Florida Gators 'chipping away' at Florida State 5-star CB commit Charles Lester III
Since committing to Florida State on July 28, Venice (Fla.) five-star cornerback Charles Lester III has rocked garnet and gold, repping his pledge to the Seminoles.
“It’s a family atmosphere and every time I go on campus, it’s just a feeling I get there,” Lester told On3 upon his commitment. “They’ve got really good people there. Each individual coach shows the same amount of attention and love to me.”
Since then, the 6-foot-1, 170-pound defensive back took in FSU’s season-opening win against LSU in Orlando at the beginning of September — a statement victory that left an emphatic impression of the hoard of recruits that were in attendance. As Lester helps headline FSU’s elite 2024 recruiting class, he headed elsewhere over the weekend to check out another major in-state program.
Lester was in Gainesville to watch the Florida Gators defeat Charlotte at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The trip was his first to The Swamp since January and his sixth documented trip overall. On Monday, Gators Online’s Corey Bender joined The Inside Scoop to break down if there’s any reason for Florida to have optimism of a potential flip of the blue-chipper as the December signing period inches closer.
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Corey Raymond keeping Florida in contact with Lester
Florida’s initial pursuit of Lester wasn’t really close. The Gators didn’t even make his final four schools before committing. With him now making a trip to campus and telling Gators Online that he intends on returning for an official visit in December, there’s real reason to think that Florida could be a potential option.
The reason behind the UF push can be pointed in the direction of secondary coach Corey Raymond, according to Bender. Raymond, who carries plenty of SEC experience and has helped develop some elite prospects over the years, peaks the interest of any major DB, especially those who reside in the Sunshine State.
“Florida’s the only other school he’s communicating with right now, obviously a big part of that is the Corey Raymond effect. Any big-time DB, when Florida’s recruiting them and Raymond’s on the staff, you always take it seriously.” Bender said.
“Florida didn’t make his top group, but to me that says the most, that Florida didn’t listen to the outside noise, didn’t let that effect them, they kept recruiting and placed that faith into Corey Raymond’s hands.”
Upcoming visits likely crucial for Florida’s chances
Lester’s newly-planned December OV may not be his only return to Gainesville in the lead-up to the December signing period. Bender pointed to two potential dates, including the weekend of the rivalry matchup between the Gators and Seminoles on Nov. 25.
Pulling Lester away from his FSU pledge will be no easy task, but the plans appear to be in place for Florida to give it a legitimate run throughout the fall. Lester is the No. 22 overall prospect and No. 2 CB in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 4 player in Florida.
“I think he’s very solid in that commitment, he’s probably going to be up to Tallahassee again soon as well, but I think overall if you’re Florida, you keep chipping away, you might get three more visits out of this as well. You might get him on campus for the Arkansas game, the Florida State game and then more than likely he’s going to return on Dec. 9 for an official visit,” Bender said.