For the first time in over 15 months the Florida Gators were able to host prospects on campus for visits on Tuesday and Dan Mullen and company took advantage of that had multiple top targets on campus.
Receiver Jayden Gibson (6-4, 185, Winter Garden, FL. West Orange) was one of those guys on campus and it was his first time as a recruit on campus.
“Way different coming back as a recruit, that energy that the coaches have,” Gibson said on his first trip to Florida as a recruit. “People know who you’re, it was good and finally being able to meet the coaches that you’ve been talking to on the phone. It was way better than anytime I’ve been here before. It was the experience so far.”
Gibson spent most of his time around other prospects but the receiver and his parents did have a long conversation with the head man himself before he left campus.
“I was with the quarterback commit Nick [Evers] most of the time,” he said on who he spent time with on Tuesday. “It was me, Terrance Gibbs and Nick, I was with them the most, getting to know them. Coach Billy [Gonzales] was driving me around, talking to me and I had a long meeting with Coach [Dan] Mullen. They called me in there to sit down with him and he had conversation with my parents.”
Mullen answered all of the questions that Gibson’s parents had for him and he also made a big impression on Gibson himself during the visit.
“It was good, my parents had some questions about how they run stuff and run the team and his answers were pretty good,” Gibson on his talk with Mullen. “Me, I already knew he was cool, I got a good vibe for him, he got my pictures and we took some pictures in his office too. I took a picture with the national championship trophy; he’s a real cool coach. He’s a real cool coach but he’s also about business.”
Quarterback commit Nick Evers was a popular guy on campus on Tuesday and he made a big impression on Gibson as the receiver got to know the guy who could potentially be his teammate in the future.
“Cool for sure, I didn’t know he was that tall, he was way taller than I expected,” he said on hanging out with Evers. “I didn’t know he was from Texas so we were talking about that, his dad was there too and he was asking me about my visits. It was pretty cool to meet that dude; he’s committed so it’s stamped for him. It was cool to get to know him because if I do come here he will be the guy who’s throwing to me. We have the same similarities.”
Next up for Gibson will be more visits including three official visits but the instate receiver says he will definitely be back to Gainesville for another visit.
“I’m going to Miami, Baylor, and then Tennessee,” Gibson said on official visits. “I’m definitely going to take one here [Florida] in the fall and the last one will probably go to Florida State but it depends because I’m taking two unofficial visits, one to Auburn and one to South Carolina. Out of Florida State, Auburn, and South Carolina will get the last official visit unless someone new comes in.”
The plan heading into the summer was for Gibson to wait until the fall to make a decision but after Tuesday’s visit, the receiver says he may move that decision up some.
“I don’t know after coming to the school the first time, I kind of want to commit faster,” he said on when he may make a decision. “Sooner than later, at the end of June once I get through all of these visits if I like it then I might commit before the season. This felt good coming today.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Gibson says he may come up and workout for Billy Gonzales one day in June but right now he doesn’t have a set date for that workout.