Florida Gators get Commitment from Former FSU Commit, 4-Star CB

The Florida Gators have added a second commitment to its 2026 recruiting class and the first to its defense.

Armwood (Seffner, Fla.) four-star corner Jaelen Waters (6-2, 170) on Saturday announced his pledge to the Gators. He becomes the second commitment of the class, joining four-star quarterback Will Griffin.

Waters is considered a top-25 corner by all major recruiting sites and is a consensus top-50 player in the state of Florida.

“Great To Be A Florida Gator,” Waters posted via his “X” account.

Great To Be A Florida Gator 🐊@GatorsFB @CoachWillHarris @coach_bnapier pic.twitter.com/iYCalT9g01
— Jaelen “Seatbelt” Waters (@Waters_Jaelen) June 15, 2024

Waters previously committed to Florida State on April 23 after an unofficial visit with the Seminoles. However, he backed off his pledge on May 30 and was quickly predicted to join the Gators' commitment list.

“I would like to thank Fsu for the opportunity to further my education & football career. But after much reflextion & consideration ive decided to re-open my recruitment,” Waters wrote in his decommitment announcement.

He visited Florida unofficially on Thursday and has already built a strong relationship with new secondary coach Will Harris and defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong.

“We get on the phone with him almost every other day,” Waters said, per Gators Online Keith Niebuhr. “Talk about football and stuff. He comes around my school during that time period when you can visit schools — him and Coach Armstrong, too. He always worries about me. He loves me in the 2026 class. So I’m very appreciative of that.”

During his sophomore season with Armwood in 2023, Waters accounted for 20 tackles, 17 of which were solo, and six passes defended. Waters’s highlights can be viewed here.

Although a 2026 recruit, Waters’ commitment comes in the midst of the third-straight major recruiting weekend for the Gators as it looks to add to its 2025 class. Florida is currently hosting 13 total recruits this weekend on official visits.