Florida ‘in the mix’ for this 2026 four-star defensive back

One of the juniors in town for Florida’s Grille in the ‘Ville cookout this weekend was four-star defensive back J’Zavien Currence.

The end-of-summer Grill in the Ville cookout is an unofficial turning point on the recruiting calendar where the focus begins to shift away from the senior class (2025) and more toward the juniors (2026).

One of the juniors in Gainesville for the event was South Pointe (Rock Hill, South Carolina) defensive back [autotag]J’Zavien Currence[/autotag], who also attended last year’s cookout as a rising sophomore, according to Swamp247. Now one of the top safeties in his class, Currence is starting to take a serious look at which schools are standing out.

“Florida has put themselves in the mix with the way they have been recruiting me this summer,” Currence said to 247Sports. “I hear from Florida every other day now. I don’t question where I stand with them. I grew up a Gator fan so that plays a part in what I like about Florida. Each time I come, I get a good vibe and knowing I’m a priority recruit for them is big.”

That’s a fine endorsement for Florida from Currence, but the Gators are going to need to beat out several power-conference programs, including in-state rival FSU.

The Gators have already overcome the coaching change at his position with this recent visit. Currence got to meet with Florida’s new defensive backs coach Will Harris and assistant coach Beyah Rasool in person this weekend.

Recruiting Summary

Currence is a consensus four-star recruit, ranked the highest by ESPN at No. 85 overall in 2026. The On3 industry ranking puts him at No. 97 overall nationally and No. 10 at his position, while the 247Sports composite has him even higher at Nos. 80 and 7, respectively.

The On3 recruiting prediction machine thinks in-state South Carolina has the best odds to land Currence at 23.9%, but Florida is closing in at 18%. Georgia (7.8%) and Virginia Tech (6.5%) round out the list; however, Currence mentioned Clemson and FSU recently when asked about teams pushing the hardest.

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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.

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Ohio State football offers four-star cornerback

Ohio State offers four-star cornerback #GoBucks

Ohio State football has been hitting the recruiting trail hard this off-season and the Buckeyes have now apparently sextended an offer to J’Zavien Currence. He is currently rated as a four-star cornerback out of the state of South Carolina and widely considered a top 10 safety in the class of 2026.

Fans should be prepared to hear the Currence hype increase as the young corner stands at 6-feet, 3-inches and has already received a plethora of offers from other Big Ten heavy hitters like Oregon, UCLA, and USC. Defensive backs with his kind of length are rare and it would not be shocking to see him earn a five-star rating by the end of the year.

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