The Florida Gators hosted six official visitors this weekend including one that’s committed to another SEC school.
Mississippi State receiver commit Malik Heath (6-3, 210, Jackson, MS. Copiah Lincoln JUCO) was on campus for the first time in a little over a year on Saturday.
“The experience was just unbelievable,” Heath said of his official visit to Florida. “The stadium and the fans was just a lot of love out here, I just love it here. The environment is different, way different than Mississippi. It just got my attention.”
This was the first game for Heath to watch in person at the Swamp and the atmosphere didn’t disappoint the receiver.
“They played a great game,” he said on Florida’s game against Florida State. “The environment, just walking out here in front of the stadium and watching the fans just walking around having fun. It was just great.”
Receivers coach Billy Gonzales explained to Heath how bad they need receivers and the Mississippi State commit can now see himself in Gainesville.
“I can see myself playing wide receiver here in front of 90,000 people,” Heath said. “Coach G [Billy Gonzales] was just mostly talking about that he’s losing four senior receivers and two [juniors] may declare for the draft so he’s just looking for receivers to come in and play right away.”
After looking at the depth chart Heath says the need for receivers caught his attention and he likes everything else about the Gators too.
“They need a lot of receivers,” he said on if the early playing time caught his attention. “It’s the perfect place, the perfect atmosphere, the perfect fan base and the perfect city right now.”
Head coach Dan Mullen also spoke with Heath at length as the receiver wanted to know how Mullen planned to get him involved in the offense if he was to choose Florida.
“I talked to him today [Sunday],” Heath said on his conversation with Mullen. “It went great and I was just seeing what he wanted me to do and how I could come in help the team win a national championship.”
After the official visit to Florida, Heath says the Gators are right there with Mississippi State.
“They’re neck and neck with State right now,” Heath said on his commitment status with Mississippi State. “The visit just helped me clear some things up and helped me know if I was going to be home sick or not. I was just trying to see that but I’m not going to be home sick.”
Heath who originally committed to Mullen and his staff at Mississippi State says the love the staff showed him despite him going to JUCO was something he won’t forget.
“It just showed me that they really love me and like me,” he said on Mullen and his staff sticking with him despite him going JUCO. “It just showed family, they’ve been there since I got to JUCO, they texted me as soon as I got there.
Next up for Heath is signing day but the receiver is still unsure on where he will sign as he’s trying to get his thoughts together on both schools.
“Probably January 7th, I’m a December grad,” Heath said on when he plans to enroll at a school. “I don’t even know when I’m going to decide, I’m just still trying to get everything in my head straight.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Dan Mullen and Billy Gonzales will do in-home visit with Heath on Friday according to Heath.