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Gators to Host 5-Star WR for South Carolina Game, Per Report

The Florida Gators are back in the running for five-star wide receiver Easton Royal.
Kyle Lander|
The Florida Gators are back in the running for five-star wide receiver Easton Royal.
The Florida Gators are back in the running for five-star wide receiver Easton Royal. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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The Florida Gators are back in the mix for one of the top prospects in the entire country.

2027 New Orleans (La.) Brother Martin five-star wide receiver and Texas commit Easton Royal will return to Gainesville next weekend when the Gators take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Swamp, On3’s Sam Spiegelman reported on Friday. 

Royal was in Gainesville this past weekend when the Gators picked apart the No. 4 Ole Miss Rebels, witnessing how dangerous the Gators' offense is. After watching the Gators demolish the Rebels, Royal talked about the environment that the Gator faithful created. 

"The crowd and the fans were all electric," he said. "It was more than I expected."

Despite being committed to the Longhorns, Royal continues to listen to both the Gators and the LSU Tigers. And for most of it, the Gators appeared to be running third in this race. 

However, his visit to Gainesville last Saturday has shaken up his recruitment. Instead of being an afterthought to most, the Gators now appear to be firmly in the race for Royal. 

Additionally, Royal's recruitment is nearing an end, the receiver says. 

"I'm very close to a decision," he told Rivals after he visited Florida. 

Florida's 2027 class is nearly complete, especially at wide receiver. Three wideouts are pledged to the Gators in the 2027 cycle. Port Charlotte (Fla.) four-star Elias Pearl, Cottondale (Fla.) four-star Tramond Collins and Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Dillard four-star Anthony Jennings make up the Gators' wide receiver class. 

That does not mean they will not take Royal, though. He is the No. 5 overall prospect in the 2027 class, according to the 247Sports Composite, and a talent any team takes regardless of class numbers. 

The Gators' 2027 class currently holds 25 commitments. It ranks as 247Sports' No. 11 class in 2027, with one five-star, 10 four-stars and 14 three-stars. 

Florida's top commitment is Coatesville (Pa.) five-star offensive tackle Maxwell Hiller. He ranks as 247Sports' No. 2 overall prospect and No. 1 overall tackle in the class. 

10 other top 250 prospects are committed to the Gators. 

Those are Baltimore (Md.) four-star defensive lineman Cahron Wheeler, Anna (Texas) four-star offensive lineman Peyton Miller, East St. Louis (Ill.) four-star cornerback Raheem Floyd, Roanoke (Va.) Catholic four-star offensive lineman Elijah Hutcheson, Sarasota (Fla.) Cardinal Mooney four-star quarterback Davin Davidson, Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage four-star cornerback Amare Nugent, Bogart (Ga.) Prince Avenue Christian School four-star running back Andrew Beard II, Swainsboro (Ga.) four-star Ja'Bios Smith, Pearl and Collins. 

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Kyle Lander
KYLE LANDER

Kyle Lander is a contributing writer at Florida Gators on SI. He is also a graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in journalism. On top of his writing, Kyle is a photographer for the site as well. Outside of his work with Florida Gators on SI, he likes to hike, travel, watch movies and hang out with family and friends.

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