4-star LB Ja'Bios Smith loved Florida's 'energy' and he has committed to the Gators

Florida made Ja’Bios Smith feel like a priority from the moment the new staff arrived in Gainesville.

Now the No. 138 prospect in the Rivals Industry Ranking is headed to Gainesville.

The four-star linebacker out of Swainsboro (Ga.) committed to the Gators over Georgia, South Carolina and Texas A&M after Florida’s staff spent months building relationships and pushing hard for one of the top defenders in the Southeast.

“As soon as they got there, the coaches came straight to me,” Smith told Rivals. “Since the new staff got there, it seems like they have been to see me as much as they could. The coaches have made me feel like a priority, and they recruited me hard, so that love made a difference.”

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Everything shifted after Smith finally made it to campus earlier this spring.

Florida hosted Smith for four days in Gainesville, and the extended stay gave him a deeper look into the program, the people and the culture around the facility.

“I really got to see everything. They had been trying to get me down there, and when I got there, it was great. Every day I was around the facility, everything was always positive. It was the same energy every day. Everybody in there is rolling and ready to get to it.

“That environment had me feeling good about Florida and it never changed.”

The staff played a big role in Smith’s commitment

Linebackers coach Greg Gasparato led the charge throughout the process and became one of the biggest reasons Smith committed to the Gators.

“He’s done all he could to show me how much he wanted me,” he said. “He kept it real. He kept pushing me every day. Every time we talked, he told me I could be a guy who plays a lot,” Smith said.

The more he thought about his connection with Gasparato, the feeling he had at the Swamp and compared it to his other options, the decision started becoming clear.

“Texas A&M was up there too, but Florida was the right school. “Florida’s atmosphere, academics and people put Florida on top. I kept thinking about the visit I had, and that feeling.”

Smith is excited about playing for the Gators and new head coach Jon Sumrall.

“Coach Sumrall is going to have Florida back on top very soon,” he said. “He has that energy and he knows how to win. He called me every morning around seven or eight, and I knew he wanted. This recruiting class is going to help Florida win a lot of games.”