Tate high on Gators

Auden Tate attended Florida’s spring game Saturday to check out the school and Kurt Roper’s new offense.

The Tampa Wharton receiver came away impressed with both.

“I liked it,” he said of the Orange & Blue Debut. “It was a nice atmosphere. I liked the fans. I liked the game. They threw the ball around a lot, more than I expected. So it was real nice.”

UF cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III, who’s from the same high school as Tate, has been recruiting him to Gainesville.

“He said it’s a good place to come,” Tate said. “The coaches are great, the students are great, the classes and just everything.”

Tate, a three-star prospect, listed Florida as one of his favorites along with Clemson, Florida State, Kentucky, Miami and South Carolina.

UF and FSU have yet to offer the 6-foot-5, 206-pounder, and Gators receivers coach Joker Phillips told him the staff still needs to evaluate his potential position in the coming months.

“They want to wait until spring to see how I play,” explained Tate. “If I come here, they said I can play wide receiver, I can play slot and tight end.”

“Coach Joker was just telling me he wants me to come this spring and build a relationship, and he wants me to come to camp so we can get to know each other more.”

Tate doesn’t have a preferred position, and he said the Gators aren’t hurting their chances by waiting to offer. However, a decision is looming for him.

“I’m going to choose soon,” Tate said, “probably sometime around summer.”

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