New Florida Gators commit Waltez Clark wants to be elite
What kind of player is 4-star 2025 running back Waltez Clark of Tampa (Fla.) Plant, who committed to the Florida Gators late Saturday night? To get some insight into Clark, who is listed at 6-foot-1/2, 190 pounds and is the No. 12 running back in the country for the On3 Industry, Gators Online recently spoke to his coach, Hank Brown.
Here’s what he told us …
-On Clark’s overall ability …
“When you really look at Waltez and his skillset and what he does as a player on the football field, one thing (that stands out) is his aggression on both sides of the ball or any unit that he’s playing. He plays running back and linebacker — and on special teams he’s our kick returner. He plays the whole game. He’s that guy. He’s good.”
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Waltez Clark plays multiple positions for Tampa Plant
-On Clark’s role with the team …
“We kind of use him in a Deebo Samuel role on both sides of the ball. He can play safety, he can play corner, he can play linebacker, edge rusher. Offensively, he has a package playing quarterback, he plays running back, he plays all receiver posotions. So he’s out there playing hard. I think that’s a testament to him as a young man with his football IQ and his ability to go out on the field and translate it.”
-Some attributes of note …
“Just his natural abilities. One, his instincts, two his speed. And three, his physical nature. If I were to guess I’d say (his 40 time) is between a 4.35 and a 4.4. He runs track. His speed on the track translates into pads. He doesn’t lose a step.”
-On Clark’s personality and character …
“That’s his best attribute, taking away all his skillsets as a player, taking away his focus and dedication as a student-athlete. His best attribute is just him as a person. He’s very well-natured. And he’s very caring.”
-On what the Florida coaches have said they like about Clark …
“They love his well-rounded athletic ability. He has great hands being able to play all receiver spots. As well as his speed. And his physical nature as well as his football IQ.”
The Gators landed him largely through the building of relationships
-On how the Gators have recruited Clark …
“Florida has built a great relationship — not only with him but with his family. And that’s really a testament to what Coach (Billy) Napier preaches. There’s a lot of universities and it’s a big business and I know everybody is busy, but they’ve made a commitment to recruit him and his family. We undertand that time is limited for everybody, so that’s a big deal that they do that.”
-Summing Waltez Clark up overall …
“The standard is the standard and that is to be elite. The goal every single day in everything he does is to be the best student, the best teammate and the best player for the sake of the Plant football family. He does want to be elite. He does do what it takes to be elite. Putting in that extra work. That sacrifice. He doesn’t have a girlfriend; he doesn’t do any of the extracurriculars outside of being with friends. He lives, breathes and eats sports — he does football, basketball and track — he’s really good at track and he doesn’t even put full time into it because his focus is football. And he’s really good at basketball. Super athletic. Can dunk off two feet. He knows where he wants to go and what he wants to do and how he wants to get there.”
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*Waltez Clark stats in 2023: 11 carries for 46 yards, 8 catches for 110 yards, 155 kickoff return yards, 8 tackles, 1 tackle for loss.
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