Five Recruits Florida Is Targeting To Fill Out Core of 2025 Class
The 2025 recruiting period has officially shifted into focus since the turn of the calendar year, and the Gators have notably hit the ground running.
Currently holding three commitments from Plant High (Tampa, Fla.) running back Waltez Clark, Woodward Academy (Atlanta, Ga.) wide receiver Josiah Abdullah and John Rickards High (Tallahassee, Fla.) edge rusher Jalen Wiggins, Florida has quickly built the valuable momentum needed to construct the foundation of a promising class.
Amid a busy unofficial visit schedule for Billy Napier and the Florida coaching staff ranging from mid-January to early February, the Gators aim to capitalize.
Pinning down more pledges to form a core group in the cycle is the primary focus of UF's efforts on the trail. Several priority targets plan to or have already trekked to Gainesville during the timeframe.
All Gators examines five highly regarded prospects Florida vies to add to the fold in the immediate future.
QB Ryan Montgomery
The presence of a talented quarterback can immediately elevate the perception of a recruiting class. Florida used that formula early in the 2024 class.
It aims to do so once again in 2025.
Franchise quarterback prospect DJ Lagway — the headlining act last cycle — has officially enrolled at the University of Florida, shoring up the future of the Gators' quarterback position.
Ryan Montgomery is considered the unit's desired next in line.
Occupying the top spot on the board at the quarterback position, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound pocket passer has showcased impressive ball placement, an instinctual ability to keep his eyes downfield in the face of pressure and a complementary rushing skillset during his prep career.
Montgomery's prowess to layer throws from the pocket and on the run has raised eyebrows for his transition to the collegiate game. He'll aim to grow more consistent in working through progressions and in his footwork — with a tendency to hitch on deeper throws — but his intangibles suggest a high ceiling for his projected play in the SEC or Big 10.
Florida's treated him accordingly throughout his early process, as head coach, offensive play-caller, and quarterbacks coach Billy Napier, as well as off-field quarterback assistant Ryan O'Hara, have dedicated considerable attention to his recruitment dating back to his April 6 offer. Napier is freshly removed from a trek to Findlay (Ohio) High to see the quarterback on Jan. 16.
He's reciprocated the interest to this stage, positioning Florida as a top contender for his services. The Gators are attempting to fend off the likes of Georgia, Michigan, Penn State and South Carolina.
However, they feel comfortable regarding their standing as Montgomery's process reaches a head this spring. Montgomery will trek to Gainesville for the third time since April on Feb. 3, following visits with the Gamecocks and Bulldogs in recent weeks.
Florida strives to make him the face of the class in the near future.
WR Caleb Cunningham
The Gators have placed a concerted emphasis on acquiring speed in the wide receiver corps over the past two cycles. Snagging pledges from the likes of Eugene Wilson III, Andy Jean, Aidan Mizell, Jerrae Hawkins and Tawaski Abrams during that time, Florida promisingly reconstructed the slot and Z-receiver roles for the future.
But, the X-receiver position has gone relatively untouched.
As a result, the early connection between Florida and five-star Chocktaw County (Ackerman, Miss.) pass-catcher Caleb Cunningham is a development to monitor closely.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pound wideout has garnered considerable attention as one of the nation's top wideouts dating back to his sophomore high school season.
A prospect with sure hands and a far-reaching catch radius, Cunningham excels as a jump-ball target in short-yardage and red-zone situations. However, the athleticism and long stride he sports can also turn routine catches into chunk gains.
His diverse skill set as a big play threat and reliable possession receiver positions him to occupy a high-volume role on the boundary at the next level.
Thus, the Gators regard him highly.
Cunningham will trek to the University of Florida on Feb. 3, he confirmed to All Gators earlier this month.
There, wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales, assistant David Doeker and other Gators staffers will continue attempting to set the framework for eventually earning his pledge, although it could come later in the cycle given the influx of programs currently in the mix in his process.
Nevertheless, whether his commitment comes in the spring, summer or carries into the fall, Florida will aim to remain atop the list of suitors to solidify a true X-receiver caliber talent for Lagway and other passers to utilize in the future.
OT Michael Fasusi
The Gators have worked to fill positions of need with talent and depth since Napier and Co. took over in Gainesville in Dec. 2021. Several spots have been improved.
But, one glaring hole looms, as an elite bookend offensive tackle prospect from the high school ranks has eluded the Gators.
They got closer than before during the 2024 cycle, reeling in a pledge from Leesburg, Va. product and four-star talent Fletcher Westphal, but aim even higher in the 2025 class. It is inarguably the most essential task for Florida to accomplish.
To do so, offensive line coaches Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton have set their sights on Michael Fasusi as the top tackle target.
Standing at 6-foot-4, 285 pounds, Fasusi doesn't possess the monstrous size the Gators have sought when targeting offensive tackle talent under Sale and Stapleton. But, his advanced technical ability — well-placed, strong hands at the point of attack — and knack for finishing block to the ground outweighs the size criteria Florida usually places on tackle talents.
His versatility is also a favorable attribute, as he's excelled at both left and right tackle for Lewisville (Texas) High.
Fasusi accordingly ranks as No. 2 at the position and No. 13 nationally, per 247Sports Composite rankings. At this stage, he is the top-ranked player on Florida's offensive tackle board.
Like Cunningham, Fasusi's commitment timeline may be extended beyond the spring due to the litany of potential suitors for his services.
However, given the position's need and the staff's desire to land the Lone Star State native, Florida will apply consistent pressure in an effort to lure him into the commitment class before the 2024 season's kick.
DB Hylton 'Drake' Stubbs
Defensive backs from Duval remain highly regarded.
Florida's offseason roster reconstruction following the 2023 campaign has witnessed a significant change to the unit's defensive back room.
Acquiring several transfers and prep prospects in December and January, the emphasis on recompiling talent for the once-revered Gators secondary continues into the 2025 recruiting class.
Mandarin (Jacksonville, Fla.) High School standout safety Hylton 'Drake' Stubbs is No. 1 on the Gators' radar.
Serving as a long and rangy athlete in the Mustangs' backend, Stubbs has proven his worth as one of the most productive ball-hawking secondary defenders in the country for the 2025 cycle. He accounted for six pass breakups, six interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles during his junior season.
Impressive speed, instincts to attack the ball and willingness to participate in run support highlight the talents he's flashed in three productive prep campaigns.
He also displays above-average size, at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, compared to the free safety prospects the Gators have lured in as of late. It aided him to produce admirably as a tackler in the open field, posting 91 total tackles in 2023.
Defensive backs coach Will Harris and defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong are in strong pursuit as a result, striving to secure his pledge this spring.
LB Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng
Myles Graham, Aaron Chiles and Grayson 'Pup' Howard have been added to the second level of the Gators' defense this offseason. For now, the three underclassmen are slated to operate as the spot's future following the eventual departure of multi-year starter and top 'backer Shemar James to the NFL.
In an effort to continue compiling talent in the room beyond the 2024 campaign, Florida's been steadfast in its recruiting efforts for IMG Academy linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng.
A chiseled 6-foot-2, 205-pound second-level defender, Owusu-Boateng shined as an uber-athletic and physical force working downhill in the Ascenders' defense as a junior in 2023.
His impressive diagnosis skills, closing speed to plug holes and track down ball carriers, and ability to work sideline-to-sideline have piqued the interest of several powerhouse programs in the country since he moved to IMG Academy last offseason.
The nation's No. 6 LB and No. 53 overall player in the 2025 class, according to 247Sports Composite, possesses the potential to operate at both the MIKE and WILL linebacker spots at the next level, given his well-developed frame and knack for playing in space.
As a result, he is arguably the No. 1 priority for newly minted linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator Ron Roberts — who offered Owusu-Boateng during his time as the defensive play-caller at Auburn — as he gets established in Gainesville.
To acquire his coveted pledge, though, the Gators will have to fend off the likes of Notre Dame, Miami, Ohio State and the 27 other programs that have offered the Hyattsville, Md., native. Florida is currently considered the top contender for his services per On3 Sports' recruiting prediction machine.
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