ST. PETERSBURG– Florida signed four linebackers in the 2013 recruiting class but they are unlikely to come up empty at that position for the class of 2014, which creates a vital need for the 2015 recruiting class.
The Florida staff is hoping Jeffrey Holland (6-0, 223, Jacksonville, FL Trinity Christian) can help fill in the gaps for 2015. A talented linebacker who was participating on both offense and defense at the Under Armour All-American Combine, Holland projects on the defensive side of the ball at the next level.
Holland doesn’t have an official top list of schools yet, but there are a few schools that are standing out early in the process.
“I like Florida, Auburn, Florida State, Ohio State and other schools like that,” Holland said.
Although Holland admits that Florida was his dream school when he was growing up and that he has always been a Florida fan, the Gators are not leading right now.
“I like Auburn; they’re my leader,” he said.
Playing in the Gators’ favor is the fact that Holland’s former teammate and ace recruiting guru, safety Nick Washington, is in Holland’s ear often. Playing with his current and former teammates from high school will play a big factor in Holland’s final decision.
“That’s a big impact,” he said. “That’s a really big impact.
Holland plans to visit Gainesville for Florida’s junior day on January 25th, perhaps before to visit Washington and Vernon Hargreaves.
While the Gators don’t currently lead for his services, there is a long way to go before Holland has to make a final decision and the Gators hold a strong chance to eventually earn his commitment.
“I grew up loving Florida,” Holland said. “There isn’t really anything negative there for me, I like Florida a lot. It was my dream school growing up.”