Last week, the Florida Gators offered several different JUCO prospects as they continue to add to their recruiting board this summer.
Offensive lineman Killian Zierer (6-7, 290, Valencia, CA. College of the Canyons) was one of those guys offered by the Gators last week.
“Coach [John] Hevesy offered me through text message because I was on a plane,” Zierer said on which coach from Florida offered him last week. “We talked on the phone before then but right now we’re trying to figure out when I should come down and visit.”
Zierer wasn’t completely caught off guard by the offer from Hevesy last week as the Gators have been talking with the lineman for a few weeks now.
“We’ve been talking for awhile so I wasn’t that surprised,” he said. “I’m pretty happy about the offer, Florida is one of the best SEC teams and I’m looking forward to coming down there for a visit.”
Hevesy explained to Zierer that the Gators are in need of offensive linemen in the 2020 class.
“They’re in need of tackles that’s what I know,” Zierer said on where Florida sees him playing. “We haven’t talked about that too much because he wants to show me everything and get to know me in person.”
A few weeks ago, safeties coach Ron English visited Zierer’s school and has kept in touch with the JUCO lineman.
“He’s a good coach, he came by my school twice,” he said on Ron English. “We didn’t get to talk much then but we’ve talked a good bit since then and now two weeks later I have an offer.”
Zierer doesn’t know a whole lot about the Gators program but he does know the success the Gators have had with JUCO offensive lineman in the past.
“I know they’ve had success with junior college tackles,” Zierer said on what he knows about Florida. “I know they had one from the Oakland Raiders that is now one of the highest paid tackles so they’ve had success with junior college kids and they had a great success last year.”
Now that Zierer picked up an offer from the Gators, the lineman is now looking forward to visiting Gainesville.
“Probably late in June, the last weekend in June,” he said on when he may visit Florida. “The last weekend before the dead period is when we’re trying.”
The Gators have some competition for one of the best JUCO lineman in the country as two schools are ahead of Florida heading into the official visit.
“UCLA, Auburn, TCU and Oregon,” Zierer said on schools recruiting him hard. “Definitely Auburn [leading] because they were my first official visit and UCLA because they’re right around the corner.”