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Florida QB Commitment Del Rio Flashes at Elite 11 Atlanta

Future Florida Gator quarterback Carlos Del Rio is tuning up for his senior season with camp stops, including at the Elite 11 Atlanta.
John Garcia, Jr.|
Florida QB Commitment Del Rio Flashes at Elite 11 Atlanta
Florida QB Commitment Del Rio Flashes at Elite 11 Atlanta

CARROLLTON, Ga. -- It didn't start off the best for Carlos Del Rio while working at the Elite 11 on Saturday but few finished the way the future Florida Gator did. 

The Loganville (Ga.) Grayson quarterback, who checked in at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds over the weekend, was among the top passers competing at the first camp held by the staff this year. 

Del Rio says he enjoys feeling things out and taking coaching before settling in.

"It's just comfort," he told SI All-American. "I like developing through drills, learning what I'm doing wrong and then fixing it to make my throws and my mechanics better. 

"I need to keep my eyes down field to extend plays instead of extending plays with my feet to get down field. I need to extend with my arm talent."

The Elite 11 camp is all pass-first by nature, perhaps minimizing some of the elements that make prospects like the athletic Del Rio such a threat. 

"Some people think I'm a dual-threat, some people think I'm best in the pocket...I think it's both," he said.

When it came to the pressure moments of the event, with just one passer working in front of the rest, the rising senior looked the part.

The new element of the Elite 11 in the 2020 format is to gauge a mini pro day workout ala the NFL tracking college football's top passers. Del Rio held his own in the final phase of the competition. 

Before any passes were thrown, it was about measurables and athleticism. Del Rio was the second-most athletic tester among competitors at the event according to the rating system the staff calculates. It measures the 40-yard dash, short shuttle, vertical leap and power ball throw. He ran 4.73 in the 40 and 4.33 in the shuttle, unofficially. 

All of these traits are nearly guaranteed to end up in Gainesville for the 2021 campaign and beyond. He picked UF in July.

"It's just a family type thing with the coaches and the players there," Del Rio said. "Everybody has a connection so it's good going there. You're treated like a child of one of the coaches instead of one of the players. 

"It feels pretty good knowing that my quarterback coach is going to be Brian Johnson and Dan Mullen. Knowing that they're great coaches who produce great quarterbacks, with mechanics, footwork, and improving a lot of quarterbacks."

Like many signal callers on the recruiting trail, building a recruiting class is part of the offseason process. Florida has the most verbal commitments in the country for 2021 to this point, with 13.

"It helps me recruit other guys, I don't even have to tell them about the coaches," he said. "They're like, 'I already know who that is.' 

"I'm recruiting some lineman, I'm looking at (Amarius) Mims, one of our lineman at Grayson, Griffin (Scroggs). Also some more receivers from my 7-on-7 team."

The race for Del Rio's signature technically is open until the Early Signing Period in December and programs to continue to reach out just in case the door is left open.

"Schools are still calling and offering but I don't think I'm going anywhere," he said. "Arizona State was the most recent offer. They just tell me they know I'm solid but I have the offer if anything goes bad with Florida. They'll have open arms with me." 

Del Rio will return to Florida this weekend for its massive junior day event. AllGators.com will have full coverage.

Brooks Austin contributed to this report. Read his work at BulldogMaven.com.

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John Garcia, Jr.
JOHN GARCIA, JR.

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