Will Muschamp doesn’t come off as a warm and fuzzy guy.
So defensive end Bryan Cox, Jr., was a bit taken aback when the Florida head coach embraced him after the three-star recruit announced his commitment before a dinner Saturday night.
“He just like gave me a really big hug and said ‘Welcome to the family,’” Cox said. “It felt great… I never got a hug like that before in my life.
“It was just great to know that he was excited and I was excited.”
Cox, who brings Muschamp’s first full class to 19, had offers from Miami, North Carolina, Michigan State, Louisville and others.
“I just made my own choice,” he said. “I just get a really good vibe from (the coaching staff).... I get great vibes from the Gator Nation. All the fans and the players are great.”
Cox joins a 2012 class stacked on the defensive line with five commitments and one already signed.
“We’re going to have a lot more options with what coach can do with us and different packages and whatnot,” he said. “It’s going to be interesting.”
The coaching staff told Cox he will start off at the Buck linebacker position with a possible switch to defensive end if he bulks up.
Cox gave his oral commitment during a big weekend for recruiting at Florida, which hosted four five-star prospects, seven uncommitted athletes and four oral commits.
The Gators also picked up a prospect in an area of need in 2013 running back Adam Lane from Winter Haven, who committed on Saturday during an unofficial visit. The 5-foot-7, 207-pound back is the first commit of the 2013 class.
Also, uncommitted prospect Alex McCalister, a three-star end from Clemmons, N.C., will choose between Florida, Georgia Tech and North Carolina on Monday.
“He’s really lengthy and a rangey kind of guy,” Cox said of McCalister. “Put some weight on him and he’ll be a really good player.”
According to Cox, McCalister had a good time in Gainesville and has the Gators at the top of his board.
“I think he enjoyed it really well,” Cox said. “He was one of the guys I went out with. … We had a good time.”
McCalister had been set to visit last weekend, but had to cancel due to an illness in his family. He moved his decision date from last week to this Monday.
Florida has made a late push for McCalister, another promising defensive prospect noted for his ability to disrupt defenses and pursuit of the ball carrier. McCalister has also been told by the Florida coaching staff that he would play at the Buck linebacker position in Gainesville.
Other official visitors this weekend included oral commits Matt Jones, Colin Thompson, JaFar Mann and Brian Poole.
Five-star wide receiver Stefon Diggs, five-star cornerback Tracy Howard and five-star defensive end and FSU oral commit Dante Fowler, Jr., were also on official visits in Gainesville this weekend.
Three-star quarterback Skyler Mornhinweg, who is orally committed to Penn State, also visited.
Since the hiring of new offensive coordinator Brent Pease, Diggs and Agholor seem to be leaning toward Florida, but both will most likely make decisions on or around Signing Day on Feb. 1.
Diggs posted on Twitter Saturday night: “I love it. Love the environment and just the thought of being a gator.”
Oral commitments are nonbinding until a national letter of intent is signed on or after National Signing Day on Feb. 1.
