5 for Friday: Insight into Florida Gators recruiting

Every Friday, Keith Niebuhr and Corey Bender of Gators Online sink their teeth into the most relevant topics regarding Florida Gators recruiting.

Today’s topics include a range of subjects.

Florida went from two OL commits to zero. What should be the fans’ level of concern?

-KEITH: Moderate. I mean, Florida did have promising tackle Enoch Wangoy reclassify. And people do say it was the Gators’ choice to walk away from Peyton Joseph. So it’s not like they’re incapable of getting people. They already had two on board. But with zero 2025 commits right now up front, it does get us all thinking. When you look at the top offensive line targets for Florida, it doesn’t seem like there’s a slam dunk get in there at this time. So that part should concern you. But … Florida tends to shine during official visit season and several of the Gators’ biggest targets will be on campus in June. That’s when Florida has a chance to make a move. Now, if after that it’s still hard to view Florida as either a leader or in the top two of some guys, that would be cause for concern. In the meantime, I do expect some new names to emerge as the staff gets out to some spring practices.

-COREY: There is some concern when looking at the big picture, but Enoch Wangoy is still with the Gators; all he did was reclassify. If Florida would have lost him to another school along with Peyton Joseph, my worry meter would be reading a much-higher number. Also, most SEC targets end up taking several official visits and decide closer to the fall or even later. The Gators would love to have multiple targets in the fold, but it’s not time to panic yet.

Which 2025 quarterback target do you like most?

-KEITH: I’ll go with Tramell Jones. Not the tallest guy. Not a rife for an arm (it’s not bad, FYI). Not the most athletic of the guys Florida is recruiting. But his arm is strong enough and accurate. He’s super smart back there in the pocket. And … he’s a winner. Those last two traits are things I love in a QB.

-COREY: I’m a big fan of SMU 4-star commit Keelon Russell. He is a big play waiting to happen and can turn nothing into something very quickly. I also like his ball placement when stretching the field and how he keeps his eyes downfield despite being a major running threat. But man, Russell’s open-field ability is special. He definitely makes a strong case for being the most explosive QB in the class. Once the Texas native tightens up his mechanics and footwork, his game could reach an elite level.

Most realistic 2026 quarterback for the Gators right now?

-KEITH: I’m going with Will Griffin. He grew up a die-hard Gator and while he’s taken a business-like approach since becoming a big recruit, I do think in his heart he hopes things shake out well with him and Florida. When Will visited Florida earlier this year, he shadowed freshman DJ Lagway and he loved the entire experience. He can picture himself in orange and blue — and has since he was a little kid.

-COREY: This is a great question. For myself, it’s close between Cocoa (Fla.) standout Brady Hart and Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit’s Will Griffin, but I will go with Griffin right now. That’s because there is some real buzz between Hart and Notre Dame. Also, Griffin has been a top target for nearly a year and continues to visit every couple months. No school has hosted the 4-star prospect more than Florida, so those relationships are very strong. This is an interesting debate though, as Florida is in the mix for a handful of signal callers.

Which elite WR does Florida have the best chance of landing?

-KEITH: Despite all the chatter about Brown and Ohio State, I still think when all is said and done Florida is going to be there at the end as a strong contender. Maybe I’ll be wrong. But I’m sort of going with my gut here. He has visited the Gators a bunch and is taking a really close look at the offense. He knows what Lagway is capable of becoming. And, he knows that having Eugene Wilson on the field with him certainly would give him some opportunities to get the ball as teams focus on Wilson. This is a very intelligent prospect who is going to do his homework. Now, if Florida isn’t any good and the offense looks pedestrian, all bets are off — for many reasons.

-COREY: Vernell Brown III is a top-50 prospect overall with On3 and could rise even more. He already carries that elite label for me, and as expected, the Gators are a major contender. You still have to like where Ohio State stands most, but Brown visited Florida three weeks in a row during the spring and will be returning in June for an official visit. Florida State is a top contender too, but we are told the Gators are still giving the legacy target something to think about.

Why has UF done well during official visit season in the past?

-KEITH: Making people feel special. I hear it over and over. Now, Florida certainly isn’t the only school that does a great job with these visits. But when speaking with recruits, they all kind of tell me the same things. The Florida staff makes them feel at home, makes them feel like priorities, makes them feel comfortable. And, they also do a great job of treating the families the same way. Apparently, it doesn’t seem forced of phony. There’s a genuine belief that, ‘hey, these people care about us.’

-COREY: This staff continues to do a good job of providing a family-like environment. The prospects often mention that first, but having parents in attendance makes it that much more impactful. In the past, Florida has placed prospects with current players while the parents go out with Billy Napier‘s staff. The hospitality is on display for everyone in attendance and it’s made a difference in years past. Continuing to highlight Florida’s standing as the No. 1-ranked public university certainly doesn’t hurt either.

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