The month of January is setting up to be a huge month for Billy Napier and the Florida Gators and several out of state prospects are scheduled to be in Gainesville.
Defensive lineman Jayson Jenkins (6-6, 250, Trenton, NJ. Notre Dame) is a new name to the recruiting board and he has been talking to the Gators a good bit as of late.
“It’s been pretty good,” Jenkins said on his talks with Florida. “Florida has been very welcoming and everything like that. With all the coaches reaching out, it has been a good overall experience so far.”
Several of Florida’s coaches have been in contact with Jenkins and explained to him where he would play at in the Gators’ scheme if he picks Florida for college.
“Coach [Billy] Napier, Coach [Patrick] Toney, Coach [Darnell] Stapleton and Coach [Joe] Hamilton,” he said on the coaches he has talked to so far. “They see me playing defensive end and edge rusher and that I fit very well into their system.”
When Jenkins has talked to co-defensive coordinator Patrick Toney the message has been about how the defensive lineman can move around on the line.
“I’m pretty sure they want to run a 3-4 defense, I believe,” Jenkins said on the style of defense Florida wants to run. “I think that pretty much fits me very well being a versatile defensive end, I think that’s pretty much what they like.”
Toney and Napier have also explained to Jenkins just how things are going to be run in Gainesville and the New Jersey native sees that things are changing.
“They’ve said they have some things to fix with the program,” Jenkins said on Napier’s message about his vision for the program. “They’ve said they’re bringing all of the pieces to make Florida a powerhouse once again. I can see that they’re doing that by hiring the right people.”
Jenkins hasn’t visited Florida before, but he does know a good bit about the Gators’ program and history.
“I know that Florida historically is very good school overall, both athletically and academically,” he said on what he knows about Florida. “They’ve had success in the past, they’ve had some rough patches of late, but they’ve always been one of those top eight teams in football.”
January will see Jenkins take three official visits including one to Gainesville scheduled between two other visits.
“January 21st,” Jenkins said on when he will visit Florida. “I have West Virginia the 14th and I have Missouri the weekend of the 28th.”