Priority DL Kayden McDonald Names Gators in Top 5, Sets Commitment Date
One of Florida's top targets along the defensive line, Suwanee (Ga.) North Gwinnett nose tackle Kayden McDonald named the Gators among his top five schools on Monday night and revealed the date in which he will make his college decision.
The five schools making the cut for the Peach State standout are Oklahoma, Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson and Florida. McDonald plans to announce his commitment on Halloween, Oct. 31, giving one of those five teams a treat to close out the month.
Shortly after his official visit back in June, McDonald called Florida one of his early top three schools, so it comes as no surprise to see that Gainesville is one of the five cities that could be his future home. He spoke with All Gators following that visit and had nothing but praise to share for the program after a tour of campus.
“It’s Florida. I want to play in the SEC," McDonald said. "[Head coach Billy Napier is] gonna win some games if I come here or not, they're gonna win. He can get [a national championship] in possibly three-to-four years, so we're just trying to build this 2023 class.“
UF happens to be the only SEC school in McDonald's top five, and he has made his way back to campus twice since his official visit.
AllGators has also learned that McDonald plans to be in The Swamp for the Gators' matchup with Missouri this Saturday. That visit could go a long way in helping Florida's chances of securing his commitment at the end of the month.
McDonald is in the midst of a big senior season that has seen him rack up 34 total tackles that include 20 for loss and seven sacks. If that wasn't enough, he has also added 163 yards rushing and six touchdowns, all through six games.
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