Tag: visit date

Blue-chip 2026 OT plans visit for Florida football’s season opener

Four-star offensive lineman Johnnie Jones will make his fourth trip to Gainesville for Florida’s season-opener against Miami.

The opening kickoff for Florida football’s 2024 campaign is a little more than half a month away and the list of recruiting visitors for the Gators’ first salvo of the season continues to grow.

Last week, four-star offensive tackle Johnnie Jones out of Tampa (Florida) Berkeley Prep confirmed with Gators Online’s Corey Bender that he plans to attend the game against the Miami Hurricanes in the Swamp. It will be his first time in Gainesville since the spring when he was offered a scholarship by the Orange and Blue, and fourth time overall.

While the 6-foot-6-inch, 260-pound lineman does not currently have a top schools list, Jones did offer that Florida is “one of the schools I like based off the skill and development of players” and that “the work ethic and knowledge from the O-line coaches is now rubbing off on the players.”

Jones’s relationship with Florida’s coaches

Speaking of the offensive line coaches, the blue-chip prospect has already forged a strong relationship with the Gators’ corps early in his recruitment.

“I’ll say the relationship with all the coaches is smooth and strong,” Jones noted. “I’m able to talk to them about anything. ”

And there is a lot of consistency in his connections with the staff, with two assistants leading the way.

“It’s coach Dre and (quality control – offensive line) coach Kaleb (Johnson); I talk to coach Kaleb pretty much on a day-to-day basis about how my day is going and how the workout is going.”

Co-offensive line coach John Decoster is also working hard to ensure the Gators stay on top of his coveted talents.

“The person I text most is probably Chirp (Decoster). We talk about what other schools are contacting and things I’m doing at my school. I can talk about anything I need to.”

Recruiting summary

Jones is ranked No. 189 overall and No. 14 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 175 and 16, respectively.

On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Gators a 34.4% chance of landing Jones, followed closely by the Georgia Bulldogs (31.1%); the South Florida Bulls (2.3%) and Central Florida Knights (2.0%) trail well behind.

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Gators set July visit for blue-chip 2025 LB after ‘dead period’ ends

The 6-foot, 200-pound defender has made a few visits to Gainesville during his recruitment and has set a date for another stop in the Swamp.

Things have quieted down on the 2025 college football recruiting front since the end of the official visit season and the start of the “dead period” following. However, Billy Napier are forever burning the midnight oil and have been working on a followup visit for a blue-chip prospect who made an OV back in June.

Four-star linebacker Ty Jackson out of Loxahatchee (Florida) Seminole Ridge in the 2025 cycle spent a weekend in Gainesville in the middle of last month and came away impressed with what the Orange and Blue have to offer him. The 6-foot, 200-pound defender has made a few visits to Gainesville during his recruitment and has set a date for another stop in the Swamp.

According to Jackson’s father Semaj, the rising senior will be in attendance for Florida’s Grill in the Ville event at the end of July. The family has only decided on a date with the Gators so far — a good sign for Napier and Co. as they court the coveted young linebacker.

“He had the opportunity to get around Napier,” Ty’s father offered. “Having breakfast, lunch, and dinner around him, (Austin) Armstrong, and (Ron) Roberts. Even a lot of the other coaches and staff also. Larry Williams to Brandon Spikes.

“They all will meet with you at the meals, someone new may introduce themselves and small talk. Ty had his brothers accompany him, so for the most part it was all positive. No negative feedback. Just getting to know the guys. I know Larry Williams because he’s from Miami and went to the same high school.”

“I’m a little older than him, but Larry knows a lot of the same people as me, and we know each other. He’s the reason why we started to get there with Florida. A lot of these visits, you may not get the one-on-one time that you get on an OV. Sometimes even on an OV you get more time with some head coaches than others.

“I can say on this one I was able to spend a lot of time with Napier one on one, and Armstrong. He practically calls every day. Roberts a lot too. More than a lot of schools. That one-on-one time was definitely in abundance as far as I’m concerned on this visit to Florida.”

“He will know when he knows, but he’s doing his research and his due diligence,” the senior Jackson said. “He’s looking at all ends, but I think it will be a later decision. He wants to look at the schools he has on his list, and see how they play this year. How they look, how they compete, and the players at his position.”

Jackson spent time with the Penn State Nittany Lions on the opening weekend of June, followed by the Georgia Bulldogs, Florida and the Alabama Crimson Tide. He is also considering visits this fall, including the Florida State Seminoles, who will get an official visit in November when they host the Gators.

Jackson is ranked No. 108 overall and No. 14 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 82 and 7, respectively.

On3’s recruiting prediction machine has Alabama at the top of its board with a 28.3% chance of signing the Sunshine State product, followed by Georgia (20.7%), Florida (14.3%) and Penn State (11.9%).

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Elite 2026 safety sets return trip to Florida, names Gators a top school

This 2026 standout will be stopping in Gainesville the first week of April.

Florida football’s recruiting efforts are back in high gear now that the contact period has re-opened, and while the sights have been generally set on the 2025 cycle, Billy Napier and Co. are also looking ahead to the following class as well.

One of the young student-athletes the Gators have their eyes on is four-star safety [autotag]Kaiden Hall[/autotag] out of Milton (Florida) in the 2026 cycle. The 6-foot-3-inch, 175-pound defensive back revealed his plans for a return visit to see the Orange and Blue last week to Gators Online.

“I’m planning on getting back (to Florida) on April 6,” he said last Monday, ostensibly to get a gander at the program’s spring practice. Hall had last visited campus back in January.

“This visit was probably more of an inside look,” Hall said following that stop. “I got more details on how it’s run and all that. I was really impressed with it; it was a pretty good visit. I got to connect with the coaches a lot and learn a lot about the academics.”

The sophomore standout also noted that the Gators were among his top two schools under consideration.

“Probably Florida and Mississippi State are at the top right now.”

Hall is ranked No. 43 overall and No. 4 at his position nationally according to the On3 industry ranking while Rivals has him at Nos. 249 and 21, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Gators a 60.3% chance of landing him, followed by the Auburn Tigers (18.7%), Florida State Seminoles (16.1%) and Mississippi State Bulldogs (1.2%).

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Four-star Peach State IOL sets Florida visit date in late March

The massive 6-foot-7-inch, 345-pound lineman plans to see what the Orange and Blue have to offer on Saturday, March 30.

The opening of the college football contact period means that the Florida Gators will be rolling the red carpet back out for some of the top prospects from around the nation. While names have already popped up for the opening weekend, the remainder of the month’s schedule is also filling out as well.

Four-star interior offensive lineman [autotag]Juan Gaston[/autotag] out of Atlanta (Georgia) Westlake recently revealed his spring visit plans to 247Sports — an itinerary that includes a stop in Gainesville. The massive 6-foot-7-inch, 345-pound lineman plans to see what the Orange and Blue have to offer on Saturday, March 30.

The Peach State product also plans on visiting the Auburn Tigers on March 16 and the Florida State Seminoles on March 23 for his spring swing. Gaston also has four official visits already set, which starts with a late May visit with the Georgia Bulldogs followed by a stop with the South Carolina Gamecocks for the weekend of June 7.

He will also venture out to the Lone Star State for a visit with the Texas Longhorns and then swing up to see the Oregon Ducks for the weekend of June 21. That leaves one spot left, which Florida is contending against the Tennessee Volunteers and USC Trojans for.

Gaston is ranked No. 124 overall and No. 12 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 144 and 9, respectively.

UGA has one crystal ball prediction from 247Sports while On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the ‘Dawgs a 51.1% chance of landing him; South Carolina (20.1%), Oregon (13.0%) and Tennessee (3.9%) trail behind.

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Four-star South Florida safety schedules multiple visits to Florida

Florida has multiple visits lined up with four-star safety Bryce Fitzgerald over the next few months. FSU and Miami are also in the mix.

It’s going to be a busy few months for Christopher Columbus High School (Miami) safety [autotag]Bryce Fitzgerald[/autotag].

He has at least six visits lined up over the next four months and is working on adding more, according to 247Sports. The good news for Gators fans is that two of those trips will be to the University of Florida, including an official visit the weekend of June 14.

Fitzgerald will also be in town on March 23 as part of his statewide spring practice tour. Florida State gets him nine days before Florida, and Miami gets him a week after.

Although it does look like an in-state battle for the South Florida native, Michigan and USC are in the mix, and Fitzgerald is still holding out for an offer from Ohio State.

Florida defensive backs coach Will Harris offered Fitzgerald on a school visit in January. The two have been building a relationship since and met during an unofficial visit in February.

“I really loved hearing  (Harris) tell me how I check off all the boxes,” Fitzgerald said. “He said a few times that I remind him of Jason Marshall. He said he thinks I am a really versatile DB. He said he sees me being someone who can play some corner or safety. Said he likes that a lot about me that I can play around the secondary.”

Fitzgerald is a four-star talent, according to the On3 industry ranking. He’s ranked No. 213 overall and No. 19 among safeties in the class of 2025. He’s also ranked No. 33 in the state of Florida.

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Top 2025 receiver sets multiple visit dates with Florida football

The Florida Gators are expecting another 4-star wide receiver to visit campus this Spring.

Despite initial plans falling through, the Florida football program and a coveted four-star from Homestead, the Gators have coordinated to find a new date for an official visit.

Wide receiver [autotag]Cortez Mills[/autotag] has already been offered a scholarship after his successful Gainesville trip last Fall when the Gators pulled off its upset over the Tennessee Volunteers.

Mills will visit Gainesville on March 23, as well as a trip for the weekend of June 7.

Since then, Mills has reportedly been in constant contact with the UF coaching staff, according to Swamp247.

“Since they offered me, they have been communicating with me every day,” Mills said.

“That plays a big part in them. When they didn’t offer me earlier, we really didn’t have much contact. Now that they have, they are really recruiting me hard, and letting me know I am a top priority to them. I feel like I can vibe with them on and off the field, and they seem like great people.”

Mills is ranked as the No. 202 overall prospect according to the 247Sports scale and is rated No. 18 among other wide receivers in the 2025 recruiting cycle. The Miami Hurricanes have also been on the recruiting trail for Mills.

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Coveted four-star wide receiver will visit UF for Orange and Blue game

A four-star wideout is planning to an official visit during the Florida Gators Spring football game.

Florida football is well into its recruiting campaign for the class of 2025 and the guest list for the spring game already has its first name.

Five-star wide receiver [autotag]Caleb Cunningham[/autotag] has already paid a few visits to the Swamp, including the most recent trip during the program’s junior day at the beginning of February. After the consecutive positive experiences, Cunningham wants to return for the annual Orange and Blue game on April 13.

The Ackerman, Mississippi, native told reporters at 247Sports that he’s been in contact with head coach Billy Napier and all the conversations ended in a positive light, with the third-year head coach having nothing but good things to say.

“He really loves me a lot,” Cunningham recalled. “He told me he really loves my film. He said he knows I am a great guy. He said he already knows I am an elite player. He said the person I am before football is the favorite thing about me. He knows I am a great person, and knows I can play. It was good having the head man there to talk with me. He wants me there bad. He said he doesn’t care how far away it is. He said he thinks I got a chance to be committed there.”

Wide receiver Caleb Cunningham is a 4-star wideout according to the 247Sports scale. He currently ranks as the No. 24 overall recruit and is No. 3 among fellow wide receivers, making him a high priority on the Gators’ list.

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Blue-chip Golden State linebacker recruit sets Florida visit date

The Gators will get this coveted Left Coast defender on campus next weekend.

The recruiting grind continues for Billy Napier and the Florida football program as they work to convince the top prep prospects in the nation to come join the Gators in Gainesville.

The team has undergone some staff changes since the end of the regular season but Napier and Co. have remained on the ball throughout the process. The school re-offered a scholarship to four-star linebacker [autotag]Nasir Wyatt[/autotag] out of Santa Ana (California) Mater Dei following the shakeup and the blue-chip recruit set his visit date with the Orange and Blue this week.

The Golden State product is set to arrive in town on Friday, Feb. 2, and will remain for the program’s junior day on Saturday. He offered the following on the path of his with the Gators’ recruitment so far.

“I haven’t really been in touch with Florida since Jamar Chaney was there,” Wyatt told Gators Online. “He had left and went to Western Kentucky, so I’ve been building a relationship with (linebackers coach Ron) Roberts. We’ve been chopping it up for quite some time and he came to Mater Dei and saw how I played. He offered me at the beginning of my sophomore year, so I’ve been building a relationship with coach Roberts.”

Wyatt is ranked No. 27 overall and No. 2 at the edge rusher position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at No. 43 overall and 4 nationally at linebacker. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine favors the USC Trojans, giving them a 51.6% chance of landing him, followed by the Oregon Ducks (13.4%), UCLA Bruins (6.0%) and California Golden Bears (5.0%).

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Gators to get 2025 blue-chip QB on campus for junior day

A lot of programs are already coveting this top QB recruit in the 2025 class. Hopefully, a visit to the ‘Ville will help convince him to be a Gator.

The 2024 college football recruiting cycle still has some loose ends to tie up, but otherwise, the class has ostensibly taken form. With all of that all but wrapped up, Billy Napier and Co. can begin looking forward to 2025.

Among the many that Florida football has a keen eye on is four-star quarterback [autotag]Antwann Hill[/autotag] out of Robins (Georgia) Houston County. The 6-foot-5-inch, 215-pound passer will be in Gainesville for the program’s junior day event on Jan. 13, according to Swamp247.

The coveted play-caller has visited the Swamp in the past, including a stop to see the Gators upset the Tennessee Volunteers in mid-September.

“They had an electric atmosphere out there. That’s one thing about Florida fans, they’re always going to bring the energy,” Hill noted following the game.

“A performance like this means the program is just headed back in the right direction with a big win over the Vols. They came out had a great game plan and executed it at a very high level.”

While it is still fairly early in the young student-athlete’s recruitment, there has not been a shortage of suitors. Hill is also eyeing visits with the LSU Tigers as well as the Louisville Cardinals.

“He’s wide open right now,” his father Antwann Sr. said. “Anyone has a shot. We haven’t ruled anybody out.”

The elder Hill also mentioned the Colorado Buffaloes, Memphis Tigers, Auburn Tigers and Florida State Seminoles.

Hill is ranked No. 66 overall and No. 5 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 76 and 6, respectively.

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Gators to get coveted JUCO DE for December official visit

Florida’s is looking to woo this JUCO defensive end to the Orange and Blue.

Billy Napier and Co. have built a formidable recruiting class in the 2024 cycle, but their work is nowhere near complete. Among the Gators targets as the class wraps up is a junior college player from the Lone Star State.

Three-star defensive end [autotag]Brien Taylor[/autotag] out of Blinn College (Texas) recently told Gators Online’s Keith Niebuhr that he plans to officially visit the University of Florida on Dec. 8.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 290-pound trench warrior also has an official visit with the Auburn Tigers this weekend and Georgia Bulldogs on Nov. 11. He made an official visit with the Oklahoma State Cowboys in September.

“It was like a dream come true,” Taylor said his offer from Florida. “The opportunity to play in that stadium for a team I watched growing up. Tim Tebow. Cam Newton. That’s one of the loudest stadiums.”

Niebuhr asked Taylor what he was looking for in his collegiate destination.

“Somewhere that feels like a home away from home,” the JUCO standout responded. “Somewhere I can get used to. And somewhere I feel needed and wanted at the same time. Someplace that has my best interest at hand.”

Taylor is ranked No. 15 overall and No. 6 at his position nationally according to 247SportsJUCO while the On3 JC industry ranking has him ranked at Nos. 13 and 3, respectively. On3’s recruiting prediction machine has Auburn in the lead with a 29% chance of signing him, followed by Georgia (25.4%), Florida (21.7%) and the Tennessee Volunteers (18.1%).

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