Gators LB Target Jordan Hall on Florida OV: "It's Always Great Being Here"

Florida Gators linebacker target speaks glowingly of his recruitment to UF following his official visit weekend in Gainesville.

IMG Academy linebacker prospect Jordan Hall wrapped up an official visit to the Unversity of Florida on Sunday, marking his fourth stop in Gainesville to gain a feel of the Gators program.

While the other visits to Florida have given the talented second-level defender ample opportunity to build his own thought on what the Gators have to offer, his family hasn't had the same luxury. 

That changed during his official visit.

"It's always great being here," Hall said. "This is my first time coming here with my family so I wanted to give them the opportunity to see some of the things that I’ve been seeing and meet some of the people I've met.

"I really feel like they liked it, they enjoyed themselves. They liked the people that they met. Florida, they've done a really good job, showing great hospitality, making us feel very welcome. I enjoyed myself, and I think they did also."

That family relationship-building is an area head coach Billy Napier has stressed as one of the most crucial aspects of the talent-acquisition process.

Hall's relationship with inside linebackers coach Jay Bateman dating back to his stint as the defensive coordinator under Mack Brown at North Carolina is well documented. When the Gators staff assumed their posts at the beginning of the year, that connection was used to immediately draw interest from Hall.

In fact, it has played a big role in the Gators' longevity at the top of his recruitment.

"Oh, you know, coach Bateman is definitely one of the closer coaches that I'm with, you know, from UNC. So he's done a really good job recruiting me, we talk frequently, that has a big part in my recruitment here."

Getting a deeper look at the role he'd assume within Bateman's position room, Hall shared where the staff sees him aligning in the middle of their defense most often.

"They see me as a vocal MIKE, leader," he said. "They want to utilize me in one on one matchups with the [running] back, you know, send me on pressures a little more than I do now, maybe have me come off the edge a little bit. You know, be a bit more versatile than what I'm doing right now."

That versatility is something that will become a norm for defenders playing in the Patrick Toney-led defensive scheme the Gators will employ going into this season and beyond.

Heading into the 2022 season, the Gators' second level is equipped with arguably the most in-game experience of any position on the defense. As a result, the need for young prices to step into significant roles in the very near future will become paramount as veteran players depart from the program after the next season.

Hall views that as an opportunity to step into the fold early and often. That sales pitch by the Gators is standing out to the IMG Academy backer.

"They got guys that are leaving in the next year or so. They definitely stressed that they want somebody like me to come in early. He described me as a puzzle piece that can just come in and be plugged right in mid-year and finish that puzzle.

"It's a great opportunity to come in and play early, and to play early in different places."

However, that isn't the only thing drawing him to Florida. 

Getting an inside look from former IMG teammate and fellow defender Kamari Wilson -- who made a surprise commitment to the Gators on Early Signing Day in 2022 and enrolled at the turn of the year -- Hall has a blueprint for how he will be taken care of and developed in the early stages of his career.

In addition, current teammate and UF offensive line commit Knijeah Harris joins Wilson in the pursuit to reunite with Hall at the next level. As Florida attempts to create a pipeline from IMG to Gainesville over the next few cycles and heading into the future, Hall is intrigued by how the familiarity with the Gators personnel would ease his transition to the college ball.

"It definitely helps being more comfortable going to a place where you know people who have been through the same things that you have, being at IMG," he said.

However, that potential for comfortability will not be the deciding factor in his decision. 

"It definitely plays a portion but you know, everybody's gonna make the best decision for themselves."

Nonetheless, the Gators are currently in a favorable position to have their name called as the destination Hall will continue his football career for the next three to four years.

"Really just the relationships and the opportunity," he said about Florida. "It's a great opportunity to come in and play early, and to play early in different places." 

The Virginia native is set to announce his decision on July 9 in his home state, just a few days before his mother's birthday. 

Until then, Hall is set to endure a hectic slate of official visits in June. He will travel to the Great Lakes State to check out Michigan State (June 10-12) and Michigan (June 14-16). Then he will head to Notre Dame (June 17-19) and cap off his five allotted official visits at North Carolina (June 24-26).

"I'm gonna take the rest of my official visits, sit down with my family, talk about them. But you know, after this weekend, [Florida is] a really good school. Like I said, we'll sit down and talk about it."

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