The Florida Gators coaching staff was out on the road recruiting on Monday during the bye week and that included running backs coach Tim Skipper traveling to California.
While in California Skipper stopped by to see linebacker Rahyme Johnson (6-4, 210, Los Angeles, CA. Salesian) who enjoyed seeing the Gators logo on his campus.
“It was cool to see him come by,” Johnson said of Skipper visiting him. “He just hung out and talked to my coaches about me. I know he was going to see Elijah [Blades] after he seen him.”
Johnson and Skipper were not able to talk during the visit due to NCAA rules but the two speak regularly over the phone.
“We talk all the time about setting up my visit for down there,” he said of his talks with Skipper. “He always tells me that they’re excited about having me down there and want me to be a Gator.”
Skipper has made Johnson a priority since this summer and he explains to the linebacker that he’s needed at Florida.
“Our relationship is going great honestly,” Johnson said. “He always keeps it straight with me and lets me know that they need linebackers down there. He always tells me that he feels like I’m guy that can come in and play early for them.”
Florida Gators head coach Jim McElwain is also showing Johnson that he’s a priority by talking to the California prospect a lot.
“I talk to Coach Mac a lot, really. I talk to him more than I talk to Coach Skip,” he said of his talks with the Gators head coach. “He really just tells me the same thing but sometimes he will be just checking on me and seeing how my day is going. He’s just always talking to me about Florida.”
The California linebacker hasn’t been to Gainesville this year but he has been impressed by Florida’s defense while watching it on TV.
“I really love what I’m seeing from their defense,” he said of Florida’s defense. “They’re playing really hard and they’re getting after it. The game they just played they had more interception yards than the other team had passing, that’s crazy. That to a recruit is great. I’m loving it.”
Johnson was scheduled to visit Florida for the LSU game that was postponed but he has already rescheduled that trip.
“I’m going to be down on November 12th for the South Carolina game,” Johnson said. “I’m going to come down with Elijah and Boogie [Brendan Radley-Hiles] for that game.”
The Gators will get Johnson down on the unofficial visit for the Carolina game and then he plans to return for an official visit later in the year.
“I already took one to Nebraska,” Johnson said. “I’m going to go see Texas A&M play LSU in November, then I’m going to go to Florida for my official either at the end of December or in January. I’m still looking for my other two official visits.”
Florida will be one of if not the last schools to host Johnson before he makes his decision during the new year.
“I’m going to make a decision in early January,” he said. “I’m going to do it at the Under Armour game or at the Team USA game in January.”
The Gators coaching staff isn’t the only recruiting Johnson hard as current Florida commit Elijah Blades is also after his good friend.
“Elijah is trying to get me down there with him, he talks to me everyday,” Johnson said of Blades recruiting him. “He just lets me know that we could be different by being California boys going to Florida together. He just says together we can go do special things.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Florida has been the team to beat for Johnson since the Gators offered him while on campus in July. With the Gators getting two visits coming up, it’s going to be tough to beat Florida for the talented California linebacker.