The Florida Gators started off official visits this weekend with a bang as they hosted 13 prospects on campus that included many of their top targets.
Offensive lineman Tyler Booker (6-5, 325, Bradenton, FL. IMG) was one of those on campus and he had the opportunity to see everything and meet with current players.
“It was amazing, it was more than I expected in a good way,” Booker said of his official visit to Florida. “I’m glad I had the opportunity to get out here, I learned more about the school, go around the campus and hang out with some of the players as well.”
Booker was hosted by a current offensive lineman who explained to the lineman that there’s an opportunity in Gainesville to recreate history for the Gators which could put a stamp on Booker’s career.
“Richie Leonard,” he said on who his player host was. “It was great. He just showed me how everybody on that team has a great bond and they were just telling me that Florida is a great place and it’s a great place to go and start something and leave my legacy. They made the case that this staff was here when they won a national championship so why can’t they do it again.”
Offensive line coach John Hevesy has a history of developing offensive lineman and that stood out to Booker during the trip as the assistant coach didn’t promise anything to Booker.
“How he would develop me and the thing I like about Coach Hev [John Hevesy] is he didn’t try to sell me on anything,” Booker said on meeting with Hevesy. “He just presented himself as he is, he didn’t tell me that he would give me this or that or that I would start right away but he was just himself and promoted himself.”
Head coach Dan Mullen also made sure to explain to Booker that he would fit into the culture that the Gators are building in Gainesville.
“It was great, he just told me how I would fit into the system not only as a player but character-wise too,” he said on the message from Mullen. “Just telling me about the players having a great bond as well.”
Booker was one of a select few guys who were in Gainesville last year before the dead period but being back on campus was something the lineman enjoyed.
“I was here the last weekend last year before everything was shut down so to be back and spend a little bit more time around the players was a lot better,” Booker said on actually getting to be on campus instead of a zoom call. “It was great.”
After the visit, Booker says the Gators remain high in his list of schools because of a few reasons.
“Definitely still high up there,” he said of Florida. “All schools in my top five are still high and schools I’m still considering. Based off how hard Florida is recruiting me and how this weekend went. They’re high up there because of that.”
Next up for Booker will be his other four official visits and then he hopes to have a decision before the start of his senior year.
“I have Oregon next week after Oregon I have Georgia, then I’ll go to Ohio State and then I’ll go to Bama,” Booker said of other visits. “I’m looking to make my decision sometime in July.”