The Florida Gators recruiting class has one running back committed in the class of 2017 but on Friday they offered one of the hottest names in the state at the position.

Running back Malik Davis (5-11, 190, Tampa, FL. Jesuit) broke the Hillsborough County rushing record two weeks ago and on Friday picked up a Gators offer.

“I found out about the offer on Friday,” Davis said. “To be honest I actually talked to Coach Mac [Jim McElwain], the running backs coach, Coach Skip [Tim Skipper] and to coach [Chris] Rumph. I talked to them all on Friday.”

Davis, who has double-digit offers, admitted that this offer from the Gators was a special one to him for several reasons.

“The offer means a lot, because honestly I thought Florida would be one of my first offers,” he said of the offer. “Growing up, Florida was just a school that I loved and they’ve continued to stay in touch with me. Coach [Drew] Hughes always sent me Florida things and made sure to let me know that they were thinking about me and watching me.”

Running backs coach Tim Skipper spoke with Davis and explained to him that the Gators are looking for a back like him in 2017.

“With Coach Skip, I’ve been up to Florida and worked with him before so he had already worked with me in person,” he said of his talks with Skipper. “He told me that he saw my film from this year and he was amazed by it. He said he fell in love with my game and that he could use me in their offense at Florida. He said that he feels that I’m an every down back so I wouldn’t have to come out.”

McElwain also made Davis feel wanted and also made sure to congratulate the running back on his senior year.

“I talked with Coach McElwain and at first he asked me about the record I broke that past week,” Davis said of his talk with McElwain. “He just let me know how good of a season I was having. He also told me pretty much the same thing that Coach Skipper did about needing me.”

Davis hasn’t visited the Gators this season but he’s been watching how Florida has been using their backs.

“I think they’re still looking for an every down back,” he said of Florida’s current backs. “I like that they’re playing a true freshman there though. I’m all about competition and I love competing so I want to play early.”

Now that the Gators have offered Davis, he plans to get up to Gainesville soon but he’s also still trying to set up other visits.

“I haven’t set any official visits up yet, they will all probably be after the season,” Davis said of visits. “I’m going to come up for the next home game when Florida plays South Carolina. That will be an unofficial visit because my official visits will be in January.”

Davis had planned to take his recruitment into the new year but the running back says things could end sooner rather than later now.

“I have a great interest in Florida,” he said. “I’m not sure of an exact day that I will be making my decision but it will probably be pretty soon.”

INSIDERS TAKE: Davis likes Florida a lot and I think the Gators have a great shot at landing the talented back. Davis has had a really good senior year and was someone that Florida wanted regardless of the Lemons situation.