Florida had three commitments on junior day this past Saturday, and Gators fans knew a lot about two of those prospects.
But Deland (Fla.) High offensive lineman Benjamin Knox was an under-the-radar prospect who hasn’t been talked about a lot. He picked up an offer Saturday and instantly committed to the Gators.
“It’s a great feeling,” Knox said. “Coach (Will) Muschamp gave me the offer, and he said, ‘Are you ready to be a Gator?’ and I said, ‘Yes sir, I am.’ I mean it’s close to home, and it’s a great school with good facilities and a good football program, so why not?”
The 6-foot-5, 255-pound Knox had his mom by his side during the visit, and like Knox, she was excited about the commitment.
“She was very excited I committed,” Knox said. “Me and her both like the coaches, and they are friendly to us and they work hard on and off the field.”
Knox was taken on a campus tour and was also to see the weight room. He said he was shocked at how nice it was.
“The weight room at Florida is a big upgrade from where I come from,” Knox said. “When I was in there, I got to meet coach (Jeff) Dillman. He was real cool and full of energy and was telling me how he could help me put on weight.”
Offensive line coach Tim Davis was another excited person when Knox committed, and the young lineman is excited to play for him.
“He said, ‘I’m glad to have you on board,’” Knox said. “I really like coach Davis, and I like his style of coaching. I think I’ll fit into the line very well. We are going to start running a pro-style offense at Deland, so that will help me get up to speed.”
Knox is projected to come to Florida and play tackle on the offensive line.