Florida Sets 'High Standard' During OT Ethan Calloway's Official Visit
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Mooresville (N.C.) Lake Norman offensive tackle Ethan Calloway kicked off his slate of official visits this weekend with a trip south to Gainesville, Fla.
The Florida Gators might not have been able to make a stronger impression than the one they left on the class of 2024 recruit, creating an environment across his three-day trip that he hopes the next three schools on his list will be able to replicate.
"They definitely set a really high standard and I really had a lot of fun," Calloway told All Gators after the visit. "This was the first one of four. So, I was more excited for them to set a standard, because this kind of showed me what an official visit is like."
Football wasn't the sole focus of Calloway's stay, however.
Instead, Calloway entered The Swamp with the intention of building strong, personal relationships with the people he could surround himself with at the college level should he opt for UF at the end of his recruitment.
Florida's group of coaches, from head coach Billy Napier down to the Gators' support staff, were "top of the line" in that respect.
"It didn't feel like a recruiting trip, it didn't feel like they were trying to sell me on something," Calloway said. "It really felt like I was on vacation, is the best way to say it. I mean, it helps that we're in Florida so it's beautiful weather, but it didn't feel like they were trying to tell me why I should play for them.
"It felt like they were really showing me how I could see myself fitting here and, just, spend the next four or five years here."
When it comes to the gridiron, though, a couple of things stand out to Calloway about Florida.
First, Calloway highlighted the recruiting class the Gators are putting together in the current cycle.
Four of UF's eight committed prospects were in town over the weekend alongside Calloway and 12 other recruits, most notably prized Gators quarterback pledge DJ Lagway. The signal-caller himself made an effort to let the blocker know he is wanted.
"He kept saying he needed me here," Calloway recalled of Lagway.
"They're putting together a really good class, and it's a possibility that this class could change the program for the better."
Calloway's fit along Florida's offensive line is the other prominent factor in his on-field draw to the Gators, which was covered during the trip.
Offensive line assistants Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton met with Calloway personally to discuss his skill set and how it would mesh with Florida's future front five.
"I got to sit down with coach Sale and coach Stape and just go over my film, how it translated into their schemes and their film," Calloway explained. "And just kind of showed me why they're recruiting me over the hundreds of thousands of other tackles out there."
The 6-foot-7, 300-pound Calloway is considered the No. 19 offensive tackle and No. 208 overall prospect in the class of 2024, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.
Coveted nationwide with 14 scholarship offers from Power 5 schools, Calloway narrowed his recruitment down to eight programs in April.
However, Calloway admitted that his recruitment is truly made up of four contenders: Florida, Georgia, Penn State and LSU. He will officially visit the Bulldogs (June 9-11), Nittany Lions (June 16-18) and Tigers (June 23-25) before the end of the month.
Following his successful trip to UF, Calloway will grade his upcoming visits on the rubric the Gators naturally helped him create by hosting him first.
"With this final four situation I'm kind of in, this definitely gave them a statement in this whole process. Because, now I'm finally getting into that place where I can start saying 'I like one place more than the other.'
"But Florida, they definitely put themselves up there."
Calloway hopes to reach his college decision prior to Week 1 of his senior season at Lake Norman.
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