Tag: Waltez Clark

Four-star RB Waltez Clark first to sign with Florida Gators

The first player to commit to Florida from the class of 2025 is the first to sign with the Gators officially. Welcome to the Swamp, Waltez Clark!

Early signing day is upon us, and the first class of 2025 to commit to Florida, Plant High (Tampa) running back [autotag]Waltez Clark[/autotag], is the first to sign with the Gators officially.

Clark inked his papers at 7:01 Wednesday morning after being committed to the Orange and Blue for nearly 15 months. He chose the Gators in September 2023 after a victory over the Tennessee Volunteers, picking Florida over Tennessee and UCF.

A versatile player in high school — he played some receiver, linebacker and helped out on special teams in addition to running the ball — Clark finishes his high school career with more than 3,000 scrimmage yards (1,737 rushing, 1,326 receiving) and 54 combined touchdowns (38 rushing, 16 receiving).

He fumbled just four times while carrying the ball 227 times and catching 77 passes over three varsity seasons. Clark ran for more than 100 yards in a game on four occasions. He has exceptional speed, qualifying for the district tournament twice with a 10.82-second time in the 100-meter dash, and can run with strength.

Clark is one of the most loyal recruits in the class, sticking with Florida through much uncertainty over the past year. He never wavered faith in Billy Napier and position coach Jabbar Juluke.

Recruiting Summary

Clark is a four-star talent everywhere, except for On3’s standalone rankings. However, the On3 industry ranking, which considers all four major services, upgrades him to four-star status.

The 247Sports composite lists him as the No. 309 overall recruit and the No. 22 running back in the class of 2025, while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 331 and 22, respectively.

With his combination of speed, strength and vision, Clark figures to be a three-down back for Florida at some point. He can impact the passing game and running game. Although Clark played a ton all over the field for Plant this year, he wasn’t overused at running back, keeping his legs fresh for college. Progression at the next level is expected.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

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.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

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.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Gators drop out of ESPN class of 2025 recruiting rankings

It’s still pretty early in the 2025 recruiting cycle, but Florida has been bumped from ESPN’s top-25 team rankings.

The Florida Gators no longer hold the top-25 status following the May update to ESPN’s class of 2025 team recruiting rankings.

In April, the Orange and Blue checked in at No. 18 overall on the list, but the reclassification of offensive tackle [autotag]Enoch Wangoy[/autotag] has UF on the outside looking in. It’s a good thing that Wangoy is on campus early, but he was one of three commitments in the 2025 class ranked inside the ESPN300.

“Offensive tackle Enoch Wangoy is very raw and still learning the game,”  ESPN’s Craig Haubert wrote in April, “but he has a big frame with good length and is a multi-sport athlete. He is not a quick fix, but he has the physical tools to develop.”

That leaves Florida with just five players under commitment in the upcoming cycle. Four-star defensive end Jalen Wiggins and four-star running back [autotag]Waltez Clark[/autotag] are the only two ESPN300 recruits remaining under commitment, which just isn’t strong enough for a spot in the top 25.

Up next

The summer quiet period when the class of 2025 recruits are allowed to take official visits begins soon, which should mean some substantial movement as players begin to pull the trigger on commitments. With that said, players still like to take the summer to mull things over, and many wait until August to make a decision.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Sooners offer 2025 4-star running back and Florida commit, Waltez Clark

Waltez Clark, a talented four-star prospect out of Tampa is the latest to receive an offer from Oklahoma.

The state of Florida has been a hotbed for elite running backs over the last 20 years. With the talent that routinely comes out of Florida, that won’t be slowing down anytime soon.

[autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag] in pursuit of running backs for Oklahoma’s [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag]. His latest find has taken him to Tampa, Florida. At Plant High School, there is a young man named Waltez Clark, a consensus four-star running back prospect who just received an offer from the Sooners.

Clark is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound dynamo with the size, speed, toughness, and lateral quickness to be an every-down back for a major college program. He had 77 carries for 476 yards and 15 touchdowns, caught 22 passes for 358 yards and four touchdowns, and recorded 23 tackles, two for loss, and one sack for his Plant High school team.

Clark committed to Florida in September. Florida is in a tricky spot as another mediocre season could see their program go into another rebuild, which could help open the door for the Sooners to flip Clark.

Waltez Clark’s Recruiting Profile

Film

HUDL

Florida football gets commitment from 4-star RB after beating Vols

Killing two birds with one stone! The Gators get commitment from this blue-chip running back after the big Week 3 win.

Florida football not only scored a big win on the field against the Tennessee Volunteers but it also hauled in a blue-chip commitment thanks to the 29-16 victory.

Four-star running back [autotag]Waltez Clark[/autotag] out of Tampa (Florida) Plant in the 2025 recruiting class gave the Gators his word after the clock expired in the Swamp on Saturday night. The experience helped put the Orange and Blue — which had been firmly favored to land the in-state ball carrier — over the top.

“It blew me away to be here. I thought it was going to be a dogfight, but it actually went really good,” Clark told Swamp247. “The running backs ran the ball well.”

The 6-foot-2-inch, 194-pound rusher recently attended the Gators’ Grill in the Ville event at the end of July and came away even more impressed than he was beforehand.

“It stuck out to me a lot because they weren’t only talking about football,” Clark added, according to Swamp247. “They were talking about how people came together as one. They are more than just coaches. They want to get to know you with more than just football. Just about your life in general.”

“The facilities, the coaches, the colors — I love the colors. My mom is a fan, too,” Clark told On3’s Keith Niebuhr. “They’re pretty high.”

The Florida State Seminoles, Miami Hurricanes, Southern California Trojans, Central Florida Knights and Toledo Rockets were among the top suitors for the high school junior’s talents. However, Florida stood out when it came to a very important aspect of recruiting: communication.

“The communication they have is pretty good. I talk to them a lot and that’s like a big thing that I want to see in all the schools,” Clark said. “Communicating back and forth and building relationships. That’s why communicating is big to me. They told me I fit right in with their offense and I’m at the top of their (board).”

Running backs coach Jabbar Juluke, who has an impressive pedigree of backfield work, is the member of staff that has stood out the most so far.

“I love Coach Juluke — that’s my man,” Clark said. “His style — the way he carries himself… all that stuff. He’s just a good man. He coached some of the top — Leonard Fournette, a couple more running backs.”

Clark is ranked No. 128 overall and No. 11 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 151 and 12, respectively.

Prior to his commitment, 247Sports had a crystal ball prediction in favor of Florida while On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gave the Gators a 44.1% chance of signing him, followed by the Penn State Nittany Lions (20.2%), South Florida Bulls (1.6%) and UCF (1.3%), as of our last update.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Blue-chip 2025 RB recruit feeling good about Florida football

One of the top running backs in the 2025 cycle is feeling really good about what he’s seen in the Swamp.

Billy Napier told the Gator Nation when he arrived in Gainesville that prep recruiting would be one of his top priorities in restoring glory to the Orange and Blue, and so far, he has been good for his word.

While Florida football has mostly wrapped up its 2024 recruiting class the program is already full speed ahead into the 2025 cycle. One member of that class who has taken a recent interest in what Napier and Co. are cooking in the Swamp is four-star running back [autotag]Waltez Clark[/autotag] out of Tampa (Florida) Plant.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 194-pound rusher recently attended the Gators’ Grill in the Ville event at the end of July and came away even more impressed than he was beforehand.

“The facilities, the coaches, the colors — I love the colors. My mom is a fan, too,” Clark told On3’s Keith Niebuhr. “They’re pretty high.”

Also among the schools he feels most bullish about are the Florida State Seminoles, Miami Hurricanes, Southern California Trojans, Central Florida Knights and Toledo Rockets. However, Florida appears to be doing what it can to separate from the pack.

“The communication they have is pretty good. I talk to them a lot and that’s like a big thing that I want to see in all the schools,” Clark said. “Communicating back and forth and building relationships. That’s why communicating is big to me. They told me I fit right in with their offense and I’m at the top of their (board).”

Running backs coach Jabbar Juluke, who has an impressive pedigree of backfield work, is the member of staff that has stood out the most so far.

“I love Coach Juluke — that’s my man,” Clark said. “His style — the way he carries himself… all that stuff. He’s just a good man. He coached some of the top — Leonard Fournette, a couple more running backs.”

While the high school junior has plenty of praise for the program’s current direction, Clark is in no hurry to single out a favorite school.

“I ain’t gonna say. I probably have one — I ain’t gonna say.”

The blue-chip running back plans on attending the Florida-Florida State game this fall in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in late November and will announce his verbal commitment “probably (at the) end of the year.”

Clark is ranked No. 125 overall and No. 11 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 153 and 12, respectively. Florida leads On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine with a 44.1% chance of signing him, followed by the Penn State Nittany Lions (20.2%), South Florida Bulls (1.6%) and UCF (1.3%)

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1368]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Top 2025 running back target on Grill in the Ville visitors list

One of Florida’s top 2025 recruiting targets will be stopping by for some home cooking in the Swamp on Saturday.

Florida football’s first edition of its midsummer Grill in the Ville event is just a day away as the program prepares to host a plethora of prep prospects from a range of recruiting classes into the Swamp in an effort to build a closer relationship with Billy Napier and the Gators’ staff.

The event will be held on Saturday, July 29, in Gainesville, as members of the 2024 through 2026 cycles converge on the school’s campus for a cookout and more. The list of visitors from the 2025 class is chock full of blue-chip recruits, including four-star running back [autotag]Waltez Clark[/autotag] out of Tampa (Florida) Plant.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 194-pound ground grinder comes in with a high opinion of the program after making a few visits to Gainesville.

“I like this place,” Clark told On3’s Keith Niebuhr last month. “I could see myself here. They told me I’m kind of at the top of the 2025 class. I was like, okay.”

The high school junior also expressed a great deal of esteem for Napier and his staff.

“I love the coaches. The relationship I have with the coaches here is unbelievable. I love it. Coach (Jabbar Juluke), Coach (Billy) Napier, Chase (Clark), and there are a couple of other ones… Coach (Sean) Spencer. There are a lot of them.”

Clark is ranked No. 125 overall and No. 11 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 153 and 12, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the race wide open for his talents, with the South Florida Bulls (5.5%) leading the way, followed by the Central Florida Knights (4.8%), Florida (4.1%) and Florida Atlantic Owls (3.4%).

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1368]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.