Checking In With Florida Gators 2021 DE Target Bryce Langston
On March 21st, Vanguard (Ocala, Fla.) defensive end Bryce Langston made it official: The Florida Gators and LSU Tigers were the final two teams standing in his recruitment.
That remains true to this day, and although nothing has changed, Langston still believes his recruitment has been "crazy" ever since.
"I haven't been able to visit anywhere," Langston told Sports Illustrated-AllGators. "I had an official set to LSU on April 17th but it got canceled because of the virus, and other things. Can't even visit anywhere."
In place of visits during the unique offseason, Langston has been hard at work, focusing his training on "getting off the ball, using my hands, and my speed," as Vanguard prepares for the 2020 season. Teaming up once again with Gators wide receiver commit Trevonte Rucker for the Knights, Langston has set a goal for the season for the team to get past the third round of the playoffs and win the state championship.
Visiting UF is easy enough for the former Gators' commit, as Vanguard is a 45 minute drive from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. Baton Rouge, La., on the other hand, is nearly a nine-hour trek on the road from Ocala.
Langston remains hopeful that the recruiting moratorium, put in place on March 13th amidst the coronavirus pandemic, will be lifted and that he will be able to stop by his top schools.
With that, Langston says he's "pretty sure" he'll be pledging "after the season."
The now-6-4, 260 lb. defensive end, who could also take snaps at BUCK for Florida and expects to play some outside linebacker wherever he ends up, has a set of factors that will help determine his decision beyond a visit.
"Well, I look at defense," said Langston. "I look at the defensive end, the defensive line, the defensive line coaches and what the coaches did in the past, I look at all of that... The best defense, the most games won, whoever makes it the furthest, things like that."
Langston is a fan of how each team dials up its pass rush, also making note of the talent that defensive line coaches David Turner (Florida) and Bill Johnson (LSU) have sent to the NFL. His communication with those coaches, and others, remains constant.
"Real heavy, real heavy communication. Almost every day," Langston said. "I [also] talk to [Florida's head] coach Dan [Mullen] and [LSU's head] coach Ed [Orgeron], about every day, almost."
Florida currently has four defensive line commits and one BUCK/linebacker pledge in the class of 2021, but remain on the prowl for defensive talent. Langston, Tompkins (Houston, Texas)/former IMG Academy defensive lineman Tunmise Adeleye, Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) defensive end Aaron Armitage are some names to remember as the 2021 cycle begins to come down the home-stretch.