The Florida Gators currently have three receivers committed in the class of 2016 but now it seems like one of them could be moving positions on the offensive side of the ball.
Receiver Isaiah Johnson (6-3, 190, West Palm Beach, FL Dwyer) committed to Florida in March as a receiver, but after some recent talks with the Florida Gators coaching staff it looks a position change might be in store for him.
“They kind of want me as an h-back/slot tight end position now,” Johnson said. “They said that I’m real physical and I already weigh 212-pounds, so when I put weight on I’m going to be like 235-240 so they said it would be a good fit for me. I like the role because I think it will give me the best chance to play early at Florida.”
Johnson learned of this news during his several visits to Florida over the summer and the Dwyer prospect says he’s starting to feel comfortable in Gainesville.
“It was good, they welcome me up there like family every time I go up there,” Johnson said of his multiple visits to Florida. “I really like it up there at Florida and it’s starting to feel like a second home to me up in Gainesville.”
Head coach Jim McElwain has been one of the lead recruiters of Johnson and he continues to push that early playing is available for him at Florida.
“Coach McElwain has been telling me that he uses the tight end a lot and he wants me there,” Johnson said. “He told me that he wants me to graduate early so that I come up there in January and play spring ball with them. Coach McElwain said that would give me a good chance to play early.”
Over the last several months Johnson has talked about taking some visits to other schools but right now that plan is up in the air.
“I was thinking about taking some visits, but now that I think about it, I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said. “Florida, Auburn, Mississippi State and West Virginia are all recruiting me hard and wanting me to take official visits, but right now the only one I know that I’m taking is to Florida when they play Ole Miss.”
Johnson isn’t scared of competition and he’s proving that by recruiting another top pass catcher to Florida for the class of 2016.
“I’m trying to get Binjimen Victor to come up and join me at Florida,” Johnson said. “He said that he’s going to take some visits up there so I’m trying to get him.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Johnson could end up being a good flex out tight end in the Florida Gators offense due to his size and physical nature from the position. Johnson has always said he wanted to take visits but he never actually takes them, so it will be interesting to see if he does or not now that schools can pay for his trips.