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5-Star QB, OL Headlines Recruits Who Have Gators Among Top Schools

A Florida begins to build its 2027 recruiting class, a group of recruits have already revealed their top schools with the Gators included.
Cam Parker|
The Florida Gators are among the top schools for a pair of five-stars, including one of the nation's best quarterbacks in the class.
The Florida Gators are among the top schools for a pair of five-stars, including one of the nation's best quarterbacks in the class. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Jon Sumrall has already landed one commit in his 2027 recruiting class with Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage four-star corner Amare Nugent pledging to the Florida Gators on Jan. 25. Now, Sumrall and his staff turn their attentions to many of the other top talent in the class, a portion of whom have already released their top schools and included the Gators.

Florida Gators on SI lists a group of recruits that have publicly listed the Gators among their top schools, including two five-stars at the top of their respective position rankings.

5-Star QB Elijah Haven

Hailing from Baton Rouge (La.) Dunham School, Haven (6-5, 215 pounds) is rated as the No. 1 quarterback and No. 2 overall prospect in the 2027 class by 247 Sports after throwing for 9,274 yards and 134 touchdowns and rushing for 2,375 yards and 44 touchdowns in his career.

Alabama has long been considered the favorite, but Sumrall and staff have made a significant push since taking over the Florida football program.

Florida is also in the running for Vero Beach (Fla.) four-star Champ Monds IV, who reclassified from the 2028 class to the 2027 class.

5-Star OL Maxwell Hiller

The No. 1 interior lineman in the class and No. 4 overall prospect by 247 Sports, Hiller has commanded some of the most prominent schools, with Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and Ohio State as his final four, and the Gators appear to be leading for the Coatesville (Pa.) Area lineman.

Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein built a relationship with Hiller during his time at Penn State. Now at Florida, his relationship is proving beneficial to the Gators with Hiller telling 247 Sports' Tyler Harden that Florida is "probably in the top two."

Florida will host the 6-foot-5, 300-pound lineman for an official visit from June 19-21, after visits at Alabama and Tennessee. Should Florida win out, Hiller would become the first five-star offensive lineman to commit to Florida out of high school since Martez Ivey in 2015.

4-Star RB Andrew Beard

Beard, the No. 4 running back and a top 100 player in the class by 247 Sports, included Florida with Tennessee, Clemson and Georgia in his top four, but the Gators appear to be trailing. Georgia, according to On3, appears to be the favorite with Tennessee and Clemson neck-and-neck as the No. 2.

Florida will have a chance to catch up for the 5-foot-9, 197-pound prospect from Bogart (Ga.) Prince Avenue Christian during his official visit on June 4, which comes after a visit to Clemson and before trips to Georgia and Tennessee.

4-Star WR Julius Jones Jr.

Jones (5-10, 175 pounds) is the only receiver to date to include the Gators among his public top schools. Rated as the No. 11 receiver in the class and a top 100 recruit, Jones has a top eight of Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon and Texas with the Irish as apparent leader. His father, Julius, played running back at Notre Dame from 1999-2003 before a career in the NFL.

That being said, Florida has begun to chip away for the Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas product and is trending positively for the four-star, according to Harden.

4-Star OL Carter Jones

Once again, Trautwein's connections from his time at Penn State are a factor as Jones (6-5.5, 291 pounds) became one of Trautwein's first offers when he was hired at Florida. The result was The Poquoson (Va.) four-star including Florida in his top 10 with Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Virginia Tech.

Florida still has catching up to do as On3 lists Clemson as the leader, but with Trautwein leading the way, anything is possible.

4-Star OL Terrance Smith

See Jones but change out the schools. The Lansdale (Pa.) Catholic grew up with Penn State as his in-state program, but the Nittany Lions did not make his top seven. In comes Florida with Trautwein alongside Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Rutgers and Tennessee. Smith (6-6, 260 pounds) is rated as the No. 11 interior lineman in the class by the Rivals Industry Ranking and will visit Florida on May 28.

4-Star OL Layton Von Brandt

See Smith except Penn State made his final eight. Rivals' No. 7 tackle and No. 37 prospect in the class, Von Brandt was quickly targeted by Florida when Trautwein was hired after his decommitment from the Nittany Lions. The Middletown (De.) Appoquinimink prospect is expected to visit Florida this summer before making his decision near the start of his senior year.

4-Star Edge Frederick Ards III

Personal ties and proximity are playing a big role in Florida's recruitment of Ards, the No. 14 edge rusher and top 100 recruit in the 247 Sports Composite. Hailing from Orlando (Fla.) Jones, Ards III was teammates with now-UF receiver Vernell Brown III in 2023. Florida, which is listed as the leader by Rivals, is also the closest school to Ards of his finalists, which consists of the Gators, Florida State, South Carolina and Texas A&M.

Ards (6-5, 225 pounds) will officially visit Florida on June 4 before visits with the Aggies and Gamecocks.

4-Star DB Jaden Carey

Carey (6-0, 165 pounds) is rated as the No. 28 corner in the class by Rivals and is high school teammates with multiple recruits who also have Florida as a top school (four-star receiver Julius Jones Jr. and four-star safety Zayden Gamble). As it stands, Florida and Miami appear to be the main contenders, but new UF corners coach Brandon Harris will play a huge factor due to his South Florida ties.

Sumrall's personality helps, as well, with Carey telling Harden that he "is a coach that you'll get up and run through a brick wall for."

His other top schools include Auburn, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss and Oregon.

4-Star DB Zayden Gamble

See Carey but extend Miami's lead and update some of the finalists. Persistency has been the key for Florida, according to Harden, as the Gators join the Hurricanes, Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Texas A&M as 247 Sports' No. 19 safety's top schools. Rivals' Stephen Wagner placed a prediction in December for Miami to land Gamble, but Florida's new staff, headlined by safeties coach Chris Collins in this case, is making progress with Gamble telling Harden that Florida is one of his teams to beat..

4-Star DB Chase Johnson

Johnson (5-11, 160 pounds) hails from Swainsboro (Ga.) Emanuel County Institute and is rated as the No. 20 corner and No. 175 recruit in the class by 247 Sports. Georgia and Florida appear to be the leaders over fellow top schools Auburn, Florida State and Miami, according to Rivals, with the Gators hosting Johnson during its Jan. 24 Junior Day.

Those efforts, as well as his connection with safeties coach Chris Collins since Collins' time at Kentucky, has made Florida one of the leading contenders of the group.

4-Star DB Bryce Williams

Unlike Johnson, Florida has ground to make up in Williams' recruitment with the former FSU commit currently predicted to choose Nebraska by Rivals. However, corners coach Brandon Harris' South Florida ties could play a big role for the Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Western product, who is ranked as the No. 16 corner in the class by Rivals.

3-Star OL Reis Russell

Florida joins Georgia, Miami, Oregon, SMU and Washington for the Littleton (Co.) Valor Christian recruit, who is also the No. 2 recruit in the state in the 247 Sports Composite. While his recruitment is still blossoming, and an official visit to Georgia in April looming, his current top six may not equate to his final six.

Two days after releasing his top schools, USC offered the 6-foot-3.5, 290-pound lineman.

3-Star DL Josh Johnson

All it took was an offer from Florida to make Johnson's top six alongside Miami, Nebraskas, Georgia Tech, Iowa and Wisconsin. Hailing from Key West, Johnson's recruitment has gone a bit under the radar due to his remote location, but offers from Florida and Miami have made his recruitment begin to stand out.

“Growing up in Key West has made my recruitment more challenging because I’ve had to leave the island many times on expensive trips to gain exposure,” Johnson told Florida Gators on SI. “It’s harder to get noticed when coaches can’t easily come down to see me play, so every opportunity has meant a lot.”

While Florida is in his top six, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound prospect recently told On3's Corey Bender that Florida is a "surefire top-three team," with Miami and Iowa, which holds a prediction from Rivals' Steve Wiltfong, as the other main contenders.

3-Star CB Jacob Whitehead

While just a three-star, Whitehead has one of the more impressive top schools lists with Florida joining Auburn, Miami, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M and USC in his finalists. Rivals listed Miami as the leader for the Irvine (Ca.) Crean Lutheran prospect at the tail end of the 2025 season.

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Cam Parker
CAM PARKER

Cam Parker is a reporter covering the Florida Gators, Auburn Tigers and Clemson Tigers with a degree in journalism from the University of Florida. He also covers and broadcasts Alachua County high school sports with The Prep Zone and Mainstreet Daily News. When he isn't writing, he enjoys listening to '70s music such as The Band or Lynyrd Skynyrd, binge-watching shows and playing with his cat, Chester, and dog, Rufus.

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