Gators Predicted to Land Elite In-State Pass Rusher

Despite earning just one commitment in the 2027 class so far, Jon Sumrall and the Florida Gators have been one of the hottest teams on the recruiting trail as of late, most recently earning an expert prediction on Tuesday from Rivals' Chad Simmons to land top-100 edge Frederick Ards.

The composite 74th best player and 11th edge in the class, Ards has been a top priority for Sumrall and staff since they arrived in Gainesville. At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, the athletic pass rusher out of Jones High School in Orlando (Fla.) had one of the more productive junior seasons of any in-state prospect, recording 73 total tackles and 11 sacks in 14 games.

Florida 4-star EDGE target Frederick Ards showing out here at Under Armour Orlando.@behumblefredd

UA Orlando Live Blog: https://t.co/iCtOwWwN5i (VIP) pic.twitter.com/p2mp7q1U4R
— Tyler Harden (@ttjharden8) February 22, 2026

Florida has been in heavy pursuit of the Under Armour All-American invitee for a while, while he included the Gators in his top five schools just under a month ago. Though Florida State, Texas A&M, South Carolina and Alabama also made the cut, the Gators and Aggies have both been trending for the elite recruit recently, with official visit dates to both programs set for June, along with scheduled trips with the Crimson Tide and Gamecocks as well.

He will visit Florida from June 4-6, according to 247 Sports' Tyler Harden.

Ards is the type of in-state talent that the Gators have made sure to prioritize under Sumrall, with the exciting rusher located just 95 miles from campus and rated as the ninth best player in Florida. His extreme proximity and potential are main reasons why he sits near the top of the Gators recruiting board.

“It starts here at home. We're privileged to be in the state of Florida which has got just such a great hotbed for not just high school football players but great coaches, and we don't have to go very far to find what we need to win championships.” Sumrall said in his introductory press conference. “This is a unique environment because I'm going to have an opportunity to recruit the best players in the country. Like there's no reason why we shouldn't attract the very top end of the talent."

Ards would be a huge success for Florida and Sumrall in such a pursuit of top-end Florida talent, while the Jones High School product has the potential to be the next exciting Gator to join the program from the school, following recent alumni such as Vernell Brown III.

The Gators may have a way to go in closing the deal for the highly coveted edge, yet as it stands, Florida seems to be the team to watch as they hope to build off some serious momentum in his recruitment as of late.