Gator Country

It looks like a National Signing Day announcement for the number one strong side linebacker on the Florida recruiting board. Brandon Hicks, an athletic 6-2, 205-pounder from Jacksonville Forrest has two Florida schools on his final list but he already has made his choice. He just won't announce where he's going until Wednesday.

Because he’s so heavily recruited, you would think that Hicks has little time for anything except talking to coaches and going to school. But the four-star (by Scout.com) sideline-to-sideline linebacker has a job and he participates in four events for the Forrest track team. His class schedule includes some pretty weighty classes, too.

“I run the 200, 400, long jump and high jump,” Hicks said Thursday night. “I cleared 6-3 and long jump was 21 and a half. I am trying to get my school work done and finish up strong. I have four credits left. I have Algebra 2, Chemistry, English 4, and Economics.”

In between it all he tries to fit in-home visits from the coaching staffs that are recruiting him. That schedule isn’t exactly perfect all the time.

“Coach (Urban) Meyer was here Tuesday,” Hicks said. “It went well but I had to leave early for work. He talked to my mom and dad a lot. They just wanted to know how the process would go on signing day and stuff, what they had to do and stuff like that.

“They had some questions answered they wanted answered and they talked about the whole recruiting process.”

The next night a Miami assistant came to visit and again Hicks couldn’t stay very long.

“Coach Hurt came (Wednesday night), I had to leave early that night too,” Hicks said. “My parents said they like the family aspect down there. They like how the coaches run things down there. They wanted to ask about how they do their recruiting different from other schools.”

He knows when he will make the announcement and why he chose what school he did. Yes, he knows where he is going.

“It’s down to Florida and Miami and I will announce on signing day,” he said. “It will probably happen about 11 in the morning. I made my decision and it was based on the visit, the coaches I talk to, and especially the players.”

The Gators and Canes will be matching up a few times before all is said and done on signing day. Hicks is a big one for Florida who is seriously lacking at the linebacker position, but they will have to wait to find out for sure where he is headed.

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