One of the Gators’ top defensive targets in the 2022 class was on campus for the second time in as many months for Friday Night Lights.
Niceville defensive back Azareyeh Thomas officially visited UF over the first weekend in June after the lengthy dead period expired. This time, he got to go through some drills with cornerbacks coach Jules Montinar and get a feel for what it would be like to play in the Swamp.
“Just coming back, it feels so great,” Thomas said. “Still great atmosphere, and I still feel the same about Florida. They’re really at my top right now, and, so far, it has impressed me even more.”
Thomas’ versatility is perhaps his greatest strength. The major recruiting services have him listed as a safety. However, at 6-foot-1 and 177 pounds, he has outstanding length and showed off terrific press coverage skills during Friday Night Lights. He also plays wide receiver in high school and could return punts or kickoffs in college.
The Gators view him as a longer corner that can make plays that others simply cannot make and erase any mistakes he makes earlier in the play.
He’s developed a solid relationship with Montinar, who would likely be his primary position coach if he picks Florida.
“We don’t even just talk about football,” he said. “We talk about life in general. I mean, football’s not going to always be there. So, he talks about what Florida can do for me, the opportunities I could have when I graduate. So, basically, just life in general.
“Coming in and seeing what Coach Jules does with the drills and stuff like that was actually a great benefit to me and seeing how he’s going to develop me and how he can use my abilities to be successful on the field. So, I think coming back and doing drills with him was actually great for me. I don’t want to be thinking I’m too good to be doing drills and all that. I’m just like everybody else.”
This will be a tough recruiting battle for the Gators to win, though. He named Florida, Georgia Tech and LSU as his top-3 schools last week. He officially visited both of those schools in June as well, and some experts believe LSU leads.
Thomas said the biggest thing UF has going for it is its consistency. He doesn’t feel like the Gators’ interest in him has gone up and down like a rollercoaster. They’ve recruited him the same way the entire time.
“Coach Jules, Coach [Dan] Mullen, they text me almost every day,” he said. “I talk to Coach Jules every day. So, just the consistency, and I know they want me, and I can feel they want me.”
Thomas plans to commit to somebody in August, but he hasn’t set a date yet. This will be a difficult decision for him to make, and it could go either way.
“I’m going to go with my gut,” Thomas said. “I know God won’t fail me, so I’m really going to go with my gut and wherever I feel like He’ll guide me, then I’m going to go with it.”