Please Read: Welcome to the new-look Inside the Gators
- Over 20 visitors share their Jr. Day thoughts
- O&B Board: Live Updates from Jr. Day
- Watch & Read: Wearing the logo has to be earned
- Take Five: Breaking down Florida’s Portal Activity
- Florida Football Class Breakdown
- Getting to Know: Davian Groce
- Tulane player goes in-depth on Sumrall
A weekend trip to the Sunshine State not only saved Coatesville (Pa.) five-star offensive lineman Maxwell Hiller from 20 inches of snow back home, to sunny and 75 in Florida (his description), but it allowed him to see what a new -and the Gator Nation hopes – an improved Florida Gators football program.
The 6-foot-5, 305-pounder relayed that while he had visited the state of Florida in the past, this was his first time at the University of Florida.
“I would say the highlight was getting to meet the new coaches, seeing all the new people, the new facilities,” explained Hiller. “It was my first time at Florida, and they made it a great experience overall.”
Hiller arrived on campus already familiar with one Florida coach in particular.
“The main reason I went down is Coach [Phil] Trautwein,” said Hiller. “We go back like three or four years. He offered me when I was in the 8th grade, and I’ve worked with him a lot at Penn State. My relationship with him makes me more interested in Florida. So, he wanted me to come down to see what everything is about. I went down there with there being a lot of unknowns, but I left with a positive feeling for Florida. I really had a great time. I’m interested in Florida more.”
While on the visit, he also formed a positive impression of the Gators’ new head coach.
“I think they’ll start winning now that they have Coach [Jon] Sumrall there, and coaches like Coach Trautwein. Coach Sumrall has won at every single place he’s been. He’s taken these teams that aren’t usually up there and has had them ranked, so I’m interested to see what he can do with a team like Florida, where he has all of these resources and things like that.”
Though there may be promise of future improvement, and one of his favorite position coaches is on campus, the reality is Florida is battling some heavyweight programs for Hillman’s services. Programs that have seen more success recently.
This coming weekend, he will visit Ohio State, and then he said he has a couple of trips in mind for spring.
“I’ll probably be at Alabama, or Tennessee, or maybe back down to Florida.”
As far as official visits, he said he wants to take four or five, with three of them already all but set in stone.
“I got a couple right now to Tennessee and South Carolina,” replied Hiller, when asked about potential official visits. “I got one scheduled to Alabama, but I think we are working on moving it to a different date.”
Sometime in May or June, a commitment announcement could be forthcoming.
“I think I’ll go through my OVs before I make a decision, or maybe before or during, I don’t know,” said Hillman. “I know it will be before my senior season begins.”
Last summer, Hiller released a top eight consisting of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
According to him, that list is no longer accurate. While he didn’t have a new list of favorites, he did say that there is one program that is assured of being there at the end.
“Definitely Alabama.”
Hiller is the No. 11-rated prospect in the nation according to the Rivals Industry Composite.
I would have been better if he would have said that we're one of the teams he had set up a ov with and where a team that's gonna be there at the end.