On Friday night the Florida Gators hosted a 7-on-7 and an offensive line/defensive line camp for several local high schools and a lot of big time prospects showed up to compete.
One surprise was Florida defensive end commit JaQuan Bailey (6-3, 235, Jacksonville, FL Raines), who showed up with his Raines team on Friday night and instead of working out on the defensive line he choose to stay with his team and play tight end.
“I was kind of nervous,” Bailey said of the camp experience. “I still had fun though and it was a great opportunity to play in front of them [Florida coaches].”
Bailey has been no stranger to Florida since he committed back in March, as the defensive end visited the Gators several times this spring and a lot of that is because of how comfortable he is with Florida.
“It just feels like home,” Bailey said of Florida. “It was a dream come true to finally get the offer from Florida and to become a Gator. Now I get to come here as a commit and it’s a great feeling. Florida is where I want to be.”
Since Bailey didn’t work out at defensive end on Friday the Gators coaching staff want him to come back and work with defensive line coach Chris Rumph, which will happen next month.
“I’m coming back down to work out at defensive line when they have Friday Night Lights,” Bailey said. “I’m really looking forward to that opportunity next month.”
Bailey, who seems very solid to the Florida Gators, says that he has already set up a date to use his official visit to Gainesville next fall.
“I’m going to make my official visit to Florida when the Gators play Florida State,” Bailey said.
INSIDERS TAKE: Bailey seems very solid to Florida but a lot of people were hoping to see him work out at defensive line on Friday but he elected not to.
Andrew: Nice article and thanks for the information. But I must admit I am starting to agree with those who think that no one should read, hear or think about recruiting until about late January. Until LOI day this is all speculation. And, until the contract is signed on LOI day by the very definition of the word there are no commitments, only the preference of a teenager applicable to a given moment in time.