Gators getting top QB target back for official visit over summer

The Gators will get quarterback Ryan Montgomery back on campus at least two more times, including an official visit over the summer.

Florida’s top quarterback target in the 2025 cycle, Findlay’s [autotag]Ryan Montgomery[/autotag], will return to Gainesville at least twice over the next few months, according to a Swamp247 report.

An April unofficial visit will keep the relationship fresh, but a June 14 official visit should carry more weight. Montgomery sees his recruitment carrying into the summer, and every official visit is going to change the rankings he keeps in his head.

South Carolina will get him for the spring game on April 19, and Georgia will get him a week after Florida. Those are also his top three teams right now.

Florida has stayed on Montgomery since attention shifted to the 2025 cycle. There are Graham Mertz comparisons, and Montgomery has praised Florida’s work with the Wisconsin transfer. It feels like a perfect match, but playing time behind DJ Lagway could be something that needs to be addressed on one of these visits.

Recruiting summary

Montgomery is a consensus four-star recruit, ranked the highest by ESPN at No. 116 overall and No. 6 among quarterbacks in the class of 2025. The 247Sports composite puts him at No. 188 nationally and No. 14 at his position, while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 196 and 14, respectively.

The South Carolina Gamecocks are the current favorites to land a commitment from Montgomery, with 57.8% odds on the On3 recruiting prediction machine. Florida (17.1%), Michigan (5.1%) and Georgia (3.3%) round out the list.

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Top-100 EDGE got first look at Florida football on Tuesday

Th Gators got this former Alabama commit on campus Tuesday and the experience opened the 2025 recruit’s eyes to what Florida has to offer.

Florida’s coaching and recruiting staff jumped on Enterprise (Alabama) edge rusher [autotag]Zion Grady[/autotag] following a decommitment from Alabama in January, but the blue-chip recruit couldn’t get to Gainesville until Tuesday thanks to the NCAA calendar.

Grady’s first look at the Gators went well, according to Swamp247’s Blake Alderman. He got a chance to see the stadium and meet with position coach Mike Peterson in person.

Florida’s goal during this trip was to get Grady back for an official visit, but it will be tricky with so many teams pushing for the same opportunity. Grady has been letting teams pitch themselves to him since opening his recruitment back up and doesn’t have a commitment date set.

“I really like them,” he said. “I should be setting up the OV with them. So I can see how it goes. Just so we can build the relationship more with the coaches.”

Recruiting summary

Grady is a consensus four-star recruit ranked inside the top 60  everywhere besides the On300. The 247Sports composite puts him at No. 49 overall and No. 4 among edge rushers in the class of 2025, and the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 64 and 8, respectively.

The On3 recruiting prediction machine favors Alabama heavily, giving the Crimson Tide 91.5% odds to land Grady; however, most of that data is powered by predictions sent before his initial commitment.

Auburn and Alabama are considered home-state favorites, and Georgia, Florida State, Miami and Tennessee are all in the mix, too.

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Florida impresses 4-star IMG Academy WR during spring practice

Florida is working on getting IMG Academy four-star receiver Donovan Olugbodes back on campus for an OV after a successful weekend visit.

After plans fell through to visit the Swamp on Thursday, IMG Academy wide receiver [autotag]Donovan Olugbode[/autotag] made time to stop by the University of Florida on Saturday.

Olugbode left town far more intrigued with the Orange and Blue than he expected, according to Swamp247. Getting a look at a new offense in person and seeing DJ Lagway work will have that effect. He’s also close with receiver Jerrae Hawkins from their time together at IMG.

“We talked a lot about how much he likes it,” Olugbode said of his conversations with Hawkins. “Just talking about the things they have. He talks a lot about Lagway. He talks about how easy the offense is to learn. He said you can play fast out there.”

A smooth and efficient practice on Saturday backed up Hawkins’ claims. Olugbode made note of wide receivers coach Billy Gonzalez’s knowledge and passion for the game.

Official visit in the works?

The next step for Olugbode and Florida would be to organize an official visit, but a buy summer travel schedule has those plans up in the air.

“I have all my dates put out for June official visits,” he said. “I was going to try and work some things out so I can get Florida for an official visit. Nothing set, but I am thinking about getting there possibly.”

There’s a lot of hedging going on in that statement, so Olugbode is far from a lock to get back on campus. This trip did a lot for Florida, though, so maybe he’ll make room.

Recruiting summary

Olugbode is No. 145 overall and No. 18 among wide receivers in the class of 2025, according to the 247Sports composite, and the On3 industry ranking has him at No. 135 nationally and No. 17 at his position.

On3s Recruiting Prediction Machine favors Florida with a 37.2% chance to land a commitment from Olugbode, but USC is close behind with 32.6% odds. Illinois (9.9%) is the only other program with more than a 1% chance, according to the RPM.

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Gators impress recently offered South Florida defensive lineman

A defensive line recruit out of South Florida stopped by Florida on Friday for a visit, and he left town high on the Gators.

Miami Central defensive lineman [autotag]Floyd Boucard[/autotag] was in Gainesville on Friday as part of a bus tour for prospects, according to Swamp247.

It was Boucard’s first trip to Florida, and he left the Swamp much higher on the Gators than he expected.

“Going to Florida, it was amazing,” Boucard said. “I didn’t think I was going to like the campus like that, but as soon as I stepped on campus I feel in love with it.”

Boucard added that he hopes to return to Florida for another spring visit and an official visit. He only spent around 24 hours in Gainesville and wants to see more of what the university has to offer.

Friday also presented Boucard an opportunity to meet the Florida coach in charge of his recruitment, defensive line coach Gerald Chatman. The Gators offered Boucard just  few weeks back, so this was a major step in the growing relationship between the two parties.

Boucard also visited Florida State during the bus tour, and he’s local to Miami. The Hurricanes have already hosted him three times this spring making them the early favorite. Florida made a strong impression, though, and is climbing the ranks.

Both Rivals.com and On3 have Boucard listed as a three-star recruit, while 247Sports and ESPN have yet to evaluate him. The On3 industry ranking, which considers all four major recruiting services, puts him at No. 663 overall and No. 57 among defensive linemen in the class of 2025.

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Four-star IMG Academy recruit gets live look at new Florida LB coach

Four-star IMG Academy linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng visited UF recently and got a live look at the Gators’ new linebackers coach.

Like any serious recruit, IMG Academy linebacker [autotag]Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng[/autotag] wants to know more about the coaches in place to develop him at the universities he’s still considering.

At the University of Florida, that would be Ron Roberts, who the football program hired as an executive head coach, co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach over the offseason. Owusu-Boateng visited the Swamp for one of Roberts’ first weekend of spring practices.

The experience was an eye-opening one for the linebacker, according to Swamp247.

“I was seeing the way Coach Roberts does things with his linebackers,” Owusu-Boateng said to Swamp247. “Not only that, but seeing the way he interacts and the way they interact with him as well. It tells me a lot just about his coaching or about his leadership, and how he sees his linebackers being fit for the scheme he has for them.”

Owusu-Boateng got a chance to see where he’d fit in Florida’s scheme and how those practices would run. Should he sign with UF, Owusu-Boatgeng is likely to spend time at both the MIKE and WILL linebacker positions in Gainesville.

A return visit isn’t on the books just yet, but an official visit might be in the works. Right now, he has summer dates locked in with Georgia, Stanford and South Carolina. An official visit to Florida might have to wait until the season begins.

Owusu-Boateng is a consensus four-star recruit ranked the highest by Rivals.com at No. 24 overall in the class of 2025. The On3 industry ranking, which considers all four major services, puts him at No. 59 nationally and No. 5 among linebackers in the class.

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Gators getting South Florida EDGE recruit back on campus

Florida was one of the many teams that jumped on edge rusher Richard Scott earlier this year, and now he’s scheduled a return visit.

After picking up an offer from the Florida Gators and visiting in January for a junior day, class of 2025 edge rusher [autotag]Richard Scott III[/autotag] is planning another visit to The Swamp in April, according to Swamp247.

Scott transferred from one Broward County powerhouse to another after his junior year. He left Cardinal Gibbons for national power St. Thomas Aquinas, sparking a recruiting rush that included the Florida Gators.

He’s in contact with position coach Mike Peterson and met with Billy Napier during his last visit to Gainesville in January. He is set to return on April 6 when Florida will have its second spring scrimmage.

Miami is the other team getting him on campus this spring, and the Hurricanes have somewhat of a home-field advantage being the closer program. The ‘Canes also have a good relationship with St. Thomas Aquinas.

Scott says he doesn’t have a list of top schools figured out but that Florida has done enough to earn that designation.

Scott doesn’t have a rating on any of the four major recruiting services, but that should change as more and more eyes get on him.

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Blue-chip IMG Academy IOL sets unofficial visit, eyes return for official

This IMG Academy standout would make a great addition to Florida’s 2025 recruiting class.

Things have been quiet on the college football recruiting front of late but that does not mean that Billy Napier and Co. are sleeping at the wheel. In fact, it is quite to the contrary — the Florida football staff has continued to work tirelessly behind the scenes to woo the top prep prospects to Gainesville.

Among the many the Gators are pursuing is four-star interior offensive lineman [autotag]Kaden Strayhorn[/autotag] who is originally from Novi, Michigan, but plays for the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Inittially offered a scholarship back in 2023, the 6-foot-3-inch, 285-pound trench warrior is looking to return to the Swamp once the contact period restrictions are lifted.

“I’m going to be visiting Florida (March 23), Alabama (March 26), Georgia (March 28), Ohio State and Miami this spring,” Strayhorn told Swamp247’s Blake Alderman at IMG’s Pro Day last Thursday.

The last time the 2025 recruit visited campus was for the win over the Tennessee Volunteers last fall.

The coveted blue-chipper also plans on setting his official visit schedule once his first round of trips is in the books and is eyeing a Hogtown stop. Some of the programs also mentioned were the USC Trojans, Michigan Wolverines and Texas Longhorns, plus possible returns to see Miami and Georgia.

“After I get through this round of (spring) visits, I’ll be going to start scheduling those and drop the dates in the summer,” Strayhorn told Alderman.

As for what stands out about the Florida Gators from the other schools, it is the vibe that the campus nurtures that stood out to Strayhorn the most.

“The culture that they have up there,” he noted. “When I went to the Tennessee game, the fan base was crazy. It was one of the best games I’ve been to. Also, my ex-teammate Knijeah Harris goes there, and he gives great reviews about the program. They also have programs like GatorMade.”

Strayhorn is rated at four stars and ranked No. 380 overall and No. 20 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking rates him at three stars and has him at Nos. 448 and 28, respectively.

On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Michigan State Spartans with an 84.8% lead in the race for his talents, followed by Michigan (4.0%), Alabama (2.3%) and Florida (1.9%).

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Four-star RB adds Florida visit to busy spring schedule

The University of Florida will be the first of many spring visits for Akylin Dear, one of the elite running backs in the class of 2025.

Several of the top uncommitted recruits from the class of 2025 are loading up their spring schedules with visits to Power Five programs. Quitman (Mississippi) running back [autotag]Akylin Dear[/autotag] plans to start his spring tour with a stop at the University of Florida.

Dear visited The Swamp last spring with a group of Mississippi-based prospects. After sitting on a scholarship offer for almost a year, he’ll return to Hogtown March 7-9, according to Swamp247’s Blake Alderman. Florida running backs coach Jabbar Juluke is among the most persistent recruiters after him.

Juluke landed fellow Mississippi native Kahnen Daniels in the 2024 class and has Florida in the mix with Dear. He’s also planning to visit Georgia on March 16 and Florida State on March 23. Auburn, Mississippi State and Ole Miss are on the list but don’t have dates yet. Alabama, Texas A&M, and the two in-state schools will likely host official visits over the summer. Florida is hoping to join that list.

Dear isn’t going to rush a decision. He could wait until after the start of his senior season to pick a school, but that doesn’t mean Florida can slow down its pursuit of him.

Dear is a consensus four-star recruit ranked the highest by ESPN at No. 58 overall in the country. The On3 industry ranking, which considers all four major recruiting services in the country, puts Dear at No. 149 overall and No. 10 among running backs in the class of 2025. He’s also the fourth-highest-ranked recruit out of Mississippi in his class.

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Gators set to host 4-star Auburn DL commit on spring visit

Florida is pushing to flip four-star defensive lineman Malik Autry from Auburn after a yearlong commitment. He’ll visit The Swamp next month.

We’re currently in a dead period of the NCAA recruiting calendar, but the quiet period opens back on March 4 and runs through April 14. One of the players already planning on visiting the University of Florida during that quiet period is Auburn defensive line commit [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], according to Swamp247.

The Opelika (Alabama) recruit pledged his services to the Tigers over a year ago, but he’s kept an open mind through the process. He last visited The Swamp in January for one of Florida’s junior days, and plans on returning March 29 for a multi-day visit.

An official visit will come next, but Autry is still ironing out the dates with the Gators. He also has plans to stop by the University of Central Florida and Ole Miss this spring.

Autry is a four-star recruit on the On3 industry ranking. He checks in at No. 238 overall in the class of 2025 and is No. 22 among defensive linemen.

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Four-star 2025 QB prospect leaves first Swamp visit with offer

Florida hosted four-star quarterback Keelon Russell on campus for the first time over the weekend and impressed the SMU commit.

The Florida Gators hosted SMU quarterback commit Keelon Russell on Saturday, and he left town with an offer in hand and a lot to think about, according to Swamp247’s Blake Alderman.

“I enjoyed my time,” Russell said. “… They gave me a big lift and sparked a spot to where I think this could be a place that heavily recruits me.”

Despite his commitment, it is clear that Russell is leaving the door open for any team that wants to make a strong push for him. The Gators appear to be a potential suitor with Billy Napier presenting Russell with an offer at the end of the visit.

Russell called it a “wow moment” for him and a “dream come true” before admitting that Florida jumped into his top two or three at the moment.

While he didn’t give a date, Russell expects to return to Gainesville soon. Spring camp is the next opportunity for recruits to stop by the Swamp.

Rusell has earned a fourth star everywhere besides 247Sports in the 2025 recruiting cycle. He is No. 247 overall on the On3 industry ranking, which considers all four major services.

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