All Gators

Florida Gators Early Signing Day Tracker: Every Player Coming to the Program in 2026

Follow along as the Florida Gators build its 2026 recruiting class during the Early Signing Period. This real-time tracker features every official signee, individual breakdowns, position group insights, and how the class stacks up nationally.
Cam Parker|
The Florida Gators are set to sign its first recruiting class under new head coach Jon Sumrall.
The Florida Gators are set to sign its first recruiting class under new head coach Jon Sumrall. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

In this story:

Florida Gators

Follow along as the Florida Gators build its 2026 recruiting class during the Early Signing Period. This real-time tracker features every official signee, individual breakdowns, position group insights, and how the class stacks up nationally.

Full List of 2026 Early Signees (17)

  • Four-star QB Will Griffin
  • Four-star WR Marquez Daniel
  • Four-star WR Davian Groce
  • Four-star WR Justin Williams
  • Four-star TE Heze Kent
  • Three-star OL Chancellor Campbell
  • Three-star OL G'Nivre Carr
  • Four-star OL Tyler Chukuyem
  • Three-star OL Desmond Green
  • Three-star OL Javarii Luckas
  • Four-star DL Kendall Guervil
  • Four-star Edge KJ Ford
  • Five-star Edge JaReylan McCoy
  • Four-star LB Malik Morris
  • Four-star DB CJ Bronaugh
  • Four-star DB Kaiden Hall
  • Four-star DB CJ Hester
  • Four-star DB Dylan Purter

Position-by-Position Breakdown

Florida filled needs at quarterback, receiver, tight end and offensive line on offense and at edge rusher on defense in the class, but have holes at running back after Carsyn Baker's decommitment and needs on the interior defensive line, linebacker and defensive back.

New head coach Jon Sumrall, hired on Sunday and introduced on Monday, did not recruit any of the existing commits to Florida. Instead, he took advantage of an existing class at the time of his hiring and will honor each commitment. He also added a commitment to the class, marking his first official recruit at Florida, while fighting off multiple flip attempts on high-profile recruits.

Offense

Will Griffin headlines Florida's offensive additions as the longest-tenured commit, leader of the class and future face of the offense. Griffin was one of the first commits to reaffirm his pledge after Napier's firing and one of the first to double-down with Sumrall's hiring.

Receiver may be one of Florida's most talented groups do-it-all receivers Davian Groce, Florida's highest-rated signee, and Justin Williams, who a year ago was the first player in the state to reach 1,000 yards in both rushing and receiving since 2002, as well as Marquez Daniel, who unites with Sumrall after visiting Tulane after Napier's firing.

Tight end features one player Heze Kent, a developmental prospect due to his offensive lineman-like stature. Kent signed on Wednesday, while Florida announced its final early signing class without three-star Kekua Aumua, who has been predicted to land at Washington.

With five signees, the offensive line is the deepest, headlined by tackle Tyler Chukuyem, whom Florida fought off a flip effort by Georgia for.

The lightest group is running back, which was left with no commits after Carsyn Baker backed off his pledge. Baker committed to Texas A&M on Thursday.

Defense

Florida's defense saw multiple flip efforts by other programs in the wake of the coaching change, but the Gators' stellar edge rusher class in five-star JaReylan McCoy and four-star KJ Ford signed with the Orange and Blue.

With a pair of seniors leaving the program in Tyreak Sapp and George Gumbs Jr., the two will have an opportunity to solidify themselves in Florida's defensive rotation early.

Florida's secondary class of corners CJ Hester and CJ Bronaugh and safety Kaiden Hall represent the next deepest section of the defense. While remaining committed through the coaching change, Bronaugh and Hall, specifically, took visits elsewhere during the regular season.

Bronaugh signed on Wednesday, while Hall is signing on Friday, reportedly with the Gators. Florida also flipped four-star safety Dylan Purter from LSU on Thursday, marking Sumrall's first addition to the class.

Florida only has two commits at linebacker and interior defensive line with four-star linebacker Malik Morris and four-star defensive lineman Kendall Guervil, leaving holes Sumrall will have to address in either the portal or in the winter recruiting period.

Top Signees in the Class

Five-star Edge JaReylan McCoy

  • Florida's only five-star commit in the class, McCoy committed to Florida over Texas and LSU and remained committed through the coaching change. He signed early on Wednesday morning.

Four-star WR Davian Groce

  • Originally not on Groce's radar, Florida impressed him so much during a summer visit that he adjusted his top schools to include Florida. Now, the Gators are battling Oklahoma to keep him in the class. Groce signed with Florida shortly after noon.

Four-star Edge KJ Ford

  • A sudden summer addition to the class, Ford was a flip target and projected to choose in-state Texas A&M but ultimately decided to remain with Florida, announcing his intentions on Tuesday night. He officially signed with Florida despite late pushes from multiple schools.

Four-star WR Justin Williams

  • Williams holds the privilege of being the closest commit to campus, playing at nearby Buchholz High School. A do-it-all athlete, Williams made headlines as a junior by becoming the first high school player in Florida to reach 1,000 yards in both rushing and receiving since Devin Hester in 2002. Williams signed in the morning with a ceremony to be held at 3:10 p.m. ET.

Four-star DB CJ Bronaugh

Will Griffin, QB - Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit

  • Height/Weight: 6'3", 230 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (Consensus), Position Rank: No. 6
  • Notable Offers: Florida State, Miami, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Texas A&M
  • Scouting Report: Plenty of valuable high school experience with six years of experience on varsity, five as a starter. Accurate with the ball, completing at least 65 percent of his passes across his last three seasons. More than willing runner, averaging over six yards a carry the last two seasons with 11 total scores in that timeframe. Struggled with interceptions early in his career, but has only thrown six interceptions in the last two seasons after throwing 31 from his eighth grade through sophomore seasons.
  • UF Comparison: Kyle Trask
  • Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Marquez Daniel, WR - Tuskegee (Ala.) Booker T. Washington

  • Height/Weight: 6'4.75", 205 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (ESPN), Position Rank: No. 12 (ESPN)
  • Notable Offers: Florida State, Miami, Georgia, Auburn
  • Scouting Report: Height gives him an advantage on the boundary and in the red zone. Has value as a kick returner with multiple touchdowns on special teams in his high school career. Length also allows for long strides and plenty of speed. Won’t be an instant starter, but his height and with development make him a future impact candidate.
  • UF Comparison: Dallas Baker

Davian Groce, WR - Frisco (Tex.) Lone Star

  • Height/Weight: 6'1.75", 191 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (Consensus), Position Rank: No. 2 (ESPN)
  • Notable Offers: Florida State, Miami, Oklahoma
  • Scouting Report: With verifiable speed as a 200-meter state champion in track and field, Groce can play both inside and outside as a receiver who can stretch the field vertically while being a weapon in the short-yardage game. Can also be a gadget guy with his experience playing running back.
  • UF Comparison: Percy Harvin

Justin Williams, WR - Gainesville (Fla.) Buchholz

  • Height/Weight: 5'10", 187 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (Consensus), Position Rank: No. 6 (Ath.) (247 Sports Composite)
  • Notable Offers: Florida State, Kentucky, Indiana, Ole Miss
  • Scouting Report: A do-it-all receiver that can line up inside or outside, but projects as a slot receiver. With tremendous rushing ability, he adds value as a gadget guy who Florida can line up anywhere on the field. Adds value on special teams as a returner.
  • UF Comparison: Eugene Wilson III
  • Enrollment status: Early enrollee

Heze Kent, TE - Brunswick (Ga.)

  • Height/Weight: 6'6.25", 305 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (Consensus), Position Rank: No. 18 (247 Sports)
  • Notable Offers: FSU, Miami, Georgia, Alabama and Texas
  • Scouting report: Tremendous athletic ability for his size but will be a bit of a project as Sumrall and his new strength staff will look to cut Kent's weight down. Recruited as an offensive tackle by some schools, a position change is not out of the question, but it will take time to get him to the correct playing weight for a tight end.

Chancellor Campbell, OT - Saint Petersburg (Fla.) Lakewood

  • Height/Weight: 6'7.5", 307 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★ (Consensus), Position Rank: No. 44 (Rivals Industry)
  • Notable Offers: Georgia, Ohio State, Penn State
  • Scouting Report: The most-impressive offensive line signee size-wise from a family with an SEC background (brother played DL at Ole Miss), Campbell has a good baseline to start with as the new offensive line staff comes in to develop him.
  • UF Comparison: DJ Humphries

G'Nivre Carr, iOL - Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy

  • Height/Weight: 6'4.25", 309 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (ESPN), Position Rank: No. 16 (ESPN)
  • Notable Offers: Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama
  • Scouting Report: Strong interior lineman with an understanding of what it will take to play in the SEC after playing high school ball under former Gator John Brantley III at Ocala (Fla.) Trinity Catholic before transferring to IMG Academy. Can move linemen as an effective pulling guard and open up holes for running backs.
  • UF Comparison: Mike Pouncey

Tyler Chukuyem, OT - Douglasville (Ga.) South Paulding

  • Height/Weight: 6'5.5", 285 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (Rivals), Position Rank: No. 13 (Rivals)
  • Notable Offers: Ole Miss, Florida State, Georgia
  • Scouting Report: One of the fastest-rising tackles in the class, Chukuyem went from unranked to the No. 88 overall prospect after Rivals’ merger with On3. At 6-foot-6, his length, technique and aggressiveness set him apart. Offensive line coaches Rob Sale and Jonathan Decoster, whose futures are uncertain with the coaching change, told Chukuyem his agility and athleticism make him a strong tackle recruit with a good base start as he develops. Very high upside with the right combination of every key trait for a good offensive lineman
  • UF Comparison: Lomas Brown

Desmond Green, iOL - Saint Stephen (S.C.) Timberland

  • Height/Weight: 6'4.5", 343 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★ (Rivals), Position Rank: No. 13 (Rivals)
  • Notable Offers: Georgia, South Carolina, Oklahoma
  • Scouting Report: Developmental project on the interior for the Gators, but impressive size and a background in both basketball and track and field give Florida an athletic option down the line.

Javarii Luckas, OT - Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Central

  • Height/Weight: 6'5.5", 318
  • Star Rating: ★★★ (ESPN), Position Rank: No. 61 (ESPN)
  • Notable Offers: Miami, Penn State, West Virginia
  • Scouting Report: Luckas is likely a multi-year project for Florida, but like the rest of his position-mates, size will not be an issue at all. Good experience on the right side of the line.
  • UF Comparison: Max Starks

Kendall Guervil, DL - Fort Myers (Fla.)

  • Height/Weight: 6'4.5", 323 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (Consensus), Position Rank: No. 22 (Rivals)
  • Notable Offers: Florida State, Miami, Georgia, Texas, Alabama
  • Scouting Report: Big-body interior defensive lineman who initiates contact. Strong first punch followed by effective leverage allows him to make plays in the backfield. One of the overall stronger players in Florida's class who could see the field in the rotation immediately.
  • UF Comparison: Sharrif Floyd

KJ Ford, Edge - Duncanville (Tex.)

  • Height/Weight: 6'3.5", 246 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (Consensus), Position Rank: No. 17 (Rivals)
  • Notable Offers: Texas A&M, Ohio State
  • Scouting Report: Explosive off the edge. Size is not a weakness despite being smaller than most of the tackles he'll face because of his speed and ability to shed blocks. Best-suited in a three-point stance but could turn into a stellar two-point rusher (Jack linebacker).
  • UF Comparison: Javon Kearse

JaReylan McCoy, Edge - Tupelo (Miss.)

  • Height/Weight: 6'6.75", 260 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★★ (ESPN), Position Rank: No. 3 (ESPN)
  • Notable Offers: Ole Miss, Alabama, LSU, Texas
  • Scouting Report: Size and power make McCoy a play-now edge rusher for the Gators as the lone five-star recruit in the class. Long arms (34.25 inches) make separation natural, and a sub-five-second 40-yard dash gives him an extra advantage with a quick burst off the line. Originally projected as a defensive lineman early in his career but has found a home as an edge rusher.
  • UF Comparison: Dante Fowler Jr.

Malik Morris, LB - Lakeland (Fla.)

  • Height/Weight: 6', 250 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (ESPN, Rivals Industry), Position Rank: No. 2 (ESPN)
  • Notable Offers: Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Texas, Texas A&M
  • Scouting Report: Instinctive linebacker whose quick reads and hard-hitting tendencies make him dangerous in the run game. Gained some weight after an injury last year but has quickly lost a lot of it and will look to continue to do so while building muscle at Florida. Speed won't be the biggest strength and likely won't be the best third-down option, but he will make an impact as a two-down linebacker.
  • UF Comparison: Brandon Siler

CJ Bronaugh, CB - Winter Garden (Fla.) Windermere

  • Height/Weight: 6'0.25", 172 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (Consensus), Position Rank: No. 7 (Rivals)
  • Notable Offers: Ohio State, Nebraska
  • Scouting Report: One of the best cover corners in the entire 2026 recruiting class, Bronaugh will compete for playing time right away. Carries good size and length while maintaining closing speed, coverage instincts and a tremendous break on the ball.
  • UF Comparison: Joe Haden

CJ Hester, CB - Cocoa (Fla.)

  • Height/Weight: 6'0", 186 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (ESPN), Position Rank: No. 21 (ESPN)
  • Notable Offers: Ohio State, Nebraska
  • Scouting Report: A big-body corner, Hester's size and athleticism allow him to play practically anywhere in the secondary. His knack for physicality makes him an ideal candidate to move either to safety or to nickelback with early playing time possible.
  • UF Comparison: Keanu Neal

Kaiden Hall, S - Milton (Fla.)

  • Height/Weight: 6'2.25", 192 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (Rivals, ESPN), Position Rank: No. 21 (ESPN)
  • Notable Offers: Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Texas A&M, Ole Miss
  • Scouting Report: An athletic ball hawk at safety who doubled as Milton's quarterback. Size gives him an advantage in run support as a strong tackler who does not avoid contact.
  • UF Comparison: Reggie Nelson

Dylan Purter, S - Tuskegee (Ala.) Booker T. Washington

  • Height/Weight: 6'0", 170 Ibs
  • Star Rating: ★★★★ (consensus), Position Rank: No. 6 (Rivals Industry)
  • Notable Offers: LSU (previously committed)
  • Scouting Report: A strong open-field tackler. Size makes him an ideal candidate for position flexibility between safety and corner. Good coverage and closing speed allows him to play deep and keep up with the fastest receivers.

Recruiting Surprises, Flips & Misses

Florida flipped one prospect in four-star safety Dylan Purter from LSU. The Gators also made a late offer to four-star Missouri edge rusher commit Micah Nickerson, but he ultimately signed with Mississippi State.

Four-star running back Carsyn Baker, who decommitted from Florida on Monday but did not rule out a return to the class, ultimately signed with Texas A&M, leaving the Gators without a running back in the class.

However, Florida was able to stave off flip efforts by other Power Four programs for multiple prospects with four-star corner CJ Bronaugh signing despite a push from Ohio State, four-star corner CJ Hester signing despite a push from Iowa, four-star edge rusher KJ Ford signing despite a push from Texas A&M and four-star receiver Davian Groce signing despite a push from Oklahoma.

Four-star safety Kaiden Hall joined the class as the last signee on Friday. Florida announced its class without three-star tight end commit Kekua Aumua, who is expected to flip to Washington.

Florida also officially signed a legacy walk-on offensive lineman in Corey Brown, the son of former UF defensive back Vernell Brown Jr. and brother of current receiver Vernell Brown III.

Historical Context & Class Ranking

Because of the coaching change as well as the timing of Napier's firing over a month ago, Florida did not add enough recruits to reach a traditional 20+-commit class. Florida ends signing day with 19 signees, ranking as high as 13th nationally (Rivals) and sixth in the SEC (ESPN), with an average rating of 90.44.

Year

No. of Signees

Avg. Rating

Highest National Ranking

Highest SEC Ranking

2025

27

91.12 (247 Sports)

7 (247 Sports)

3 (247 Sports)

2024

20

91.35 (247 Sports)

10 (247 Sports)

7 (On3)

2023

22

91.58 (On3)

13 (247 Sports, On3)

5 (247 Sports, On3)

2022

20

88.88 (247 Sports)

17 (247 Sports)

8 (247 Sports)

2021

23

90.51 (247 Sports)

5 (ESPN)

3 (ESPN)

2020

24

90.94 (247 Sports)

8 (ESPN, On3, 247 Sports)

6 (ESPN, On3, 247 Sports)

More From Florida Gators on SI

Published | Modified
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.

Share on XFollow camparker25
Home/Recruiting