5-star Florida commit not discouraged by Miami loss

Florida had several recruits on campus Saturday for the season opener against Miami.

Of course, a 41-17 loss is not what the Gators hoped to do in front of these recruits, but not all of them are focusing on the negatives.

Five-star wide receiver Vernell Brown III, a legacy commit, told Blake Alderman of Swamp247 that he remains “confident in the University of Florida” after the loss.

“I think everyone sees that we have a lot of improving to do,” Brown said. “There was no question whether or not we needed to improve. I think ultimately, it’s just the first game, so not really too hard on it. Hopefully, look to see improvement as the season progresses.”

A loss is never good for recruiting, but winning isn’t everything when it comes to high schoolers looking to make an impact early. Joining a struggling team often means early playing time, especially for five-star recruits, and Brown honed in the positives that directly impact him.

True freshman quarterback DJ Lagway got his first taste of the college game, which means he’ll have some experience under his belt when Brown makes it to campus. He also got to see Eugene “Tre” Wilson III in action. Brown’s path to playing time might not be too different from Wilson, who led the team with seven catches on eight targets Saturday.

“It’s good to see,” he said.”At a time they needed it, they got their playmaker (Wilson) the ball. I love to see that, and hopefully, they continue to do that in the future.”

Miami on flip watch for Vernell Brown III

Brown is saying all the right things as the top-ranked player in Florida’s 2025 recruiting class, but the Gators must continue to pitch him if they want to prevent a Miami flip. The Hurricanes were finalists for Brown before his commitment, and the coaching staff is only going to push harder after Saturday’s results.

Florida wide receivers coach Billy Gonzalez met briefly with Brown after the game. He didn’t shy away from the offensive deficiencies on the court, instead playing to the trust between the coaching staff and players.

Brown is still “locked in,” with the Gators for now.

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