Billy Napier and the Florida Gators started a big month of June as they hosted eight official visitors this weekend including a few from out of state.
Defensive lineman Kelby Collins (6-5, 280, Gardendale, AL. High) was on campus for the first under the new staff and he could tell a difference.
“I can definitely tell a difference, I feel like this staff has a lot more energy,” Collins said of his visit to Florida. “Everybody is a lot closer, especially hanging out with the players, I feel like it’s like a brotherhood with people like Katie [Turner], she really lit up the experience with her energy. They have a great staff.”
Defensive line coach Sean Spencer spent a lot of time with Collins on Saturday and showed him film of some of the guys that he has worked with in his career.
“It was good, I learned a lot of new stuff from him,” he said on meeting with Sean Spencer. “He showed me a couple of moves, he showed me a couple of guys he worked with like Micah Parsons. I feel like that stuck out that he trained some of the best and recruited some of the best and got them to the league and developed them in the league.”
Spencer also explained to Collins this weekend just how he would fit into Florida’s scheme and the defensive lineman liked the plan.
“I would be like a five, four technique,” Collins said on where Florida wants him at. “I feel like I would fit well, they have a lot of movements and stuff. I feel like that can benefit me in ways and make me more versatile. I feel like I could fit into their scheme.”
While on campus, Collins was hosted by a fellow Alabama native and that made him feel comfortable in Gainesville.
“Jeremiah [Williams] was,” he said on his player host. “It does [make him feel comfortable being with other Bama guys], guys like Chase [Clark], Scoob [Jeremiah] they made me comfortable being from Bama so they know how we get down. I hung out with Chief [Borders], he brings his energy.”
Collins says several things stood out during the visit but just how close everyone is on campus really made an impression on the defensive lineman.
“Everybody is close here, it’s a family,” Collins said on what he likes about Florida following the visit. “Everybody hangs out, I feel like all of the families know each other and the players have high energy. Everybody wants the same goal which is to win and get Florida back to where they should be.”
Following the visit, Collins says the Gators made a move in his recruitment and he would like to make a decision after the summer if he’s ready.
“I feel like they definitely moved up,” he said on where Florida sits with him. “I’m waiting to see how everything plays out.”