Tag: Vernell Brown III

Florida signs legacy 5-star WR Vernell Brown III on Wednesday

Third-generation Gator! Five-star receiver Vernell Brown III signed his letter of intent with Florida early Wednesday morning.

Florida’s highest-rated commit, Jones (Orlando) wide receiver [autotag]Vernell Brown III[/autotag], officially signed with the Gators at 7:40 a.m. ET Wednesday morning.

Locked in with the Orange and Blue since July, Brown figures to be the slot receiver of the future at Florida. He’s got quick-twitch ability, good hands and is a threat after the catch. Undersize at 5-foot-10.5-inches and 173 pounds, Brown won’t be a deep threat, over-the-top pass catcher for Florida, but he runs routes with a savviness not often seen at the high school level. He’s also physical for his size and can impact running plays while blocking.

Brown chose Florida over Miami and Ohio State, remaining firm in his commitment to the Gators despite being pursued by the Hurricanes well after his verbal pledge. Brown expressed some relief when Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin publicly backed head coach Billy Napier.

Brown has dominated the high school scene for the past two seasons at Jones in Orlando. He’s totaled 2,727 receiving yards (101 per game) and 21 touchdowns on 158 catches over 27 games, and the Fightin Tigers are still alive in the FHSAA 4A State Playoffs.

He’ll lead Jones against Naples in the state semifinal on Friday. A win sets up a potential state-championship matchup with top-seeded American Heritage and Florida running back commit Byron Louis.

Brown is a third-generation legacy recruit at Florida. His father, cornerback Vernell Brown Jr., played in 45 games for the Gators from 2001-05 and worked on the staff in various roles from 2018-2023, including senior director of player development and alumni relations under Billy Napier in 2023.

He is now Indianapolis Colts quarterback (and former Gator) Anthony Richardson’s manager. Brown’s grandfather (DB, 1980s) and great-uncle, Johnell Brown (1979 leading rusher), both played for Florida as well.

Recruiting Summary

A consensus four-star recruit across all four major recruiting services, Brown earns a fifth star on the 247Sports composite, finishing the cycle ranked No. 33 overall and No. 8 among receivers in the class of 2025. The On3 industry ranking, which also considers all four services, is slightly less bullish on him and keeps him at four-star status, ranked No. 45 nationally and No. 9 at his position.

“Dynamic athlete with elite short-area quickness and explosive movement patterns. Has impacted the game in all three phases at the prep level and impressed at times as a defensive back, but ceiling appears to be highest as a slot receiver that can generate chunk plays with his run-after-catch capabilities,” 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins wrote in a February report. “Eats on in-breaking routes as he creates separation by sinking his hips and then quickly driving towards soft spots in coverage.

“Likely never going to have a high success rate in true contested-catch situations given size, but plucks the football with confidence and doesn’t exactly shy away from contact. Projects as a potential game-breaker on Saturdays based on what he put on tape as a junior and the type of offensive weapon that play-callers can get creative with (screens, jet sweeps) given how he can make defenders miss both in tight quarters and the open field. Will add plenty of value as a return man.”

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Four-star QB Tramell Jones flips to Florida during official visit

Just days after decommitting from the Florida State Seminoles, four-star quarterback Tramell Jones has flipped to the University of Florida, bolstering the Gators’ 2025 recruiting class.

Three days after de-committing from Florida State, Mandarin (Jacksonville) quarterback [autotag]Tramell Jones[/autotag] has flipped to the Florida Gators.

Jones was in Gainesville over the weekend to see the Gators upset the LSU Tigers in the Swamp, and he got to spend time with true freshman quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag].

“I’d say the highlight of the weekend was of course was being in the Swamp, but also being able to spend that time with DJ (Lagway) and all the other players,” Jones said to On3’s Keith Niebuhr. “I wanted to see what the atmosphere and culture was with them, getting to see how they felt about the season, getting to see how they are outside of football.”

Jones initially said he’d take a couple of days to consider his options, but he flipped to the Orange and Blue before the weekend came to a close. He’s also considering another visit to Florida for the Ole Miss game next weekend.

Fellow Florida commit [autotag]Vernell Brown III[/autotag] played 7-on-7 with Jones over the summer, and he plays high school ball with five-star Texas receiver commit Jaime Ffrench. Jones is also close with Florida State offensive line commit Solomon Thomas, who expressed some displeasure after his position coach was let go in a recent wave of changes on the Seminoles’ coaching staff. Both Ffrench and Thomas were on campus Saturday.

Recruiting Summary

Jones is a four-star recruit by ESPN and Rivals’ measure and earns a three-star rating from 247Sports and On3; however, the 247Sports composite and On3 industry ranking both grant him four-star status.

The 247Sports composite ranks him No. 238 overall and No. 21 among quarterbacks in the class of 2025, while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 247 and 21, respectively.

“Experienced signal caller with cleaner mechanics that has improved in every key statistical category since earning the starting nod as a freshman on varsity,” wrote 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins in a February report. “More of a one-read passer at this stage that will feed his playmakers and throw them open. Gets the ball out quick with a compact, repeatable motion and tends to utilize more touch than he does velocity.”

Florida jumped up 12 places on the 247Sports composite team rankings to No. 33 following Jones’ commitment.

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Five-star prospect still ‘confident’ in commitment with Florida football

This five-star wide receiver is ‘feeling good’ with his commitment to the Gators despite their recent struggles.

Five-star wide receiver Vernell Brown III is still confident with his commitment to Florida football despite the Gators struggles this season.

247Sports has Brown as the fourth-best recruit in the state of Florida and is the Gators highest ranked prospect in the 2025 class.

The Orlando native committed to the Gators during this past summer over other in-state programs such as the Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes, as well as other elite schools such as the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Swamp247 spoke with Brown about what his thoughts are on the Gators this season and this is what he had to say.

Florida’s start to the season

“We haven’t had the best four games obviously,” Brown said. “We’re 2-2, but it’s still kind of early in the season. It was good for us to get the win a few weeks ago (against Mississippi State), so head into the bye week with a win. I’m ready to see what the middle and second half of the season has in store for us.”

The Gators tough schedule

“Just improvement and execution,” Brown said on what he wants to see the team continue to do as the season goes on. “I mean obviously I’m aware of the schedule, and the schedule is really tough. Just would like to see if we lose those games, what I would want to see is how we potentially lose those games.”

Looking forward to playing with DJ Lagway

“It’s been good to see (DJ) Lagway get in there to get that experience because any experience is great for him,” Brown said. “When I get there, he will already be deeper in the system. Things won’t be new to him, so he will already have his feet wet, so he can make plays. That will be good for me to have him directing things, and setting up other guys to make plays with him.”

Schools are still trying to snag Brown

“The rest of the Florida schools are still trying really hard,” Brown said. “LSU has reached out over the past few weeks. Ohio State, I haven’t heard from them directly, but I have heard from others that they’re still trying. Schools are definitely still trying. As of right now though, I don’t plan on visiting anyone else.”

Confidence still there with Florida commitment

“I’m feeling good,” Brown said about his commitment to the Gators. “When I committed to Florida, I knew what the situation was and what I could potentially be when I committed. I’m still confident in my commitment, and confident that it will all work out.”

On the noise surrounding Billy Napier

“Im following it,” he said. “It’s kind of hard not to follow it with me being committed, and all the noise and smoke in the system. I am more just treating it as wait and see. Waiting and seeing what happens. They just take it day by day as the season progresses. They’re more focused on football than anything to do with that.”

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Five-star Florida commit not discouraged by Miami loss

Five-star Florida wide receiver commit Vernell Brown III was in Gainesville for Saturday’s loss to Miami, but he’s still “locked in” with UF.

Florida had several recruits on campus Saturday for the season opener against Miami.

Of course, a 41-17 loss is not what the Gators hoped to do in front of these recruits, but not all of them are focusing on the negatives.

Five-star wide receiver [autotag]Vernell Brown III[/autotag], a legacy commit, told Blake Alderman of Swamp247 that he remains “confident in the University of Florida” after the loss.

“I think everyone sees that we have a lot of improving to do,” Brown said. “There was no question whether or not we needed to improve. I think ultimately, it’s just the first game, so not really too hard on it. Hopefully, look to see improvement as the season progresses.”

A loss is never good for recruiting, but winning isn’t everything when it comes to high schoolers looking to make an impact early. Joining a struggling team often means early playing time, especially for five-star recruits, and Brown honed in the positives that directly impact him.

True freshman quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] got his first taste of the college game, which means he’ll have some experience under his belt when Brown makes it to campus. He also got to see Eugene “Tre” Wilson III in action. Brown’s path to playing time might not be too different from Wilson, who led the team with seven catches on eight targets Saturday.

“It’s good to see,” he said.”At a time they needed it, they got their playmaker (Wilson) the ball. I love to see that, and hopefully, they continue to do that in the future.”

Miami on flip watch for Vernell Brown III

Brown is saying all the right things as the top-ranked player in Florida’s 2025 recruiting class, but the Gators must continue to pitch him if they want to prevent a Miami flip. The Hurricanes were finalists for Brown before his commitment, and the coaching staff is only going to push harder after Saturday’s results.

Florida wide receivers coach [autotag]Billy Gonzalez[/autotag] met briefly with Brown after the game. He didn’t shy away from the offensive deficiencies on the court, instead playing to the trust between the coaching staff and players.

Brown is still “locked in,” with the Gators for now.

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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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Florida learns commitment date for priority 2025 WR target

Florida already has a pair of top-end receivers committed from the class of 2025, but Billy Napier is trying to make it a trifecta.

Miami Central High wide receiver [autotag]Naeshaun Montgomery[/autotag] will announce his commitment on August 25, according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

Montgomery set a top-six of Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Oregon and Penn State, but he has long been considered the UF’s to lose. Only the Gators and Nittany Lions have gotten him on in town for an official visit.

He recently announced plans to return to Gainesville at the end of the month for the Grille in the ‘Ville event to close out the summer recruiting period. All signs point to the Orange and Blue here, but Gators fans know by now that nothing is certain until the kid is on campus.

Montgomery would become the third elite wideout to commit to Florida in the 2025 recruiting cycle. [autotag]Vernell Brown III[/autotag], a top-50 overall recruit in the class, recently joined West Broward four-star [autotag]Joshua Moore[/autotag] in the Gators’ class.

Recruiting Summary

Montgomery is ranked No. 182 overall and No. 18 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 247 and 34, respectively.

He holds four-star status at ESPN and Rivals but not 247Sports or On3. However, both major composite rankings grant him four-star status.

Florida holds both crystal ball predictions from 247Sports following a flip from National Recruiting Analyst Tom Loy, who previously favored the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The Gators have an overwhelming lead in On3’s recruiting prediction machine, which gives them an 87.3% chance, followed by the LSU Tigers (3.5%), Penn State (2.5%) and the Miami Hurricanes (1.7%).

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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.

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Florida made a huge jump in the recruiting rankings after Vernell Brown III committed

Vernell Brown III helps Florida make a huge jump in the recruiting rankings.

With the weekend commitment of Verbell Brown III, Florida made a pretty seismic jump in the recruiting rankings.

The jump in the On3 Industry Rankings underscores how big of a get Brown is for Florida, but also how underwhelming the Gators have recruited so far this year.

Brown is a 5-foot-11 wide receiver from Jones High School (Orlando, Florida). He picked Florida from a final four that also included Florida State, Miami and Ohio State

Florida moved up 19 spots in the On3 Industry Rankings following the Sunday commitment of Brown.

A four-star wide receiver, Brown is a top-40 recruit in the nation according to On3 as well as Rivals and 247Sports. He is the seventh-ranked wide receiver in the class of 2025 according to ESPN.

The Gators, who had the second-worst recruiting class in the SEC heading into the weekend, are now ranked No. 13 in the conference. Brown is the highest-ranked recruit in Florida’s class and is one of five recruits ranked as a four-star.

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Elite WR Vernell Brown III commits to Florida Gators

Florida landed a commitment from one of the top receivers in the class 2025, Vernell Brown III, on Sunday.

One of the top pass catchers in the 2025 recruiting cycle, [autotag]Vernell Brown III[/autotag], has committed to the University of Florida over fellow finalists Florida State, Miami and Ohio State on Sunday.

Although he’s a legacy recruit, academics and a strong development program at his position made Florida the pick for Brown.

“(Florida) just showed me what they had to offer outside of all of the whole recruiting facade,” Brown said in an interview with Swamp247.

“All four of the schools I had, they were good schools. Ultimately it came down to where I wanted to go, and that’s how I decided. That legacy approach, they used it a little more towards the end, but they never really used it through the process because they knew the who legacy piece does not fascinate me at all.”

At 5-foot-10.5-inches, Brown is your [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag], [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag] type receiver compared to a larger, more over-the-top style pass catcher. It’s a position that [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has seen consistent success in developing at Florida.

Of course, Napier enters Year 3 in Gainesville on the hot seat. By the time Brown gets to campus, Napier will need his guys to step up or the coaching shuffle cycle begins once again. That’s not something that scares the Gators’ newest commit.

“… we’re signing good classes and building to get better,” Brown said. “They’re making me understand that if you go here, you have to be up for the challenge. You have to be part of that crew to get Florida back to where it’s traditionally been. I think their transparency, acknowledging it, and saying their plan to get it fixed has definitely helped.”

Recruiting Summary

A consensus four-star receiver who earns five-star status in some compsites, Brown is No. 25 nationally on the 247Sports composite. The On3 industry ranking puts him at No. 33 overall, but both services agree he is the sixth-best receiver in the class of 2025.

Brown is now Florida’s highest-ranked commit and solidifies a strong corps of incoming pass catchers. West Broward High receiver Joshua Moore and a pair of three-star tight ends are also under commitment.

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Ohio State football misses out on 2025 Florida wide receiver Vernell Brown III

Ohio State couldn’t reel in the top receiver. #GoBucks

It was always going to be difficult to lure Florida 2025 wide receiver, [autotag]Vernell Brown III[/autotag], out of his home state, but Ohio State football was one of the few schools that stood a chance.

Although the Buckeyes were in the 5-foot, 11-inch, 170-pound prospect’s final group, it was a long shot that he’d play for a northern team. That proved to be the case on Sunday, as the nation’s No. 25 overall player according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings chose the Florida Gators.

Ohio State did everything it could to lure him to Columbus, but the distance was too much to overcome.

Luckily, the Buckeyes are still in great shape at the position for the 2025 class with Quincy Porter, De’zie Jones and Bodpegn Miller committed.

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