ORLANDO, Fla. — Will Griffin looked over the Under Armour All-America roster Sunday and liked what he saw.
Of the approximate 100 prospects in the 2025 and 2026 classes participating in the event this week in Orlando, seven are either signed or committed to the Florida Gators. No other program has more than five.
All of them are blue-chippers. Six are top-200 prospects. Two are five-stars: Class of 2025 wide receivers Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown III.
Griffin, a 2026 quarterback who committed to Florida in June, didn’t need a reminder of just how much talent is expected to surround him once he arrives in Gainesville. But to see it on paper — and to know he gets to practice with his future teammates this week — still had him smiling.
“Obviously, (Florida) flipped some big guys from some big schools to finish out the season strong, which is something really, really good for the program,” said Griffin, an in-state prospect who plays at Tampa Jesuit.
COMMITTED!💯Go Gators!🐊✝️ #O2AN6EANDBLUE @coach_bnapier @CoachRyanO @JesuitTigers_FB @GatorsFB pic.twitter.com/PDTKUaIIp0
— Will Griffin 4⭐️ 2026 QB (@WillGriffin__11) June 24, 2024
This time last year, Florida was in disarray after losing six top-150 prospects within six weeks of the early signing period due in large part to the Gators’ ongoing struggles on the field. Florida ended the 2023 season with five consecutive losses to drop Billy Napier’s two-year record to 11-14 overall and 6-10 in the SEC.
With the head coach’s job status a constant topic of conversation, the Gators got off to a slow start with the 2025 recruiting class. But that changed in November when athletic director Scott Stricklin announced that Napier would remain as the program’s head coach. The Gators were sitting at just 4-4 at the time but had shown notable progress despite injuries to quarterbacks Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway.
That allowed Napier to pitch more stability to recruits, especially in his backyard.
And by the end of the early signing period, the Gators had flipped eight blue-chip prospects, including top-100 safeties Hylton Stubbs (Miami) and Lagonza Hayward (Tennessee) and top-250 quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. (Florida State). The Gators received more good news in late December when Wilson, a Tampa native, was granted his release from Oregon and signed with Florida.
“Shoot, we’ve got a great receiving corps and a great quarterback so we’re just gonna do great things,” said Naeshaun Montgomery, a Class of 2025 four-star wide receiver signee from Miami. “We’re surrounded by great coaches. I love how they do their job, how they recruit and how they just love us as individuals. “
Heading into the February signing period, Florida’s class is ranked 10th nationally and includes 10 blue-chip prospects from the Sunshine State.
“I think it’s gonna be great that they’re all staying home,” Griffin said. “Coach Napier’s awesome. He pours everything he possibly can into those guys.”
Griffin, who is ranked No. 151 overall in the 2026 class, had long considered Florida his “dream school” and was thrilled when the Gators offered him in April 2023 at the end of his freshman year. He took about 45 unofficial visits to be sure he was fully weighing his options before committing this past summer.
Griffin said his belief in Napier never wavered despite Florida’s early struggles this past season. It’ll be Napier’s job to win with his own talent, but things might be looking up in Gainesville as the Gators hope to eventually shake up the SEC.
“I committed around the time Vernell committed, and I’ve been committed for a while now … and we’ve been through thick and thin, right?” he said. “Me and Vernell, when we committed, it was supposed to be a great season and everything was going good, and then there’s highs and lows in every season, and (Florida) finished out strong.”
Asked whether he was considering taking any other visits, Griffin made his intentions clear.
“No,” he said. “I’m a Gator.”
(Photo: Grace Raynor / The Athletic)
