Thompson confident he will succeed at Florida

Four-star tight end Colin Thompson (Warminster, PA) has only been verbally committed to the Florida Gators for a month. Nevertheless, he is supremely confident that Gainesville, FL is the right place for him and can’t wait start playing for head coach Will Muschamp and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis.

Speaking with ESPN’s Jamie Newberg, Thompson conveyed his excitement.

“I love [Muschamp’s] vision,” Thompson said. “There is just something about him. He’s so positive. There’s not a negative bone in his body. I remember when I committed to him I got a big ‘Yahoo!’ out of him. I think Coach Muschamp is a huge pickup for Florida.”

“The fact is if Charlie Weis wasn’t there they may not have even offered me,” he said. “He has been a big influence on me. How can you say no to Charlie Weis? He has intangibles, and I have nothing but great things to say about him. He will succeed there. There are no excuses for Florida because he’s their offensive coordinator.”

When it all came down to it, Thompson realized that wearing the Orange and Blue was the right move for him going forward. He says he will “shoot for the stars” at the University of Florida and do whatever it takes to help the team win.

“In the end I just realized that there was no better place for me in the country than Florida,” Thompson said. “I visited 15 schools, and I wanted to find the right place for me. Florida has great football, it’s a great school and Gainesville is a great town. Florida is the complete package with great people. The coaching staff is highly respected. I have become friends with them.”

Though Thompson talked to Newberg extensively about the Gators, the article’s focus is the impact he makes off the field and in the community, including his relationship with John Shulby, a teenager with Down syndrome who he befriended in eighth grade.

Thompson (6’5” 255 lbs.) is the No. 6 ranked tight end by Rivals but is considered the top player at his position in the country by ESPNU.

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