Gator Country

Florida defensive coordinator Dan Quinn hit the recruiting trail last week with a main goal of recruiting defensive tackles to help fill the void for next year.

One of the prospects he visited was East Mississippi Community College defensive tackle Jarran Reed.

“Coach (Dan) Quinn came to see me on Thursday,” Reed said. “It went really well. We spent a few hours together, and I think he was really enjoying my company as I was enjoying his company.“

Quinn had some things to say to the 6-foot-4, 305-pound Reed that hit home for him as a player.

“He told me, ‘Look, we have some spots free on the defensive line,’” Reed said. “He said you can come and fill a need at defensive tackle, and we are going to support you and get you where you need to be in order to advance higher in your career.”

Just three weeks ago, Reed’s East Mississippi teammate Darious Cummings committed to Florida. Current Gators defensive tackle Damien Jacobs is also a former East Mississippi player.

“Having those two guys there does have an impact on me,” Reed said. “It’s good to have someone who has been there for a while in Damien (Jacobs), and then to have to Darious go there it would be good to play with both of those guys at Florida. But I still have to make the best decision for me.”

Reed will take four visits, but heading into them, two co-leaders are standing out.

“Florida and Ole Miss are tied at the top,” Reed said. “I will visit Florida, Ole Miss, North Carolina and Mississippi State in January and make a decision after that towards the end of January.”

Reed said the Gators are planning on sending a few coaches to his home to visit with him and his mother while he is home for the holidays.

About the author

Andrew Spivey

Andrew always knew he wanted to be involved with sports in some capacity. He began by coaching high school football for six years before deciding to pursue a career in journalism. While coaching, he was a part of two state semifinal teams in the state of Alabama. Given his past coaching experience, he figured covering recruiting would be a perfect fit. He began his career as an intern for Rivals.com, covering University of Florida football recruiting. After interning with Rivals for six months, he joined the Gator Country family as a recruiting analyst. Andrew enjoys spending his free time on the golf course and watching his beloved Atlanta Braves. Follow him on Twitter at @AndrewSpiveyGC.

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