Category: Football Recruiting

Coveted blue-chip 2025 QB announces decision date

This Ohio-based signal-caller has the Gators in his final three. Will he pick the Orange and Blue?

The big day is nearly here for one of the top quarterback recruits in the 2025 cycle. Four-star gunslinger [autotag]Ryan Montgomery[/autotag] out of Findlay (Ohio) set his official announcement date for Wednesday, April 17, which will be broadcast from his high school at 3 p.m. ET.

The announcement will be broadcast live on the 247Sports YouTube Channel on Wednesday afternoon.

The Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs and South Carolina Gamecocks represent the three finalists in the running for the blue-chip passer. The trio were the finalists in a field that included 27 total offers from many top programs around the nation.

Recruiting Summary

Montgomery is ranked No. 184 overall and No. 15 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite, while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 186 and 14, respectively.

Georgia is the current favorite to land a commitment from Montgomery, with 73.9% odds on the On3 recruiting prediction machine; Florida (9.8%) and South Carolina (4.7%) follow behind.

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The Athletic ranks Florida’s 2025 college football recruiting class

The Athletic’s college football staff recently assembled to give its current rankings from top to bottom of the Power Four schools.

Florida football has been grinding away at the recruiting trail after an embarrassing collapse at the end of the 2024 cycle. Bill Napier and Co. have put a tremendous amount of effort into the upcoming 2025 class and the fruits of their labors are beginning to show.

Make no mistake, there is still a long way to go in this marathon but the Gators have been piling up the blue-chip official visit invites while hosting many top prospects during the spring practice season. There is good reason to feel confident in the program’s progress even if it is still early in the process.

The Athletic’s college football staff recently assembled to give its current rankings from top to bottom of the Power Four schools. Florida landed at No. 17 — between the No. 16 Tennessee Volunteers and No. 18 Penn State Nittany Lions — the same ranking they had last season at this point.

“The Gators’ NIL collective has gotten its act together since the Jaden Rashada fiasco, and the in-state talent pool will always keep UF in a strong position to be a top-20 program,” Manny Navarro notes.

“Florida’s 2024 recruiting class reached as high as No. 3 nationally but fell into the teens amid a five-game losing skid and a rash of decommitments to end the season. Billy Napier needs a boost of positive momentum or Florida will continue to slip further behind in an expanded SEC.”

The Gators will play their annual Orange and Blue game on Saturday, April 13, with kickoff slated for 1 p.m. ET. The intrasquad scrimmage will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.

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Blue-chip 2025 WR reschedules Florida visit to Thursday

The 4-star pass-catcher was supposed to be in Gainesville a few weeks ago but instead will arrive in town on Thursday.

Billy Napier and Co. have been busy this month split between spring practices for the current players while also hosting potential future members of the Orange and Blue to get a gander at what the Gators are cooking in the Swamp.

Four-star wide receiver [autotag]Cortez Mills[/autotag] out of Homestead (Florida) in the 2025 cycle was supposed to make a trip to Gainesville on March 23, but those plans fell through. Instead, the 6-foot-1-inch, 170-pound pass-catcher will be on campus this Thursday ahead of the program’s annual Orange and Blue game, according to Swamp247.

The in-state product also plans to visit the Oklahoma Sooners on April 20 and he has already met with the Miami Hurricanes thrice this spring. He has an official visit set with the Gators for the weekend of June 7, plus the Clemson Tigers, Nebraska Cornhuskers and Miami as well.

Recruiting Summary

Mills is ranked No. 97 overall and No. 12 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 124 and 14, respectively.

The ‘Cames hold two crystal ball predictions for the Sunshine State recruit while On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine agrees with a 48.2% chance of signing him; Florida (15.6%), Nebraska (13.4%) and Clemson (8.4%) trail behind.

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Blue-chip 2026 quarterback recruit details visit with Gators this week

Billy Napier and his army of coaches continue to grind away on the college football recruiting trail in search of the best the nation has to offer from the prep ranks. Much of the focus of late has been on the 2025 class but Florida has not been …

Billy Napier and his army of coaches continue to grind away on the college football recruiting trail in search of the best the nation has to offer from the prep ranks. Much of the focus of late has been on the 2025 class but Florida has not been neglecting the following cycle either.

One of the top quarterbacks among the sophomore high school ranks is four-star passer Brady Hart from Cocoa (Florida) in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-4-180-pound signal-caller recently made a two-day visit to Gainesville and came away with a much better understanding of where he stands with the program early in his recruitment.

Hart spoke with Swamp247’s Blake Alderman after the visit and provided the following details.

“So I got in on Thursday and flew from South Bend right to the Gainesville airport at like 11:30 and went right straight to the facilities,” Hart told Swamp247. “I met with Coach (Ryan) O’Hara for a while, and just walked around and talked with him. He introduced himself to my dad, and then we got to tour the facilities.

“Talked with the nutritionist, strength and conditioning coach, and then went to quarterback meetings, team meetings, and then went to practice. I was on O’Hara and Coach (Billy) Napier’s hip the whole time at practice following them around. They would walk me through their plays and tell me the read before they called them. It was pretty sweet seeing the whole script.

“Got some time to talk with Napier after practice, and we got to really get to know him on a personal level. My dad enjoyed it a lot, and Coach Napier basically told us he wants us to be there and to be the quarterback in this class. That was surreal because it’s like a dream come true for me.”

“Friday was more on an in-depth meeting with Coach O’Hara. We talked about quarterback development and watched a lot of my film, and their film. It was sort of spliced together to show how I would fit into the system. I thought it was awesome, and a really cool experience. Seeing Coach O’Hara talk about all the different situations and plays. We run a similar system at my school that Florida does.”

“I thought it was really awesome to get to pick their brain about the game. They would challenge me too and my knowledge of the game. It was just awesome. I think it also spoke to their knowledge by seeing how guys like DJ [Lagway] and Graham [Mertz] have grown in their game from being there. It was cool to learn from them, and take little things from each of these visits to use in my game and push myself. You want to be valued, and get in-depth coaching, and they do that at Florida.”

“It was definitely a valued visit that I enjoyed a lot,” he said of the UF visit. “I am just going to keep going on these next couple of visits, and soak everything in. We are going to go back for another round of visits probably. Get like a top three, four, or five schools that we are really serious about, and then go back again. Then make the decision.”

“They definitely answered that question I had for them,” he said. “Really important to see that they are serious about me. Real cool visit. We are going to see these next several weeks. We are going to see if the effort put in. We are going to see how things build and where I stand on their board.”

Hart is ranked No. 110 overall and No. 9 at his position nationally according to the On3 industry ranking while Rivals has him rated at Nos. 49 and 4, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Notre Dame Fighting Irish an overwhelming 95.3% chance of signing him, followed by Florida (1.4%) and the Miami Hurricanes (1.2%).

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Blue-chip South Florida WR sets official visit date with Gators

The Gators are looking to snatch this highly-prized pass-catcher from the grip of the ‘Canes.

Billy Napier’s Florida football program continues its grind on the high school recruiting front as the spring season continues to unfold. While spending a good deal of time on team practices and hosting prep prospects on campus, the Gators have also been filling up their official visit schedule.

Among the many names that have signed on for a trip to the Swamp this summer is four-star wide receiver [autotag]Cortez Mills[/autotag] out of Homestead (Florida) in the 2025 cycle. The 6-foot-1-inch, 170-pound pass-catcher will be making his official visit with the Orange and Blue on June 17, according to 247Sports.

He also has visits set with the Clemson Tigers (May 31), Nebraska Cornhuskers (June 14) and Miami Hurricanes (June 21).

The coveted receiver was offered a scholarship last fall after his trip to see Florida defeat the Tennessee Volunteers at home. Mills had some visit plans fall through recently but his new OV schedule appears to be set in stone.

During his junior campaign in 2023, Mills caught 79 passes for 1,640 yards while scoring 18 touchdowns, earning him a Miami Herald All-Dade 4M-3M honor.

Recruiting summary

Mills is ranked No. 97 overall and No. 12 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 124 and 14, respectively.

The Sunshine State product has two crystal ball predictions for Miami while On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives those same ‘Canes a 48.2% chance of signing him. Florida (15.6%), Nebraska (13.4%) and Clemson (8.4%) lag behind in the race for his talents.

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Class of 2026 cornerback visits UNC Thursday

Could a Class of 2026 cornerback don Carolina Blue for his collegiate football career?

There has never been a shortage of offense on the UNC football team, especially in recent years with the likes of Sam Howell, Drake Maye, Omarion Hampton and Josh Downs.

The same can’t be said on the defensive side of the ball.

Last year, North Carolina’s defensive struggles were highlighted by consecutive losses to UVA and Georgia Tech. The Tar Heels started the season pretty solid on defense, most notably with a 9-sack performance against South Carolina, but faltered after the Miami (FL) game.

Several UNC defensive players have already transferred out, leaving the most underperforming unit even more thin, but some good news arrived on campus Thursday.

Demari Clemons, a 3-star cornerback (according to his X account) from Buffalo, NY, took an official visit and spent time at football practice on Thursday.

Clemons has already shown a penchant for tackling and finding the ball in his first two varsity seasons, recording 80 tackles and picking off four passes. These numbers would fit in well on North Carolina – last season, no defensive back had more than 64 tackles or three interceptions.

If UNC truly wants Clemons, it has some convincing to do. His 247Sports recruiting page say he holds offers from Boston College, Buffalo, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Pitt, Syracuse and West Virginia.

Based on his social media earlier, it’s fair to say Clemons is interested in becoming a Tar Heels.

Let’s hope that’s a 2-way street.

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Gators ‘will definitely be’ in top 5 for this 2026 5-star safety

There is still a lot of time remaining on this recruit’s clock but the Gators are making inroads with one of the best safeties in the prep ranks.

Florida football’s recruiting focus in recent weeks has primarily been on the 2025 cycle but Billy Napier and Co. are also working hard on the following class as well.

Five-star safety [autotag]Zelus Hicks[/autotag] out of Carrollton (Georgia) in the 2026 cycle wrapped up his second trip to the Swamp on Tuesday to get another look at what the Orange and Blue have to offer. The 6-foot-1.5-inch, 180-pound defensive back had previously visited for the Vanderbilt game in 2023 when he received his scholarship offer from the University of Florida.

“It was great getting to see and talk with the coaches again,” Hicks told Swamp247. “We had some good talks, and I got to see the facilities they have there with my family this time.”

Acclimating with a new coach

This time around, there was a coaching change for him to adjust to after secondary coach Will Harris took over for Corey Raymond during the offseason.

“I thought it really smooth talking with (Harris),” Hicks begins. “We talked about defense a little bit. He was telling me some of the ways he would want to use me if I were to go there. He saw me fitting in the same way a lot of coaches have said they want to use me. He saw that I am really versatile in the secondary. He said he really likes how I can tackle, how I cover a lot of ground, and how I am a ballhawk. He wants to use me all over the field basically.”

Hicks’ overall thoughts on Florida

“I just like the environment at Florida,” he noted. “It’s great there, and my family likes it. The coaching staff is great, and I can tell they all have good wisdom on the game. They have some coaches who have experience with the NFL, like their strength coaches and Coach Harris. That is all appealing to me.”

Hicks also offered that he thinks the Gators “will definitely be in my top five.”

Recruiting summary

Hicks is rated at five stars and ranked No. 12 overall and No. 2 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking rates him at four stars and has him at Nos. 17 and 2, respectively.

On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Auburn Tigers on top of his recruitment with an 81.8% chance of signing him, followed by the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (4.7%), Georgia Bulldogs (3.0%) and Florida (1.7%).

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Blue-chip 2025 CB recruit talks scholarship offer from Florida

This highly-coveted in-state defensive back in the 2025 cycle is feeling the love from the Orange and Blue.

Florida football’s recruiting efforts remain in high gear as Billy Napier and his army of staffers continue their efforts to rebuild a once-proud program in the Swamp.

One of Florida’s targets in the 2025 cycle is four-star cornerback [autotag]Graceson Littleton[/autotag] out of Cocoa (Florida), who is coveted by a myriad of teams around the nation for his talents. Napier and Co. have stressed the importance of recruiting hard for in-state products and the high school junior fits that bill perfectly.

The 6-foot-180-pound defensive back recently spoke with 247Sports’ Tom Loy about his recent scholarship offers, which include the Alabama Crimson Tide, Cincinnati Bearcats, Duke Blue Devils, Florida, Iowa Hawkeyes, Iowa State Cyclones, Louisville Cardinals, Oklahoma Sooners and Ole Miss Rebels, among others.

On Florida’s scholarship offer

“(They are) are obviously showing a lot of love too. I like coach Will Harris at Florida. He’s young and very in tune. I’m going to hop on a Facetime with him. He seems like he knows a lot about the game. I’ve seen a lot of videos of him on the internet. Just like Coach Mo, he’s very interactive with his players. Recruiting summary

Official visit plans

“I haven’t set up any official visits currently,” Littleton revealed. “I’m thinking of making a decision around August. With official visits, we’re getting there. We’re narrowing it down. My goal is go to Power 5. I’m still building relationships.”

Recruiting summary

Littleton is ranked No. 276 overall and No. 26 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 218 and 27, respectively.

On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Georgia Yellow Jackets at the top of the board with a 17.9% chance of signing him, followed by Alabama (15.7%), Kentucky (13.4%) and Iowa (11.2%).

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Three-star RB leaves positive reviews for Florida after recent visit

Florida football made a great impression on this Lone Star State recruit during his recent visit.

The Florida Gators are moving up the list of top choices for a highly regarded three-star running back after his latest official visit ended with smiles on everyone’s faces.

Running back [autotag]Chad Gasper[/autotag] made a road trip to Gainesville to watch the football team play a scrimmage during its spring practice on Saturday, leaving a positive review in an interview with Gators Online.

Gasper said he crossed paths with both Florida head coach Billy Napier and running backs coach Jabbar Juluke — the latter of whom has been substantial in the recruiting process for the young prospect from Fulshear, Texas — during his recent visit.

Gasper’s connection with Juluke

The 2025 recruit told Gators Online that the player-coach relationship started after Gasper was offered a scholarship back in January.

“I loved (Juluke’s) coaching style,” Gasper said. “I liked how he kept it real; he kept it short and simple. He said he’s going to keep it real with all of his running backs and teach us life lessons. He said it’s not all about football. It’s about life too and he said he’s going to shape and develop me into a better man.”

Gasper noted that he’d like to set up another official visit sometime this year after enjoying his tour of the UF campus.

“I liked it. It kind of felt like I was home a little bit,” Gasper offered.

Recruiting summary

Gasper is ranked No. 461 overall and No. 42 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 550 and 47, respectively.

On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives Florida a 34.4% chance of landing the talented running back, followed by the Ohio State Buckeyes (30.1%), Michigan Wolverines (25.8%) and Nebraska Cornhuskers (2.0%).

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Gators add Magnolia State tight end to upcoming official visit list

Florida is looking to make some inroads with this big 2025 tight end out of Mississippi with an official visit to the Swamp.

Billy Napier and Co.’s early summer schedule is quickly filling up as Florida football continues to slate some of the top prep prospects in the nation for official visits to the Swamp.

One of the latest names added to the list of visitors is three-star tight end [autotag]Micah Jones[/autotag] out of Madison (Mississippi) County in the 2025 cycle. The 6-foot-5-inch, 245-pound end has visited the Gators twice this calendar year already and is now set to return for the weekend of May 31 on an official visit, according to Swamp247.

It is the first and only OV the high school junior has set so far.

Previous visit to the Swamp

On his most recent visit to Gainesville in March, Jones shadowed current freshman running back Kahnen Daniels to give the recruit an immersive experience on campus.

“Obviously (Daniels) is a Mississippi guy that went to Florida,” Jones said last month following the visit. “We kind of got a connection. I got to really ask questions of him and see how his experience has been there. The weather, you know the place.”

There were also lessons on how to communicate with the coaching staff as well as some other tricks of the trade.

“The coaches, with how you talk to them now is what you’re going to get even becoming a player. He told me early enrolling would be a good thing for me. Trying to get acclimated with college and the schedule. He’s been a real good person to talk to these past couple of days.”

Other schools in contention

While the three-star prospect has not officially released a list of preferred schools, he has dropped hints along the way for teams like the Alabama Crimson Tide, LSU Tigers, Ole Miss Rebels and Florida. The Colorado Buffaloes might also be in the mix as well.

Recruiting summary

Jones is ranked No. 460 overall and No. 27 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 583 and 32, respectively.

The Magnolia State product has a crystal ball prediction for Ole Miss according to 247Sports while On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine also heavily favors the Rebs with a 90.3% chance of signing him. Florida and the Mississippi State Bulldogs lag well behind at 6.4% and 1.9%, respectively.

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