Five-Star DB Announces Commitment Date, Gators Among Finalists

Jireh Edwards will visit Florida before announcing his decision.

Florida head coach Billy Napier during a game between Florida and Tennessee in Neyland Stadium, in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After making Upper Marlboro (Md.) St. Frances Academy five-star safety Jireh Edwards' summer visit schedule, the Florida Gators now know when the No. 2 safety prospect in the class of 2026 will announce his decision.

Edwards (6-1.5, 205 pounds) will choose between Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Oregon and Texas A&M with plans to announce his decision on July 5. He is rated as the No. 21 overall player in the class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

BREAKING: Five-Star Safety Jireh Edwards is down to Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, Auburn, Florida, and Texas A&M, he tells me for @on3recruits

The No. 2 Safety in the ‘26 Class will announce his Commitment on July 5th

Where Should He Go? 👀https://t.co/ESr4XwxInV pic.twitter.com/xO7G3MGe8b

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 28, 2025

As it stands, the Tigers seemingly lead for Edwards' services, according to On3, after a strong visit in April. Auburn was in his original top-five list before he released his amended finalists on Wednesday.

"[The Tigers are] at the top of my list, right there with Texas A&M, Oregon and Georgia," Edwards said. "They do a really hard job. I can never sit over a school because the next day, Auburn will come text me and tell me some good stuff. Auburn will always have that love for me."

While they are on his visit schedule, the Gators are limited with Edwards' planned trip only being an unofficial visit on June 3. All of his other finalists have either received or will receive an official visit this summer.

He will take an official visit with Auburn beginning on Friday, with other planned official visits to Alabama on June 6, Texas A&M on June 13 and Oregon on June 20 on the schedule. He previously took an official visit to Georgia on April 12, according to On3.

Should he choose Florida, Edwards would become the only current defensive back in the Gators' 2026 recruiting class, which is limited to just two pledges at the moment in four-star quarterback Will Griffin and three-star defensive lineman Jamir Perez.

The Gators previously held commitments from defensive backs Jaelen Waters and Devin Jackson before the pair decommitted, but Florida has made some progress in its attempts to replace them after being projected to land four-star CJ Hester of Cocoa (Fla.).

Florida Gators on SI is tracking all of the Gators' major recruiting news, from current commits to prospects to make note of to the official visit schedule, on our 2026 Recruiting Tracker.