Tag: Antwann Hill

The Athletic evaluates Florida’s 2025 class heading into official visits

This is a BIG month for the Orange and Blue on the college football recruiting front.

The next four weeks are big ones for Florida football as [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. roll out the red carpet for official visits to the Swamp by members of the 2025 cycle. The Gators are set to host some of the top talent in the nation in hopes of bolstering a lagging recruiting class heading into summer.

The Orange and Blue currently rank No. 45 in 247Sports’ 2025 team recruiting rankings but will have plenty of opportunities to climb up quickly if the program can impress the right players. The Athletic’s Manny Navarro recently looked at what’s cooking in Gainesville and sees a lot of potential in Florida’s possibilities.

“Billy Napier had the No. 3 recruiting class in the last cycle until his team lost five straight games to finish 5-7 and, in the process, lost several big-time commitments,” Navarro reflected on the previous class.

“The Gators did hold onto five-star quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] and two high-profile in-state prospects — five-star defensive lineman [autotag]LJ McCray[/autotag] and four-star linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] — to finish with the No. 13 class in the 2024 cycle.”

Five intriguing visitors

“Florida is the mix for some elite prospects in the Class of 2025.”

Navarro lists wide [autotag]Caleb Cunningham[/autotag] (five-star, No. 13), linebacker [autotag]Tavion Wallace[/autotag] (four-star, No. 52), quarterback [autotag]Keelon Russell[/autotag] (four-star, No. 79), offensive tackle [autotag]Micah DeBose[/autotag] (four-star, No. 82) and quarterback [autotag]Antwann Hill[/autotag] (four-star, No. 127) as Florida’s five most intriguing visitors this summer.

Official visit schedule

“Cunningham, a Mississippi native who is ranked as the No. 2 receiver in the class, has been on campus twice and will return June 7,” Navarro begins.

“He also has visits lined up to Auburn (Friday), Tennessee (June 14) and Alabama (June 21). With Lagway part of Florida’s 2024 signing class, quarterback might not seem to be a huge position of need, but the Gators are still looking to land a good one and have Russell, an SMU commitment from Texas, and Hill, a Georgia native, on the docket for visits on back-to-back weekends.”

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Pair of ‘most impactful’ uncommitted 2025 prospects favor Florida

The Gators are in the running for two of the remaining top 10 prospects in the 2025 cycle.

The 2025 recruiting cycle is steadily rising in crescendo ahead of the official visit season and the Florida Gators have been right in the mix when it comes to pursuing the top prep prospects in the land.

The Athletic’s senior writer Ari Wasserman recently put together his list of the 10 most impactful uncommitted prospects in the class, which included a pair of blue-chippers who are leaning toward the Orange and Blue.

Those two high school juniors are four-star quarterback [autotag]Antwann Hill[/autotag] out of Warner Robins (Georgia) Houston County and five-star cornerback [autotag]DJ Pickett[/autotag] out of Tampa (Florida) Zephyrhills.

Four-star QB Antwann Hill

“Quarterbacks come off the board faster than ever in modern-day recruiting. It happened again this year, with each of the top 10 quarterbacks in the country already having issued commitments before the summer,” Wasserman begins.

“Hill, the No. 11 quarterback nationally who was once committed to Colorado, is an interesting prospect with good size and a live arm. Hill has visited Florida a handful of times, and Memphis has emerged as a candidate, which is an interesting development in the recruitment of a top-100 quarterback. Texas A&M, Ole Miss and others are still very much in the mix.”

Five-star CB DJ Pickett

“Official visit season is coming, and no prospect is going to take advantage of it more than Pickett,” Wasserman notes.

“As of now, he has officials scheduled to Georgia, LSU, Oregon and Miami in the summer months. Those trips will go a long way in determining where his high-profile recruitment trends. Miami seems like an interesting team to watch here. The Hurricanes did a lot of work overhauling their roster this offseason through the portal, and now Miami fans are eager for some success on the field. If that happens, Mario Cristobal — a known closer in recruiting — will have an even better sales pitch to high-profile prospects like Pickett.

“With Nick Saban out of the picture and Alabama not as equipped to raid Florida anymore, this is a key window of opportunity for Cristobal to rebuild Miami into a power.”

Florida is currently ranked No. 39 overall in 247Sports’ 2025 team recruiting rankings.

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Blue-chip QB observed Florida spring practice this week

One of the top quarterbacks in the class of 2025, Houston County’s Antwann Hill, stopped by the Swamp this week to see Florida practice.

Houston County (Warner Robins, Georgia) quarterback [autotag]Antwann Hill[/autotag] has been on Florida’s radar for a while, and he returned to Gainesville on Thursday to check out spring practice, according to 247Sports.

The Gators offered Hill almost two years ago at the 2022 Friday Night Lights camp, so he knows the staff well. But this was a chance to reconnect and see the coaches in action with a freshman quarterback in DJ Lagway.

“Really just glad to be back down there to see how they got things rolling,” Hill said. “See how they are developing DJ as a player with him being young. Just getting to see everything again.”

Hill spent time going over film before practice. His high school playbook has some similarities to a few of Florida’s plays, so there’s reason to believe he’d pick up Billy Napier’s offense rather quickly. Hill also had a chance to explore the new electronic communication system used by college quarterbacks.

Official visits are up next for Hill. He has plans to stop by Duke and Texas A&M, but he left Florida with the weekend of May 31 circled on the calendar.

The goal is to have a decision by the end of the summer, but Hill won’t rush a commitment. Florida is near, or at, the top of his list, but things can change quickly.

Recruiting Summary

Hill is a consensus four-star recruit ranked the highest by ESPN at No. 41 nationally and third among a class of 2025 quarterbacks. The 247Sports composite puts him at No. 90 overall and No. 9 at his position, while the 247Sports composite has him at Nos. 105 and 10, respectively.

Florida is on top of the On3 recruiting prediction machine with 43.4% odds of landing a commitment from Hill. Georgia (12.8%), Alabama (8.8%) and Tennessee (5.6%) round out the top four.

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Blue-chip 2025 QB prospect digging Florida’s vibe after visit

The Gators gained some ground last weekend during their first junior day of the 2024 calendar year with this coveted quarterback.

Florida football’s first junior day event of 2024 is starting to bear fruit as prep prospects emerge from the weekend in the Swamp with positive takeaways from Billy Napier’s program.

Among those in attendance was four-star quarterback [autotag]Antwann Hill Jr[/autotag]. out of Warner Robins (Georgia) Houston County in the 2025 recruiting cycle. The 6-foot-5-inch, 215-pound passer has been on campus before but his most recent visit allowed him to reconnect and strengthen bonds.

“They are sitting pretty good right now,” he told Swamp247 of the Gators. “They were my first visit this offseason, so they did a great job showing me and my family hospitality. I feel like Florida is a place that could potentially get me as their quarterback.”

The Florida State Seminoles, Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas A&M Aggies, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Ole Miss Rebels and Auburn Tigers are among some of the other suitors he noted. Still, he sees some good things about the Gators.

“I like the tradition they got going on at Florida. These haven’t been some great past seasons for them, but as Coach Napier said, this year coming up should be the year they take their next step up.

“The last two or three years, they have been rebuilding and building. I feel like this next season, they have a special 2024 class coming in, so they can make something happen in the SEC this year.”

Hill is ranked No. 67 overall and No. 6 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 77 and 7, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the North Carolina Tar Heels ahead with a commanding 78.3% chance of signing him; Florida is fourth at 2.3%.

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Gators to get 2025 blue-chip QB on campus for junior day

A lot of programs are already coveting this top QB recruit in the 2025 class. Hopefully, a visit to the ‘Ville will help convince him to be a Gator.

The 2024 college football recruiting cycle still has some loose ends to tie up, but otherwise, the class has ostensibly taken form. With all of that all but wrapped up, Billy Napier and Co. can begin looking forward to 2025.

Among the many that Florida football has a keen eye on is four-star quarterback [autotag]Antwann Hill[/autotag] out of Robins (Georgia) Houston County. The 6-foot-5-inch, 215-pound passer will be in Gainesville for the program’s junior day event on Jan. 13, according to Swamp247.

The coveted play-caller has visited the Swamp in the past, including a stop to see the Gators upset the Tennessee Volunteers in mid-September.

“They had an electric atmosphere out there. That’s one thing about Florida fans, they’re always going to bring the energy,” Hill noted following the game.

“A performance like this means the program is just headed back in the right direction with a big win over the Vols. They came out had a great game plan and executed it at a very high level.”

While it is still fairly early in the young student-athlete’s recruitment, there has not been a shortage of suitors. Hill is also eyeing visits with the LSU Tigers as well as the Louisville Cardinals.

“He’s wide open right now,” his father Antwann Sr. said. “Anyone has a shot. We haven’t ruled anybody out.”

The elder Hill also mentioned the Colorado Buffaloes, Memphis Tigers, Auburn Tigers and Florida State Seminoles.

Hill is ranked No. 66 overall and No. 5 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 76 and 6, respectively.

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LSU could be in the mix for this 2025 quarterback after decommitment from Colorado

Antwann Hill will wait and see what his future holds in 2025.

On Nov. 26, 2025 four-star quarterback [autotag]Antwann Hill[/autotag] announced that he was decommiting from the University of Colorado.

The talented quarterback took a trip to Boulder, Colorado, on Oct. 13 before he decided to commit to Deion Sanders’s team just a week later. It is crazy sometimes how fast things can change in life. Hill’s initial plan was to re-classify to the 2024 recruiting class and to forgo his senior year at Houston County High School in Warner Robins, Georgia.

After a month had passed since his commitment, Hill decided that would not be the best choice for his future. He now plans to play next season for the Houston County Bears. The Bears finished the 2023 season 9-3 with a loss to Woodward Academy in the second round of the playoffs.

As of now, there are no Crystal Ball projections for Hill but the North Carolina Tar Heels are a 78% favorite to land him per On3. Hill mentioned recently that he wants to visit Baton Rouge.

A school he wants to get to as soon as possible is Louisville … he mentioned schools like Alabama, LSU, he was at Florida for the Tennessee game earlier this season…Texas A&M…I think he wants to let the dust settle, let the 2024 class play out and then see what schools do pursue him early next year.

Hill will wait and see what his future holds in 2025.

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Colorado loses commitments of 2 more high school recruits

Colorado and Deion Sanders lost the recruitments of two more commits on Monday: 2024 QB Danny O’Neil and 2025 RB Jamarice Wilder.

After four-star athlete Kam Mikell committed to Colorado on Thursday and the Buffaloes fought Utah tough to close out the season, it seemed like the program was picking up momentum going into winter recruiting.

Now? The loss to Utah was immediately followed by three decommitments from high school recruits, two of which came on Monday. The program must adjust and find new prospects who can play the needed roles.

On Monday morning, three-star 2024 quarterback Danny O’Neil decommitted from the Buffaloes, according to On3. Not long after, three-star 2025 running back Jamarice Wilder announced through On3 that he, too, has re-opened his recruitment.

These decommitments follow that of 4-star 2025 quarterback Antwann Hill, who re-opened his recruitment but said Colorado remains “a top priority.”

O’Neil, listed at 6-foot and 185, helped Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) reach the regional championships in his final high school season. As a senior, he completed 61.6% of his passes for 2,086 yards, 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while rushing 118 times for 722 yards.

He is ranked on the 247Sports Composite as the No. 40 quarterback in the class of 2024. If junior QB Shedeur Sanders, son of head coach Deion Sanders, decides to enter the NFL draft, 2023 QB commit Ryan Staub may have the upper hand in the quarterback competition for next season.

Wilder, listed as 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, is ranked as the No. 51 running back on the 247Sports Composite. At Venice (Fla.), he has rushed for 1,040 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior, with the team set to play in the semifinals this weekend.

Neither of those recruits was ranked particularly highly when compared to the levels of some highly touted recruits in the last couple of years, but it still stings Colorado to lose them. The Buffaloes have just nine hard commits in the class of 2024. While that is headlined by four-star players Mikell and Aaron Butler, Houston is the only Big 12 team with fewer, according to 247Sports. Three schools in the conference have 20 or more as of Nov. 27.

Walker was the only remaining player in the class of 2025 to be committed to Colorado. There is plenty of time to make up ground, but the solid start for the Buffaloes’ recruiting class has receded.

Colorado finished 4-8 with one conference win in its final season in the Pac-12. The program will join the Big 12 next season.

4-star 2025 quarterback Antwann Hill decommits from Colorado Buffaloes

Antwann Hill, a top quarterback in 2025, decommitted from Colorado and head coach Deion Sanders but said the Buffaloes remain a priority.

Antwann Hill, who is among the top quarterback prospects in the high school class of 2025, announced his decommitment from the Colorado Buffaloes football team on Sunday.

Hill initially committed to Colorado in October with plans to reclassify to 2024 and enroll early. According to ESPN, after deciding to stay in the class of 2025, Hill will re-evaluate his recruitment and visit other schools.

He told ESPN that Colorado is still “a top priority” but wants to see programs including Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Louisville, Miami, Michigan, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.

“I really just want to take the process slower and make sure I’m making the right decision for me and my family at the end of the day,” he said to the news outlet. “I’m going to get back out there on the market and make the right decision.”

Hill is ranked on the 247Sports Composite as the No. 5 quarterback in the class of 2025 and the No. 59 recruit overall. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, he broke out as a sophomore with 3,663 yards and 40 touchdowns to just three interceptions, according to ESPN. This year, he threw for 2,732 yards, 31 touchdowns and five interceptions this season.

Colorado now loses its second recruit of the 2025 class as it finishes its season with a record of 4-8. With just one win in conference play, the Buffaloes finished last in the Pac-12.

Four-star wide receiver Winston Watkins decommitted on Nov. 12, leaving only one 2025 recruit committed to Colorado.

Head coach Deion Sanders built up allure for the program ahead of this season, attracting the No. 21 overall recruiting class of 2023 with highlights like five-star CB Cormani McClain, four-star RB Dylan Edwards and four-star receivers Omarion Miller and Adam Hopkins.

The 2024 class isn’t as strong but does have high-level commits including top-100 athletes Aaron Butler and Kamron Mikell, as ranked by 247Sports.

These players will work to build up the program as it shifts from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 and recoup losses in 2025 — or convince Hill that Colorado should continue being a priority and is, in fact, the right decision.

More:

LSU commit Ju’Juan Johnson breaks Louisiana high school yards record

USA TODAY High School Sports Stars of the Week: Nate Sheppard, Mylin Lennox, Kelby Tyre, Abduall Sanders, Ju’Juan Johnson

Friday Night Notes: Alabama offers top-5 QB, Texas favored for 2 blue-chip DBs and more

Now Nick Sabana’s staff is turning their attention to the QB class of 2025.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

At the end of April, Alabama will be losing its starting quarterback, Bryce Young. The former Heisman winner is projected to be a top-five overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft and is the consensus No. 1 option among a deep class of QB prospects. Young’s exit will open up a spot at the top of the depth chart at the most important position in the game for the most-prestigious college football program in the country.

The work is of course already well underway to set up a line of successors. Alabama already has four other quarterbacks on their roster and two more coming in with their class of 2023. They also have a five-star recruit on deck in 2024 with Julian Sayin from Carlsbad (Calif.).

Now Nick Sabans’s staff is turning their attention to the QB class of 2025.

According to Roll Tide Wire, they’ve made an offer to Houston County (Ga.) four-star quarterback Antwann Hill, who is coming off an awesome Sophomore season. Hill threw for 3,663 passing yards and 40 touchdowns while completing over 70% of his passes.

It’s always tough to compete with Alabama in the recruiting game, but according to 247Sports, Hill does have offers from 22 other programs to choose from. He certainly seems to be enjoying the attention.

Going by the composite rankings, Hill (6-foot-5, 215 pounds) is ranked No. 5 among quarterbacks in his class and No. 57 overall in the nation.

Alabama offers 2025 4-Star QB Antwann Hill

2025 quarterback Antwann Hill visited Alabama for Junior Day. He landed an offer from the Crimson Tide over the weekend.

Alabama’s coaching staff extended an offer to 2025 quarterback Antwann Hill over the weekend. Hill was in Tuscaloosa for Junior Day.

Hill plays for Houston County High School in Warner Robins, Georgia. As a junior, Hill threw for 3,663 yards and 40 touchdowns. He also completed 70.5% of his passes thrown.

His talent has not gone unnoticed as a handful of SEC programs have already offered him. Hill has also taken visits to Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and Florida State.

Not to mention, he had already taken two other visits to Alabama prior to his Junior Day visit. He made trips to Tuscaloosa back in 2021 when he was just freshman.

Roll Tide Wire breaks down Antwann Hill’s recruiting profile.