Tag: Jalen Wiggins

Florida football’s Grill in the Ville event visitor’s list

Here’s a look at many of the names expected to be in Gainesville on Saturday for Grill in the Ville.

Florida football’s annual summer recruiting event, Grill in the Ville, is set to kick off on Saturday with a plethora of prep prospects from the 2025 and 2025 classes set to arrive in Gainesville.

The function offers an opportunity to spend more time around the coaches and staff while also getting some personal time in a more casual setting in comparison to a typical unofficial visit.

Among the uncommitted names from the 2025 cycle expected to be in attendance are four-star linebacker [autotag]Ty Jackson[/autotag], three-star [autotag]Derry Norris[/autotag], three-star defensive lineman [autotag]Jarquez Carter[/autotag], defensive lineman [autotag]Joseph Mbatchou[/autotag], three-star wide receiver [autotag]Naeshaun Montgomer[/autotag]y. Defensive linemen [autotag]Zavion Hardy[/autotag] and [autotag]Rashod Bradley[/autotag] represent a pair of JUCO prospects who will also be present.

The Gators are also expected to host a handful of 2025 commitments, including four-star [autotag]Vernell Brown III[/autotag], four-star [autotag]Waltez Clark[/autotag], four-star [autotag]Jalen Wiggins[/autotag], four-star [autotag]Myles Johnson[/autotag], three-star [autotag]Chad Gasper[/autotag], three-star [autotag]Tae’shaun Gelsey[/autotag] and three-star [autotag]Jeramiah McCloud[/autotag].

Targets for the 2026 cycle who have submitted an RSVP are tight end [autotag]JC Anderson[/autotag], tight end [autotag]Camden Jensen[/autotag], tight end [autotag]Landen Miree[/autotag], offensive lineman Samuel Roseborough, offensive lineman [autotag]Parker Pritchett[/autotag], offensive lineman [autotag]Chancellor Barclay[/autotag], offensive lineman [autotag]Chancellor Campbell[/autotag], defensive lineman [autotag]Kendall Guervil[/autotag], defensive lineman [autotag]James Johnson[/autotag], safety [autotag]Demetres Samuel[/autotag], defensive back [autotag]J’Zavien Currence[/autotag], defensive back [autotag]Jorden Edmonds[/autotag] and athlete [autotag]Devonte Anderson[/autotag].

One of Florida’s two current commitments in the 2026 class, four-star defensive back [autotag]Jaelen Waters[/autotag], is also expected to be present.

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.

Florida sneaks into ESPN’s top 2025 classes after recent recruiting coup

Vernell Brown III’s commitment to the Florida Gators helped vault the Orange and Blue into ESPN’s top-ranked 2025 recruiting classes.

Florida football’s recruiting efforts in the 2025 cycle had been floundering a bit but a commitment from blue-chip, double-legacy wide receiver [autotag]Vernell Brown III[/autotag] has finally moved the dial for the Gators.

The pass-catcher out of Orlando (Florida) Jones chose the Gators over the Florida State Seminoles, Miami Hurricanes and Ohio State Buckeyes on Sunday afternoon. His decision to follow his family’s footsteps was welcomed with warm arms by members of the school, media and fanbase alike.

On Tuesday, ESPN staff writer Craig Haubert updated his 2025 college football recruiting class rankings to reflect recent events, moving the Orange and Blue into the top 40 at No. 38. He offered some positive notes on the work that the program has put in.

“The Gators navigated a turbulent 2024 recruiting cycle to still finish with a top-10 class,” Haubert begins. “Looking to return the program to the national title hunt, [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] is still working to add more impact talent to the roster.”

Florida on defense

“(Jalen) Wiggins was a key in-state keep, pulling him out of rival Florida State’s backyard,” Haubert continues.

“He is an aggressive DL with excellent length and good initial quickness and range. He has shown he can be tough to handle, recording 16 sacks and more than 30 TFLs as a junior.”

Florida on offense

“On offense, (running back) [autotag]Waltez Clark[/autotag] is a smooth runner with the speed to generate explosive plays when he gets in the open field,” Haubert notes.

“Brown has good hands and a nice blend of speed and quickness, and can not only be a playmaking target on offense, but also a dangerous weapon in the return game. [autotag]Josh Moore[/autotag] gives the Gators another receiver who can be a productive target but with more size at 6-foot-4.”

Recruiting Rankings Summary

The Gators have four ESPN300 recruits in the class of 2025 — all of whom are four-star prospects per the publication. The group is headlined by the top prospect on offense in Brown, who received an 84 grade; the best on defense is Wiggins, who also earned an 84 grade.

The other two are Clark, who graded at 81, along with Moore, who also graded out at 81.

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.

Gators are in top 5 for coveted 2025 defensive lineman

A 4-star defensive lineman from Tallahassee, Florida out the Gators in his top five choices.

The Florida football program made it into the top five selections for a three-star prospect from Nashville, Tennessee.

Head coach Billy Napier and the coaching staff hosted several high school juniors over the weekend as the 2025 recruiting cycle is now in full swing. Reporters from Gators Online spoke with defensive lineman [autotag]Amir Leonard-Jean Charles[/autotag] after his official visit to UF on Saturday.

The high school junior spent some time wandering the campus and even had a film room session with the coaching staff. Charles told Gators Online that he had a positive experience while taking a tour around Lake Alice.

“That was the first time I’ve ever been to Florida. It was cool,” Charles said. “The stuff they showed us was mind blowing and different. The bats, they release bats at night to eat all the bugs and that was cool. Then the pond (Lake Alice) with the gators and snakes in it, that’s hard; I’ve never seen that before.”

Although Charles didn’t directly speak with Florida head coach Billy Napier, he did get in the film room with defensive line coaches Gerald Chatman and Kali James Jr.

“The vibe was there; the vibe was for sure there,” Charles said. “What I got from those guys in the positional meeting was coach Chat is big on details and finishing. That’s what I like to see in a coach from a player perspective. And coach James, he told me what I can do better on film and things like that. It was a great time overall.”

Amir Leonard-Jean Charles is a three-star defensive lineman at Lipscomb Academy (Tennessee). The recruit is ranked No. 489 on the 247Sports composite scale and No. 63 among interior lineman.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Florida getting 4-star, in-state DL recruit back on campus

The Florida Gators are set to get one of the elite defensive lineman in the class of 2025, Jalen Wiggins, back on campus this weekend.

The recruiting contact period is about to open up once again, and the Florida Gators plan to host several of its top targets over the coming weekend.

One name that’s been added to the list recently is four-star defensive lineman Jalen Wiggins, according to Swamp247. He plays high school ball at James Rickards in Tallahassee, Florida, putting him ‘Nole country, but the Gators are making the strongest push to land him right now.

Florida offered Wiggins during the spring and he’s been back to Gainesville a few times since. His most recent trip came in November to see Florida close out the season against FSU.

Since then, Florida has hired a new defensive line coach. The new man in charge, Gerald Chatman, reviewed the tape and called Wiggins to re-offer him. This will be their first time meeting in person, so it’s a big step in the recruitment process.

“After speaking with him on the phone (Coach Chatman) seems settled in and ready to represent,” Wiggins said. “I respect the fact he re-offered me after watching my film so he knows who and what he wants as a player.”

Florida State, Georgia, LSU and Miami are among the other Power Five programs pursuing Wiggins, but he has yet to name any frontrunners.

Wiggins is a consensus four-star recruit, ranked No. 82 overall in the class of 2025 on the On3 industry ranking. He’s also ranked No. 8 among defensive linemen in the class and No. 12 among recruits out of Florida.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Gators to get 4-star EDGE recruit for visit during SEC opener

The Tennessee game is going to be a hotbed of prep prospect talent.

The fall visit list continues to grow for Billy Napier and Co. after Florida football began its 2023 campaign on a sour note. Despite the underwhelming loss out in Salt Lake City to the Utah Utes — a top-15 team, to be fair — the Gators continue to press forward on the recruiting front.

The latest top prep prospects to plan a visit to the Swamp for an in-game look at Billy Napier’s program is four-star edge rusher [autotag]Jalen Wiggins[/autotag] out of Tallahassee (Florida) James Rickards in the 2025 cycle. The 6-foot-5-inch, 235-pound lineman has spent time in Gainesville prior, including a stop for the Grill in the Ville event at the end of July.

According to Swamp247’s Blake Alderman, Wiggins will return to the Swamp on Sept. 16 when Florida hosts the Tennessee Volunteers in both teams’ Southeastern Conference opener.

Overall, the Gators appear to have the upper hand in the high school junior’s recruitment, though he has no shortage of offers. Orange and blue clearly course through the young student-athlete’s veins.

“I am really interested in Florida,” Wiggins told Alderman. “They have always been, as a young child, one of my dream schools. It keeps them there for me. I am going to keep weighing my decision and see how it goes, but that definitely keeps me interested a lot in Florida.”

Meanwhile, the coveted blue-chipper has kept in close touch with Florida’s coaches — specifically defensive line coach Sean Spencer and outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson.

“I honestly talk to Coach Spencer and Coach Mike P(eterson) a lot when I am there,” Wiggins offered. “They really split time pretty evenly when I go up there to visit them. We are around each other the same amount.

“Coach Spencer will talk to me about playing and Coach Peterson will talk about him coaching me also. They keep it split because they don’t know how I will grow. I have the speed to play the JACK and the length to play the F, but who knows who I will keep growing, so they make sure to both recruit me.”

Wiggins is ranked No. 87 overall and No. 6 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at the Nos. 79 and 8, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has Florida in front with a 58.6% chance of signing him, followed by FAMU (13.7%) and UCF (11.8%).

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Big-time 2025 4-star DL will be at Grill in the Ville on Saturday

Saturday is the big day for Florida football recruiting! This blue-chip d-liner will be on hand for the feast in the Swamp.

Florida football’s first edition of its midsummer Grill in the Ville event is finally here as the program hosts a plethora of prep prospects from a range of recruiting classes into the Swamp in an effort to build a closer relationship with Billy Napier and the Gators’ staff.

Recruits from the 2024, 2025 and 2026 classes will be in attendance, with the middle one chock full of blue-chip talent. Among the high school juniors making the trek to Gainesville on Saturday is four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Jalen Wiggins[/autotag] out of Tallahassee (Florida) Rickards.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 235-pound trench warrior last stopped in Hogtown for a 7-on-7 event back in June, which gave him some time to further acclimate himself with the coaches and campus.

“It was great coming back,” Wiggins told Swamp247. “I got another tour of everything around here, and it’s good to see how the school is, how the players are developing and everything. I got to meet most of the players today, which was a good plus.”

Wiggins is ranked No. 88 overall and No. 6 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 78 and 7, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has Florida in front with a 59.0% chance of landing him, followed by the Florida A&M Rattlers (13.8%) and Central Florida Knights (11.9%).

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1368]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

LSU offers 4-star, top-50 defensive lineman from Tallahassee, Florida

The Tallahassee, Florida, prospect ranks in the top-50 nationally in the 2025 recruiting class.

LSU’s recruiting staff has ventured into Florida State’s backyard to try to take one of the best defensive linemen in the 2025 recruiting class.

[autotag]Jalen Wiggins[/autotag] is a 6-foot-5, 245-pound, four-star defensive lineman from Tallahassee, Florida, where he plays for James Rickards High School. The Rickards Raiders finished the 2022 season 4-7 with a loss to Pine Forest in the first round of the FHSAA 3 S playoffs.

There are currently no Crystal Ball projections for Wiggins, but Florida is a 53% favorite to land him per On3.

Film Analysis: Wiggins plays at multiple positions for the Raiders on the defensive line. He is productive as an end or a defensive tackle.

FILM