KISSIMMEE — Deondre Francois was the Florida Gators’ top target this past summer. The quarterback from Orlando, Florida was Will Muschamp and Kurt Roper’s top target at quarterback for the 2015 recruiting cycle and even made an early trip to Gainesville.

“I took a visit there — my first college visit ever, actually,” Francois said.

Despite taking a visit and showing a lot of interest in the Gators this summer, Francois committed to Florida’s rival in Jimbo Fisher and the Florida State Seminoles.

“It felt good back then,” Francois said of that first visit to Gainesville. “I really wasn’t a fan of Muschamp, so I just left it alone.”

Francois is one of three quarterbacks in the Noles recruiting class and while he maintains that he is still firmly committed to Florida State he did host Jim McElwain at his home a few weeks ago.

Florida’s new headman made his message clear. He has a track record of working with a slew of great college quarterbacks, and Francois was the guy that he targeted for his first recruiting class in Gainesville.

“He came and talked a lot about his past and things like that,” Francois said of his in-home visit with McElwain. “He just let me know that he’s opening up his recruiting and that I’m on top of his board.”

McElwain told Francois about his offense — calling it a pro-style scheme — and detailed how he believes Francois could grow and perform in it. The committed signal caller hasn’t done a lot of homework on McElwain but he is aware of his recent history in the SEC.

“What he’s done at Alabama, national championships and everything he’s done there,” said Francois. “All that he’s done with the quarterbacks, that he’s the quarterback coach and I respect that. I just like his personality more than anything.”

Francois is taking in this week in Orlando and has two dates set for official visits before national signing day. Francois will visit Florida State on January 16 and his final visit to Florida on the 23rd.

Francois plans to join a few friends — including Miami running back commit Jordan Scarlett — in Gainesville and he is eager to see how the campus, staff and atmosphere, have changed with the new coaching staff.

“I’m going just to make sure I made the right decision, just to see how I feel there,” he said. “We’re just going to see how it is now that they have a new coach.”

McElwain is way behind here recruiting Francois but the new head coach made a very strong first impression with the young quarterback. The Gators need to sign a quarterback this recruiting cycle after the recent decommitment of Sheriron Jones.