Florida went out and signed two running backs in the class of 2015 but Jim McElwain and the rest of the Florida Gators coaching staff aren’t sleeping on the running backs in the class of 2016.

That showed on Saturday when the Gators offered Miami running back commit Amir Rasul (5-10, 188, Coral Gables, FL High) after new receiver coach Kerry Dixon told McElwain about him.

“The new assistant coach they just hired, Coach Dixon was his name, offered me on Saturday,” Rasul said. “He was telling me that he had been watching me since he was at FIU and that he has been watching my play on the field and he said that he knew that he had to offer me once he got to offer Florida. He said that he wants me to be at Florida with him.”

Rasul is a two-sport athlete in football and track and for that reason he knows a lot about Florida, plus, he knows several of the Gators incoming freshmen class.

“I know a lot about Florida honestly,” Rasul said. “I look up to a lot of the guys that ran track and played football at Florida like Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps and Dedrick Dukes. I also know a lot of the guys that signed with Florida this past year. I knew [Jordan] Scarlett before high school and I played football with [Jordan] Cronkrite in youth football. I also have met CeCe [Jefferson] before.”

With Rasul knowing so many players from Florida the offer from the Gators was a big one to him and he also was impressed that Dixon offered him so soon after getting to Gainesville.

“It means a lot because he’s someone that has been watching me so him offering me at his new school means a lot to me,” Rasul said. “I haven’t had the chance to meet him yet because it’s against the rules but I’m going to meet him when I go up to visit Florida.”

When Dixon offered the Miami commit on Saturday the Gators assistant coach told Rasul how he would be used in Gainesville.

“Coach Dixon said that I could be the speed back in the offense,” Rasul said. “He said that they need a back that can get in the open field and run away from people. He said that he could use me in the passing game and returning the football for them.”

Now that Rasul has an offer from Florida the running back is eager to visit Florida and that visit could happen soon.

“I plan to visit Florida during spring break or during May,” Rasul said. “I want to see how the new coaching staff works in a practice. I want to see how things are going. I’ve been watching Coach McElwain since he was at Alabama and I think he’s going to do great things there.”

INSIDERS TAKE: Rasul seems very open to Florida and to Florida State, both of whom just offered him on Saturday. Rasul knows about McElwain’s history with running backs and that could help the Gators here.