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When it comes to Orlando (Fla.) Lake Nona defensive end DeAnthony Lafayette, the recruiting service rankings are still playing catch up to college coaching staff’s evaluations of him. While he was unranked and mostly an afterthought by many services, coaches were extending offer after offer.
The 6-foot-1, 240-pounder had picked up offers from the likes of LSU, Miami, Oklahoma, and Pitt before Florida and Illinois joined the party last week.
“Coach [Vinnie] Sunsari came down twice this spring to watch me practice and he was impressed and let me know if I keep working good things are coming,” said Lafayette. “When he called Friday he let me know I had a scholarship offer to play at UF.”
With over 20 offers to date, Lafayette admits that two stuck out to him.
“Miami and LSU were my most surprising ones because to impress a Hall of Famer like Jason Taylor enough for him to offer me being underrated and undersized is a very rewarding accomplishment.”
Those two programs have also secured two of his four planned official visits.
“I have four [official visits] set up as of now with Pitt, UM, LSU, and Oklahoma.”
He said that he is in talks with Florida to set a visit, but no date has been set yet.
If the official visit does happen, it will be his first time on campus as a prospect. He said he hasn’t been to UF for a recruiting event, camp, or game. However, he does have one significant tie to UF. He said that his sister is currently a sophomore at the University of Florida.
Lafayette hasn’t released a leaderboard, but he did say that five programs currently stand out.
“OU, UF, LSU, Pitt, and UM. I can see myself at these schools developing and excelling to an NFL talent.”
Lafayette is unranked according to the On3 Industry Composite.
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