This is a roundup of National Letter of Intent signing ceremonies held in Sarasota and Manatee counties on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
THIS FILE WILL BE UPDATED …
Manatee High
One way or another, Manatee High School senior Tyreek’e Robinson was likely going to continue his football career in the state of Florida.
Early in his recruitment, he thought that college would be Miami. But as the process continued, a new favorite emerged: the University of Central Florida.
“Miami was the favorite,” said Robinson, a 6-foot-3, 325-pound defensive tackle. “Toward the end of my recruitment, there was less contact. But UCF kept contacting. I went back there in January (for an unofficial visit) and that solidified my choice.”
Robinson made it official on Wednesday during a ceremony at Manatee High, signing with the Knights and head coach Gus Malzahn. Central Florida plays in the Big 12 Conference.
“The less contact (from Miami) was definitely a big thing,” Robinson said. “UCF, how they operate, how they recruit players, that really stood out to me.”
Along with Miami and Central Florida, Robinson also considered an offer from Louisville, although he never made any visits to the Kentucky-based school.
“UCF plays in the Big 12; that’s as big as it can get,” said Manatee football coach Jacquez Green. “Tyreek’e has a good relationship with the coaches over there, especially his position coach. He’ll continue to get better once he gets that college coaching.”
Robinson, who played in the North Florida vs. South Florida All-Star game in December, knows playing time at UCF won’t come easy.
“Coach told me he has his returners coming back; they were All-American, All-Conference players,” Robinson said “But the next few years they’re gonna be entering the NFL draft. As long as I work hard, I’ll be on that…
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