UF commit, athlete Aaron Gates talks 'great' visit to rival Florida State

While the Florida State football team’s current Seminoles are off this week for spring break, FSU’s coaching staff is back at home base recruiting for future signing classes, mainly 2023.

Athlete Aaron Gates, a Florida Gator commit since last August, made the trip down to Tallahassee to check out rival FSU on Friday.

Gates went in-depth on his FSU visit, sharing his thoughts on the Seminoles’ coaching staff and much more.

“It was great. I mean, they really blew me away,” Gates said. “Real genuine people. They really feel like they have a family connection. I loved it.”

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While he said he spent much of his day with FSU defensive backs coach Marcus Woodson, Gates added, “it’s not just him, every coach is trying to pour into you and make you be better.”

“Really talk to everybody. That’s one thing they wanted to say. Its like a village, such a family. You don’t have to just talk to just one position coach. You don’t know who is going to impact you on that staff. That’s what I like.”

FSU’s coaching staff likes Gates as a defensive back in college. He broke down why the ’Noles’ brass sees him at defensive back.

“Size. And they really love the fact that I am a playmaker,” Gates said. “I can really do anything on the field. What Coach Norvell says, he loves the fact that I am just a football player. Anything on the offensive side, defensive side, I am just a good football player in general.”

Gates pointed out how wise he believes the FSU staff to be, even saying several members including head coach Mike Norvell remind him some of his father.

“They just all have really, really wise coaches,” Gates said. “When they spoke, you are just engaged immediately. That’s really what blew me away.”

The Sharpsburg, Ga., product said it was one of the best photo shoots he’s been to, and Gates also liked the FSU campus environment.

“They have a really nice stadium. I love the field. It was really, really nice,” Gates said. “The training facilities, the recovery area. All of that is really nice.”

Gates also plans to visit Auburn, Alabama, among others. He has plans to return to FSU, as well.

“Oh yes, definitely, I am coming back as soon as possible. I really love it down here, I have to get back down here,” Gates said. “Probably sometime this summer. I definitely want to get down here.”

Gates later recapped his conversations with Norvell.

“The way that he spoke, he kind of reminds me a lot of my high school coaches. He’s a man of God, obviously I come from a Christian school,” Gates said. “It was a really great conversation to have … a lot of energy.”

Later, Gates was asked about the strength of his commitment to rival Florida.

“Still have a really strong and really good relationship with Florida. I am just kind of exercising my options and taking visits. Still just seeing everything that is out there,” Gates said. “Obviously, still having a great relationship with the coaches down there at Florida.”

Now that he’s visited FSU, Gates updated his overall feelings on where the ’Noles stand in his recruitment.

“It’s a whole different point of view now. A whole different look on it. Coming down here, I really didn’t know much about Florida State or who was there,” Gates said. “Now, it’s just a whole different look at it. I really love the coaching staff that they have.”

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