Highly-sought safety recruit warming up to Florida following 3rd visit
A busy month of recruiting for Florida football is coming to a close but Billy Napier and Co. were able to get in plenty of visits — both official and unofficial — during June. A big name that stopped in town on Saturday was three-star safety Bryce Thornton out of Alpharetta (Georgia) Milton, who joined three official visitors for some one-on-one time with the coaching staff.
“What stood out mostly was the coaches I talked to, like Toney, Napier, Raymond and Chaney. It was just great to have conversations with all of them,” Thornton told Gators Online in regards to his third campus visit. “From a football aspect, they were just saying I’m a main priority and they loved that I was there. We also talked about off-the-field stuff and life stuff. That was good talking to them.”
The first name he mentioned, co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Patrick Toney, has led the efforts to recruit the 5-foot-10-inch, 185-pound defensive back, who has set expectations for Thornton at both the safety and STAR positions.
“I just love how he knows so much about the game of football. I feel like he can really develop and help me,” the rising senior offered on Florida’s assistant coach. “As a person, I just feel like he’s just a great person. He speaks his mind and would help me whenever I need something.”
The Gators are not alone in their pursuit of the Peach State product, with a top-five list consisting of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs, LSU Tigers and Miami Hurricanes, in addition to Florida. The Tide as well as the Gators have been recruiting him the hardest of late.
Thornton is ranked No. 485 overall and No. 45 nationally at his position according to 247Sports composite, while the On3 consensus has him at Nos. 443 and 44, respectively; On3’s traditional metrics, however, give him a four-star rating and rank him at No. 35 in the state and No. 27 at safety. Florida currently holds a modest edge on On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine with a 30% chance of signing him, just ahead of ‘Bama with a 22% chance.
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