ESPN Signing Day Winners: Florida Gators

The Florida Gators pulled a spectacular turnaround on the field. What Billy Napier and crew did on the recruiting trails may have been even more impressive.

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier closed the season strong and closed the recruiting Class of 2025 even stronger. / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After a month of clawing and scratching to reach a bowl game after a slow start to the season, the Florida Gators will now enjoy the fruits of their labor. More importantly, the flood of new recruits wanting to hop on the Gators’ bandwagon earned national recognition. 

In fact, ESPN+ published an article late Wednesday evening that listed the Gators as one of the winners of early signing day. Yes, the Gators, who looked dead in the water after their third loss in four games as Texas scored every which way. 

Now, they sit in a much-improved position headed into the offseason, bolstered by success. 

High Praise

For a team that struggled to keep whatever talented players from the transfer portal, their immediate future looks extraordinarily bright as Eli Lederman stats.. 

"The Gators have charted the hottest finish to the 2025 cycle of any program across the country, securing 13 commitments since Billy Napier's future was settled on Nov. 7, including seven from the ESPN 300," wrote Lederman on ESPN+.

"Napier and Florida signed ESPN 300 safeties Hylton Stubbs (Miami flip) and Lagonza Hayward Jr. (former Tennessee pledge) to fortify the back end of a defensive class that already features top inside linebacker Ty Jackson, four-star cornerback Ben Hanks Jr. and three top-300 defensive lineman, led by four-star edge Jalen Wiggins.

"A strong close to the regular season has coincided with a forceful late push in the 2025 cycle from the Gators. Napier's latest class appears to be another piece in the foundation of a turnaround at Florida." 

ESPN ranked the Gators class No. 10 in the country. A remarkable turnaround that saw the Gators in the 50's as recently as August.

The Swamp is HOME. 🐊

Time to shine, @Drakestubbs1 ‼️#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/jlyguaxrGl

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024

Florida continues the long road back to becoming a household name, instead of a household disappointment. In the SEC, where recruiting looks like lunch time on the Serengeti, UF looks like the hunter, instead of the meal. 

Now, they will need to parlay all of the incoming talent into a better season. 2024 isn't the culmination of a job well done, it's a step in the process of building forward, creating a future that sees ascension in the brutal Southeastern Conference. 

Bottom Line

You could not play a hand better than the Gators. In shocking both LSU and Ole Miss, the Florida Gators defeated SEC teams, within full view of the conference. Moreover, UF tanked the chances of the Tigers and Rebels, while gaining bowl eligibility.

Driving another nail in the coffin of rival Florida State to close the regular season was a veritable sack dance. Napier had been poaching Seminole recruits from Mike Norvell all fall.