As the Florida Gators hit the mid-point of the summer in early July, they had eight commitments and the No. 56 class ranking from On3. The first number told us Florida had lots of work ahead to fill out the class. The second illustrated that the group didn’t have as much star power as we’re all used to seeing.
Today, the outlook looks a whole lot different.
The Gators now have 13 commitments and the class is up to No. 21 following Friday’s pledge from 4-star cornerback Ben Hanks Jr. of Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington. Below, I’ve ranked Florida’s current commitments from 1 through 13 by combining my own evaluations with what I believe to be each player’s importance/value to the class. These rankings are one man’s opinion and are strictly for fun. We will update this list as Florida’s 2025 class continues to grow.
Okay, lets get started …
Brown is Florida’s highest-ranked commitment (No. 36 overall, No. 6 receiver) in the On3 Industry Rankings for a reason. There’s little he can’t do. The 5-foot-10.5, 173-pound slot receiver is coming off a huge junior season and is primed to produce even better numbers in 2024. And, as he showed this weekend he’s also an elite return man. Brown has the ability to make an immediate impact in Gainesville. Adding to his value is the fact he’s a Florida Gators legacy. He’ll be a face of the program in the coming years.
2. Joshua Moore , WR, Pembroke Pines (Fla.) West Broward
In the On3 Industry Rankings, Moore is the No. 139 overall recruit. But at On3, we have him all the way up at No. 57. That’s because we like him an awful lot as a prospect. Moore, listed at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, recorded 50 catches for 835 yards and nine touchdowns last season and had over 1,000 yards in 2022. Florida needed an impact receiver in the 2025 class with size and Moore could give the Gators just that. He’s tall, has great length, knows how to get open and can make plays after the catch. He has an extremely high value to the class, not only because of his talent, but due to his body.
3. Jalen Wiggins , Edge, Tallahassee (Fla.) Rickards
Wiggins, listed at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, checks in at No. 115 overall in the On3 Industry Rankings and is No. 91 for On3. He’s graded by most sites as a defensive lineman but the Gators are recruiting him at edge — and that is a major position of need. Not only is Wiggins talented. Not only does he have a great frame. But he’s an excellent student with a high football IQ. And the Gators beat FSU to get his commitment.
4. Ben Hanks Jr. , CB, Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington
Hanks is the No. 102 overall recruit and No. 11 corner in the country for the On3 Industry Rankings. He has long arms and is a ball hawk. He probably isn’t done growing and is one of the most competitive players in the Sunshine State. Cornerback is one of those key positions where you can never have too many talented players. Like Brown, he’s a Florida legacy and that’s never a bad thing.
5. Waltez Clark , RB, Tampa (Fla.) Plant
Clark is a 4-star in the On3 Industry Rankings, but only a 3-star with On3. I wouldn’t be surprised if he rises this fall. A lingering ankle issue limited his playing time and effectiveness last season. Now, though, Clark is fully healthy and he’s a true game-breaker. On the track, he ran the 100 meters in 10.77 seconds the spring and that speed translates to the field. He can take any play to the house. Also of note, Clark is very good at catching the ball out of the backfield. He’ll be able to do a lot for the Florida Gators.
6. Jeramiah McCloud , DL, Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County
As the highest-ranked true defensive line commit in the class, McCloud has a high value to me. He is productive on Friday nights and has transformed his body this year. Last season, McCloud totaled 55 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. He’s both physical and aggressive at the point of attack. He’s fast off the ball and often quickly gets opposing offensive linemen on their back foot. If he dominates in 2024, he could move up our list — and in the rankings.
7. Demetres Samuel , S, Palm Bay (Fla.) Heritage
Samuel had a busy July. First, the 4-star recruit de-committed from Syracuse. Then he reclassified from 2026 to 2025. And finally, he committed to the Gators. He’s the No. 205 recruit in the country — and happens to be Florida’s lone safety commit. That’s an important position this cycle. Bottom line, he’s a talented player at a big position of need.
8. Tae’shaun Gelsey , TE/ATH, Jacksonville (Fla.) Riverside
Gelsey is an intriguing prospect to say the least. Florida likes him as a tight end/athlete. Tulane, his other finalist, thought he could be a major talent as a big receiver (in the mold of Joshua Moore). Listed at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Gelsey has a lot of tools to be successful for the Gators. And his versatility should give the Florida coaches plenty of options in utilizing him. Gelsey’s body control and his hands are a couple things we really like about his game. On3 made Gelsey a 4-star in July. Don’t be surprised if other big programs try to poach him from Florida.
9. Myles Johnson , LB, Brewton (Ala.) T.R. Miller
Florida hopes to sign two backers and Johnson, a former Alabama pledge, is the only one currently committed. At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, he has one of the better linebacker bodies in the class. He’s a 3-star recruit with a 4-star frame. An injury last year might have stunted his development a little, but he’s now healthy, running well and has a strong overall skillet. The Gators were excited to get Johnson on board this summer.
10. Micah Jones , TE, Madison Central (Miss.)
Jones will bring a big frame (6-foot-4, 250 pounds) to the Florida tight ends room and that’s needed as much as sleek pass catchers. His versatility is what I like most. Versatility in the sense that he not only can get out and run routes, make catches and get yards after the catch, but he is an effective in-line blocker. The body is there. Once he gets into a college weight training program he’ll have a chance to be a powerful blocker, and that’s the type of thing a team needs to have short-yardage effectiveness.
11. Chad Gasper , RB, Fulshear (Texas) Katy Jordan
Gasper possibly could be primed to see his ranking (No. 50 running back in the On3 Industry) rise if he gets more usage this fall. He has carried the ball only 302 times for 1,463 yards on the varsity squad in three seasons. In fairness, Gasper plays in a pass-first offense with an offensive line built to throw — not run. His entire team had only 1,321 rushing yards in 2024. He’s a tough runner, with good acceleration and he can catch the football. That said, you’d like to see him produce more long runs. We think he’s capable of doing that.
In late July, Florida became the first Power 4 school to offer Mbatchou a scholarship. At the time, he didn’t even have a rating from On3 or anyone else. That’s because this is Mbatchou’s first year of playing football. But after committing to the Gators his stock is soaring. He’s now a 3-star recruit (with possibly 4-star potential) and schools such as Auburn, South Carolina and Texas have offered.
13. Hayden Craig , P, North Bridgton (Me.) Academy
Florida needed a punter in the class and the Gators landed one in Craig. Based on what Kohl’s Kicking — the expects in this area — say about Craig, he has a chance to be an effective player in college: “Craig has some of the best leg talent as a combo athlete in the 2025 class. Craig earned a rating of 4.5-stars in December of 2023 with a good day at a winter Showcase Camp. He scored 11 points on field goals,106.4 points on kickoffs, and 103.4 points on punts. His biggest kickoff traveled 71 yards and had 3.75 seconds of hang-time. His best punt went 46 yards and had 4,31 seconds of hang-time. Craig is a very good combo kicker/punter who could improve a college team’s roster with his leg talent”
How would you rank the Florida Gators’ five commits? Tell us in the comments section …
The post Ranking Florida’s 2025 recruiting class so far appeared first on On3 .
Most Popular
Comments / 0