Gators add CB/ATH Jalen Julius to 2015 class

The Florida Gators on Wednesday added their third defensive back pledge of the 2015 recruiting cycle, gaining a verbal commitment from a fast-rising local product in speedy athlete Jalen Julius (Orlando, Florida).

Unranked and unrated by Rivals.com, Julius was offered by the Gators on March 23 and took just over one month to come to his decision, telling recruiting analyst Blake Alderman that he chose UF over Auburn, Ohio State and Tennessee after he and his family came to a unanimous decision.

“Florida has a great environment. My aunt knows Coach T-Rob [Travaris Robinson] on the staff and my mom likes Florida and then I like Florida,” he told Alderman at InsidetheGators.com ($). “I think the team has good chemistry and the coaches are easy going. It’s a good place for me because my connections with them.”

Primarily an offensive player during his first three years of high school, Julius (5-foot-11, 173 pounds) is considered an athlete and committed to the Gators as a cornerback. He is also a likely candidate for kick and punt returner. [Highlights]

Former Florida CB Keiwan Ratliff is Julius’s 7-on-7 coach and has been training him on the defensive side of the ball.

The seventh member of Florida’s 2015 class, Julius is the latest among of group of players that have been either ignored or rated low by multiple recruiting services.

According to Rivals, the Gators have the 27th-ranked recruiting class nationally with one four-star pledge (DB Marcus Lewis of Washington, D.C.), a trio of three-star commitments (wide receiver Deondre Farrier of Orlando, offensive lineman Tyler Jordan of Jacksonville and DB Deontai Williams of Jacksonville) and three unrated players (Julius, linebacker Camrin Knight of Tallahassee and WR Tristan Payton of Jacksonville).

ESPN does not even have a profile for Julius, giving Florida four four-star commits (Jordan, Knight, Payton, Williams) and two three-star pledges (Farrier, Lewis).

Lewis (No. 76 overall) is the only member of the Rivals250, while Jordan (No. 103 overall), Payton (No. 132 overall) and Williams (No. 188 overall) are on the ESPN 300.