4-star Holland talks Auburn visit, top 3

Four-star linebacker Jeffery Holland of Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian recently took an official visit to Auburn last weekend for its game against LSU and said it was a good experience. Auburn is among Holland's top three, which also includes Florida and UCLA.

Holland visited Auburn with his fathers, two brothers and his uncle, Carey Holland, who played basketball for the Tigers in the 1980s with Chuck Person.

"We had a good time," the 6-foot-1, 225-pound Holland said. "I had a lot of fun talking to the coaches and I hung out with some of the players. It was just a good experience. My family was there and they liked it a lot. We talked about how they could come see me because it's only five hours away. We talked about if I could play, how they like the coaches and the program overall. I love the program a lot and I think I could come in and play any linebacker there.

"They're in the mix."

Holland said he's building relationships with some of the players as well, including sophomore Marcus Davis and junior D'haquille Williams, both of whom are receivers.

"I communicate with them a lot," Holland said. "So I'm kind of becoming closer with the program."

The Gators are one team that stand in Auburn's way and has a few distinct advantages over both Auburn and LSU.

"I grew up a Florida fan," he said. "They're 45 minutes from the house. My family likes Florida a lot and we all like them. I talk to them a lot and my former teammate Nick Washington is down there. I talk to him a lot. And my friend Kavaris Harkless, he plays down there - there's a couple of players from Jacksonville down there."

Holland has already taken an unofficial visit to Florida this season, when he was on hand for the Gators' thrilling overtime win over Kentucky.

"It was a great experience," he said.

Holland insisted distance wouldn't be a factor in his decision, so that means UCLA - more than 2,400 miles away from Jacksonville - still has a shot. Holland has never been to California. He had planned on taking an unofficial visit to UCLA over the summer, but those plans fell through when Holland learned he was scheduled to arrive during the players' off week.

Holland - along with Trinity Christian teammates Kevin Toliver II and Kendrick Norton - will take his official visit to UCLA on Nov. 22 for the Bruins' game against USC.

"I'm looking forward to getting up there and seeing how it is," he said. "I've heard a lot of great things about them. The coaches are great. I talk to Jim Mora a lot and I talk to coach (Jeff Ulbrich) a lot, you know, and he's a pretty good guy. I trust him right now in the process."

Holland also thinks his high school competition in Florida puts him at an advantage over his west coast peers should he commit to UCLA.

"I can go in there and play right away because the players on the west coast, they can't matchup with the Florida types," He said. "So I think I can go there and play early."

Holland is unsure of when he'll want to announce his commitment.

"I don't know yet," he said. "It's a thought process. When the moment is right."