IMG Academy LB Jordan Hall Plans to Officially Visit Florida Gators

Photo: Jordan Hall; Credit: Zach Goodall

IMG Academy (Fla.) linebacker Jordan Hall has made the trip north to Gainesville twice in the last month to visit Billy Napier and the Florida Gators coaching staff, and he already has plans for a third trek to UF in the coming months, this time on an official basis.

Hall, alongside several IMG teammates, were surprise competitors in this past weekend's Elite Underclassmen Camp in Orlando. After going through drills to work on his coverage and sideline-to-sideline ability, Hall recapped his March visits to Florida and where the Gators currently stand in his recruitment.

"I went up there the first time just trying to get a feel for the people, you know?" Hall recalled to AllGators. "The second time, I went up there for spring practice just to see how they interact with the players. You know, how they teach and things like that. And both times were really good experiences."

Hall has ties to the Gators' new staff through linebackers coach Jay Bateman, who formerly recruited the 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker to North Carolina where Bateman previously served as defensive coordinator.

"We had a great relationship from UNC and it has just carried over," Hall said of Bateman. "Now he's closer, so I get to see him more often. You know, he really understands football, he knows how to teach it well, so he's a good coach."

When Hall made his way to Gainesville at the beginning of March, the Bateman tie and time spent with Napier and Co. led to a re-offer from the new staff. That led to his second trip to campus about three weeks later, where Napier Florida's need for talent at his position as well as an admiration of his leadership qualities.

Florida has quickly identified Hall as a priority target in the class of 2023 and Hall has reciprocated the Gators' interest. As a result, Hall intends to make one of his five official visits to UF in the coming months.

"I definitely see myself going back there again, either in June for an official visit or in the fall for an official visit," Hall said.

So far, Hall has only locked down an official visit with one school, that being Michigan State from June 10-12. With Florida set to earn one as well, Hall is continuing to assess the three remaining programs he will officially visit before he makes his college decision shortly after those trips.

One of those schools could be Virginia, considering he hails from Fredricksburg (Va.) and has been pursued by the Cavaliers since he was a freshman. Hall recently traveled to Charlottesville (Va.) to meet with Virginia's new coaching staff, as well.

"It's always good going back home, home is always gonna be home," Hall said. "So I went up there, they've got a new coaching staff. I got to sit down with [head] coach [Tony] Elliott, coach [Clint] Sintim who was their previous D-line coach and is the linebackers coach now.

"I've been keeping in contact with them since my freshman year, so it was nice getting back up there, seeing how they've changed and how they're looking to change in the future."

In addition, Hall is planning to unofficially visit South Carolina this coming weekend and Auburn in either April or over the summer. He'd like to make trips to Georgia and Michigan again, as well.

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