Recruiting Insider: Intel & thoughts following a lengthy spring road trip

From Tampa to Orlando and back. From Newberry to Tallahassee. Up through Alabama. Over to Atlanta. Down into middle Georgia and back to the Sunshine State. From Jacksonville to Hollywood. This spring, I made my way across the South to get in-person interviews with several Florida Gators targets. Today, I’ll recap that recruiting road trip with brief thoughts on every prospect I saw.

*3-star QB Tramell Jones, Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin — FSU COMMIT: Jones said during my visit to Mandarin that while he remained solid with FSU the Gators had given him a lot to think about and closed the gap. He talked about possibly officially visiting Florida in mid-June, then making his way to FSU the following weekend. If the Gators get an official, the plan would then be to once and for all figure things out after those visits before shutting it all down. We haven’t heard much since. Meanwhile, the Gators continue to push and some in Gainesville think real progress was made during two visits by Jones to Gainesville this spring. I believe this one is tight and could go either way. But getting that official visit is key for Florida.

*4-star S Hylton Stubbs, Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin — USC TROJANS COMMIT: Stubbs continues to say he wants to be a Trojan. But he’ll officially visit others, including Florida. Behind the scenes, we continue to hear the Gators are optimistic abbot their chances of landing him in the end.

*5-star IOL Solomon Thomas, Jacksonville (Fla.) Raines — FSU COMMIT: FSU views LSU as perhaps its biggest threat. But Thomas said the gap between the Seminoles and Florida also was close. He really likes the idea of playing in the SEC. Meanwhile, he expressed concerns about FSU having taken so many transfers from the portal in recent seasons. Could that give Florida an opening? Possibly. I also think a strong season could help the Gators. Its feels like he wants to see progress on the field.

*4-star edge Javion Hilson, Cocoa (Fla.) — FSU COMMIT: Alabama, which once held Hilson’s commitment, could be the biggest threat to the ‘Noles. Meanwhile, Hilson also says he might visit Texas. As for Florida, the Gators will host Hilson on an official visit May 31. And it’s probably coming as the right time because it seems clear the Gators have work to do with him. Florida already having one edge committed is not an issue I’m told. How solid is Hilson to FSU? Depends on who you ask.

*4-star LB Tavion Wallace, Jesup (Ga.) Wayne County: I met up with Wallace at a track meet in Georgia. I went into that stop thinking Florida was only slight in it. I left thinking the Gators had a real shot. Wallace grew up a huge Gators fan. And his dad is a die-hard, too. Meanwhile, the Florida staff has really put the foot on the gas. Florida State remains the favorite entering his officials but the Gators are a close No. 2. I also wouldn’t rule out Georgia there. At this point, it would not be a huge surprise if Florida pulled this off.

*4-star OT Tavaris Dice, Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes — AUBURN COMMIT: Florida is working to flip multiple Auburn commits but to me the Gators have the best shot with Dice. I’d actually just about put this one at 50-50. And in fact, sources tell us there is more than a little optimism in Gainesville as well as some concern on the Plains. Basically, it’s a battle and both programs seem to know this. Dice has great relationships in Auburn and loves it there. But the Gators are right there and he sees the chance to play early in Gainesville. His upcoming officials will be critical. I honestly think this could go either way.

*4-star DL Malik Autry, Opelika (Ala.) — AUBURN COMMIT: My brain says Florida won’t flip him. But my gut says the Gators have a chance. The opportunity to play early, strong relationships with the Florida staff and a few other factors make the Gators a contender here. Autry is huge and he thinks he could step into Cam Jackson‘s spot in Gainesville. But … supposedly, Auburn isn’t too worried here. And of note, most of Autry’s family lives within an hour of that school. The only thing I’ll add here is that one other program involved does not think Autry is as locked in with Auburn as some might think.

*5-star edge Isaiah Gibson, Warner Robins (Ga.) — USC TROJANS COMMIT: I’ve been saying for weeks I think there’s a good chance Gibson doesn’t stick with USC. The schools I’m watching most closely are Georgia, Auburn and now possibly Tennessee. Gibson has canceled a June Florida official but I still think he’ll visit the Gators again. Every year, he goes to Gainesville on or around his birthday in September. Don’t be surprised if that happens again. That said, I don’t think Florida is top three or four for him right now.

*Antwann Hill, QB, Warner Robins (Ga.) Houston County: We were the first site to report Memphis had emerged as the probable front-runner and my visit to his school left me thinking the Tigers were in a strong spot. At Memphis, the QB position will open up after the 2024 season. Meanwhile, Hill talked to me about not being crazy about having to sit behind DJ Lagway at Florida. He still plans to officially visit the Gators, so it’s possible things could change again.

*Ousmane Kromah, RB, Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County: Never got the feeling Florida was a top-two school for Kromah and since I saw him the Gators added a second running back commit. I’ve been told they’re done at running back this class. Auburn, FSU and Georgia are among the main programs to watch.

*3-star DL Jeramiah McCloud, Havana (Fla.) Gadsden County — FLORIDA COMMIT: When I visited McCloud is was clear Florida was the team to beat — and he committed to the Gators the next day. They beat out LSU. FSU visited and offered him the day I was there, but the ‘Noles never heavily pursued. Could that change? Maybe. McCloud told us Georgia was pushing, but that’s contrary to what I heard from others. That said, should the Bulldogs ramp things up, it’s something to watch since he’s actually a Georgia native.

*4-star Edge Jalen Wiggins, Tallahassee (Fla.) Rickards — FLORIDA COMMIT: On the one hand, it seems like Wiggins is all Gators. Florida was on him early and he has an incredible relationship with the staff. And, he likes that the Gators project him at edge. On the other, FSU has no intention of letting up. The Seminoles had three coaches at his school the day I was there. Meanwhile, Notre Dame has entered the chat. This is a high-academic guy who is looking for the best on and off the field. I continue to like where Florida sits, but given his talent and IQ I don’t see other programs backing off.

*3-star DL Jarquez Carter, Newberry (Fla.): This is one where I think Florida could land Carter even though perhaps the Gators aren’t in the best spot as of today. He likes the Gators a lot but isn’t sure how he’d fit into the scheme. He felt in the past, the Florida defensive linemen played gap control a lot — and Carter doesn’t feel that’s the best fit for his game. But if he sees a more aggressive Gators front this season, I think that would be a big help for Florida here. One other thing: He’s real close with a few Gators staffers.

*5-star WR Dallas Wilson, Tampa Bay Tech (Fla.) — OREGON COMMIT: Love his frame. Arguably the best receiver body in the country for the 2025 class. The Gators will get an official visit in June, but I continue to hear more chatter about Miami and FSU as flip candidates. A good official visit could give the Gators a boost. It feels like they need it.

*4-star 2026 QB Brady Hart, Cocoa (Fla.): Both of Hart’s parents attended Florida and his dad played baseball for the Gators. But I didn’t get the sense in two in-person interviews with Hart that Florida was in his top two or three. He likes Notre Dame a lot. Meanwhile, schools such as Michigan and North Carolina could be a factors, too. Meanwhile, he continues to pick up offers weekly. Florida is in it, but has some work to do.

*4-star RB Waltez Clark, Tampa (Fla.) Plant — FLORIDA COMMIT: Talented player with tremendous speed. I saw him run the 100 meters (he has a PR of 10.77 seconds) and I attended his spring game. Clark is a true home run threat. Now, can anyone push the Gators? It won’t be easy to flip him, but perhaps UCF is a team to watch should anything happen with Clark and Florida. The Knights probably will get an official and his coach played for them.

*4-star WR Kobe Howard, Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade: The day I watched Howard practice at his school, Florida receivers coach Billy Gonzales was on hand. Howard said the Gators were the team to beat entering his official visits, but we were told he isn’t a take at this time. If Florida were ever to push, it could get him. If not, perhaps Ole Miss is someone to watch. He recently moved his official visit to Florida to later in the year.

*4-star WR Vernell Brown III, Orlando (Fla.) Jones: Florida’s development of first-round pick Ricky Pearsall seemed to get Brown’s attention. While all the talk was about Ohio State until recently, it now seems possible this could come down to Florida and Florida State. The Gators have made progress and my gut says he’ll be a Florida signee come December. But this is no slam dunk.

*4-star WR Naeshaun Montgomery, Miami (Fla.) Central: It’s difficult to know where Montgomery sits on the Florida receiver board. But he plans to officially visit Gainesville and I truly believe the Gators will have a shot if they do in fact push to get him. Penn State feels like the other team to watch at the moment.

*5-star WR Jaime Ffrench, Jaime Ffrench, Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin: I saw Ffrench twice — once at a 7-on-7 event, and then a couple weeks later at his school. He talked up Florida and Gonzales on both occasions. He even said his mom wants him to officially visit Florida. But I never got the sense the Gators are a factor. Maybe that changes if they can flip Jones, his teammate, from FSU.

*5-star DB Trey McNutt, Shaker Heights (Ohio): Caught up with McNutt at a big OT7 event south of Orlando a couple days after he visited the Gators. He loved that trip and both McNutt and his mother told me they hoped to work a Florida official into the schedule. Since then, I haven’t heard much chatter about Florida. Ohio State and Georgia are two teams to watch. Gators seems like a long shot.

*3-star DL Derry Norris, Port Orange (Fla.) Spruce Creek: This recruitment seems to be all over the map right now. Florida got into the mix with a spring offer. Same with Texas. Meanwhile, we’ve heard Miami is a player here. Norris told us earlier in the week he’d visit the Gators on Tuesday. But we were informed he didn’t make it. Meanwhile, he also said Florida will get an official. I’m still trying to figure out how hard the Gators are on him — and how much he likes Florida.

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