Jacoby Mathews Previews Florida Gators Official Visit

Jacoby Mathews discusses the Gators' recruiting pitch and previews his upcoming official visit to Florida.

Photo: Jacoby Mathews; Credit: Conner Clarke

Most of the prospects that participate in All-American bowl games have already signed with the school of their choice since the early signing period began in 2017. 

This year, one of the few that remain on the market before their game is blue-chip SI99 safety, Jacoby Mathews. Mathews is one of the top prospects in the country regardless of position, the No. 66 overall prospect per Sports Illustrated All-American, and announced on Thursday that he will be waiting until February to make his final decision. 

That is good news for Billy Napier and his Florida Gators staff, as they will have the chance to host him on an official visit next month and continue to build a relationship with the talented defensive back from Ponchatoula (La.).

Mathews showed interest in the Gators under the previous coaching staff but was never able to make it to Gainesville for a visit. With the new staff in place that has ties to Mathews' home state of Louisiana, the relationship-building process has been sped up and has renewed the No. 5 safety's interest in the University of Florida.

“I really like that it’s a Louisiana staff almost, really," Mathews told AllGators on Friday. "Coach Napier and Coach [Corey] Raymond really intrigue me the most cause they're from [the state of] Louisiana and really came after the Louisiana guys. And they’ll treat those guys good, so I know I can trust them if I was to go there.”

Mathews already has a long-standing relationship with Raymond, who made the move over to Florida after having spent the last nine years in Baton Rouge coaching defensive backs for the Tigers. Raymond led the charge for the Tigers when they were recruiting Mathews to LSU, and his message to Mathews hasn’t changed other than he now wears orange and blue.

“[Coach Raymond] told me nothing’s changed, and he’s still going to come after me the same," Mathews said. "And he also let me know Florida is a great place and that they are building something special, and they want me to be a part of it.”

Since getting to Gainesville, Napier has been extremely active in recruiting, personally recruiting several prospects including Mathews and safety signee Kamari Wilson, among others. His message to the big-time safety recruit is very simple and similar to that of Corey Raymond’s.

“They all just let me know that they got something special building, and they feel with me and Kamari, they could build something great," Mathews explained. "A lot of people know me and Kamari would be a big problem in the secondary together so that’s still something I should think about. I’m loving that and loving that it’s coming from [Kamari] also.”

Wilson has been extremely vocal, not just on social media but also these last few days at Under Armour practices, in his attempts to recruit a number of prospects to play in Gainesville with him. But Mathews might be the one being pressed the hardest.

RELATED: Kamari Wilson discusses signing with Florida, recruiting efforts for Gators

“He let me know if I go there, I’m going to be taken care of and be treated right. I’m going to be around good people and people I can trust," said Mathews. "He told me he trusts the coaches with all his heart so he feels like I should trust them and that I can trust them.”

Mathews has several official visits in mind for January including two that are already set. He’s scheduled to visit LSU on Jan. 28 and locked in his visit with the Gators on Jan. 14. Asked what he was looking to gain from his Florida visit, Mathews had this to say:

“Really just the ways they can use me and being around good people and making sure it’s a good town and environment. I don’t like [anything] loud and rowdy, I just have to be into it when I visit really.”

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