CHARLOTTE, NC – The Florida Gators added a key piece to their 2012 recruiting class on Friday night as five-star offensive lineman D.J. Humphries (Mallard Creek HS) chose the Gators over the Tennessee Volunteers. Humphries announced his decision at the Mallard Creek High School Auditorium.

“I chose Florida because I felt like the coaches would be there the whole time,” Humphries said. “It was a place I felt that was real low-key that felt like home. So I could see myself staying there for more than four years. I could see myself coming back there often, maybe even live there.”

Humphries said Florida linebacker coach D.J. Durkin was his main recruiter but also said the entire Florida staff played a part in his decision.

“He had a big influence on my decision because the whole coaching staff wasn’t trying to sell the school,” Humphries said. “They were just keeping it real. They were just putting the facts on the table, showing me depth charts, showing me the opportunity, showing me the playbook from Charlie Weis. They were just a school that kept it real with me the entire time, and that influenced my decision to go to Florida.”

Humphries, who actually informed head coach Will Muschamp on Aug. 3, Muschamp’s birthday, said he carries a 3.0 grade point average and scored a 960 on his SAT. He plans to enroll early at Florida.

Florida has commitments from several solid four-star players, but Humphries now becomes the cornerstone of a national top-five recruiting class.

So what type of player are the Gators getting?

“Florida is going to get a hard-nosed, hard-working guy,” Humphries said. “I’m from a background that puts me in a position to work harder. I feel like it’s something that I have to go get to be the best to be a freshman All-American. I’m going to bust my butt in the weight room and on and off the football field.”

Humphries becomes the third five-star offensive line commit from North Carolina for Florida since 2006 joining Carl Johnson (2006 – Durham) and Xavier Nixon (2009 – Fayetteville). Humphries said Nixon will be his host when he takes his official visit to Florida in October.

The 6-foot-6, 275-pound tackle is ranked as the No. 3 offensive line prospect and the No. 7 overall prospect in the country, according to the Gator Country composite rankings.

Humphries becomes verbal commitment No. 17 for new Florida head coach Will Muschamp and joins Jessamen Dunker (6-5/310, Boynton Beach/ Boynton Beach HS) as the other offensive line commit for the Gators.

Humphries is planning to take his official visit to Gainesville for the Oct. 1 showdown against Alabama.

Will Humphries take any other visits?

“Yeah I want to take all five official visits,” Humphries said. “I talked with coach Muschamp about it and made sure it was okay, though.”

Gator Country Recruiting Coordinator Derek Tyson can be reached at Derek@GatorCountry.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at DerekTysonGC.