---

New Florida running backs coach JaJuan Seider has already hit the recruiting trail for the Gators, and the first call he made was to one of the top halfbacks in the 2018 class. 

---

Florida running backs coach JaJuan Seider was the first of three new hires head coach Jim McElwain recently announced to his staff. Seider, who previously held the same title at West Virginia, will be joined by new defensive backs coach Corey Bell and new offensive line coach Brad Davis.

When it comes to Seider, though, his hiring comes with the expectation he’ll help the Gators when it comes to recruiting in South Florida. He lured a few Miami natives to Morgantown while he was with the Mountaineers, and it appears he’s wasting no time with the 2018 recruiting class.

According to 247Sports, the first call Seider made upon taking the job in Gainesville was to 4-star prospect James Cook. The Miami native is the younger brother of Dalvin Cook, who was once committed to Florida before flipping to rival Florida State on New Year’s Eve in the 2013 cycle.

The younger Cook committed to the Seminoles on March 11 of last year with the idea he’d follow in his brother’s footsteps. However, Seider is looking to change that.

“I’m thinking very hard,” Cook said of a potential flip to the Gators. “[Seider is] a great man.”

Cook, who’s ranked as the No. 3 running back and No. 33 overall player in the 2018 class, is planning on visiting Florida, Florida State and Miami this spring.

If Seider can find a way to land Cook, the Gators will have a talented one-two punch entering the 2018 season. Rising junior Jordan Scarlett has emerged as a bell-cow back, but if he decides to leave for the 2018 NFL Draft, there will be plenty of touches left to be shared between Lamical Perine, Malik Davis, Adarius Lemons and potentially Cook.

And Florida fans certainly would love to get revenge and flip Cook from FSU like the Seminoles did to them a few years ago.

MORE: Grading The Florida Gators’ 2017 Recruiting Class