2016 Fla. ATH has big-time offers
It's early in the recruiting process for class of 2016 athlete Saivion Smith of St. Petersburg (Fla.) Lakewood, but he's wasted no time getting offers from big-time programs including Ohio State, Penn State, Florida and UCLA.
Based on the skill and athleticism he displayed at the IMG 7-on-7 tournament in Bradenton, more offers are sure to follow for the 6-foot-2, 175-pounder. As of now, he has 11 offers, and he said some schools are out in front early in terms of pushing the hardest to get him at their school.
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"Florida, UCF, Clemson and UCLA are talking to me the most," Smith said. "Clemson likes me a lot, and I like how hard they stay on me about my grades. That keeps me grounded, and I like that.
"With UCF and Florida, I like that they're close to home. I can come home and see my mom and dad and all I have to do is drive an hour or two back home."
While staying home appeals to Smith, he hasn't ruled out any school, including those far from home. He said he likes that Ohio State is recruiting him as a defensive back and plans to visit Penn State this summer, along with Louisville.
He admits he hasn't heard much from Penn State after the Nittany Lions offered, but he's looking forward on his visit to State College and building a relationship with first-year coach James Franklin.
"He's a really nice dude and he knows a lot about football," Smith said of Franklin. "I plan on getting on board with him and a couple of coaches up there (during the visit)."
Smith wasn't sure exactly when he will make his visits, but one guaranteed appearance this summer will be at the Rivals250 Underclassmen Challenge on July 12 in Jacksonville, Fla. At EverBank Field.