PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Five-star offensive tackle and Alabama commitment Alex Leatherwood continues to be one of the most heavily recruited prospects in the country.

The 6-foot-6, 315-pound prospect from the Sunshine State has been committed to the Crimson Tide since June of 2015, but has also maintained he will make all five official visits, along with making a number of unofficial visits before making a final decision – which is expected to be in late December of 2016 before he enrolls in college in January of 2017.

One of the schools that played host to the Under Armour All-America Game tackle this spring is Florida. And, with two former Alabama offensive coordinators in Gainesville, the Tide connections are helping the Gators.

“I like Florida a lot,” said Leatherwood. “I like the direction that Coach [Jim] McElwain and Coach [Doug] Nussmeier are taking the program. I like the offense and I like the players there. I like everything about Florida. Back in 2008, 10 and 12 the offensive coordinators for those (Alabama) teams were Coach Nussmeier and Coach McElwain, so I’m taking that into account and thinking they can have that same success.”

Along with Florida, the nation’s No. 9-overall player has made a pair of trips to LSU in recent months, in addition to Alabama with summer visit plans in the works to Michigan, Miami and potentially USC.

“I don’t have a set in stone five schools or anything like that, but I like LSU a lot, Florida, Michigan, USC and Miami along with Alabama,” Leatherwood said. “I liked the atmosphere at LSU on my visit. With a school like Miami, there is a chance to make a really big impact and I like Coach [Mark] Richt, and think he will do big things down there. With Michigan, Coach [Jim] Harbaugh is that dude. It’s his relationship with his student athletes.”

Knowing that the prized tackle prospect intends to make visits and go through the process, Alabama head coach Nick Saban has a consistent message.

“I talk to him every other week,” the No. 3 offensive tackle prospect said. “His message to me is always that I’m the leader of the 2017 class, and we are thin on tackles and I will come in and make a really big impact.”

If there is one school that is still making an effort, but has ground to make up is Florida State.

“We had a little scuffle in the beginning of my recruitment because they were the first to come see me, and I had a lot of interest in them. I had told them I would commit on the spot and work hard to compete at Florida State, but I didn’t get that same attention back. Then after I went to Alabama camp, got that offer and committed, that is when FSU started showing me that attention.”

Leatherwood is planning an unofficial visit to Auburn over the weekend. The Tigers could become a sleeper contender in the recruitment.