Florida Gators football in position to flip elite recruit from SEC rival, and they have an underrated advantage

It’s a massive recruiting weekend for the Florida Gators, and they have a real chance to flip a five-star recruit.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Team Roses' Easton Royal (3) runs into the end zone for a touchdown during the Under Armour All-America Game Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 at Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand.
Team Roses’ Easton Royal (3) runs into the end zone for a touchdown during the Under Armour All-America Game Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 at Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand. Nadia Zomorodian/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It’s the third weekend of official visit season, and the Florida Gators have a few key visitors. One of those is five-star defensive tackle Jalen Brewster, who is committed to the Texas Tech Red Raiders. They are viewed as the top competition for the No. 1 overall recruit, and head coach Jon Sumrall has put in the work to flip him.

He isn’t the only top recruit in Gainesville this weekend. They are hosting six players this weekend, including four-star offensive tackle Elijah Hutcheson who already committed. After Brewster, there is one player the Gators are close to flipping.

Florida Gators Recruiting Class

  • With 22 commitments in the 2027 class, the Florida Gators have the No. 5 overall recruiting class.
  • Sumrall’s class has 16 blue chip commitments, the most of any program in the nation, with second place being three schools with 14.
  • Their top commit is five-star offensive lineman Maxwell Hiller, who is the first five-star offensive lineman since Martez Ivey in 2015.

Florida Gators viewed as top team to flip WR Easton Royal

Five-star wide receiver Easton Royal is also on campus this weekend, and the Gators are working hard to flip him.

He’s posted quite a few pictures of himself on campus, and it shouldn’t be a surprise. The Gators have already hosted Royal once, and are viewed as the top team to potentially flip him. On3 Sports’ Sam Spiegelman reported that the Gators have confidence that they can flip him.

Sumrall is also playing a leading role in recruiting Royal, another five-star flip target.
Floridaā€™s head coach cultivated a very strong relationship with Royal during his outstanding run at Tulane. Royal attendsĀ Brother MartinĀ High School in New Orleans.
Members of this Florida staff have been recruiting the Louisiana blue-chipper since they were at Tulane. The Gators have been a team of interest for Royal before his commitment to the Longhorns in November.
From various conversations with sources informed on this recruitment, there is confidence that Florida can make a serious push to flip the blue-chipper away from Texas. Some of those sources believe Florida is the team best positioned to make it happen.

On3 Sports’ Sam Spiegelman

The fact that a good portion of the staff was already recruiting him when at Tulane is a big deal. If they can make it happen, it would elevate the Gators’ recruiting class into the top-three and send a message to recruits everywhere. Plus, it could be a turning point in Brewster’s recruitment.

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