Four-star defensive line recruit Jarquez Carter verbally committed to Ohio State 10 days ago, but that didn’t stop the Newberry High School product from visiting Florida nearly a week after pledging to the Buckeyes. UF defensive staffer Luis Mcleod played a role in getting Carter to Florida’s “Grill in the Ville” cookout event on Saturday.
“Coach Lu, I used to train with him a long time ago; he told me to come up,” Carter said on why he made it to Gainesville. “Florida is a school that used to be my favorite team and still kind of like my childhood team. So any time I get a chance to visit, I’ll always come.”
While Florida was not Carter’s first decision, it doesn’t mean they won’t be his last. The Gators’ staff congratulated Carter on committing to Ohio State but made sure he knew they will still be pursuing him until National Signing Day.
“They said congrats on my commitment and said they’re happy I made a choice,” Carter said. “But you haven’t signed the papers yet so we are still going to pursue you.”
“They said they’re going to keep pursuing me until December hits,” Carter added. “That means a lot. It means I’m one of their top guys and it shows I’m very important to them.”
Like many other recruits in the 2025 class, Carter wants to see improvement on the football field before he thinks about signing with UF.
“I’ll definitely watch close,” Carter said on Florida’s upcoming season. “All they got to do is show me what I need to see for them to be a school that might be a game changer for me. Florida is a school that I’ve loved since I was a child.”
It’s not necessarily about wins and losses for the 6’2, 284-pound defensive lineman. Carter just wants to see improvement, specifically from the defensive line unit.
“Improvement in general,” Carter said on what he needs to see. “Last year, you can see the defensive line wasn’t as aggressive… Coach Chatman told me they are changing that a lot.”
Carter was asked if Florida has a shot at flipping him. His answer: “Probably.”
The Gators will have a good opportunity to showcase their improvement on the gridiron when they face off against Miami in week one, in which Carter plans on attending.
Ohio State, Penn State, and Florida are the three teams to watch in Carter’s recruitment as of now.
I’m in for UF going 10-2 and getting this young man, and all the others saying the same thing!