Jaelen Waters decommits from Florida Gators; Miami Hurricanes quickly emerging as new leader?

Andrew Nemec | Feb 15, 2025

Jaelen Waters poses ahead of a weekend visit to Miami / Courtesy of Jaelen Waters

Armwood (Florida) four-star cornerback Jaelen Waters announced his decommitment from the Florida Gators on Saturday morning.

And a clear leader is already emerging.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound defensive back, rated the nation's No. 122 overall prospect and No. 11 cornerback, first committed to the Gators last June, but. he has maintained relationships with several programs.

Those dynamics quickly came into focus this week when Florida defensive back coach Will Harris reportedly left Gainesville for a similar role at the University of Miami.

While Waters holds offers from more than 50 college football programs, Florida and Miami have been perceived competitors for the bluechip in-state prospect for months.

The move from Harris, therefore, has been viewed as a potential major needle-mover in Waters' recruitment.

So far, experts at both 247Sports and On3 have logged predictions in the Hurricanes' favor, and all signs point to Waters following Harris in time.

But the battle isn't over.

Waters has scheduled two official visits thus far - Florida (May 30) and Miami (June 13).

Clearly, his recruitment remains one to monitor closely.