WINTER PARK — It was all smiles and laughter, splashed with some tears of joy and gratification, when Donovan Mitchell announced his college football signing with the Florida Gators amid a private gathering that included family, friends, teammates and coaches from his Winter Park Tigers Pop Warner and Winter Park High School teams on Wednesday afternoon.
But the final days leading up to the celebration were a far cry from joyous for the Wildcats standout safety.
Mitchell was stunned when UF coaches initially asked just days before National Signing Day that he wait to sign until February.