Category: Florida Gators

The Florida Gators have emerged from a challenging period and are now making significant strides. The team ended the season with a respectable 8-5 record, which provided a strong foundation for their future. This positive finish came alongside a vote of confidence for head coach Billy Napier, who is now focused on building on this momentum in recruiting. Heading into 2024, Florida boasts a top-11 recruiting class and is still working to secure more talent.

In college football’s ever-evolving landscape, certain regions remain powerhouses for producing top-tier talent, and Florida is undeniably one of them. Texas and Florida consistently produce some of the best athletes in the nation, and Napier is making sure the Gators capitalize on this. Keith Niebuhr, lead publisher at GatorsOnline, recently discussed Napier’s aggressive recruitment strategy on the On3 Recruits YouTube channel. Niebuhr highlighted that Napier is not only visiting current commitments for the 2026 class, including quarterback Will Griffin and cornerback Jaelen Waters, but also heading to southwest Florida to see highly ranked defensive linemen Kendall Guervil and James Johnson.

Billy Napier’s recruitment efforts extend to the IMG Sports Academy in Bradenton, where he focused on offensive linemen. Napier recognizes the importance of building a team from the inside out, and his early visits indicate that he’s prioritizing this strategy. With Florida’s rich talent pool in the 2026 class, the Gators may not need to look far beyond their state’s borders for recruits, which is reflected in Napier’s emphasis on local prospects.

However, with the influx of talent, there are concerns ahead. The growing depth of the roster could become a challenge, as Napier has relied on having a deep squad with competitive options at every position. This strategy may soon be more difficult to maintain due to impending NCAA changes, particularly the roster size limit set to take effect this summer. The new rule will cap rosters at 105 players, a shift that Napier has voiced concerns over, calling it one of the most transformative changes in college football in the past two decades.

 

Florida Gators co-defensive coordinator Ron Roberts as the Gators run through practice drills as they prepare for the start of the season in the swamp at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. August 17th, 2024.

With Shemar James leaving for the NFL draft, the Florida Gators will turn to a young but talented linebacker room in 2025 that will include players like Myles Graham, Aaron Chiles, Grayson Howard and Jaden Robinson. After the production all four linebackers had in 2024 recording a combined 145 total tackles as underclassmen, there was no question that Florida was the place to be for 2025 signees’ Ty Jackson and Myles Johnson.

 

Ty Jackson

 

Arguably one of the best players in the 2025 class for the Gators is linebacker Ty Jackson out of Loxahatchee, Florida. In four seasons played at Seminole Ridge High School, the 6-1, 200-pound linebacker recorded an impressive 391 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, six sacks, five forced fumbles and four interceptions. Jackson was also one of Florida’s six signees that participated in the 2025 Under Armour All-America game, which was the most out of any other program in the country this year. The film speaks for itself, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Billy Napier.

 

“Jackson is one of the best football players I’ve watched in my career. I mean, I watched 800 players a year at Louisiana. Watched about 650 here. His junior film is probably one of the best football players I’ve ever seen,” Billy Napier said on Ty Jackson. “He keeps getting bigger. I remember when he was in camp, he was like 197 pounds. He just keeps getting bigger. Legit track speed. Plays receiver, returner. Just accelerates through contact. Unique play strength for a guy that maybe doesn’t have the bulk.”

 

As a prospect, the four-star linebacker held 29 total offers and was listed as the No. 12 linebacker and No. 123 overall prospect in the 2025 class, according to 247Sports composite rankings.

With his athletic frame, Jackson also played receiver as a junior and recorded 389 receiving yards with six total touchdowns. With his ability to drop back into coverage, change direction and break through opposing offensive lines, I would be shocked if the four-star doesn’t slide into the rotation in 2025.

 

The former USC commit is also listed as ESPN’s No. 1 linebacker in the 2025 class, according to ESPN’s recruiting rankings.

 

Myles Johnson

 

Aside from players like Naeshaun Montgomery, three-star linebacker Myles Johnson is one of those players in Florida’s 2025 class that is better than advertised. As a prospect, Johnson was listed as the No. 65 linebacker and No. 593 overall prospect in the 2025 class, according to 247Sports composite rankings.

The former Alabama commit held only one offer from Liberty University before Nick Saban and then-defensive coordinator Kevin Steele gave Johnson his second scholarship offer. Before backing off his pledge to the Tide, Johnson was claimed to be “Nick Saban’s final recruiting find”, according to The Athletic.

 

Florida’s big win over Kentucky midway through the 2024 season seemed to give Johnson confidence on his commitment to Florida after being pursued by teams like Ole Miss and Georgia late in his recruitment.

 

“I still feel good about it, this win has made me feel a whole lot better about it,” Johnson said on the Kentucky win. “Just staying in touch with the coaches and seeing how they are makes me feel much better about it.”

 

I think we can expect both Ty Jackson and Myles Johnson to get significant snaps next season with the Gators only having four linebackers with starting experience heading into next season. I think the rotation will be very similar to what we saw with Myles Graham and Aaron Chiles as true freshmen. The Gators needed more bodies that they can rely on in the box, and that’s exactly what they got in the 2025 class.

 

The 6-1, 220-pound linebacker from Alabama attended T.R. Miller High School and currently has no defensive stats listed on MaxPreps.