Most of the Florida Gators’ 2023 class was on campus on Friday for the Gators Friday Night Lights event and that included a few of the commits that haven’t been on campus much.
Defensive back commit Aaron Gates (6-0, 180, Sharpsburg, GA. Trinity Christian School) was on campus for the first time in a while and he enjoyed getting back on campus.
“I loved it, I still love it here,” Gates said of his visit to Florida on Friday. “The atmosphere is still great, the relationship with the coaches. I love being down here.”
Gates has built a good relationship with several of Florida’s coaches but he says two coaches, in particular, are recruiting him the hardest from the staff.
“Honestly I speak to both [Corey Raymond and Billy Napier] of them on a weekly basis,” he said on who his main contact is with Florida. “Still great relationship with both of those guys, I love talking with Coach Raymond, just talking about the game with him. I love talking to Coach Napier, he’s a great dude, great leader, and a great mentor.”
Defensive backs coach Corey Raymond has explained to Gates that they want him to play all over the back end of the secondary and that’s something the Gators commit likes.
“I love it, that’s what I would like to do,” Gates said on Florida wanting him to move around the secondary. “I feel like I could do it all, that’s what I do in high school. I play pretty much everything, so whatever they see me playing so I can get on the field. Just whatever they need to get me on the field.”
Gates took an official visit to Michigan in June and that had some thinking that the athlete wasn’t sold on Florida, but he says his conversations with Raymond have kept him solid with the Gators.
“Every time I talk to Coach Raymond, he has just reminded me that I’m important,” he said on what has kept him solid with Florida. “He tells me that they really want me and that I’m crucial to this 2023 class.”
Now that he has returned to Gainesville for a visit, Gates says he’s solid with Florida and he doesn’t plan to visit any other schools.
“I really love Florida, I’m still solid with Florida,” Gates said on his status with Florida. “We took a visit [Michigan visit] but I feel like I earned my visits, it’s a once in a lifetime thing and we took advantage of the vacation up to Michigan, but I really still love Florida.”
Gates hasn’t been recruiting as many guys in this class but he says he believes in the 2023 class and he’s starting to help recruit other top targets.
“I feel like we have one of the best classes in the country,” he said on his thoughts on Florida’s class. “We have a lot of ballers on both sides of the ball at receiver, and defensive back, I feel like we have a great class, and we aren’t done yet.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Gators says he will take his official visit to Florida for the LSU game.