jaylin Simpson (5-11, 165, Saint Simons Island, GA. Frederica Academy) competed in the tournament with his team and visited with Florida coaches on Friday.
“It’s been very good,” Simpson said of his visit. “I had a great time playing in The Swamp. It’s a good experience. Everything’s been so good so far. I like it.”
Simpson said he got a chance to talk to several coaches during his visit, but the message that stood out to him the most was the one from head coach Jim McElwain.
“He basically told me I was going to be a Florida Gator one day, well, I am going to be a Florida Gator,” said Simpson. “And he’s just going to keep talking to me and stuff like that.”
As with many recruits, Florida is now standing out to Simpson because of the personal connection McElwain and the other coaches try to make during the process.
“It makes me feel really good that he’s [McElwain] showing interest in me,” he said. “Not a lot of colleges show interest. They offer you, but they don’t show a lot of interest. For him to tell me something like that it kind of gets my hopes up.”
Simpson has visited Florida before, but he said this is the first time he really felt like Florida wanted him since he picked up his offer in September of 2016. It was a completely different feeling this time when the coaches made their interest clear.
While Simpson helped his standing with Florida this visit, the Gators also helped their standing with him, earning a spot in an early top three. He has offers from 12 schools, but said Florida, Florida State and Ohio State are currently leading the pack in no particular order.
Florida and Florida State hold an advantage in the proximity factor for Simpson, who said distance from home will have a big impact on his decision. His mom wants to be able to come and watch him play, and he said Ohio State is just too far away for her to travel from Georgia.
“I talked to my mom about all my offers and she just doesn’t want me to go too far away from home,” said Simpson. “Florida, Florida State, they’re a lot closer.”
As a 2019 recruit, Simpson still has plenty of time to decide on a school, and he doesn’t plan on making that decision any time soon. His plan is to either commit after his senior season or hold out until National Signing Day.
While a decision is still distant for Simpson, Florida checks off all his boxes.
“I’m looking for a place that feels like home, a place where I can possibly win a championship and a place with great academics, so if football doesn’t work out I can still live my life.”