Tag: top schools

Florida included in top 12 for this 5-star class of 2026 WR

Florida was one of the later programs to offer five-star class of 2026 receiver Tristen Keys, but the Gators made the cut for his top 12 on Friday.

Hattiesburg (Mississippi) receiver [autotag]Tristen Keys[/autotag], well regarded as one of the top overall recruits in the class of 2026, narrowed his options down to 12 colleges on Friday, and the Florida Gators made the cut.

Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M and USC are the other 11 schools still in the race. The Rebels and MSU Bulldogs both have an in-state advantage, and the former has been pursuing him since his first semester of high school in 2023.

Keys has been a household name in Mississippi since he was a rising ninth grader and the Arkansas Razorbacks were first to offer him two years ago. Ole Miss and UNLV were the other early entries, followed by Florida State, Mississippi State and Tennessee in early 2024.

Although ranked on the initial class of 2026 lists, Keys didn’t crack the top 100 until he blew up over the summer of 2024. His offer count grew to over 20 and his travel schedule filled up for the fall.

Tennessee and Texas A&M appear to be the two teams out in front, with Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss also heavily in the mix. He made gameday visits to all five programs during the fall, stopping in Aggieland three times and Knoxville twice. He also went to Mississippi State, but Ole Miss feels like the in-state program with the better chances with Keys right now.

Florida joins race for Tristen Keys

Florida is a bit late to the race here, offering Keys around the turn of the new year but both parties have been in communication for a while.

“I like Florida,” Keys said to Gators Online. “They went through a little lump this year, but they got through it. It’s football and you’re going to have lumps. Overall, I love Florida and have to get down to the Swamp.”

The prospect of playing with DJ Lagway intrigues Keys, who saw the first-year Florida quarterback in action against Tennessee.

At 6-foot-2-inches and 175 pounds, Keys is a good size for an SEC receiver. His athleticism and speed are notable, but he’s likelier to go up for a ball over the top than blow by the coverage. With that said, there’s been some considerable improvement in his route running over recent years. There might not be a Jeremiah Smith or Ryan Williams in the class of 2026, but Keys has all the traits and abilities of a five-star recruit.

With the winter All-American circuit coming to a close, Keys plans to take official visits during and make a decision as early as March or April. He’s looking for a pass-first offense with a strong quarterback in his class and has mentioned name, image and likeness playing a factor to help his family. At the same time, Keys values strong relationships with coaches and feeling “at home.”

Recruiting Summary

Service Star Rating Natl. Rank Pos. Rank State Rank
247Sports Composite ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 17 2 1
On3 Industry Ranking ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 7 2 1
Top247 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 1 1
On300 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 9 2 1
ESPN ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 21 4 1
Rivals ⭐⭐⭐⭐  23 3 1

Scouting Report

“A potential game-wrecker on the outside that can attack all three levels and constantly challenge defenses,” 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins said in a January 2024 report. “Pairs elite ball skills together with dynamic route running, superior athleticism and a long-levered frame. Creates separation with his suddenness and will break off defensive backs with snappy cuts.

“Attacks the football with confidence and has a rather high success rate in contested-catch situations, usually creating an advantage with his natural bounce. Competitive with the ball in his hands and can hit the throttle to capitalize on his catch-and-run opportunities.

“Shined on the offseason circuit at multiple events the summer after sophomore year before assembling elite junior tape for a Hattiesburg squad that went undefeated during the regular season. Might not ever be classified as a true burner, but has the skill set to emerge as a playmaker and trusted option on the perimeter for a College Football Playoff contender given the combination of size, fluidity and coordination.”

2024 Stats: 1,275 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns on 58 receptions.

Height: 6-2

Weight: 185

Visit History

Keys frequents the two in-state SEC programs the most. He first visited Ole Miss in January 2023, when the Rebels became the third school to offer him, after Arkansas and UNLV. He went to Mississippi State during the spring of 2023 and then took at least three separate trips to Ole Miss from September 2023 to March 2024.

He has also visited Alabama, Louisville, LSU and Michigan. He went to Florida State’s Seminole Showcase over the summer.

2024 Gameday Schedule

Keys also made a Junior Day visit to Auburn and has another planned with Alabama.

In addition to his top 12, Keys holds offers from Arkansas, Colorado, Florida State, Jackson State, Louisville, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oregon State, Tulane, UNLV, UTSA, Western Kentucky and Wisconsin.

Crystal Ball/Predictions

Tom Loy, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, submitted a crystal ball prediction in favor of Tennessee with 6 out of 10 confidence on Oct. 16.

With no official predictions submitted, the On3 recruiting prediction machine favors in-state Ole Miss with 39.2% odds to land Keys, followed by Auburn (17.6%), Tennessee (15.1%) and three other programs tied at 6.6% for fourth place.

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Four-star, in-state cornerback includes Florida in top 10 announcement

Florida is targeting the top cornerback from the state of Florida in the class of 2026, Chauncey Kennon. Billy Napier visited him recently.

Booker High (Sarasota, Florida) cornerback [autotag]Chauncey Kennon[/autotag] included the Florida Gators in his top-10 cut Friday, according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

Florida joins Colorado, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Ole Miss, Penn State and Texas A&M in Kennon’s top 10 and is emerging as an early contender. It’s worth noting that Kennon released a top-5 list in August, which also included Florida, but he’s piled on offers since then.

Kennon has made three unofficial visits between Florida and Miami, according to On3. The Gators got him over the summer (June 20), he attended the season opener between the two and Miami hosted him later in the season (Nov. 22). He also saw the Hurricanes while visiting the South Florida Bulls.

Florida State and UCF have hosted him for a gameday, too. His sister runs track for FSU and he attended the Seminoles Elite Camp last year. Miami was the first to offer Kennon, where there’s another familial relationship with uncle Sam Shields, and he’s called it his “dream school” in the past.

Florida head coach Billy Napier visited the cornerback in Sarasota last week, according to On3. He’ll be with Georgia this weekend with no other trips scheduled yet. Official visits to Florida, FSU and Georgia are expected.

“Every school has almost the same thing to offer,” Kennon said. “It’s going to be about relationships and where I feel is the best fit for me.”

As a junior, Kennon played on both sides of the field. He finished with 10 receptions for 317 yards and six touchdowns as a receiver and had 33 tackles, 16 pass breakups, one tackle for loss and one interception on defense.

He has good size for a corner between 6-foot-2-inches and 6-foot-3-inches, and he has a strong vertical to go up on deep balls in coverage. Kennon participates in track and field for Booker, with personal bests of 11.37 seconds (0.2) in the 100-meter dash, 23.36 in the 200-meter dash, 22-feet-1.5-inches in the long jump and a 6-feett-2-inches in the high jump. Good speed and exceptional jumping for his age.

Recruiting Summary

Kennon is a consensus four-star recruit ranked the highest by 247Sports at No. 31 overall and No. 1 among cornerbacks in the class of 2026. ESPN also views Kennon as a top-50 recruit at Nos. 44 and 4, respectively, while On3 has him on the other side of that threshold at Nos. 59 and 5. Rivals is the odd man out here with Kennon ranked No. 239 overall and No. 24 at his position.

The two major composite rankings, which consider all four services but use different formulas, also have Kennon listed as a four-star recruit. The 247Sports composite puts him at Nos. 72 and 9, while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 68 and 8, respectively.

Florida (31.9%) has a slight lead over Miami (27.9%) on the On3 recruiting prediction machine, and no other teams have more than 2.2% of the prediction as of Jan. 18.

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Florida among top SEC choices for 2026 OL ahead of commitment

Gabriel Osenda, a 6-foot-7 offensive tackle, counts the Gators, Tennessee and others among his top choices ahead of his commitment.

With the Navy All-American Bowl on the horizon on Jan. 11, offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda is inching closer to announcing his college commitment. Among the schools vying for his signature, the University of Florida and the Tennessee Volunteers have distinguished themselves as frontrunners.

Osenda, a towering figure at 6 feet 7 inches and 320 pounds, has expressed a strong affinity for both programs, citing the relationships he’s built with their coaching staffs as a critical factor in his impending decision.

“It’s going to come down to my relationship with the coaches, how they’ve been communicating with me and how they have been recruiting me,” Osenda told Chad Simmons of On3 Sports. “It’s going to come down to who I feel like I have the best relationship with and where I have the best chance to go into the school and for it to feel like home.”

The Gators have made multiple overtures that resonate with Osenda, emphasizing their commitment to him as a priority recruit.

“They’ve (Florida) been with me from the start,” Osenda said. “Talking with coach Billy Napier and coach Jonathan Decoster, whenever I call them or text them, they make me feel like I’m a top priority for them. Florida is a great place. I played there for one year in high school. I have a lot of connections there and I have a lot of people I know there.”

Osenda continued, “It feels like a great environment and has a lot of great opportunities, even outside of football. When I was up there talking with Coach Napier and Coach Rob Sale, they made me feel known. Being able to talk to the head coach easily on the visits, it gets you excited for the type of program they’re running. They’re building something special up there.”

As decision day approaches, Osenda remains contemplative about where he will best be able to flourish both on the field and as a student. With Florida and Tennessee leading the charge, the race to secure his commitment continues to be closely contested by other notable programs, including Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss.

Recruiting Summary

Osenda is a consensus three-star recruit out of Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. According to 247Sports, he is the No. 31-ranked offensive tackle, No. 11-ranked prospect in the state of Tennessee and No. 386 overall in the 2026 recruiting class.

On3 has Osenda as the No. 25 offensive tackle, No. 10-ranked prospect in Tennessee and No. 364 overall in the class. Also, according to the On3 recruiting prediction machine, Tennessee is the favorite to land Osenda (94.1%) followed by Ole Miss (2.8%) and Florida (<1%).

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Florida football out in front for coveted blue-chip 2026 receiver

The Gators are on top for four-star WR Naeem Burroughs out of Jacksonville Bolles in the 2026 cycle.

The season might be over for Florida football but the efforts on the recruiting front never slow these days.

One of the Gators’ top targets in the 2026 cycle is four-star wide receiver [autotag]Naeem Burroughs[/autotag] out of Jacksonville (Florida) Bolles, who is still whittling down his options ahead of his high school senior season. The Orange and Blue appear to be among his top targets so far.

As of the new year, the 5-foot-11-inch, 160-pound pass-catcher is down to six schools, which in addition to Florida also includes the Clemson Tigers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Texas Longhorns, Wisconsin Badgers and Florida State Seminoles. However, those names are not written in stone as of yet, but the Gators seem to have the inside edge.

“I would say Florida (is in front), because they were my first offer, and they’ve always been there consistently,” Burroughs told Swamp247. “Coach (Billy) Gonzales is a great coach, Coach (Billy) Napier has never stopped showing love. He’s continued showing love.”

The good vibes surrounding the program do not stop there.

“I feel like they have a great energy. It’s hard to be down around them. They come around and pick up the energy, so they pick you up whenever you come around them.”

As for what Burroughs is looking for in his final destination, it is all about the passing game and the coaching staff.

“Scheme of offense,” he notes. “I don’t really want to go to a run-heavy school. Energy from coaches. A lot of coaches, you can be real close with the receiver coach, but the head coach doesn’t really want you there, or show he wants you there. So that means a lot.

“Making sure the head coach is invested in not just me, but also my parents. Trying to get to know me and my family as a whole, and not just me as a football player. Coaches that want me to come there and be a better man.”

Recruiting Summary

Burroughs is ranked No. 59 overall and No. 10 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 61 and 9, respectively.

On3’s recruiting predictions have Florida out front with a 38.6% chance of signing him, followed by FSU (20.5%) and Wisconsin (17.6%).

247Sports’ Andrew Ivins also provided the following extended scouting report:

“Also runs track. Member of a 4×100 team that captured a gold medal at FHSAA 2A meet freshman season. Also qualified for regionals in the 100-meter dash after posting a personal-best 11.08 (1.1) at districts. Owns a 6-0.75 effort in the high jump, as well.”

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Four-star ATH, former Lagway teammate includes Florida in top 8

One of DJ Lagway’s former teammates, four-star athlete Jermaine Bishop Jr., has named Florida among his top eight schools.

A reunion between DJ Lagway and former high school teammate [autotag]Jermaine Bishop Jr[/autotag]. could happen in Gainesville.

Jermaine Bishop Jr., a four-star athlete out of Willis High (Texas), narrowed down his options to eight programs on Friday — Florida, Houston, Michigan, Penn State, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and USC — according to 247Sports.

Bishop plays on both sides of the ball right now for Willis and could play either defensive back or wide receiver in college. He’s recorded 112 total tackles (76 solo) and 13 interceptions on defense and 3,470 all-purpose yards and 44 total touchdowns on offense through three seasons. He’s also a threat on special teams as a kick returner.

Although Bishop isn’t revealing much about his thought process, several obvious factors are at play. Texas and Texas A&M have a home-state advantage, USC has been the team linked with him and Florida having Lagway as the clear starter for the next two years provides some familiarity.

Recruiting Summary

Bishop is a four-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals’ measure, but On3 and Rivals still have him listed as a three-star talent. Both major composite rankings grant him the fourth star.

The 247Sports composite is higher on Bishop, ranking him No. 184 overall and No. 11 among athletes in the class of 2026, while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 281 and 22, respectively.

The On3 recruiting prediction machine favors Florida to land Bishop, giving the Gators 52.3% odds to sign him. Oklahoma is second on that list with 24%, followed by Texas A&M (1.9%) and 14 teams tied at 1.4% odds.

247Sports scouting report

“Monstrously productive two-way skill standout who could play receiver or defensive back at the P4 level,” 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks wrote in a July report.

“Scored sophomore touchdowns four different ways: receiving, rushing, interception return, kick return. Elite ball skills, especially when projected to corner. Ten INTs in first two high school seasons. Adequate height with a lean, narrow, slight build, but good length and plays far above his weight from a physical perspective.

“Averaged 7.7 ppg in basketball; resulting body control, functional athleticism show in pads. More initial accelerator than top-end burner. Narrow build may create issues against bigger, stronger receivers. Early corner projection hinges on the height/length data, but awareness, ball skills, and playmaking knack could easily translate to a center field-like safety role. Not the biggest or the fastest, but one of the best pure football players in the country entering the 2024 season.

“Physical attributes, multi-sport profile, and mountains of on-field evidence suggest the potential to become a P4-caliber impact player who could develop into a pro prospect in the long run.”

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Florida basketball makes top 5 for 7-footer out of OTE Atlanta

Todd Golden is always looking to add big men to Florida’s roster, and 7-foot high school senior recently named the Gators to his top 5.

The Florida Gators are among the five finalists in the recruitment of 7-foot-1-inch center [autotag]Jackson McVey[/autotag] out of Overtime Elite in Atlanta.

He’s down to Georgia, Georgia Tech, Florida, Florida State, and Stanford, according to On3’s Joe Tipton. The Gators offered him on Sept. 21 following an official visit.

Todd Golden is developing Florida into one of the nation’s top landing spots for big men, following the success of Tyrese Samuel and Micah Handlogten during the 2023-24 season. Most recently, Golden added the world’s tallest teenager, 7-foot-9-inch Olivier Roux, as a walk-on to the Gators roster with hopes of developing him into a polished Division I product.

Overtime Elite is a basketball league for 16 to 20-year-old athletes. Players are signed to a $100,000 contract or, in the case of players such as McVey, are offered a scholarship to retain college eligibility.

OTE offers “the power of a personalized, self-directed approach to education,” according to the organization’s website. “Our athletes are empowered with the agency and opportunity to create their path to mastery of grade level content at their own pace, with the support of our content-specific, professional Learning Facilitators.”

Recruiting Summary

McVey is a three-star recruit by 247Sports and On3’s measure, but ESPN grants him four-star status.

The On3 industry ranking puts him at No. 217 nationally and No. 23 among centers in the class of 2025. He’s also the 15th-best player out of the state of Georgia.

The On3 recruiting prediction machine believes Florida State to be the front-runner to land McVey, giving the Seminoles 45.4% odds, but Florida is a close second at 39.7% and Georgia Tech (12.1%) is a distant third.

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Gators emerge as top school for 4-star 2026 linebacker

The Florida Gators have emerged as a leading candidate for four-star linebacker Izayia Williams.

Florida football has elevated itself as one of the top candidates for 2026 four-star linebacker Izayia Williams after he retracted his Syracuse commitment just a week ago.

Florida inside linebackers coach Ron Roberts went to Williams’ school back in May and made an offer to the 6-foot-1-inch, 205-pound linebacker. So it is quite evident that Billy Napier and his staff hope to land the four-star defender.

Williams comes out of Leesburg (Florida) Tavares and could potentially be staying in-state for his collegiate career.

Top schools contending for Williams

Williams has made it clear that the Gators, Florida State and Miami are the “big dogs” in terms of the schools he would play for in the state of Florida.

“Those three keep in contact with me the most,” Williams told Swamp247. “I want to play football at a big school. Not to say UCF and them aren’t big schools in the state, but those three are the big dogs in Florida. They all do a good job keeping in contact with me them most.”

Williams also ranked those top three Florida schools.

“Florida is number one, Miami number two, and then Florida State is number three.”

What Williams likes about the Gators

Williams understands that academics play an important role and mentions that it’s not a guarantee that a player will make it to the NFL.

“I really like their academics,” Williams said. “It can’t be all about football, and I understand that not everyone is going to go to the NFL. I know I need to hit the books, but the football is good there too. They have good coaching there. One of my favorite things about them is the atmosphere they have there.”

Williams’ relationship with Florida’s coaches

“Getting to see Coach (Austin) Armstrong and the rest of the guys,” Williams said about the Florida coaches. “They have been calling me and talking to me. I talk with Coach Armstrong, Coach (Ron) Roberts, and I also talk with Coach (Cannon) Gibbs a lot too.”

Williams mentioned that Roberts reminded him of his high school head coach.

“Whenever I see (Roberts), he reminds me of my high school head coach. They are both good people that will coach you hard.”

Game day visit date

“I am definitely going to that Florida vs Miami game,” Williams said about potential Gator games he wants to see in Gainesville.

Williams pointed out that he mainly wanted to see the coaches coach and do their jobs.

“I’ve pretty much seen everything there [Florida], so I just want to see the coaches out there coaching in a big game in The Swamp when it’s loud. See how the players are with them.”

Recruiting Summary

Williams told Swamp247 that he isn’t sure when exactly his decision will be made but said, “Maybe around springtime next year.”

Williams is ranked No. 126 overall and No. 11 at his position nationally, according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 150 and 13, respectively.

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Blue-chip 2026 DL has Florida among top schools after recent visit

Florida’s Grill in the Ville event last weekend really opened the eyes of this four-star defensive lineman out of North Ft. Myers.

Florida football hosted its annual Grill in the Ville recruiting event last Saturday and the results coming out of the weekend have been impressive for [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his staff. Thanks to their red-carpet efforts, the Gators have gained a lot of ground in the next two recruiting classes.

Among the many visitors was four-star defensive lineman [autotag]James Johnson[/autotag] out of North Fort Myers (Florida) in the 2026 cycle. The 6-foot-2-inch, 260-pound trench warrior has been rising in the recruiting rankings of late, as all four major scouting publications had no data on him before the cookout event in Gainesville.

Now, having visited campus several times prior and with his latest stop in the Swamp under his belt, Johnson has the Orange and Blue high on his top schools list early on in his courtship with top institutions.

Johnson on Grill in the Ville visit

“Experiencing it, we did the scavenger hunt, and I really enjoyed that. Bonding with some people there that could be my future teammates,” Johnson told Swamp247.

“I got to bond with the coaches. Speak with Coach (Gerald) Chatman and coach (Luis Mcleod). I got to spend some time with Coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] too. I just enjoyed it.”

Florida’s message to Johnson

“Their message was really just how they are trying to get me to be a Gator,” he said of the coaches. “That was really it for them. I liked getting around Coach Napier.”

As part of a series of ice-breaker events, the Gators had a handful of competitions for the visitors to participate in, which helped Johnson feel a connection with Florida’s HC.

“One of the competitions was a rap battle, and he watched us do it. We had a part in the rap that we talked about him and we thought it was funny. I talked with him while we were eating, and it was good.”

He has also nurtured a relationship with defensive line coach Gerald Chatman over time.

“Coach Chatman knows a lot about the game, and I feel like he’s one of those people who can help me get to the next level. I worked out with him in June, and the things he taught me, I think he can make me one of the top players in the SEC.”

What Johnson likes about the Gators

“I really like their facility, it’s really nice. I like all the things inside of it like the recovery room. It’s all really nice in there, with things like the cryotherapy room.”

But more than the infrastructure, Johnson is about the people who comprise the UF program.

“All that is nice, but I really like the coaches there more. I like spending time with them and talking with them. I feel like they can help me be better.”

Johnson’s top schools

“I would say my top schools right now are Florida, Miami, and Syracuse. I really like UCF too, so you can throw them in there too. With Florida, they are one of the teams that is up there.”

Speaking of Florida and Miami, Johnson plans to stop in the Swamp for the season opener and the Gators’ game against the Texas A&M Aggies later in the schedule.

“I am going to be back for the Florida game against Miami, and then I am going to be at the Florida game against Texas A&M too.”

Recruiting Summary

Johnson is rated at four stars ranked No. 196 overall and No. 22 at his position nationally according to 247Sports while the On3 industry ranking rates him at three stars and ranks him at Nos. 360 and 35, respectively.

On3’s recruiting prediction machine has Florida on top with a 39.9% chance of signing him early on, followed by the South Florida Bulls (12.4%), Miami (10.6%) and Central Florida Knights (8.9%).

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Florida rises to top for coveted 2025 DL after scholarship offer

Florida football is way ahead of the pack for this raw but gifted three-star defensive lineman originally from Cameroon.

The clock is ticking on the 2025 college football recruiting cycle and while a large portion of prep prospects in the class have already made their commitments, there are still plenty who are searching for the right match.

Among those is three-star defensive lineman [autotag]Joseph Mbatchou[/autotag], who is originally from Cameroon and plays high school ball for Loganville (Georgia) Grayson. The 6-foot-6-inch, 285-pound gridiron giant is still a bit new to the game but his raw potential is unquestioned at this point.

Mbatchou paid a visit to Gainesville last weekend for the program’s annual grill-out event and came away not only with a full belly but also an offer from Billy Napier and Co. Since then, he has put the Gators at the top of his preferred schools list.

UPDATE: Mbatchou has committed to Florida

Mbatchou talks Grill in the Vill visit

“This was my first visit to any sort of SEC type of school,” Mbatchou told Swamp247. “It exceeded my expectations for sure. I’ve never seen so much stuff around a campus at any other school I’ve been to. The people are great, the facilities are great, academics are great, housing is great. I love everything about it.”

Where Mbatchou fits with Florida

“They see me as either a three-technique or an F. That’s what they told me. So I have been talking to both Coach Mike (Peterson) and Coach (Gerald) Chatman.

“From what I saw this weekend from them, I think they are genuine people. It’s going to be easy to work, easy flow. Everything would be good. I got there on Friday evening actually, so I went up there to meet with all of them.

“I got to sit down and talk. Learn more about them as people, where their priorities lie, and what type of person and player they want to make me into. It was good getting to know them.

“If I chose to commit, I want to know I can put my full faith into who is coaching me. I believe in the same things they believe in. They’re all good people.”

Where Florida stands in his recruitment

“Florida is definitely number one right now,” he said. “The visit, the feeling, everything was right. They have good academics. The academics center they have, I saw that if I ever struggled, I can the help I need.

“The housing is also really nice too. I got to talk to some of the players when I was there too. I haven’t gotten to do that at other schools I’ve been to. I got to see what type of people the players are too.

“That is big for me. They’ve been through what I am going through now. I got to hear their stories, hear what they’ve been doing, and hear what the coaches are like to them.”

Recruiting Summary

Mbatchou is ranked No. 1,239 overall and No. 131 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite plus a crystal ball prediction in favor of Florida. On3’s recruiting prediction machine gives the Gators an overwhelming 98.7% chance of landing him.

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Five-star 2026 OL includes Florida among top 14 schools

The Gators remain in the game for probably the best offensive lineman in the 2026 cycle after Jackson Cantwell whittled down his list.

Billy Napier and Co. received some good news on Thursday when one of the top recruits in the 2026 cycle whittled down his top schools list to 14 teams, including the Florida football program.

Five-star offensive lineman [autotag]Jackson Cantwell[/autotag] out of Nixo (Missouri) is among the top overall recruits nationally and a near-consensus No. 1 at his position.

Along with the Gators, he also included the Miami Hurricanes, USC Trojans, Oregon Ducks, Texas A&M Aggies, Arkansas Razorbacks, LSU Tigers, Missouri Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Ohio State Buckeyes, Alabama Crimson Tide, Michigan Wolverines, Ole Miss Rebels and Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Recruiting Summary

Cantwell is ranked No. 3 overall and No.  at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 4 and 2, respectively.

On3’s recruiting prediction machine has Missouri on top with a 27.4% chance of signing him, followed by Oklahoma (14.6%), Nebraska (12.5%) and Georgia (10.4%).

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