No. 1 RB Cedric Baxter Jr. includes Gators in top four, announces commitment date
Orlando native and Florida Gators priority running back target, Cedric Baxter Jr., released his top four schools and a commitment date on Tuesday.
Among the schools were Florida, Texas A&M, Miami and Texas. Alabama, which Baxter said was his leader just weeks ago, was not included.
Baxter says he will be pulling himself off the market on Aug. 10.
According to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, Texas has a 75.9 percent chance at coming out on top. Analysts Sam Spiegelman and Gerry Hamilton recently submitted predictions for the Longhorns as well.
The nation’s top running back spoke with On3’s Hayce Fawcett about each of his final four schools. Here’s what he had to say about Billy Napier and the Gators.
“Coach Napier and Juluke want me bad,” Baxter said. “They feel like I can be a program changer. I love how they rotate their backs and don’t put wear and tear on your body. They want to win as well. The whole staff is genuine people and don’t fake it.”
What Baxter had to say following his recent unofficial visit to UF
Following an unofficial visit earlier this month to Gainesville, Baxter spoke with Gators Online’s Corey Bender.
“It was great. I had an amazing time with my mom and teammate,” Baxter said. “We ate and chopped it up. I have seen the facilities and done everything, so now I feel like it’s more of going back to talk ball and having a great time but still getting a feel for the people and stuff like that.”
Thus far, Baxter has only taken an official visit to Texas. He is set to take an official visit to Miami on Nov. 5, when the Seminoles take on the Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
As for Florida, Napier and his staff have made it clear to the nation’s No. 30 overall player that they want to be his final official visit.
The plan for Baxter is to commit on Aug. 10, sign during the early signing period and enroll at his school for the spring semester.
“Honestly, I feel like with Florida, which I feel like a lot of recruits would say, it’s the building,” Baxter said. “Schools have a lot of tradition and history, but if the people in the building are not nice, genuine and real people, it’s not going to be the same. I feel like it’s there with Florida. It’s just great people and they are all genuine. They are not faking it.
“During my freshman year, one thing I learned is people put on a persona for you because they want you at their school, so they pretend. I feel like there is no pretending at Florida and they’re real. You can tell when someone is faking something.”
Stay tuned to Gators Online.
