re: 2024 Recruiting Class

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Last summer, one Florida staffer made it very clear to 247Sports where the Gators need to improve when asked about the program’s recruiting efforts.

“We have to get better up front.”

Florida did its best to strengthen its play at the point of attack in the 2023 recruiting cycle signing blue-chip defensive linemen like Kelby Collins and Kamran James, but 2024 is looking like the class where Gators are really going to load up in the front seven.

After securing a verbal pledge from five-star edge rusher Jamonta Waller late Monday night, Florida has quickly assembled what could end up being one of nation’s top hauls of first and second-level defenders as Waller’s pledge comes right on the heels of commitments from Top247 defensive lineman Amaris Williams, Top247 defensive lineman Nasir Johnson, Top247 linebacker Aaron Chiles and three-star nose Michai Boireau.

All five prospects were being courted heavily by other major Power Five programs and all five have fans behind the scenes at 247Sports.

Let’s start with Waller, who checks in at No. 28 overall in the Top247. He might be a bit of a tweener, but his ability to bend and redirect is rare. So is his motor.

"He plays with his hair on fire,” 247Sports’ national analyst Gabe Brooks said. “He wins with startling functional athleticism and motor. Taller and longer edge players are out there, but few play as consistently intense as Waller, and his explosiveness has revealed itself in a combine setting (34+ vertical) and limited track and field exposure (20-2 long jump as a sophomore). Waller is a ball of muscle with sudden twitch that manifests at the snap and when engaged. He swallows up turf with turbo-charged pursuit speed, and he's flashed advanced pass-rushing nuance with an effective secondary rush.”

As a junior, Waller totaled 106 tackles and 11.5 sacks at Mississippi’s Picayune Memorial. He was named a top performer by 247Sports at the Under Armour All-America Camp outside of Atlanta back in February and reminds 247Sports’ national analyst Cooper Petgana of current NFL sack artist Brandon Graham.



“Waller makes his money by utilizing his speed, power and athleticism to overwhelm opponents,” Petagana said. “A shade under 6-foot-2, 225-pounds – he uses every pound of his compact frame to his advantage, displaying the ability to easily navigate the corner with his suddenness and explosiveness. Although the pass rush is often the first thing that comes to mind when you scout Waller, you would be doing him a major disservice by not touching on his ability to make plays down the line of scrimmage. A high-floor prospect that projects to make an immediate impact at the next level, Waller is one of the safest bets regardless of position in the year’s class.”

Added 247Sports’ national analyst Chris Singletary: “Waller is a pen-your-ears back active pass rusher who displays the skills to be efficient with his hand in the dirt or in a 2-point stance. He brings twitch, burst and a motor to the field when you watch him. He does a nice job of playing in the opponent's backfield as he presses the pocket. While he isn’t the biggest guy, he uses his live feet, bend and arm length to keep opponents at bay as he turns the corner to get sacks.”

Williams (the Top247’s No. 15 DL) and Johnson (the No. 25 DL) might not carry a ready-to-play tag like Waller, but both have a ton of developmental upside and own impressive throwing numbers as Williams took second in the shot put at the North Carolina 2A state track meet last month while Johnson placed fourth at Georgia’s 1A D1 state championship. Why does that matter? Because recent NFL Draft data suggests that a good chunk of the trench players selected early on had success at the prep level in a variety of different track and field events.

Of course, strong shot put markers aren’t the only things that have us bullish on both Williams and Johnson.

This time last year, Williams actually billed himself as a running back and worked out for multiple schools at the position. He ran for just over 250 yards as a junior at Clinton (N.C.) High, but took a huge step forward on the defensive side of the ball where he totaled 44 tackles for loss and 18 sacks in just 12 games. If he can learn how to consistently formulate a game plan as a pass rusher, he could be a true difference-maker in the middle with his initial get-off.

Johnson also owns valuable two-way snaps, having doubled as right tackle for Dublin (Ga.) last fall. There isn’t a ton of third-party data valuable on the big man, but he’s north of 6-foot-5 and tipping the scales at just over 300 pounds. Those measurements make the running back-handspring he posted to social media last summer all that more impressive.

Chiles – like Waller – is viewed as a prospect that could see the field relatively early on in his college career as he’s already pretty physically developed in the upper half and hovering right around 225 pounds. He spent much of his 11th-grade season at Olny (Md.) Our Lady Good Counsel stuffing gaps and flowing downhill, but held his own in man coverage at the Under Armour All-America Camp in Baltimore a few weeks ago.

What makes the addition of Chiles (No. 11 LB) even more notable is the fact that he joins two other Top247 linebackers that have already committed to the Gators: Myles Graham (No. 4 LB) and Adarius Hayes (No. 7 LB). The three compliment each other well and should give Florida some much-needed depth after missing out last cycle on some top targets at the position.

Boireau (No. 78 DL) has a chance to be a fan favorite in Gainesville. He has been listed anywhere from 350 to 390 pounds. Bottom line? The Fairburn (Ga.) Creekside product is a monster of a human that in some ways resembles current UF defensive tackle Desmond Watson. Boireau is likely going to need a few years to get adjusted to the pace of SEC football, but he’s the type of interior plug that can eat up space.

Of course, Billy Napier and his staff aren’t loading up on front-seven players as the Gators also have two talented safeties committed in five-star Xavier Filsaime and Josiah Davis, who returned seven kickoffs for touchdowns in 2022.

It should also be noted that Florida likely isn’t done up front. The Gators have already hosted five-stars Jordan Ross (No. 2 EDGE) and David Stone (No. 3 DL) for official visits along with Top247 members Dealyn Evans (No. 9 DL) and LJ McCray (No. 14 DL), and in-state linemen like Jayden Jackson, D'antre Robinson and Kendall Jackson.

Ivins

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Jeremiah Smith is supposed to be in Gainesville tomorrow for a workout.

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After landing nine prospects over the span of less than two weeks, it’s time to take another look at the Gators’ big board to see which prospect(s) could be next.

According to the Industry Ranking Football Team Recruiting Rankings, only Georgia is ahead of the Gators for the 2024 class. Billy Napier’s program was sitting outside the top 10 last Saturday morning, and then by the end of Monday, they were all the way up to No. 2. That is where Florida stands today as well.

With that said, Gators Online dishes out three candidates to become the next UF commit.

Four-star WR Jerrae Hawkins

This weekend, the West Virginia native is returning to Penn State for his official visit. We should have a really good idea of where his recruitment stands shortly after that trip is wrapped up.

That is because multiple sources continue to tell me the Nittany Lions’ staff is split on Hawkins. They know he is a dynamic playmaker in the slot, but some question his size and frame.

Also, it’s worth noting KJ Hamler is a player similiar to Hawkins in terms of size that Penn State previously had success with, so all options are on the table. PSU has received the most visits by a large margin, so there is plenty of familarity in Happy Valley.

But if it’s not Penn State, I believe Hawkins lands with the Gators. Miami is the third school on his list, but Florida and Penn State have been the top-two schools since the spring.

Hawkins is highly impresssed by Billy Gonzales’ track record and loves the idea of playing in the SEC. Billy Napier’s experience with receivers stands out as well. There are plenty of boxes UF checks ahead of a commitment date that is now rescheduled for July 1.

All in all, the blue-chip pass catcher, who goes by the nickname of “Tank,” is definitely wanted at Florida.

“The player development at Florida stands out. They also have good history at producing receivers and their track program is big too because I want to run track in college,” Hawkins said of the Gators this week with speaking with On3’s Chad Simmons.

In-state CB Teddy Foster

Although the Sarasota native didn’t return to Gainesville today as expected, that does mean it’s a bad sign or anything to do with the Gators; in fact, GO’s Keith Niebuhr said it’s because of his mother’s work schedule. You can expect that trip to be rescheduled sooner than later.

Also, Florida is the No. 1 school in his recruitment right now. Foster previously mentioned Miami as a likely official visit destination for this weekend, while USC is pushing to receive a visit as well; however, all signs are pointing to the Gators as the heavy favorite. Here is why.

The defensive back’s sister recently graduated from the SEC school. That is significant itself. Foster also likes the idea of playing big-time football in his home state. Then you have Corey Raymond and the intrigue of playing for him. With all that considered, it’s no surprise Florida is atop his list right now.

Unless Miami knocks it out of the park this weekend, I don’t see anyone surpassing UF in the near future. North Carolina is a school to keep an eye on too.

“I think I’m going to make a decision in July right now,” Foster said after his OV.

Top-100 OT Ethan Calloway

With a commitment date set for June 30, Calloway’s leaderboard is very close right now. I don’t think anyone, possibly even Calloway, knows where the Mooresville (N.C.) Lake Norman standout is going to end up.

This month, Calloway has taken official visits to Florida, Georgia and Penn State in that order. LSU is the final school on the calendar, with that return trip to Baton Rouge set for this weekend. The Tigers, according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, are trending but with odds of just 20.9 percent.

As for the Gators, they are also a realistic option and for several reasons.

Calloway really likes the people involved in the program. That hospitality from Billy Napier down to the training staff has been top-notch each time he sets foot at the Swamp. Napier, Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton view Calloway as a priority target and are treating him as such. The Gators need to reel in a household name along the offensive line and Calloway fits that label.

The 6-foot-7, 300-pound rising senior has also taken notice of UF’s recent success on the recruiting trail. He views this class as one that could catapult the Gators over the top nationally and is highly considering being the next addition to the top-two class.

No school is overly confident right now, but the Gators could definitely win out here. It’s extremely close between Florida, Georgia, LSU and Penn State.

Stay tuned to Gators Online.

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BRADENTON, FL. — Gators Online is currently at IMG Academy for the talent-loaded Future 50 Media Day. And as expected, over a dozen Florida targets are present for the festivities.

Jump inside below for the latest Gators intel from the recruiting trail.

No. 1 WR Ryan Williams – Alabama commit

Although Florida is his most recent offer, the five-star prospect says Billy Napier’s staff has been recruiting him dating back to their time at Louisiana.

On top of that, Williams says he is planning to visit the Gators for the first time. That will be for the Grill at the Ville cookout, which will feature numerous All-American targets.

Flipping Williams away from the in-state Crimson Tide is going to be awfully difficult, but Williams is impressed with the Gators’ ability to manufacture NFL talent and their history altogether.

The All-American is going to enjoy the recruiting process and take visits, but his heart is in Tuscaloosa.

Four-star LB Tarvos Alford

Florida and Ohio State are the top two for the priority linebacker target. He said with a smile that the staff is trying to get him to commit as well.

Honestly, it would be a major shocker if Florida was not the choice right now. I submitted a pick several months ago. The relationships are very strong in Gainesville and there is a whole lot of familiarity with campus too. This is the lifelong favorite school and the one generating the most buzz by a long shot.

Also, Alford should be at the BBQ on July 29. We will be monitoring him closely that day.

From a physical standpoint, this was one of the more impressive prospects at today’s media day.

Four-star safety Hylton Stubbs

Florida is the school the Orange Park (Fla.) Mandarin standout has the best relationship with. Defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong and inside linebackers coach Jay Bateman are among those making a strong push right now.

If all goes as planned, Stubbs will be returning to Gainesville on July 29 for the Grill at the Ville Cookout. That will mark his fifth trip to Gainesville this year alone. I recently said that Florida is the hottest team in his recruitment and that adds up to what he said moments ago.

In addition to Florida, Stubbs also has high interest in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee; however, I’m giving the edge to Florida right now.

Four-star QB Ryan Montgomery

Out of all the coaches recruiting him, the Buckeye State native said Florida’s Ryan O’Hara is the best relationship he has right now. He also mentioned that Florida is the school he has done the most Zoom calls with. That is definitely noteworthy.

Montgomery, whose brother plays for Ohio State, made his way to Gainesville at the start of summer and landed an offer while on campus. I asked about the situation regarding Austin Simmons and how Florida is now without a 2025 quarterback, but Montgomery said he was informed of that move during his visit. He knew a spot would be open at quarterback in Gainesville.

Additional schools in the mix include Michigan, Georgia, Ohio State and Miami. Florida could very well be the darkhorse here. Also, moments ago, I connected with a source who confirmed that Montgomery is definitely high on the board for UF.

Top-five offensive tackle Solomon Thomas

The Gators have some catching up to do with the Duval County star.

When asked about their standing with the Jacksonville native, he mentioned top five or top eight. One interesting note is that Thomas keeps up with Billy Napier more than Rob Sale or Darnell Stapleton. That should show you how much of a priority he is after landing a camp offer last year.

Once Sept. 1 hits, Thomas said the Gators told him they will be reaching out right at midnight. These relationships in Gainesville are a work in progress; however, UF is the school trending heavily in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine early on.

No. 1 RB Harlem Berry

This is one of the more interesting interviews in terms of what we learned from the Louisiana native.

Berry, the No. 1-ranked running back in the country, visited Florida last year and says his uncle is running backs coach Jabbar Juluke. That is the latest school to pull the trigger with an offer as well.

He also said Florida has the leg up on a lot of schools because of that connection and understandably so. I’m not sure what took the Gators so long to offer, but this is something to monitor over the long haul. The next step is to secure another visit in order for Berry to learn more about UF as a whole.

All in all, having a very familiar face on campus definitely does not hurt UF’s chances going forward

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