The Florida Gators recruiting board is slim at the linebackers position and the Gators need to sign three to four in the class of 2016, but only have two commits so far.
One name that is on Florida Gators recruiting radar is linebacker Aaron Hansford (6-2, 210, Washington, D.C. St. John’s College High) and he’s planning to take an official visit to Florida according to his father Adam Hansford.
“We are planning on taking an official visit to Florida in the coming weeks,” Hansford’s father said. “Aaron has been talking to the linebackers coach Randy Shannon a good bit. They have been communicating back and forth and it seems like they have a good relationship with each other.”
Hansford has over thirty scholarship offers but he says the tradition at Florida, plus Shannon’s history with linebackers is something that has caught their attention about the Florida Gators.
“We know in general that the University of Florida has a great football program historically,” Hansford’s father said. “We know that Coach Shannon has been very successful at the places he has been at. He’s a winner and is a great coach at the linebacker position, which is Aaron’s position.”
The 2016 linebacker is very high on the Florida Gators recruiting board and his father says that Hansford is high on the Gators and four other schools.
“We are looking forward to the visit and Florida is definitely on the radar,” Hansford’s father said. “His official visits are his top five schools right now. Those visits are Florida, Notre Dame, Michigan State, Oregon and UCLA. We have already visited Michigan State and Notre Dame.”
Hansford also took unofficial visits to Ohio State and Penn State and his father says that after these official visits they will have a better feel for his next step.
“After these visits we will determine when he will make a decision,” Hansford’s father said. “We don’t know much about these schools so until we can go there and visit these places we don’t know. We have to find out who is the right fit for Aaron as a player and a student. These visits are the most important.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Ohio State and Penn State are two schools that won’t receive official visits but both of those schools are still in the mix. Right now Hansford is wide open in his recruitment. The Gators will show Hansford and his family that he’s a big need in Gainesville.