While Florida has been on a hot streak landing commitments the last few days the coaches have also been out offering other prospects.
On Wednesday Florida handed out a 2015 offer to defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter (6-5, 270, Tucker, GA High) who has picked up steam of his own lately.
“Florida and Arkansas offered me on Wednesday,” Ledbetter said. “I got a Tennessee offer a few days ago after the Under Armour combine.”
The Gators didn’t have an assistant deliver the news to Ledbetter instead the head man himself called and gave the offer out.
“Coach (Will) Muschamp called my coach and wanted me to call him so he could offer me,” Ledbetter said. “He said he watched my film and he liked how I played the game. He said he wanted me to come down for junior day on January 24th. Me and my mom plan to visit then.”
Pulling a prospect from the state of Georgia is always tough but Florida has an advantage with Tucker, due to his family.
“I have a lot of family in Florida,” Ledbetter said. “My brother goes to Florida so getting the Florida offer is a big offer. Florida has always been on the radar and a school that I wanted an offer from.”
Not only is family something that intrigues Ledbetter about Florida but he also likes Will Muschamp’s style of defense.
“They run the 3-4 and 4-3 defense so I have the option to move around in the defense,” Ledbetter said. “He told me I could play offense or defense at Florida but I prefer to play defense and to play end or tackle, really. I’m used to playing both ways so it wouldn’t matter that much if he asked me to switch positions.”
This year we have seen more and more early commitments from Class of 2015 prospects but Ledbetter says he won’t be one of those.
“I’m trying to wait and see who all else offers me right now,” Ledbetter said. “I don’t want to cut any school right now until I finish my junior year first. I will probably make my final decision at the Under Armour All-American next year after my senior season.”
Ledbetter will visit Florida on January 24th but he also has two other visits lined up in the coming months.
“I’m going to visit Tennessee soon and maybe Florida State too,” Ledbetter said. “I was supposed to visit Stanford but I don’t think I’m going to go out to the west coast for any visits right now.”