Gators DB Commit Jordan Castell Talks Decision: UF ‘Has Always Been DBU'
Photo: (left to right) D.C. Patrick Toney, Jordan Castell, CB Coach Corey Raymond; Credit: Castell Twitter
The Florida Gators made a few splash moves over the weekend and leading up to the team's annual Friday Night Lights event.
Those splashes included a commitment from four-star defensive back, safety Jordan Castell out of West Orange (Fla.), who committed to the program on Saturday, June 30.
RELATED: Florida Gators Earn Pledge from Safety Jordan Castell
AllGators caught up with Castell following his commitment, allowing the versatile DB to give his thoughts on why he ultimately chose Florida over programs like Alabama and Tennessee.
It appeared to come down to a couple of things: the coaching staff and the direction the Florida football program is headed in.
"Man, just [co-defensive coordinator and safeties] coach [Patrick] Toney, [cornerbacks coach Corey] Raymond, [head] coach [Billy] Napier, man they [are] just great people," Castell said when asked what ultimately led him to seal the deal with Florida.
"Florida [has] always been DBU, like, without a doubt. And especially [now that] you're getting coach Raymond and coach Toney? Ain't no beating that."
Perhaps Castell is right. Two of the most impressive coaches that Napier hired during the first couple of months of his tenure were Raymond, one of the best assistant coaches in college football, and his young disciple in Toney.
Toney has quickly risen up the charts as an assistant, recently helping send former Louisiana safety Percy Butler to the NFL, drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders.
When asked about Toney, Castell was giddy about his future safeties coach, saying that the young assistant is a "wizard."
"Coach Toney is a wizard. He's just like my high school coach like me and him, we're real close and just seeing the type of guy I'm Coach Toney is, it's great, I love it," he said.
Now, the two coaches will be able to get their hands on an impressive defensive back in Castell, who is listed at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, able to play at both cornerback and safety at the next level. When asked what the program has seen from him, Castell mentioned just that: his versatility.
"It's really that I'm so versatile, being able to play corner, safety, really just being able to fit in, in certain spots. You know, somebody goes down, I could just fill in."
What's next for one of the team's latest commits? Castell says he plans to go to "every" home game the Gators have this season, and even might try to make a couple of the away games if he can with his tight schedule during his senior season in high school.
Nevertheless, Florida put on a show this weekend, adding Castell, Osceola (Fla.) cornerback Ja'Keem Jackson and receivers, Boone (Fla.) Aidan Mizell and Northwestern (Fla.) Andy Jean to the 2023 recruiting class. Perhaps more is on the way.
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