Florida Gators Land Commitment from JUCO DB

Florida's newest commit has recruiting ties to the Gators' new defensive coordinator Brad White and safeties coach Chris Collins.

The Florida Gators have received a commitment from a JUCO defensive back. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida Gators turned to the JUCO ranks as it builds its secondary for the 2026 season, landing a commitment from Mississippi Gulf Coast corner Elijah Owens. Owens, who will enroll later this month, confirmed his commitment on Wednesday.

He joins a corner room that includes redshirt junior Dijon Johnson, redshirt junior Cormani McClain, and sophomore J'Vari Flowers. The Gators also signed CJ Bronaugh and CJ Hester out of the high school ranks and are expected to retain redshirt freshmen Ben Hanks III and Onis Konanbanny.

Committed🧡💙🐊@CoachC_Collins @CoachJonSumrall #CTC pic.twitter.com/Vh0ZMvhfiB

— Elijah Owens (@Eliparker1P) January 7, 2026

Owens, hailing from Mobile, Alabama as an All-State player in high school, played one season at Mississippi Gulf Coast, recording 65 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one interception and three pass breakups. He was previously a target by new UF safeties coach Chris Collins and new defensive coordinator Brad White while the two were at Kentucky.

The former JUCO defender is Florida's second commitment of the day after Wake Forest transfer receiver Micah Mays Jr. signed with the program in the morning. He is also the second transfer defensive back after former Baylor safety DJ Coleman committed on Sunday.

New head coach Jon Sumrall has wasted no time both retaining major contributors and adding to the roster through the portal, which opened on Jan. 2. Including Owens, Florida has welcomed 13 transfers to the fold with Coleman being the first of the group.

After Coleman, Florida added James Madison tight end Lacota Dippre, Georgia Tech receiver Bailey Stockton and Baylor defensive lineman DK Kalu on Monday. Cincinnati running back Evan Pryor, Penn State offensive linemen TJ Shanahan and Eagan Boyer, Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo, Tulane punter Patrick Durkin, Tulane punter Alec Clark and Jacksonville State defensive lineman Emmanuel Oyebadejo joined on Tuesday.

"We will use the transfer portal. If you've studied my rosters the last couple years, I haven't had the resources to keep very many of my good players. They all end up getting poached," Sumrall said of his portal plan after being introduced as the Gators' next head coach last month. "So I've had to embrace the transfer portal probably more than most, maybe even more than I'd like to at times, by necessity. But we will use the portal to enhance our team and to supplement where there may be holes or deficiencies."

Florida Gators on SI is tracking all of Florida's portal moves until the window closes on Jan. 16 here.