EJ Lightsey: Florida’s consistency led to Gators landing his commitment

EJ Lightsey visited Florida late in July for Friday Night Lights as an uncommitted prospect with a few schools still on his mind, but he came out of that visit a silent commitment.

After hanging around The Swamp a second time, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound linebacker out of Fitzgerald, Ga., committed to the Gators. He watched the coaches work the camp, then told linebackers coach Christian Robinson the news. From there, Lightsey told other assistant coaches, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, and he then got to head coach Dan Mullen’s office.

“Coach Mullen was the last one I talked to about it,” Lightsey said. “Everyone was excited about it. Once everything died down after the camp, I knew I. was ready to commit to Florida. It was exciting and coach Mullen, and all the coaches welcomed me.

“It was a great feeling. I wasn’t planning to commit that soon, but I just knew then it was Florida. I knew where I wanted to be and it was the perfect time to tell them.”

Florida beat Auburn, FSU, Georgia, LSU for EJ Lightsey

At different stages of Lightsey’s recruitment, you heard about different schools atop his list. From the in-state school, Georgia, to South Carolina to Auburn and to Florida. When it all got started, it was during the pandemic and Lightsey could not get out for visits.

On June 1, visits opened back up and that changed things for Lightsey.

“I was able to get out for a lot of visits and that is when I started getting a good feeling for Florida,” EJ Lightsey said. “I went down there June 1 and had a great time. They really started to stand out at that time. It was a great environment and that is really when I started to feel the love.”

Christian Robinson was the lead recruiter for Lightsey. Robinson played high school football in Georgia before playing in the SEC, and these two connected right away.

“Coach Robinson is a great coach and a great guy,” Lightsey said. “He has been there before, and he really relates to me well. I trust him, we bonded and he never slowed down recruiting me.

“He is a coach that has shown that he cares for his players outside of football and he recruited me harder than anyone. He and the whole Florida staff recruited me hard and it never stopped.”

Florida Gators made EJ Lightsey a priority

The consistency out of the staff in Gainesville, Fla., made the difference. EJ Lightsey liked a few different schools at different stages, but Florida separated itself by the way it recruited the Georgia defender.

“Other schools recruited me in different ways, but Florida was the most consistent,” Lightsey said. “They made a big impact in my decision. Their coaches stayed with me, they made me feel important and that showed how they recruited me. The whole staff played a role in this decision. All are different, and recruit in their own way, but the way they made Lightsey feel was the same.

“It was like one big family with the Florida coaches. It was love from each of them all the time. All made me feel wanted, all made me feel like I was wanted, and feeling that from them made this an easy commitment.

“They put the work in, and I am excited to be a Florida Gator.”