Can Florida Get Back in the Running for Five-Star LB Kaden Henderson?

Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit five-star linebacker Kaden Henderson, the number one player at the position in the 2027 class and a long-time Florida Gators target, announced his top five schools Friday. Florida was not included.

Nonetheless, Florida is still making a push.

NEWS: Elite 2027 LB Kaden Henderson is down to 5 Schools, he tells me for @Rivals

The 6’2 215 LB from Tampa, FL is ranked as the No. 1 LB in the 2027 Rivals300

Where Should He Go?https://t.co/iBF0yGEqQk pic.twitter.com/ssR5hLDRW3
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 6, 2026

Henderson, a high school teammate of true freshman quarterback Will Griffin, has been a priority target for Florida spanning to their last coaching regime under Billy Napier. The in-state All-American has visited Gainesville countless times, with the Gators' pursuit continuing under the new staff and a return visit actually scheduled for this weekend.

While Henderson is still expected to be on campus for the unofficial trip, he did not include the Gators amongst a group of final candidates that includes Texas A&M, Miami, Ohio State, Alabama and Notre Dame. Regardless, Sumrall and the Gators will remain in pursuit for the proximity target, who Florida once was seemingly in strong contention for.

“They are the only SEC team in Florida and I feel like if you are a linebacker you want to play in the SEC, that’s how you get to the big leagues,” Henderson told Swamp 247’s Tyler Harden about what stood out to Florida a few months ago. “I feel like that's one of the biggest parts.”

Henderson is the composite No. 24 player in the entire country and third-best in the state of Florida, the exact type of recruit Sumrall has made a goal to land early on in his time in Gainesville. The new staff have continued to prioritize the talent close to home, which has been a huge advantage for the university historically.

“It starts here at home. We're privileged to be in the state of Florida, which has got just such a great hotbed for not just high school football players but great coaches, and we don't have to go very far to find what we need to win championships,” Sumrall said in his introductory press conference.

#Florida has continued to make an impression on 2027 LB Kaden Henderson.

Especially at his position, Henderson sees lots of opportunity with the Gators and in the SEC.

“I feel like if you’re a linebacker, you want to play in the SEC.”

➡️: https://t.co/0kqNC92ouI (VIP) pic.twitter.com/IhemzQDfkU
— Tyler Harden (@ttjharden8) August 23, 2025

Though the Gators now seem behind in their pursuit of Henderson, they have had strong momentum on the trail recently, including strong pushes at the linebacker position specifically. Amongst a list of targets, top-30 Georgia linebacker Joakim Gouda is arguably right behind Henderson on Florida’s board, with the Gators fighting the rival Bulldogs for the elite 225-pound backer.

“Florida is definitely still strongly in the race,” Gouda told Florida Gators on SI. “I think I could fit in well with Sumrall and the new staff because I’m coachable, hardworking, and focused on team success. I like their energy and vision for the program, and that’s earned them a real chance in my recruitment.”

The Gators' 2027 class is still a long way from being finished, with plenty of time to make up ground with Henderson and other top prospects in the cycle. As the program moves through spring visits, watch out for the Gators to start landing some targets as they work towards building their first class under the new staff.