Swamp Secrets: Florida Gators recruiting intel from the trail

Welcome to Swamp Secrets.

Here, Gators Online recruiting insiders Corey Bender and Keith Niebuhr take a closer look at the Florida Gators’ efforts on the recruiting trail and offer up the latest intel.

Let’s get started …

Elite defender in Alabama to officially visit Florida Gators

Look for Jeremiah Beaman, a 4-star defensive lineman at Birmingham (Ala.) Parker, to officially visit Florida this summer according to a trusted source. It’s not scheduled yet, but as of now we expect him to be in Gainesville either in June or perhaps the last week of July.

This is significant because Beaman hasn’t yet visited the Gators. Not once.

Despite that, Florida still made his top 10 in April. Right now, Alabama is the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine favorite (30.7 percent) with Auburn next (26.8 percent). Clemson and Georgia are among those also involved.

We’ve been told most of the schools recruiting Beaman don’t see his recruitment ending anytime soon.

The Gators landed this visit because of “relationships.”

Who has Beaman talked to the most at Florida? According to our source, it’s defensive line graduate assistant Kali James Jr., who played college ball in Alabama at Tuskegee. It sounds like those two have gotten close and Beaman is a big fan of James. — KEITH NIEBUHR

Florida Gators tight ends board taking shape

While Florida is casting a wide net at tight end, there is more optimism surrounding certain targets.

GO was told by sources much of the staff’s confidence is centered on Tennessee commit Jonathan Echols, Amir Jackson, Eric Karner and Walter Matthews, Those were the names mentioned to me. Karner is a 3-star. The rest are 4-stars.

Florida offered Karner, who lives near Chicago, last week. As for Matthews, Florida and Southern California make up his top two and both have official visit dates for June. I’m monitoring Florida and Georgia for Jackson, while Echols is a flip target who is being prioritized more and more. He’s likely to officially visit the Gators in June. — COREY BENDER

There is optimism regarding Florida defensive line recruiting

Sources tell me there is strong confidence surrounding some top defensive line targets, including 4-stars D’antre Robinson of Orlando (Fla.) Jones and LJ McCray of Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland.

I recently included Robinson in my story highlighting three possibilities for the next Gators commitment. He plans to take numerous official visits, but Florida and Texas are buzzing right now. The Gators will host him again June 2-4. He’ll be at Texas two weeks later.

As for McCray, in recent months I’ve been hearing a whole lot of Florida and FSU. However, Sunday evening I was told Florida and Georgia are the schools trending up right now. The Bulldogs have made up quite a bit of ground in recent weeks.

Another prospect mentioned to me as someone Florida has a shot with is Bradenton (Fla.) IMG’s Jayden Jackson, who recently included the Gators in his top five. We expect him to officially visit in June. — COREY BENDER

Florida Gators Quick Hitters …

-We believe as of today Florida and Florida State are the top two contenders for 4-star defensive lineman Nasir Johnson of Dublin (Ga.). He has a Gators official visit scheduled for June 16. — KEITH NIEBUHR

-Although 4-star safety Jordan Pride of Blountstown (Fla.) named a top six Sunday of Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas A&M, we hear two programs are at the top. They are: Florida and Texas A&M. Pride visited the Aggies over the weekend and apparently that went well. — KEITH NIEBUHR

-Last week, we mentioned 2026 quarterback Trace Johnson of Gainesville (Fla.) Buchholz (son of former Gators signal caller Doug Johnson), as being someone who could soon land his first offer. Now, we’ve learned Clemson, Florida and North Carolina all are showing interest. That’s coming straight from his coach. Johnson is 6-foot and about 180 pounds. They tell me he’s still growing. — KEITH NIEBUHR

-The Gators continue to evaluate offensive linemen. Deryc Plazz of Jacksonville (Fla.) Andrew Jackson apparently is one of them. In fact, Florida was at his school last week. Plazz, a 3-star recruit, is listed at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds. He claims offers from programs such as Florida State, Miami and N.C. State. Will the Gators offer? I don’t have the answer to that but according to Plazz, Florida is taking a measured approach with him; they want to see him put on weight and watch him practice more. We’ll keep tracking him and let you know if things change. — KEITH NIEBUHR

-Because it’s evaluation time, that means Florida is being thorough as coaches travel across the country. Case in point: Last week, 4-star cornerback Cameron Keys of Panama City (Fla.) Mosley was among the many players the Gators watched practice. He claims 19 offers, but Florida isn’t among them. Keys attended a junior day earlier this year in Gainesville and talks to the Florida staff about once a week. If a Gators offer came, we believe they’d be a major factor. Right now, Kentucky, Missouri and Vanderbilt probably are the schools to watch. — KEITH NIEBUHR

And finally …

Three-star recruit Cam Pruitt of Theodore (Ala.) is among the more interesting Gator prospects in Alabama. He’s listed at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds and claims offers from Florida, Miami, Alabama and others. But which position will he play in college — linebacker or safety? He isn’t sure. And apparently, lots of colleges aren’t either. Not yet anyway.

Florida defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong visited Pruitt’s school last week. They’ve known each other awhile because Armstrong recruited Pruitt when Armstrong worked at Southern Miss. We’ve heard Florida has talked to Pruitt about an official visit but it’s unclear if anything has been set. Schools only get 56 officials a year.

In any event, we’re told Pruitt plans to attend Friday Night Lights at Florida this summer. He thinks the Gators will work him at both spots at that camp to help pinpoint where he’d be best at in college.

Miami currently is the RPM favorite but his interest in Florida is legit. — KEITH NIEBUHR

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