Son Of All-SEC Linebacker Commits To Florida

The University of Florida gained a pledge from a familiar name on Friday, as four-star cornerback Ben Hanks Jr. committed to the Gators out of the 2025 class, per On3.

Ben Hanks Sr. played linebacker at Florida from 1992-95 and earned two First-Team All-SEC mentions during his career (1994, 1995).

Hanks Jr., who plays for Booker T. Washington High School in Miami, Florida, is rated as the No. 10 CB, the No. 14 player in the state and the No. 81 overall recruit in his class, per 247Sports. He chose the Gators over Miami and Louisville.

Hanks Jr. (6-foot-1, 170 pounds) is one of the most athletic corners in his class. Beyond the gridiron, he also plays baseball and runs track. He won the district championship in the 400-meter dash as a junior and has posted a blistering 11.04 in the 100-meter dash.

Billy Napier's Gators finished the 2024 cycle with the No. 7 class in the nation, the highest finish since 2020, per247Sports. Florida currently holds the No. 30 class in the 2025 cycle.

Wins have been hard to come by in two years under Napier. UF finished 6-7 in 2022 and 5-7 last season. Florida will need to stay hot on the recruiting trail to return to the top tier of college football and wins like Hanks Jr. are a step in the right direction.

Related: Nation's No. 1 Running Back Sets Commitment Date