As the Florida Gators turn their attention to the 2025 recruiting class, one prospect to keep a close eye on comes only 16 miles away from Gainesville, and his name should sound familiar to Gator fans.
Three-star athlete CJ Ingram (6-4, 200 pounds), son of former UF tight end Cornelius Ingram, has made his mark both on the gridiron and on the hardwood for Hawthorne High School’s football and basketball programs, much like his father did in the early 2000s.
Ingram threw for 38 touchdown passes and over 2600 yards while leading the Hornets to its second-straight state championship. He had over 24 points and over eight rebounds a game while leading Hawthorne to a playoff appearance on the court. 
Now, as he heads into his senior year, Ingram’s recruitment in both sports is beginning to pick up with football offers from Florida, Pittsburgh, FAU and USF among others and basketball offers from schools such as Samford and Florida A&M.
Although Ingram did not play in Hawthorne’s spring game against Eustis due to a prior commitment at the Nike EYBL Session III in Indianapolis, Gators Illustrated caught up with his father and head coach, Cornelius, after the Hornets’ 42-7 win.
Despite having a more extensive football offer list, he seems to be taking all factors and opportunities into consideration, no matter the sport or school. Ingram previously indicated that he hadn’t decided whether to play football, basketball or both in a tweet on March 24.
I appreciate all recruiting websites and all coaches who are in touch but I have not made the decision to just play football! I’m still weighing my options out #2SportAthlete
— Cornelius Ingram II (@IngramCj_) March 24, 2024
His father echoed that sentiment and expressed a desire for his son to enjoy the recruiting process.
“First thing I told him was how hard it is to do both, but it can be done… I want him to enjoy it and not put pressure on himself,” he said. “Whether it’s basketball, whether it’s football, whether it’s both, enjoy the process because at the end of the day, he’ll have to live with his decision. He’s a very bright kid. He’ll make the right choice. Whatever he ends up doing, he’ll definitely be successful.”
Florida is currently recruiting Ingram in football and is his only SEC offer thus far. His main recruiter, wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales, was one of his father’s coaches during his time in Gainesville.
“We have a great relationship,” Cornelius said. “Billy G saw him practicing basketball, and CJ, he was doing all kinds of crazy dunks. Billy G was in awe about his athleticism. How smooth he was as an athlete in person. His size and speed. Again, you’re talking about a 6-5 kid who can do a lot of things whether it is on the football field or basketball court.”
As for his son’s future plans, Cornelius did not indicate whether a commitment or even a top-five or top-10 list was coming. In fact, he said it’s something he and his son haven’t even discussed.
“He’s a very young junior, and these kids go through so much. Not just him. Think about the way social media is. I tell people all the time, ‘Thank God social media wasn’t like this when I was growing up,” Ingram said. “Social media, school work, personal issues, then they have a coach like me breathing down their necks every day at practice. So, just trying to let him enjoy it. He’ll make the right decision, but truthfully speaking, we haven’t even spoken about a time table for what he wants to do.”
Currently, the younger Ingram is still working out in both sports with an emphasis on basketball during the early portion of the summer. His father explained how his dedication to both sports, while also being successful in both, speaks volume to the type of athlete he is.
In fact, Cornelius doesn’t believe his son has peaked in either sport due to the split-focus.
“I don’t think a lot of people don’t realize how good he could be if he maxed out at one sport. He’s never been touched by a quarterback coach. He’s never went to a specialist for throwing motion or footwork. A lot of the stuff that he’s learning or doing is during our individual time in practice,” he said. “Even with basketball. Imagine if he was in the gym every single day, just shooting or doing basketball drills. He’s splitting time, and he’s still considered one of the top all-around athletes in the entire country. So just being able to witness him have all this success, it’s a priceless moment.”
As it stands right now, Ingram’s football and basketball recruitment are wide open, but the Gators have a head start on the football side, and he’ll be a prospect to keep a close watch on as his high school career in both sports winds down.
