The Florida Gators had several of their commits on campus for Saturday’s homecoming game against Missouri.
Defensive back commit Jaydon Hill (6-0, 174, Madison, AL. Bob Jones) was one of those on campus and while he didn’t see a win, he’s still encouraged by the team under Dan Mullen.
“We didn’t come out with a victory but we didn’t play good at all actually,” Hill said of Florida’s performance on Saturday. “I don’t see this as a game that defines us but we will bounce back after this.”
Hill didn’t get to see a Gators win on Saturday but he’s ready to see what the Gators do to finish up the season this year.
“It was a bad loss but we still have more games,” he said on his thoughts on the season as a whole. “We got South Carolina coming up next week and that’s still a big game.”
On Saturday, Hill met with several of Florida’s coaches and they all had the same message for the commit about needing him in Gainesville.
“We’re real thin in the secondary,” Hill said on being able to see a chance to play early at defensive back. “I feel like I have a great opportunity of coming in and playing early. Coach Mullen said I have to come in with the mindset to play early.”
There had been some talk that Hill would visit other schools but he says Florida’s loyalty to him through his injury has made him change his mind.
“I don’t know, I doubt it,” he said on if he will visit any other school. “After tearing my ACL, I’m already committed and I’ll be enrolling early so I just feel like there isn’t no changing really.”
Hill who tore his ACL earlier this fall says that his recovery is going well and he should be back on the field before long.
“I just got out of my brace on Monday,” Hill said on how ACL recovery is going. “I start back running in about four weeks in December. I’ll be cutting and running.”
While on campus on Saturday, Hill had one of his top recruiting targets on campus with him and he thinks Florida has a shot with the prospect.
“Actually one of them that I’m on is Travon Walker,” he said on guys he’s recruiting. “I just got done talking to him, I’m on him, I want him. It’s hard to tell but I’ve been trying. We’ve got a good chance.”
Hill has made sure to let Walker know that playing time is available for him in Gainesville if he chooses Florida.
“Come in and play,” Hill said on his message to Walker. “Our defensive linemen are about to leave and you want to go to Georgia and play behind somebody, come here, why not.”
Walker isn’t the only prospect that Hill is after as several other guys are hearing from the Florida commit including several guys committed elsewhere.
“I can’t name them all,” he said on other guys he’s recruiting. “JD [Bertrand] the one that was committed to Georgia, Jaren Handy, Keiondre Jones, Chris Steele. I talk to Chris all the time. I really feel like Chris is [leaning towards Florida], I feel like Jaren is too.”