Corey Raymond's Résumé Stands Out to New Gators CB Offer
Photo: Corey Raymond; Credit: Alex Shepherd
On April 13, the Florida Gators landed the second defensive back commit of the 2024 class in McKinney (Texas) High safety Xavier Filsaime.
That same day, Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater 2024 DB Cai Bates secured an offer from the Gators, one he has coveted for some time. While UF is a little late to his recruitment party — compared to the 39 other programs in the mix already — the talented cornerback had been in contact with UF secondary coach Corey Raymond for some time before receiving the green light.
“I just recently got offered at the spring game,” Bates told All Gators. “But we’ve been in contact for a while, so they’ve been recruiting me since I first started playing corner.”
Raymond is widely considered the best in the country coaching his position, and when he reaches out to recruits such as Bates, they listen. Between the gaudy résumé that Raymond possesses as a recruiter and talent developer and the program's proximity to home, Bates said UF will “definitely” play a factor in his recruitment moving forward.
“Being the school close to home, coach Raymond and his résumé. Every DB that he’s had a chance to coach comes up big and have a great chance of making it to the league,” Bates explained. “His resume speaks for itself.”
Bates is an intriguing two-way prospect who primarily played wide receiver until about a year ago when he started testing the waters on the defensive side of the ball. The results were four interceptions and seven defended passes during his junior season.
Since making that transition, Bates has garnered plenty of national interest and has used his knowledge from the offensive side of the ball to help him out on defense, which the Florida coaching staff noticed while evaluating his film.
“Me being recruited as a receiver as well as having great ball skills and being able to cover a lot of the field,” Bates said of UF's scouting report on his game. “Just using my knowledge as a receiver to help me on defense gives me an edge. And because of my ball skills they know if I touch the ball, it’s coming back with me.”
The spring and summer timeframe is a busy one for high-profile prospects such as Bates, littered with visits both official and unofficial. The talented defender has already locked in an official visit with Kentucky on June 16 and has numerous unofficial trips already under his belt this year.
It comes as little-to-no surprise when Bates shared that he wanted to make a final decision prior to his senior season at Edgewater as a result.
“I want to commit before my senior season starts,” Bates stated. “I’m going to enroll early, so as soon as my season ends, I’m gonna be ready to go to college and take my talent to the next level.”
When it comes time for Bates to finalize his commitment and sign his letter of intent, it will be the people in his recruitment that play the deciding factor, not the facilities or the other bells and whistles.
“The people make the place,” Bates said. “Every school is gonna have nice facilities, every school is going to have [Name, Image and Likeness] money and everything like that. But if you’re not rocking with the people there it won’t be comfortable.
"Just a family environment and family-oriented program where you walk around and you can put a name to a face, not walking past a whole bunch of people you’ve never spoken to. I just feel like it makes the game a lot easier to play.”
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