The 2022 recruiting board is in the process of being put together right now but the Florida Gators are also in the process of offering several 2023 prospects.
2023 defensive lineman Stantavious Smith (6-2, 250, Albany, GA. Dougherty) is a new name to the board as he just picked up an offer from the Gators last week.
“Coach [David] Turner, the defensive line coach did, awesome guy,” Smith said of the coach who offered him last week. “We’ve been building a relationship for the last few months and him and my coach have been playing phone tag and then finally got on the phone and added me to the call and then he offered me.”
Smith was excited about the offer and tried to explain just how much the offer means to him.
“This is Florida, this is the Gators,” he said on what the offer means to him. “I watched them play in Jacksonville against Georgia, it feels good to have an offer from Florida, a big SEC team. I was just happy.”
Defensive line coach David Turner explained to Smith how he would fit into the Gators defense and where he would play at.
“He likes how I use my hands, if you don’t have good hands or good feet then you can’t eat and that’s where you get your money from,” Smith said of the message from David Turner so far. “He told me he sees me playing everywhere, inside or the strongside end.”
Smith has been building a relationship with Turner for a while now and he an easy way of describing their relationship.
“Coach Turner is chill, he’s like the cool uncle,” he said on his relationship with Turner. “He’s like that cool uncle that’s at the cookout, he’s just chill and laid back. We have jokes going back forth.”
The Gators have made a big impression on Smith already and he says they’re one of the schools he’s keeping an eye on.
“They’re on the top right now, top 12 for sure,” Smith said of his interest in Florida. “You’ve got Florida State, Georgia, Oregon, Bama, Auburn, South Carolina, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and more schools are recruiting me.”