Elite Osceola DL duo visits: 'UCF is gonna be something special'
Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola features a pair of Class of 2023 four-star prospects on the defensive line, defensive end Derrick LeBlanc and defensive tackle John Walker. The duo visited UCF on Tuesday, then observed the prospect camp held later in the afternoon.
It was actually the second consecutive day on campus for LeBlanc, who also stopped by on Monday with a couple other teammates.
"I wanted to show love to the coaching staff," LeBlanc said. "It's the hometown team. Coach (Kenny) Martin, Coach Gus (Malzahn), Coach T-Will (Travis Williams), I've been talking to them the most and they're recruiting me the hardest. I've got a lot of love for them. It's the hometown, so you can't go wrong with them."
This was Walker's first visit to campus.
"I've had an offer from UCF since I was a freshman," Walker said. "Then the new coaching staff came in with Coach Gus. I've known him since he was at Auburn and he actually offered me there. It was cool meeting him in person today. Coach Gus and the entire coaching staff is really cool. In talking to the coaches and players, it's like I've known them for a while. They have good character. I really like the place. My house is like 30 minutes from here. I really like them. UCF is gonna be something special."
Favorite part?
LeBlanc: "Mostly everything. The coaches, the players. I like the campus in general, how many people there is. It's a really cool place to be around."
Walker: "I like everything. The place is real nice, the field is nice. The people are cool to be around. The coaches. It was really cool trying on the uniforms. I tried on both the white and black. We went on the field and took pictures. It was really fun. They had some music in there so I was jamming."
LeBlanc met several players, including Cam Goode, Ricky Barber Jr. and Big Kat Bryant, the former All-SEC Auburn defensive end who recently transferred to UCF.
"(Big Kat) told me you've gotta be different," LeBlanc said. "Don't follow everybody. Everybody wants to go to a big-time school and be all that, but be a different trendsetter. Go somewhere you can play early."
Walker really enjoyed meeting Malzahn.
"Talking to Gus was really an honor," Walker said. "He told me you could go to all these big schools, but you want to be a leader. You see these people going to Alabama and different schools, but you can be a leader and set your own example. UCF is the place to come and build it up from there while winning championships."
Malzahn offered a similar message to LeBlanc.
"He told me I need to put a fence around you so you can stay home," LeBlanc said. "(He said) you'll love this place a lot. I've been talking to him since my freshman year since he was at Auburn, so he's known me for a while. It was good... I look at the staff and what they did at Auburn, I know he can change the culture and change the way people look at UCF. I'm telling you, UCF is gonna be something you don't want to play with pretty soon."
LeBlanc has additional visits this summer to Auburn, Texas A&M, LSU, Alabama and Ohio State. Walker is planning to see Florida, Alabama and Auburn.
