THE LATEST: One of the top juniors in the state of Florida, four-star offensive lineman Marcus Tate spent his summer visiting various college campuses. Now, with all of said trips in the books, he’s had some time to reflect on his travels. The Ft. Lauderdale University School star discusses the moments that stood out and talks about the schools he’s currently favoring in the below Q&A.


IN HIS WORDS

On his busy offseason:

“I took visits to Clemson, LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and Georgia Tech. I went to all of them with my dad, so we just saw a lot of places. That was our plan for the summer.


On which visits stood out:

“Clemson and Georgia Tech. To be honest, I liked Clemson the most. But, with Alabama, I had been there like three times already so I knew what I was getting there. I liked that a lot again.”


On his most recent Alabama visit:

“It was the same as the other ones, but I got to meet the new coach (offensive line coach Kyle Flood), so that was big. Every time I go there, I see the work ethic. It’s different there. They really work there. It prepares you for work in life too. It prepares you for what you want to get in your life."


On Georgia Tech:

“I already had a relationship with Coach [Brent] Key because he was at Alabama last year. I was surprised by the school, though, man. Everyone says it’s such a small school but they have all the same things as every other big school. They are trying to start something new there. Plus, they’re right there in the city of Atlanta, so the connections they have when it comes to internships and all that are huge. The academics there are big for me. And, to be honest, I was just really surprised by everything.”


On Clemson:

"They offered me the day I was there. They really like me. And, to be honest with you, that’s was my favorite visit."


On what set Clemson apart:

"It’s hard to say. With them, though, it wasn’t even really about football. I mean, you already know what the can do football-wise, so they don’t really have to tell you. When they talked to me it was more about school and internships and family. I’m all about family. Me and my mom, I’m really close with her."


On which school his mom would choose if it were up to her:

"We actually talked about that, but she won’t say. She knows that if she tells me, I’ll probably favor that school because of how close we are. She wants me to make my own choice, so she doesn't want to interfere, you know?"


On if the in-state schools are realistic options:

"Yeah, I’m for sure considering Miami and Florida. I’m actually trying to visit both of them this weekend. They are both appealing because I could stay close to home. I’m gonna see both this weekend I think."