The Florida Gators had a lot of defensive prospects on campus this past weekend as they hosted 13 official visitors on campus.
Defensive lineman Jamari Lyons (6-4, 295, Melbourne, FL. Viera) was on campus for the second time this week but he was able to see some different things during his official.
“It was something new, something I hadn’t really experienced before, I loved it,” Lyons said of his official visit. “I pretty much got to hang out way more with the players and the coaches. I didn’t know they had a bat cage on campus, we got to go to these fancy restaurants.”
A current defensive lineman hosted Lyons on campus and explained to him that the coaches are telling the truth about things when they meet with prospects.
“Gervon [Dexter] was my host, I rode around with him,” he said. “He pretty much told me that everything the coaches are telling me is true, they’re not trying to BS me, and everything they say is true. They keep it real with me, he pretty much said they’re never going to sugar coat things or tell me what I want to hear.”
Lyons’ goal during his official visit was to meet with defensive line coach David Turner to learn where he would play at if he picked Florida and that meeting was a success for Lyons.
“That went good, they’re going to try me at every position across the defensive line,” Lyons said on his meeting with Turner on where he will play. “They’re going to try me from edge to nose to tackle. I like how they think I’m going to fit into their scheme of things. I love to learn new things so I like it.”
Head coach Dan Mullen also met with Lyons and his family and left the defensive lineman feeling good about the coaching staff.
“Coach Mullen we talked a whole bunch, he’s very welcoming,” he said in his talks with Mullen. “He made me feel at home, he’s very welcoming. I was happy and we got all of our questions answered.”
Following the official visit, Lyons says the Gators moved up even higher on his list because of several reasons.
“Florida is very high on my list now, very, very high,” Lyons said of Florida. “Everything really, spending time with everyone and hanging out with them made me know that I really want to be there. Everyone made me feel at home and family.”
Next up for Lyons will be an official visit and then he will take two unofficial visits as he plans to announce his decision in October.
“I’m going to Indiana this weekend and then to South Carolina for an unofficial visit,” he said on other visits. “I’m going to come to Florida probably next month.”