Gators LB Target Aaron Chiles Down to Three Schools

Gators linebacker target Aaron Chiles trimmed his list of contending programs to three, he announced via Instagram on Tuesday afternoon.

The top-rated player from the state of Maryland included Florida, Maryland and Michigan on his list.

Chiles, who’s scheduled to officially visit Gainesville June 9-11, has served as a longtime target for the Gators linebacker coach Jay Bateman as he attempts to compile an elite trio of players at the second level in the current cycle. Currently, top 100 recruits Myles Graham and Adarius Hayes appear in Florida’s commitment class, anchoring a strong defensive foundation for the crucial 2024 recruiting efforts under head coach Billy Napier.

Adding Chiles would provide a third top-tier player at the position. Landing three or more top 100 talents within one unit is a feat the Gators haven’t accomplished since the class of 2010 when the team pulled in defensive linemen Ronald Powell, Dominique Easley, Sharrif Floyd and Chris Martin.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Our Lady Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) product currently ranks as the nation's No. 6 linebacker and No. 75 overall prospect, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. In a hybrid off-ball/edge-rushing role for the Falcons, Chiles produced 74 tackles, 10 sacks, 15 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles during his 2022 junior season.

Possessing sideline-to-sideline speed to pair with his prototypical size and athleticism for an off-ball ‘backer prospect, Chiles has the capacity to serve as a legitimate threat from either linebacker spot. His recognition abilities and communication maturity for Our Lady Good Counsel suggests true middle linebacker capabilities, although his versatility allows him to operate in multiple roles if Austin Armstrong and Co. elect to do so.

As a result, Gators will look to pin him down when he takes his multi-day visit to campus in mid-June.

However, if he elects to head elsewhere, Chiles isn’t the only DMV-area prospect Bateman is targeting to join the fold, as Virginia native Kristopher Jones also falls within Florida’s crosshairs as a versatile second-level defender moving forward.

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