NFL Legacy Includes Florida Gators in Top 5

The son of one of the NFL's most productive tight ends in history has included the Florida Gators in his top five schools.

Fordson (Dearborn, Mich.) wide receiver Antonio Gates Jr. listed the Florida Gators as one of his top five schools on Thursday night, alongside Penn State, Michigan State, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Gates is the son of projected future first-ballot Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates, who accumulated nearly 12,000 receiving yards and 116 touchdowns across his 16-year NFL career.

Even though Gates has not visited Florida as a recruit, there is a tremendous connection to keep in mind here. It was none other than now-Gators tight ends coach Tim Brewster that discovered the elder Gates as a basketball player for Kent State in 2003 and developed him as an undrafted free agent into one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.

Brewster has maintained a relationship with Gates, for obvious reasons, and that relationship has extended to Gates Jr. as Brewster is now his primary recruiter so long as the Gators remain a factor in his recruitment.

Florida initially offered the 6-foot-3, 185-pound receiver in January and has remained in the mix despite his distance from UF. Along with playing receiver, Gates also lines up as a defensive back for his high school.

Florida currently owns two commitments at wide receiver in the class of 2022: Bishop Moore Catholic's (Fla.) Chandler Smith and Buford's (Ga.) Isaiah Bond. The Gators are also prioritizing Liberty's (Frisco, Texas) Evan Stewart and West Orange's (Fla.) Jayden Gibson. However, should Florida miss on one of Stewart or Gibson, Gates could emerge as a legitimate contender to join UF's 2022 signing class.

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