Gators Early Signing Period Coverage
Wednesday, December 4, 2024 | Football, Scott Carter
8:30 am
Clark is No. 1 for Gators in Class of '25
Good morning, we are live here in Gainesville cranking up for a busy day for the Gators on the Early Signing Day.
Let's get right to it, the first player has officially signed and he is RB Waltez "Duke" Clark out of Tampa.
Clark is a running back from Plant High School who rushed for more than 1,700 yards and 38 touchdowns in his prep career. If there is one position head coach Billy Napier and RB coach Jabbar Juluke have shown in their time at UF, it's that they know a good running back when they see one.
They brought Montrell Johnson Jr. with them from Louisiana, and have signed Trevor Etienne, Jadan Baugh, Treyaun Webb, Ja'Kobi Jackson, KD Daniels and Co. since arriving at UF.
Clark is 6-foot, 197 pounds and had Power 4 programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Miami, Notre Dame and Ohio State interested in his services.
First to commit, first to sign. 🖊️
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @Waltezclark4! 💯#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/jQY3djvge3
8:15 am
Gators Officially Have a TJ and DJ at QB
The Gators have officially signed QB Tramell "TJ" Jones out of Mandarin High in Jacksonville.
Florida caused a stir recently by flipping the 6-foot, 183-pound Jones from Florida State. The flip set off a frenzy of flips for the Gators as the Early Signing Day approached.
Playmaker 💯
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @TramellJonesJr 🐊#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/I1fik4zREL
Jones is an Elite 11 finalist and three for more than 7,000 yards in high school. He was ranked the No. 4 QB in the state by Rivals.
Jones is the second official signing this morning for the Gators, who are expected to add 25 or more players in the fourth signing class since Napier took over the program in December 2021.
8:12 am
Wiggins Has Landed on Edge for Gators
The Gators have officially added their third player in the Class of '25, edge rusher Jalen Wiggins from Rickards High in Tallahassee.
Wiggins is ranked ninth-best recruit in the state of Florida by ESPN.
He's a GATOR! 🐊
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @WigginsJalen06! 💯#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/R5PHxW2oMB
Meanwhile, the 6-foot-4, 257-pound Wiggins is invited to play in the 2025 Under Armour All-American Game after recording 39 tackles-for-loss and 31 sacks in his prep career.
He chose the Gators over FSU, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame and Auburn, among others.
9:22 am
Brown Continues Family Legacy, Signs with Gators
The Gators just officially inked receiver Vernell Brown III out of Jones High School in Orlando.
Brown is perhaps the most notable member of Florida's 2025 signing class. Longtime Gators fans are very familiar with the name Vernell Brown. Brown's grandfather and father played for the Gators and his dad was a captain and key contributor in the secondary under former UF coaches Ron Zook and Urban Meyer.
A consensus four-star recruit, Brown III caught 143 passes for 2,488 yards and 18 touchdowns in his prep career to draw interest from Power 4 programs like Alabama, FSU, Georgia, Ohio State and Michigan.
Once he committed to the Gators, Brown helped draw the attention of other top players as a constant Gators promoter on social media.
I'll have more on Brown later today.
Big time playmaker. 🔥
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @VB3_9! 💯#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/6c3YTN4iGj
8:29 am
Gators Sign Jones from Mississippi
Tight end Micah Jones has officially signed with the Gators.
A 6-foot-4, 252-pound athlete from Madison, Miss., Jones is ranked the No. 23 tight end nationally by ESPN.
He is the fifth player to officially sign with the Gators this morning — and second Jones. QB Tramell Jones was the second player to make it official in this year's signing class.
Jones will play in the upcoming Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game and had offers from both the Crimson Tide and Ole Miss.
However, he is a Florida Gator.
Welcome to the Family. 🐊
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @MicahJones23! 🔥#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/kbm25Zer7S
8:28 am
ILB Johnson Signing No. 6 for Gators
The Gators continue to add to their roster this morning, officially confirming the signing of inside linebacker Myles Johnson moments ago.
Johnson is a 6-foot, 213-pound prospect out of Miller High in Brewton, Ala., and rated a four-star prospect by ESPN.
Johnson is set to play against another UF signee this morning, TE Micah Jones, in the upcoming Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game.
Johnson originally committed to Alabama but flipped to the Gators recently.
Both Alabama and Ole Miss pursued Johnson, who was rated the 17th-best player in Alabama by 247Sports.
Locked in!! 🐊
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @JohnsonMyles5! 💯#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/1zvU4wf4to
8:37 am
Woods is Officially a Gator
Florida has signed edge rusher Jayden Woods from Mill Valley High in Shawnee, Kan.
Woods is the seventh player this morning to sign an Athletic Aid Agreement with the Gators. He is a consensus four-star recruit who comes from an athletic family. His father played defensive back at Kansas State in the late 2000s.
The 6-foot-3, 229-pound Woods outgrew his father and produced 25.5 tackles-for-loss and 18.5 sacks in high school to draw interest from in-state Kansas and many others outside the state.
He entertained offers from Penn State, Alabama, LSU, Miami and Notre Dame, among others.
Woods is ranked the No. 3 player in the state of Kansas in this recruiting cycle by 247Sports.
He's a do-it-all player according to the Gators.
Do it all type of guy‼️
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @Atm_Jayden! 🐊#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/fP6m6XEbd7
8:52 am
Gators Sign P Hayden Craig
Hayden Craig is the latest addition to the Gators. And he's a big one.
A left-footed punter who is from Mercier, Quebec, he played for the Bridgton Academy in Bridgton, Maine.
The Gators need a punter to replace Australian Jeremy Crawshaw, who has been among the country's top punters during his career.
Craig has the credentials to get the job done, earning a five-star rating as a kicker and punter according to Kohls Kicking.
He has played with Team Canada and is rated the No. 3 punter in this cycle according to On3.com.
Gamechanger! 🐊
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @craighayden05 ‼️#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/WRRjgChBcH
8:57 am
Georgia Native DT Mbatchou Signs
The Gators have signed their biggest player of the morning so far in the most literal sense.
Six-foot-4, 283-pound defensive tackle Joseph Mbatchou is official. Mbatchou is from Loganville, Ga., where he starred at Grayson High.
A consensus four-star recruit, Mbatchou had 13 tackles-for-loss and three sacks this season. He drew interest from Southeastern Conference powers Georgia, LSU, Alabama, Tennessee and Texas.
The Gators signed him to fill a position of need heading into the 2025 season. He is ranked the No. 12 defensive tackle prospect in the country by Rivals.com.
Elite. 🔥
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @JoeMbatchou ‼️#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/WWOhSqEP4c
9:12 am
RB Gasper Signs with Gators Out of Texas
Florida has added the second running back to its Class of '25 this morning.
Chad Gasper Jr. is officially a Gator. He rushed for 1,566 yards and 23 TDs at Jordan High in Katy, Texas. He joins Waltez "Duke" Clark in the class. Clark is a running back from Plant High in Tampa.
Gasper is a consensus three-star recruit who entertained offers from Arizona State, Kansas, Michigan and Ohio State, among others, before opting to sign with Florida.
He was ranked the 93rd-best player in the state of Texas in the 2025 recruiting cycle according to Rivals.com.
Welcome to the Gator Family! 🐊
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @ChadGasper22 ‼️#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/OCYwL1avw1
9:27 am
Pierre-Louis Latest to Sign
Scratch that earlier post about defensive lineman Joseph Mbatchou as literally the biggest player to sign with the Gators this morning.
Welcome to Florida, 6-foot-4, 332-pound offensive lineman Daniel Pierre-Louis.
Pierre-Louis created a lot of buzz on social media recently when he flipped from Florida State to commit to the Gators. He is signed, sealed and delivered.
Pierre-Louis is from Royal Palm Beach in South Florida and starred last season at Seminole Ridge High as a consensus three-star prospect by On3 and 247Sports.
In the state of Florida, Pierre-Louis checked in as the No. 25 interior offensive lineman in the Class of 2025.
He chose the Gators over Memphis, NC State, Vanderbilt and West Virginia.
Powerful in the trenches. 💯
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @d_lou1s ‼️#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/HSMDPimyKu
9:37 am
Tounkara Can Catch, Gators Catch Him
Florida has signed receiver Muizz Tounkara from League City, Texas.
It's a good catch for UF after Tounkara originally committed to Arizona.
With UF doing more flips than the Gators gymnastics team the past two weeks, Tounkara opted to sign with the Gators. He is the 12th player to officially sign this morning.
Meanwhile, as a 6-3, 196 receiver, Tounkara hauled in 30 passes for a career-high 455 yards as a senior, averaging 15.2 yards per catch.
He is ranked the No. 92 receiver in this recruiting cycle by 247Sports.
Before signing with the Gators, Arizona wasn't the only school after Tounkara. He had offers from Penn State, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Utah and others.
Catches everything. 💯
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @TounkaraMuizz ‼️#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/4LOvVp4BK8
9:49 am
Highly-Rated ILB Jackson Signs
Ty Jackson, the No. 1-rated inside linebacker prospect in the Class of 2025 according to ESPN, has officially signed with the Gators.
Jackson is a consensus four-star recruit who plays a physical brand of football at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds.
Jackson is from Fort Lauderdale and played at Seminole Ridge High, where his coach praised him for developing into a top prospect. Jackson broke the school record for tackles in each of his sophomore and junior seasons.
"Ty is an unbelievable football player. He is a phenomenal athlete who plays with such humility,'' Seminole Ridge coach Chad Chieffalo told On3.com. "He is everything you want athletically and off the field. He's such a gifted athlete and an extremely hard worker."
Jackson averaged 12.2 tackles per game in 32 high school outings.
He originally committed to Southern Cal but flipped to the Gators recently over interest from Alabama, FSU, Georgia, LSU, Miami and others.
Instinctive playmaker. 💯
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @Ty__Jackson ‼️#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/Di5eWW2L0P
10:01 am
Gators Add a Kicker in Noel
The Gators have had a strong string of kickers in recent years and newcomer Evan Noel fits the bill.
Noel is ranked the consensus No. 1 kicker in the country by 247Sports and On3.
He is from Bay St. Louis, Miss., and played at St. Stanislaus High, where he broke the state record with a 61-yard field goal.
An original Arkansas commit, the Gators flipped Noel to add another top prospect at his position in the wake of recent UF standout kickers such as Eddy Pineiro, Evan McPherson and Trey Smack.
Noel converted 25 of 40 FGs in high school and finished his career with a five-star rating from Kohls Kicking, a prospect service that deals specifically with, you guessed it, kickers and punters.
Gamechanger‼️
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @EvanNoel14 🐊#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/3mYkSPXtWZ
10:12 am
Gators Add Third RB Today in Louis
Florida has officially added RB Byron Louis to the roster. He is the 15th player to sign with the Gators on Early Signing Day.
Louis comes from American Heritage High, a school that has produced several UF signees over the years. He is a four-star prospect by On3 and 247Sports who rushed for 3,162 yards and 44 touchdowns during his prep career.
He is also a former FSU commit and third to flip to the Gators this cycle, joining QB Tramell Jones Jr. and IOL Daniel Pierre Louis.
A 5-foot-11, 206-pound bulldozer, ESPN ranked Louis the No. 23 player in the state of Florida in this recruiting cycle.
Here is how Andrew Ivins, director of scouting for 247Sports, summed up Louis:
"A potential workhorse between the tackles with a downhill run style that will break through the first sign of contact. Quick to pick a lane and will attack holes with vigor. Has a few long house calls on the highlight reel and can certainly find a top gear, but isn't the most elusive runner when he reaches the second level and has more success powering through defenders then he does trying to get around them. Got more and more involved in the passing attack as a senior and should be able to offer some three-down value on Saturdays as he has the build to chip large edge rushers. Effective in short-yardage situations and finds ways to get into the end zone when down in the red zone, scoring 18 touchdowns as a junior while facing stout South Florida-based competition. Projects as a potential multi-year contributor at the Power Four level that will give an offense a physical and reliable option in the backfield."
The Gators have more to come.
Good luck tackling him. 🐊
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @byronlouis_ ‼️#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/KPhwenLV7h
10:38 am
Stud Safety Stubbs is Official
The Gators have inked one of their prized recruits in this cycle, Jacksonville Mandarin safety Drake Stubbs.
Stubbs flipped to Florida earlier this week after being committed to Miami. The 6-1, 187-pound defensive back is labeled a five-star recruit by Rivals and the No. 23 overall player in this class.
Stubbs finished his high school career with 12 interceptions and garnered interest from nearly every major program south of the Mason-Dixon Line, including Alabama, Clemson, FSU, Georgia and LSU.
Stubbs joins his Mandarin teammate, QB Tramell Jones, by signing with UF. Jones flipped from FSU to Florida two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, Stubbs helped Mandarin reach the FHSAA Class 4M final with 54 tackles, three forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions as a senior.
The Swamp is HOME. 🐊
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @Drakestubbs1 ‼️#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/jlyguaxrGl
10:56 am
Receiver Montgomery Becomes a Gator
Miami Central receiver Nae'shaun Montgomery has joined the Gators.
Florida announced Montgomery's official signing moments ago after the four-star receiver chose Florida over offers from FSU, LSU, Miami, Ole Miss and Ohio State, among others.
Jube Joseph, his high school coach, told On3.com that Montgomery has the skill-set to be a playmaker at the next level.
"He high points the ball. His ball skills are elite,'' Joseph told On3. "Separation at the top of the route. That is elite as well. And there were a lot of questions about his foot speed and then he went to the LSU camp and he ran a 4.4. His foot speed is second to none. He can go vertical. He can go deep."
Montgomery fills a position of need for the Gators, who are set to lose the productive duo of Chimere Dike and Elijhah Badger.
He caught 25 passes for 537 yards and four touchdowns as a senior, earning a four-star ranking from On3 and 247Sports.
Dynamic!! 🐊
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @NaeshaunM ‼️#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/VIlnLxbkwq
11:18 am
Gators Add Legacy Player Hanks III
Ben Hanks III did what his father did three decades ago: he signed with the Gators.
A consensus four-star defensive back from Booker T. Washington High in Overtown (Miami area), Hanks III is ranked the No. 5 player in Florida by On3.com.
He set a single-season interception record for Miami-Dade County while at Washington High, and is a finalist for the Nat Moore Trophy.
Hanks chose the Gators over such schools as Alabama, Georgia and Miami.
Hanks finished his prep career with 106 tackles 18 interceptions, 11 pass breakups and four fumble recoveries.
He seemed always around the ball like his father, who played for the Gators from 1992-95.
Hanks III joins Vernell Brown III as legacy players in Florida's 2025 recruiting class.
Record Setter! 🐊
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @benhanks_ ‼️#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/2QXIwgdeYf
11:41 am
Gators on Roll, Hit on Dice
Florida's strong finish on the recruiting trail leading up to Wednesday's Early Signing Day including the flip of offensive lineman Tavaris Dice from Auburn.
Dice has made it official, signing with Florida after receiving offers from Auburn, Georgia, LSU and other SEC heavyweights.
Dice is a consensus four-star recruit who is ranked the No. 18 offensive tackle prospect in this cycle by On3.
Dice is listed at 6-4, 302 pounds and played at Hughes High in College Park, Ga., in the metro Atlanta area.
He plans to enroll early and told On3.com that the Gators felt like family after he visited campus and those who call the Heavener Football Training Center home away from home.
"When I go to Florida I feel like I am at home. … I go down there, the staff greets me, they open the doors, I know everybody. One thing about me, I don't always like to hear the good stuff about me. I want to know the real about everything. I want to know what I can be better at."
Trench Monster. 🐊
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @DiceTavaris ‼️#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/g9y4QPxcBm
11:51 am
O-Lineman Medlock Joins Gators
The Gators have announced their second offensive line signee from the Atlanta area in about 10 minutes. He is 6-foot-5, 281-pound Jahari Medlock.
Medlock is a consensus three-star recruit who flipped to the Gators after committing to Cincinnati. He played at Drew High in Atlanta, and joins Tavaris Dice (College Park, Ga.) as the latest Georgia products to head south.
Medlock is a long-and-tall prospect who will look to add more weight onto his frame when he settles in Gainesville.
He had offers from Georgia and Georgia Tech, and he also wrestled as a heavyweight in high school.
Freaky athletic. 🔥
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @1v_world 🐊#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/R0Jh08vsmx
12:13 pm
DT Shivers, former Georgia Commit, Signs with Gators
The Gators have officially added a talented defensive tackle to the roster, signing Stephon "Trell" Shivers out of the Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy.
Shivers is a four-star prospect from Humboldt, Tenn., who committed to Georgia but had a change of heart and flipped to the Gators.
He was a member of 247Sports' "Freaks List" in 2024, and at 6-4, 384 pounds, you can figure out why. He had 90 tackles as a junior, including 11 sacks while splitting time at running back/offensive tackle when not stuffing the defensive line.
Shivers also played basketball in high school, averaging 12.7 points and 10.0 rebounds as a sophomore. He garnered attention from many of the top programs in the SEC, including Georgia, Auburn, Kentucky, Texas and Tennessee.
His high school coach, Hayden Williams, had this to say about Shivers in an interview with DawgsHQ on the On3.com network.
"Definitely his feet, his footwork, and the quickness he has (stand out). It's insane for a 350 pound-plus athlete. Honestly, the sky is the limit for Shivers,'' Williams said. "If he comes in and works as hard as he is capable of, he can make it to playing on Sundays.
"He has that rare quickness with a guy that big, but it's going to rely on his determination and worth ethic to get him there. I really like his chances knowing him as a young man. Stephon is one of the best kids to be around. He is quiet, so when he speaks, people tend to list. He listens to you, hears you out, and just all around is a high character student athlete."
Get out of his way‼️
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @stephonshivers1🐊#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/1USuRQxCvW
1:23 pm
Gators Flip DB Hayward from Vols
The Gators pulled off many flips in the 2025 recruiting cycle, and saved one of their best for Early Signing Day.
Florida announced the signing of safety Lagonza Hayward shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday, the 22nd player to sign on the day.
Hayward was a Tennessee commit but opted to sign with Florida. A 6-1, 200-pound safety, Hayward is ranked the No. 53 recruit in the country by On3.com.
He is from Lyons, Ga., and starred at Toombs County High as the No. 3 player in the state according to On3.
Hayward had 32 tackles, eight pass breakups and an interception as a senior. He drew interest from Georgia, Tennessee, FSU, Texas A&M, South Carolina and USC, among others, during the recruiting process.
He is the second highly-touted safety to sign with the Gators on Wednesday, joining Drake Stubbs out of Jacksonville Mandarin.
Here is a scouting report on Hayward from Hudson Standish, national analyst for 247Sports.com:
"An explosive three-phase playmaker who 247Sports stamped as a four-star in the fall of 2023 and has continued on an upward trajectory into 2024. Verified around 6-foot-1, 200 pounds with a well-built upper body, athletic lower half, and positive arm and wingspan measurements which should allow him to continue adding muscle before eventually settling in around 225 pounds at the next level. Rare two-way talent at wideout and defensive back that could be graded as an athlete considering collegiate programs are recruiting him on both sides of the ball, but likely has a higher ceiling as a defensive back prospect.
"Expansive multi-sport background speaks to his overall athleticism which directly translates at the prep level on Friday nights and in camp settings against elite competition. Plays with a hot motor and violent intentions which results in impressive takeaway production and a fair share of bone-shattering collisions ... should be viewed as a potential impact player for college football's elite programs with significant NFL Draft upside."
Lockdown 🔒
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @LagonzaJr ‼️#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/Ot92Y0McLk
5:37 pm
Gators Keep Their Grip, Sign McCloud
Florida closed Early Signing Day on Wednesday afternoon with the addition of defensive lineman Jeramiah McCloud, a four-star prospect from Sylvester, Ga.
McCloud played at Lee County High and committed to Mississippi State in the spring. However, when other schools began to show an interest, McCloud reconsidered his options and eventually committed to Florida.
But the story doesn't end there. McCloud took visits to Florida State, and as recently as two weeks ago, was at Georgia as the Bulldogs made their pitch.
In the end, the No. 34 defensive lineman in the On3 Industry rankings signed with the Gators late Wednesday afternoon. The Gators made it official about 15 minutes into head coach Billy Napier's press conference.
"McCloud is a former linebacker that kind of grew into a D-lineman body,'' Napier said. "Can really run. Three-down player. Can rush the passer, play on the edge. [He's] got a motor."
McCloud recorded 95 tackles, 30 tackles-for-loss and nine sacks in his prep career.
Besides Florida and Georgia, McCloud had offers from Auburn, Colorado, FSU, LSU, Miami and USC, among others.
Elite rusher‼️
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2024
Time to shine, @Zell2hollywood2 🐊#GRIND25HINE x #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/BHuWpq0cpX
