The Florida Gators will kick off their football season on Saturday and while recruiting has slowed a little as of late due to fall camp and the start of football season for prospects, the Gators coaching staff put in a lot work in the month of July.
2023 receiver Ayden Williams (6-1, 175, Ridgeland, MS. High) was in Gainesville for Friday Night Lights in July and after the event picked up an offer from the coaching staff.
“Coach [Dan] Mullen, we had a great talk, me, him, and my dad,” Williams said on which coach offered him after Friday Night Lights. “He told me to keep putting in the work and keep doing what I’m doing.”
Williams has eight offers already but says picking up an offer from the head coach made the Gators’ offer a big one.
“It meant a lot especially coming from Coach Mullen,” he said on his reaction to the offer. “When he told me, I couldn’t stop smiling, I was thinking about it the whole ride back home.”
Receivers coach Billy Gonzales worked a lot with Williams during the event and explained to the Mississippi native what he liked about his game.
“It was great, he put us through some good drills, and I learned a lot,” Williams said on working with Gonzales. “Coach told me he liked how smooth I am and the way I track the ball in the air.”
Gonzales and Mullen also spoke with Williams about needing him in Gainesville and how he would fit into the offense for Florida.
“He said I would be a great fit for the offense and would love to have me at Florida,” he said on the message from Coach Gonzales and Mullen. “Him [Mullen] and Coach G really said some of the same things, he said it would be great to have me at Florida.”
After picking up the offer from Florida, Williams says he had a lot of interest in the Gators for a few reasons.
“I’m very interested in Florida,” Williams said on what he likes about Florida. “One thing I like about Florida is the atmosphere and everybody on the staff was cool. It was a great experience and Coach [Kelvin] Bolden, that’s my guy.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Williams says Ole Miss and Mississippi State are also recruiting him hard.