FSU football: Can Noles flip Florida blue-chip commit Aaron Gates?

FSU football coaches are still evaluating prospects and sending out 2023 offers. The latest offer from FSU is to blue-chip Florida commit Aaron Gates.

He hails from Trinity Christian School in Sharpsburg, Georgia.

I’ve talked about the coaching staff putting more emphasis on the Peach State.

Gates is only about a four-hour drive away from Tallahassee and announced the offer Wednesday morning:

One thing to note is Gates committed to the old Florida coaching staff with Dan Mullen as head coach in August 2021. Of course, Mullen is no longer there, and I’m not sure where Gates stands with Florida head coach Billy Napier. However, Gates has visited Gainesville since Napier became the head coach.

Gates is the only 2023 player committed to the Gators at this time. He lists offers from the likes of FSU, Florida, Miami, Georgia Tech, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and West Virginia.

Gates ranks as the No. 265 player and No. 20 athlete nationally. He lists as 6’0″ and 180 pounds and is a two-way player, but it looks as though the Noles like him at defensive back since Marcus Woodson’s name is in his tweet.

Recruiting analyst Tom Lemming described him as having exceptional hands, great feet, and 4.4 speed, although I’m not sure if that is laser or hand-timed.

The Noles have offered 30 defensive backs in the 2023 recruiting cycle, and Gates would be right in the middle of the pack in terms of recruiting rankings compared to those guys since he’s ranked as an athlete. Will the Noles be able to flip Gates from the Florida commitment?

It’ll begin with getting him on campus, and the Noles will have several opportunities in the next few months. If they can get him on campus this spring that’ll tell you all you need to know about his interest level.