Over the last few weeks, the Florida Gators coaching staff has offered a lot of prospects in the state of Texas in the 2022 and 2023 classes.
2023 receiver Johntay Cook (6-0, 170, DeSoto, TX. High) was one of those guys who picked up an offer earlier this month.
“Coach [Billy] Gonzales did,” Cook said on the coach from Florida who offered him. “He said they watched my film and like my film. The stuff that I do on the field, they can groom me and I can be a Florida Gator. He says he can tell I’m a winner and he says he needs dudes in his program that can win.”
Cook knew that the Florida Gators were keeping an eye on him but picking up the offer is one that holds a lot of value to him.
“I play 7-on-7 with Nick Evers so he’s been talking to them [Florida] about me so I kind of expected it,” he said of the offer. “Honestly I was excited, Florida is a top school in the country and top in the SEC and their offense produces. The opportunity to play in the Swamp is something a lot of kids don’t get, so it’s a special thing.”
Receivers coach Billy Gonzales explained to Cook that his game is something that would do well in Florida’s offense under Dan Mullen.
“He said he can use me in the slot and I’m versatile enough that I can play outside,” Cook said on where Gonzales wants him to play. “I’m young so he says he doesn’t want to pinpoint where he wants me to play but I’m so versatile that I can play all over the field really.”
Quarterback commit Nick Evers has been a big recruiter for Florida since he announced to the Gators and Cook is already feeling the heat from the quarterback.
“Nick is my dude, he’s really putting it on hard to get Evan [Stewart], Jay [Fair], and me,” he said on Nick Evers recruiting him. “He wants to make sure he gets to throw to us one day at Florida. Our relationship is pretty strong and I’m not going to lie, he’s really recruiting me hard.”
The relationship with Evers and the Gators’ offense is something that has caught Cook’s attention and now he wants to get down to Gainesville soon.
“Florida has definitely jumped up,” Cook said of his interest in Florida. “If my parents let me, I’m going to go down there when Nick and Evan do.”