Gators snag a second blazing fast wide receiver in 2022 recruiting class
Sunday evening, wide receiver CJ Smith announced via his Twitter account that he has committed to play for the Florida Gators’ football team. Smith, a member of the 2022 recruiting class, had just wrapped up his official visit with the team when he decided to commit. He is the second player to make their commitment to Florida official on Sunday, following linebacker Shemar James.
What makes Smith special is his combination of long levers and straight-line speed. He was a member of the Bishop Moore track team that won the 2021 2A Florida state championship, including a personal record 21.01 second 200-meter dash in the final meet.
“I like that they’re close to home and they have a passing offense, which really suits my playstyle,” Smith said, following his official visit.
100% Committed to being a GATOR‼️🐊💙🧡 #agtg @GatorsFB @CoachDanMullen @CoachBillyG @HornetFB_1MOORE pic.twitter.com/fPyPhM022H
— ㄈㄅ (@cjavonsmith1) June 20, 2021
It’s no surprise that the on-field product is what finally convinced Smith to sign on with the Gators. Head coach Dan Mullen and his assistants, especially wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales, routinely do an outstanding job at selling players on the idea that their particular playstyle will be a natural fit in the Swamp. With the ability to point at the electrifying 2020 offense and say “you can do that too” in their back pocket, it’s hard for a player like Smith to ignore the team’s pitch.
The Gators’ 2022 recruiting class now stands at eight players. Smith is the fourth player at an offensive skill position to make a verbal pact with the team. The others are quarterback Nick Evers, tight end CJ Hawkins, and wide receiver Isaiah Bond.
As wideouts with unbelievable speed who plan to play football and run track at Florida, Bond and Smith are similar players. There are a few important differences between them that may impact how the Gators plan to move forward with the pair. For instance, Bond is three inches shorter than Smith, but only five pounds lighter, meaning their physical development as SEC-caliber athletes may need to take different paths.
More importantly, Bond is still being pursued by other SEC teams, namely, Alabama, whereas there has not been reporting of any team pushing for Smith as much the Gators did. Should the Crimson Tide overturn Bond’s commitment, there won’t be as much heartburn about it because the Gators still have Smith in-house.
