K Evan Noel Signs with Florida
![Florida Gators place kicker Trey Smack (29) kicks a field goal during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 16, 2024. The Gators defeated the Tigers 27-16. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] Florida Gators place kicker Trey Smack (29) kicks a field goal during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 16, 2024. The Gators defeated the Tigers 27-16. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_383,w_2090,h_1175/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/all_gators/01je7k2311setstq41dg.jpg)
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GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Kicker Evan Noel has signed with the Florida Gators on National Early Signing Day. He is the second specialist to sign with Florida joining punter Hayden Craig.
Hailing from Bay Saint Louis (Miss.) St. Stanislaus, Noel is rated as the nation's No. 2 kicker prospect in the country, according to Kohl's Kicking, which also rates him as a five-star on its website.
Gamechanger‼️
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @EvanNoel14 🐊#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/3mYkSPXtWZ
Previously committed to Arkansas, Noel flipped his commitment to Florida on Nov. 11, which made him the first of 11 recruits to back off of pledges to other schools in favor of opportunities with the Gators.
A big-leg kicker, Noel (6-2, 155 pounds) holds the Mississippi high school record for longest field goal after he drilled a 61-yard kick in mid-September. After breaking the record, he was filmed kicking a 72-yard field goal doing his team's practice while being featured on Gulfport's local news station, WXXV 25.
Both kicks can be viewed below.
5 ⭐️ kicker Evan Noel set the Mississippi high school record with a 61-yard field goal on Friday night.
— Matt DeGregorio (@Matt_DeGregorio) September 21, 2024
The Arkansas commit’s kick would’ve tied the SEC record, and certainly had the distance to match the NFL record (66 yds).
🎥 Carlos Hurtado (St. Stanislaus) pic.twitter.com/UjfbosvFhz
5⭐️ Arkansas commit K Evan Noel drilled a 72-yard FG in practice! 🤯 @EvanNoel14 @RazorbackFB
— High School on SI (@HighSchoolOnSI) September 27, 2024
pic.twitter.com/Sp4qO9I1jI
Noel is the third commit in Florida's specialist class, joining punter Hayden Craig and long snapper Mack Mulhern.
Learn more about the future leader of Florida's game changers, via his Gators Illustrated recruiting profile:
"The No. 2 rated kicker in the country by Kohl's kicking services, Florida flipped Noel from Arkansas ahead of its other November recruiting successes. Noel provides a big leg for the Gators' field goal services after he broke the Mississippi state record with a 61-yard field goal on Sept. 21. He also consistently kicks touchbacks on kickoff duties, evident by a 72-yard kick with a 3.84-second hang time at Kohl’s National Scholarship Camp in July of 2022."

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.
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