The Florida Gators recruiting board at defensive back is loaded with big names as the staff looks to sign a big class with corners and safeties.
One name will come off the board next month at the Opening in Oregon when safety Grant Delpit (6-3, 181, Bradenton, FL IMG) makes his decision but it will be a tough one he says.
“It’s kind of relieving,” Delpit said of his decision that comes at the Opening. “At the same time, schools that have been recruiting me for the longest will be hard to say no to. It’s a bad feeling. It’s a good feeling too.”
Last month Delpit tried to cut his list down, but that didn’t last long as he added more schools but he knows of some schools he will choose from.
“I don’t have any finalists right now because I dropped a top-ten,” Delpit said of who he will decide from. “Schools offered me after that so I kind of just scratched that list. I know that five or six schools will have a hat on the table, probably Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, LSU and one more possibly. Maybe Florida State.”
This spring Delpit made his first visit to Gainesville when he visited for the spring game and during that visit he learned a good about Florida and what he likes about them.
“They put two defensive backs in the first round this year,” he said of what he likes about Florida. “They have a great coaching staff. Coach [Torrian] Gray knows what he’s doing and his pitch to me is really good. I can play anywhere on the field, I can play corner or safety so I got more early playing time if I go Florida.”
Delpit told Gator Country after that visit that he was impressed by the Gators but his home state school LSU is also a finalist for his commitment.
“Just the close to home,” he said of what he likes about LSU. “ It’ll be a homecoming for me. I’m from New Orleans and all my family is still there. They pitch DBU. I love Coach [Corey] Raymond and Coach [Les] Miles. They’re laid-back guys, but it’s strictly business when it comes to football and I like that. You’ll get turned into a great football player there. They always put DBs in the first or second round.”
No matter what happens next month in Oregon, Delpit still plans to give other schools a chance at flipping him before he early enrolls in January in college.
“I’m going to take all five of my official visits still,” he said of his visits. “I’m going to take all five of them this fall.”
INSIDERS TAKE: LSU is by far the favorite here but with Delpit transferring to IMG the Gators will work to get him on campus this fall for some unofficial visits. Delpit has a good relationship with Gray and receivers coach Kerry Dixon which should help Florida this fall.