Gators RB Commit Treyaun Webb: 'I Feel Like It's Always Been Florida'
It took Treyaun Webb four years and three college commitments to settle in on the program that, truth be told, he always wanted to be a part of.
Webb, a class of 2023 product of Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville (Fla.), committed to the Florida Gators on Thursday, alongside fellow 904-area recruit in Nease quarterback Marcus Stokes.
"It was like, we kind of knew we were going to Florida together, we just didn't know when we wanted to announce it," Webb told 1010XL in Jacksonville about the duo's pledge to UF. "Today was kind of the perfect day for us to announce it, kind of unexpected."
Webb admitted during the interview that Florida was, truly, the school he wanted to attend all along. It makes sense — his cousin, Dee Webb, played under Ron Zook and Urban Meyer at UF from 2003-05, and Webb grew up just about an hour away from Gainesville in the 904.
"I kind of knew I wanted to go for a while. I felt like it's always been Florida," Webb, a noted fan of great Gators running backs Fred Taylor, Ciatrick Fason and Emmitt Smith said. "After waking up, it's always Florida on my mind and it all made sense to me. So, you know, I'm glad that now the whole world knows and I'm ready to get to work."
Despite his longing to play for Florida, Penn State and South Carolina made strong pushes for the On3Sports consensus' No. 6 running back in the class of 2023, who emerged nationally as an eighth-grader playing on varsity.
What put the Gators over the top were the relationships the former Georgia and Oklahoma pledge has built with Florida's new coaching staff, led by head coach Billy Napier.
"Great staff. They're all people who I believe have my best interests at heart," Webb claimed. "[Napier is] a great dude, real guy, he wants what's best for you, he's gonna push you. That's kind of with all the staff, I grew a relationship with them. And I'm just really excited, I'm ready to be a Gator."
When it came time for Webb to make his final decision, he teamed up with his fellow Jacksonville talent in Stokes to send shockwaves across the recruiting landscape.
The two toured Penn State together just last month while Stokes remained committed to the Nittany Lions, which got Penn State trending for the running back up until the two revealed their official destination.
"Matter of fact, me and Marcus had kind of planned this for a couple of days now. I've been on him, kind of got him to Florida, I kind of influenced him to go to Florida," Webb said. "So, I'm ready to recruit, we're trying to build this class to go win the natty."
His partnership with Stokes led to a broader point about Florida football and its ties to success that are strung through Duval and surrounding counties — which the Gators' coaching staff made use of just last week with the acquisition of Bartram Trail (Fla.) 2023 cornerback Sharif Denson before landing Webb and Stokes.
"When the Gators were winning, the whole roster was full of Jacksonville guys and inter-city guys, like around the area," Webb remarked. "So, we're trying to create that Duval to Gainesville pipeline, and we're trying to go win the natty and put on for the city.
"It hasn't really sunk in yet [that Webb will play near Jacksonville], but I'm pretty sure it's going to sink in a little later. University of Florida is a big name, it's a big school and I'm just ready to play."
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