Gators HC Jon Sumrall is set to achieve something Florida hasn’t seen since Urban Meyer
Even though the Florida Gators have lost two in a row, they are still recruiting at a high level.
Sitting at 4-2 during Jon Sumrall’s first season as the Florida Gators head coach, it’s been a wild ride. Over the first four games, the Gators averaged 53.5 points per game and dominated opposing defenses. Things were going so well that some college football analysts were talking about how this team could be the next 2019 LSU Tigers.
Over the last two games, things have been much different for the Gators. They have gotten blown out twice by a whopping 83-36 score, and the vibes are at the lowest we’ve seen since Sumrall got on campus. Those vibes haven’t translated to recruiting, and it’s starting to make sense.
Jon Sumrall’s recruiting prowess is best since Urban Meyer
On Sunday, the Gators got news that five-star wide receiver Easton Royal flipped his commitment to the Gators from the Texas Longhorns. He’s projected to get an NIL package of $1.6 million, which tracks for a player of his ability and pedigree.
The Gators landing a five-star recruit is massive, as Sumrall landed his second five-star recruit in the class of 2027. It’s important to note that Sumrall had started building the relationship with Royal while he was at Tulane. He also didn’t stop pursuing Royal the entire time he was committed to the Texas Longhorns, who he committed to the day before Florida hired Sumrall.
It’s not just the fact that Sumrall landed a five-star recruit, but Royal is the second player ranked in the top-five of the 2027 recruiting class. It’s the fourth time since 2010 the Gators have had two or more players in the top-10, but the first time since that 2010 recruiting class they’ve had two ranked in the top-five. Nothing is set in stone until the players sign and the rankings are finalized.
That 2010 class, which was the last one that Urban Meyer signed before “retiring,” had the No. 1 overall recruit, linebacker Ronald Powell, and defensive lineman Dominique Easley. Plus, Meyer landed the No. 9 overall recruit (DT Sharrif Floyd) and No. 10 overall (S Matt Elam).
Sumrall having this kind of success so early on is a huge coup, and it’s due to the culture he’s built in a short time. When you get a five-star recruit to flip on a day where you get blown out on homecoming, it speaks to the direction of the program, not where it currently is. Players can see the difference between the direction versus what happens on a specific day.
Anytime you can get compared to someone like Meyer is a good thing in Gainesville, and hopefully we see Sumrall win a couple of national championships.
