Category: Football Recruiting

Gators continue recruiting run, flip Auburn 4-star OT

Florida pulled off one more flip to close out a big November for its recruiting staff, getting four-star offensive tackle Tavaris Dice from Auburn.

The latest four-star recruit to flip to the Florida Gators is Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Georgia) offensive tackle [autotag]Tavaris Dice[/autotag].

Dice committed to the Auburn Tigers in March, but the Gators never stopped recruiting him. As recent as one week ago, Dice held firm in his commitment to Auburn, telling Tigers fans not to worry about Florida because of his strong relationship with the Tigers’ coaching staff.

He visited The Swamp two weeks ago for the upset win against LSU and then returned to Auburn for the Texas A&M game. Dice followed that trip with another stop at Florida to spend more time with the coaching staff and informed the Gators of his decision to flip earlier this week, according to Swamp247’s Blake Alderman.

The decision comes as a bit of a shock because Auburn grew increasingly confident it would retain Dice after the visit last week.

“Florida told me a little while back when I committed that they would fight until the end and do whatever it takes,” Dice said to Gators Online in May.

Recruiting Summary

Dice is a consensus four-star recruit, ranked the highest by 247Sports at No. 159 overall in the class of 2025. The 247Sports composite, which considers all four major recruiting services, has him at No. 191 nationally and No. 20 among offensive tackles, while the On3 industry ranking puts him at Nos. 192 and 18, respectively.

“‘First off the bus’ type with broad-shouldered, long-armed build who wears existing mass exceptionally well,” said 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks in a March report. “Gets off the line of scrimmage with quickness and shows encouraging bend relative to dimensions. Capable of leveraging under D-linemen and moving them off the ball. Natural drive blocker with promising run-game hand placement. Can play a bit tight through the hips and core, but appears to show better knee and ankle flexibility than many of his peers, especially in a combine setting.

“Displays some finishing nastiness at times. Still developing strength and punch power consistency, but capacity for both should be quite high given physical upside. Has shown agility to beat much lighter speed-oriented edge rushers on an island.

“Multi-sport foundation includes basketball, which fuels functional athleticism and movement ability. Natural tackle who likely provides roster value as someone who probably could move inside if needed. Projects to the high-major level as a potential multi-year starter with physical tools and on-field context that suggest NFL draft upside.”

Florida remains at No. 15 in the 247Sports team rankings but is now within spitting distance of passing USC — the Trojans lead the Gators by 1.18 points. A five-star commitment would vault UF into the top 10. Florida is also ranked No. 15 in the 2025 recruiting rankings from On3.

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Florida flips top-100 EDGE Jayden Woods on Black Friday

Billy Napier’s recruiting staff can’t stop flipping players from other Power Four programs. The latest commitment comes from former Penn State four-star EDGE Jayden Woods.

The Florida Gators have flipped another four-star recruit, Mill Valley (Shawnee, Kansas) edge defender [autotag]Jayden Woods[/autotag], just five days out from the early signing period.

Woods’ change of heart comes after an official visit to the Swamp over the weekend to see the Gators defeat the Ole Miss Rebels for a second upset win in as many weeks. His pledge to the Nittany Lions came back in June, over Purdue and Tennessee, but Florida has been on him since the spring.

A big jump up the recruiting rankings had the Gators all over him in recent months, but Woods is still somewhat of a surprise flip. Florida views Woods as a JACK linebacker.

Recruiting Summary

Woods is a consensus four-star recruit, ranked the highest by 247Sports at No. 75 overall in the class of 2025. The 247Sports composite, which considers all four major recruiting services, puts him at No. 130 nationally and No. 10 among edge defenders, while the On3 industry ranking is a bit more bullish on him at Nos. 116 and 14, respectively.

“Good-sized standing edge player with the physical tools to put a hand on the ground, whether as a scheme-versatile puzzle piece or as a long-term projection to a more traditional D-line role,” 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks said.

“Plays with obvious strength at the point of attack. Puts hands to use and shows stack-and-shed ability vs. the run. Displays encouraging linear pursuit speed to close on the ball. Physical tackler who shows some quick uncoiling pop that also punishes lead blockers in the run game.

“… Bit of a one-speed rusher who’s still developing his move set. Flashes an effective inside move. Segmented mover at times with some lower-half tightness when redirecting. Can improve dip-and-bend flexibility around the edge and present more of a speed threat on obvious passing downs. Projects as a high-major defender who may wind up more of an interior defensive lineman than a true edge.”

Florida jumped two spots to No. 15 in the 247Sports team rankings and is up to No. 15 in the On3 industry team rankings as well, up from No. 18.

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Programs likely to re-recruit UNC football’s top 2025 commit

How will UNC’s top Class of 2025 football recruit be affected by the Mack Brown firing?

Big news shook the North Carolina Tar Heels on Tuesday, with athletic director Bubba Cunningham announcing the firing of head football coach Mack Brown.

This move comes a day after Brown announced he wants to return in 2025. Fans don’t feel the same way, though, fed up with Brown’s coaching letdowns throughout UNC’s current season.

One of the greatest areas affected by a coaching chance is a team’s recruiting cycle: and for North Carolina, that could include the de-commitment of its top Class of 2025 player.

Bryce Baker, a 4-star quarterback from East Forsyth High School in Kernersville, NC who’s leading his team through an undefeated season and playoff run, is the commit in question.

Look at what Baker’s father, Michael, had to say about Brown’s firing and Bryce’s future:

“We need to talk as family to process this unfortunate news,” Michael Baker told On3 Sports’ Steve Wiltfong. “We’ll speak as a family tonight with Bryce to figure out what Bryce’s future will look like.”

If Baker decides to de-commit, he wouldn’t be the first to do so from the Tar Heels.

On Tuesday afternoon, Class of 2026 edge rusher Zavion-Griffin Haynes re-opened his recruitment. Days before Brown’s firing, 2025 4-star offensive tackle Alex Payne announced he was doing the same.

Baker announced his commitment to North Carolina back in June 2023. East Forsyth is just under 90 minutes from Kenan Stadium – and I can’t imagine passing up the opportunity to play in your home state, despite a coaching change.

If you want the full scoop on UNC commitments and de-commitments, make sure you follow along with our tracker.

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Florida flips third recruit of the day, WR Muizz Tounkara

Make it a trifecta for the Gators! Florida flipped a third recruit on Monday, securing a commitment from wide receiver Muizz Tounkara.

Florida completed a trifecta of recruiting flips with a commitment from Clear Springs (League City, Texas) wide receiver [autotag]Muizz Tounkara[/autotag] on Monday.

Tounkara was in Gainesville on Saturday to see the Gators defeat the Ole Miss Rebels while on an official visit. He’s a perfect fit for Florida’s 2025 recruiting class at 6-foot-3.5-inches tall. The Gators have been looking for a big-bodied receiver since Joshua Moore flipped to Miami.

“I feel that Florida is the right fit for me,” Tounkara said to On3. “Number one the head coach. Coach Napier is a head coach with a background of coaching wide receivers. He definitely has an emphasis on airing the ball out which gives guys like myself optimal opportunity to showcase our skills.”

Tounkara also praised wide receiver coach Billy Gonzalez, who has a track record of developing NFL-ready pass catchers. He’s also a native Texan, which makes him very familiar with Florida’s freshman quarterback DJ Lagway.

“I already knew (Lagway) was the truth, but after this game, he really showed he’s the real deal,” Mounkara said to 247Sports. “He’s just a true freshman, so playing with him for a few more years would be a blessing. It’s really big time.”

Recruiting Summary

Tounkara is a consensus three-star recruit, ranked the highest by 247Sports at No. 92 among wide receivers in the class of 2025.

The 247Sports composite has him at No. 839 nationally and No. 125 at his position, while the On3 industry ranking is slightly more bullish on him at Nos. 770 and 127, respectively.

“Tall, long, lean, and athletic with a longer stride and corresponding build-up speed that influences field-stretching ability and return game juice,” 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks said in a July report. “Experience in all three phases with snaps at corner facing Texas 6A competition in Houston metro.

“Capable of winning contested throws in traffic thanks to frame, high-pointing acumen, and body control in the air. Capable of go-get-it grabs against overmatched high school defenders. Looks tough on tape with willingness to work the middle of the field and affect the screen/perimeter run games as a blocker.

“Still honing route-running snap/technique, but possesses the twitch to foster consistent late-separating ability and top-of-the-route pop. Arrow points up as senior year looms. Projects to P4 level with physical tools and functional athleticism to become an impact player who possesses ample long-term upside.”

Following a trio of commitments, Florida is now No. 18 overall in the 2025 team rankings from 247Sports and the site’s composite rankings. The Gators were ranked No. 51 just two weeks ago. Similarly, the Gators are now up to No. 20 nationally in the On3 industry team recruiting rankings.

Prediction timeline for Tounkara

Tounkara’s flip to Florida was an expected move as several experts submitted predictions for him in favor of the Gators following Saturday’s win over Ole Miss. On3 vice president of recruiting and transfer portal Stevel Wiltfong was the first, just after the game finished on Saturday, followed by Gators Online insider Keith Niebuhr minutes later.

On3 director of recruiting Chad Simmons submitted his prediction later that night and Gators Online recruiting analyst turned his in with the highest confidence the following afternoon.

247Sports also saw a quartet of crystal ball predictions flood in on Saturday and Sunday. Wisconsin insider Evan Flood was first and beat out Wiltfong by a minute. Swamp247 insider Blake Alderman turned his on Sunday around 1 p.m. ET, followed by 247Sports national analyst Mike Roach fewer than 10 minutes later. 247Sports national recruiting analyst Tom Loy was the last to get his pick in, just before 5 p.m. ET on Sunday.

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Florida flips class of 2025 OT Jahari Medlock from Cincinnati

Florida flipped offensive lineman Jahari Medlock from Cincinnati on Monday, continuing a big November for Billy Napier’s recruiting staff.

Florida’s recruiting team continued a strong November on Monday by flipping the commitment of Charles Drew (Riverdale, Georgia) offensive tackle [autotag]Jahari Medlock[/autotag] on Monday.

A Cincinnati commit since June, Medlock decided that he’d rather stay in the South after visiting The Swamp for Florida’s Week 13 upset win over Ole Miss.

Medlock took an official visit to Florida in October to see the Gators defeat the Kentucky Wildcats. He always planned on a return visit, and he just so happened to be in town for Florida’s biggest win of the season. The Gators offered him back in September.

“I think the aggression (they play with),” Medlock said to Swamp247 when asked what made him flip. “The aggression for sure. I’m a big player on aggression. If I’m not playing with aggression, I’m not winning my match. How the coaches take care of everything. How they keep control over everything, and how they have the players do what they do. They execute what they do. That’s the eye-opener for me.”

Florida offensive line coach John Decoster has been a key recruiter for Medlock. Decoster has kept the pressure on the Atlanta-area recruit, letting him know that UF was the right place to get developed and unlock his full potential.

Medlock was just at Georgia Tech for a mid-week official visit, but Florida won out because of Decoster and the environment produced on Saturday.

Recruiting Summary

Medlock is a consensus three-star recruit, ranked the highest by On3 at No. 34 among offensive tackles.

The 247Sports composite ranks him No. 743 overall and No. 56 among offensive tackles in the class of 2025, while the On3 recruiting prediction machine has him even higher at Nos. 578 and 36, respectively. Both composite rankings factor in the four major recruiting services but with different weighting.

Swamp247 Blake Alderman submitted a crystal ball prediction for Medlock, in favor of Florida, right after the conclusion of Saturday’s game against Ole Miss. 247Sports recruiting analyst Anna Adams followed up with another crystal ball Monday morning.

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Four-star linebacker flips commitment from USC to Florida

Four-star LB Ty Jackson flips from USC to the Florida Gators, keeping one of the nation’s top 2025 recruits close to home.

Four-star linebacker Ty Jackson made waves in the recruiting world on Monday, flipping his commitment from the USC Trojans to Florida football.

Jackson, a native of Loxahatchee, has been on Billy Napier and his coaching staff’s radar for a long time as they have desperately tried to keep him in the state of Florida.

“Being close to home is always one to be honest with you,” Jackson told Swamp247 earlier in the year about the attractions the Gators have to sell. “Getting back on campus a lot, being able to do that, it’s always good. Just the people.”

Jackson also noted the importance of defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong’s efforts to recruit him.

“It’s definitely big to me,” he said. “The DC (defensive coordinator) taking time out of his day to reach out to me to try and check up. Make sure my day is going well, school, and getting ready to get back in football.”

This past season at Seminole Ridge High School, Jackson logged 135 tackles, four forced fumbles, two sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.

Other teams involved with Jackson were Alabama, Florida State, Georgia and Penn State.

Recruiting Summary

Jackson is a four-star linebacker who ranked as the No. 124 overall prospect in the country and the No. 13 ranked linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports composite.

The On3 industry ranking has Jackson at No. 135 in terms of national rankings and the 15th-best linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class. ESPN has Jackson as the No. 1 linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class.

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Florida getting 5-star WR committed to Oregon on official visit

After an eventful visit to Florida last for the LSU game, five-star wide receiver commit Dallas Wilson, an Oregon commit, is taking an official visit to The Swamp.

Florida hosted several high-profile recruiting targets last weekend for the LSU game, and an upset victory has the Gators trending up for five-star wide receiver [autotag]Dallas Wilson[/autotag].

The Oregon Ducks earned a commitment from Wilson in January 2023, but the Gators and Miami Hurricanes have continued pushing for him. Florida had an official visit lined up with him over the summer, but he changed that trip to Miami. Now the Gators are back in the driver’s seat with the best chance to flip Wilson, according to 247Sports.

Wilson plans to return to the Swamp this weekend for the Ole Miss game on an official visit. Another win or at least a strong performance against the ninth-ranked Rebels could lead him to a flip.

“(The LSU game) was electric,” Wilson said. “I got here a little late, so it was 7-0, Florida was up. Then they pulled out the win. It was back-to-back touchdowns, and it was just crazy out there. Oh my God. Touchdown after touchdown, fireworks going off every second. The crowd is outstandingly loud. It was the difference.”

Of course, DJ Lagway’s performance stood out the most to Wilson, particularly his connection with Elijhah Badger, who reeled in six catches for 131 yards and a touchdown. Wilson’s 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame is large enough to play that “X” receiver position, and Florida desperately needs to find a replacement for Badger.

“Coach Napier and Billy G(onzalez) were telling me about Badger,” he said. “They were like, ‘that’s what they need at the X position.’ I can come in, and be that same guy. (Napier) compared me to Julio Jones, Amari Cooper and other great receivers he’s coached across the years.”

Recruiting Summary

Wilson is a four-star recruit everywhere but 247Sports, where he was granted that fifth star. However, both the 247Sports composite and On3 industry ranking, which consider all four major recruiting services, list him as a five-star talent.

The 247Sports composite has him at No. 19 overall and No. 3 among wide receivers in the class of 2025. The On3 industry ranking is slightly more bullish on him at Nos. 19 and 2, respectively.

“Self-assertive wide receiver with the size, hands and speed to emerge as a true impact player for a College Football Playoff contender,” said 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins in an August report. “Launches out of his stance and attacks cushion with conviction before breaking off defensive backs with snappy cuts. Firm 10-inch hands and a 6-foot-3, 205-pound frame give him the advantage more times than not at the catch point and has put a few acrobatic grabs on the highlight reel over the years.”

Wilson could fill the deep, vertical threat hole left in Florida’s 2025 recruiting class after Joshua Moore flipped to Miami, but he has some run-and-catch ability, too.

There are no crystal ball predictions submitted for Wilson due to his long-standing commitment with Oregon, and Florida does not appear on the On3 recruiting prediction machine yet. Expect the situation to change significantly following the official visit.

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Florida football flips IOL previously committed to FSU

Florida’s barrage of commitment flips continued on Tuesday with the commitment of former Florida State offensive line commit Daniel Pierre Louis.

Florida’s recruiting staff continued to dominate the month of November by flipping Seminole Ridge (Loxahatchee, Florida) interior offensive lineman [autotag]Daniel Pierre Louis[/autotag] from the Florida State Seminoles on Tuesday.

Pierre Louis’ commitment to Florida comes immediately after his official visit with the Gators, during which he watched the Orange and Blue take down the LSU Tigers in an upset win on Saturday.

The Seminoles landed him on Oct. 15 — over both Florida and North Carolina State — but major changes in Tallahassee affected his recruitment.

Coaches make the difference

Florida State recently fired offensive coordinator/line coach Alex Atkins, who played a vital role in securing a pledge from Pierre Louis. With the FSU coaching staff in flux, Florida co-offensive line coach [autotag]Jonathan Decoster[/autotag] was able to step up over the weekend, according to Gators Online.

“He’s Haitian and I’m Haitian, so we connect really well,” Pierre Louis said. “We have a bond where he gives me great feedback and tells me where to improve and also shows me little tips and tricks to keep elevating my game. He shows me development of other players like me that they brought into their program. Overall, the vibes are really good. He’s been showing me what their plans for development are, like, how they go into each week and their grade-out sheets. It’s been really nice.”

Pierre Louis is also getting close with Rob Sale, the Gators’ other offensive line coach. He also has a relationship with four-star quarterback Tramell Jones, who recently flipped from Florida State to Florida.

All eyes now shift to five-star Florida State commit Solomon Thomas, who also voiced his displeasure with the firing of Atkins.

Recruiting Summary

Pierre Louis is a consensus three-star recruit, ranked the highest by On3 at No. 52 among interior offensive linemen in the class of 2025. The 247Sports composite ranks Pierre Louis No. 803 nationally and No. 55 at his position, while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 949 and 77, respectively.

A flurry of flip predictions came in on Monday as Pierre Louis notified Florida State of his decision. Swamp247 insider Blake Alderman and Zach Blostein submitted crystal ball predictions within minutes of each other around 10 a.m. ET on Monday, followed by On3 vice president of recruiting and transfer portal Steve Wiltfong (10:22 a.m. ET) and Gators Online insider Keith Niebuhr (10:38 a.m. ET).

Gators Online recruiting analyst Corey Bender (1:26 p.m.) and On3 Warchant senior recruiting analyst Michael Langston (1:53 p.m.) also submitted predictions in the afternoon.

Florida is ranked No. 24 in the On3 industry team recruiting rankings and No. 28 in the 247Sports team rankings — up from Nos. 27 and 31, respectively.

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Florida adds former Georgia DL commit to 2025 recruiting class

Don’t count the Gators out just yet. Florida’s recruiting staff is picking up some steam with a second commitment in as many days.

For the second time in as many days, the Florida Gators earned a commitment from a class of 2025 recruit. Brentwood Academy (Tennessee) defensive lineman [autotag]Stephon Shivers[/autotag] pledged his services to the Orange and Blue on Monday, following an official visit to the Swamp over the weekend.

Shivers backed off his commitment to Georgia 10 days ago and quickly linked up with Florida to see the Gators beat the LSU Tigers on Saturday. The 6-foot, 4 1/2-inch, 385-pound lineman left Gainesville very high on Florida, and he didn’t wait long to make a decision.

“It was a great atmosphere,” Shivers said to On3. “I ain’t never see nothing like The Swamp. Their defensive line, they got after it, and took what they wanted. That’s what I want to be a part of. People that want to work, people that want to go eat and dominate every play.”

Vanderbilt was also in the mix, but a standout performance from Florida’s defensive line helped seal the deal. The unit has improved greatly under position coach Gerald Chatman, who was the main recruiter for Shivers this weekend. Florida is recruiting him as a nose tackle and 3-technique lineman.

Recruiting Summary

Shivers is a three-star recruit everywhere except ESPN, where he earned a fourth star. The 247Sports composite has him ranked No. 489 overall and No. 52 among defensive linemen in the class of 2025, while the On3 industry ranking is slightly more bullish on him at Nos. 449 and 41, respectively.

Florida quickly took over the On3 recruiting prediction machine odds a day after Shivers decommitted from Georgia. A pair of expert predictions — the first from Gators Online recruiting analyst Corey Bender on Thursday and a second from On3 vice president of recruiting and transfer portal Steve Wiltfong on Monday — made Florida the favorite to land him.

247Sports also shifted in favor of Florida in recent days, following crystal ball predictions from Swamp247 insider Blake Alderman a week ago, Vandy 247 publisher Robbie Weinstein on Sunday and national recruiting analyst Tom Loy on Monday.

Florida is ranked No. 27 in the On3 industry team recruiting rankings and No. 31 on 247Sports’ team rankings.

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Two Gators commits ranked inside ESPN Junior 300

Florida has two of the top 300 recruits from the class of 2026 under commitment, according to ESPN’s latest update to the Junior 300.

A pair of Florida Gators commits — Jesuit (Tampa) quarterback [autotag]Will Griffin[/autotag] and Armwood (Seffner) cornerback [autotag]Jaelen Waters[/autotag] — are ranked inside the ESPN Junior 300 following a recent fall update.

Griffin is the higher-ranked of the two at No. 58 nationally with a scout grade of 83 (four stars). He is also ranked sixth among pocket passers from the class of 2026, 12th in the state of Florida and 34th in the Southeast region.

“Griffin will bring many of the same traits to Florida’s scheme that Graham Mertz provided over the last two years,” ESPN Analyst Tom Luginbill wrote. “We’ve seen that the Gators’ scheme is adaptable to athleticism based on how they’ve used DJ Lagway, so Griffin doesn’t have to be a dynamic runner in this offense. Griffin is a strong-armed, deep-ball passer and Florida loves to push the ball vertically off play-action.”

Waters is ranked No. 222 in the class of 2026 with an 80 scout grade, which is good for a four-star rating. ESPN has him at No. 21 among cornerbacks, No. 38 in Florida and No. 116 in the Southeast.

Florida has held Waters’ commitment since June, but in-state rival Miami is pushing strongly for him. Waters has already attended three Hurricanes games this season and has a history of flipping — the Gators flipped him from Florida State over the summer.

“Florida, that’s still my school,” Waters recently told Gaby Urrutia of 247Sports. “I still represent that school 100 percent, but other schools are impacting my recruitment. I love Florida. I love the city. That’s my school. My parents love it.”

Florida only has one more player under commitment from the class of 2026, three-star safety Devin Jackson out of First Academy in Windermere. ESPN has not formally ranked Jackson just yet.

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