Florida earned a commitment from St. Stanislaus (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) kicker [autotag]Evan Noel[/autotag] on Monday.
Noel is one of the top kickers in the 2025 recruiting class, ranked No. 1 at his position by both 247Sports and On3. He recently set the Mississippi high school state record with a 61-yarder in mid-September.
He flipped from Arkansas after a year-long commitment to the Razorbacks. Arkansas viewed Noel as an immediate solution to its special team’s woes. The Razorbacks have only hit 13 of 20 field goal attempts this season, and Noel had a strong chance to start there next season.
Instead, he’ll head to Gainesville in 2025 and begin his college career behind Trey Smack. There is a chance Noel challenges Smack for the starting job next season, but that means beating out a third-year starter in his senior year.
Smack began his Gators career as a kickoff specialist while Adam Mihalek served as the primary placekicker. Since then, Smack has made 27 of 34 field goal attempts, including three from beyond 50 yards.
Noel understands the situation he’s entering, though.
“If I went there I would have to sit behind Trey for a year, or at least be in a position battle with him my first year,” Noel said to 247Sports. “They wanted to get a kicker they liked a lot this cycle, which is me. Have me there to get developed, learn from Trey and the coaches, and then be ready to go the next year.”
First-year assistant Joe Houston is a major reason Noel decided on Florida. The two have developed a strong relationship, and Noel believes Houston will be able to develop him better than other special teams coaches.
Florida moved up to No. 45 in 247Sports’ team rankings as a result of the commitment.
Recruiting Summary
Noel is a three-star recruit by both 247Sports and On3. Kickers rarely exceed the three-star threshold; however, Kohl’s Professional Camps, which only grades special teamers, lists Noel as a five-star talent.
“Noel competed at the National Scholarship Camp in July of 2024 and had an outstanding camp. He scored 32/36 points on field goals and 107.5 points on kickoffs. Noel might have the best overall talent in the 2025 class! He is very consistent and handles pressure very well,” reads the Kohl’s breakdown of the newest Florida commit.
The 247Sports composite ranks Noel No. 2,086 overall and No. 2 at his position, while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 2,179 and 3, respectively. The low composite rankings stem from a two-star listing by Rivals.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.