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Billy Napier continues focus on trenches as Florida Gators land in elite defender's top-5

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Tyler Forness | Last updated May 22, 2025 9:51 PM ET

The Florida Gators have been building a lot of recruiting momentum over the last few weeks. Head coach Billy Napier only has two commitments secured with three-star defensive tackle Jamir Perez committing earlier this week.

The other commit in the 2026 recruiting class is four-star quarterback Will Griffin, who was just invited to the Elite 11 Finals next month in Los Angeles. Napier and the Gators extended the top quarterback in the 2027 class Kavian Bryant.

Florida Gators in great shape for top 2025 defensive lineman

The trenches, especially on defense, have been a priority for the Gators as of late, and that continued on Thursday. On3 Sports' number three defensive lineman Nolan Wilson just released his top five schools and the Gators made the cut.

NEWS: Elite 2026 DL Nolan Wilson is down to 5 Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’4 252 DL from Picayune, MS is ranked as the No. 3 DL in the ‘26 Class (per On3)

Where Should He Go? ⬇️https://t.co/esoKdW9LFW pic.twitter.com/FZr0rVolHz
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 22, 2025

The defensive line is in a great spot for the 2025 season with Caleb Banks and Tyreak Sapp ready to become superstars. They have talent at the position to fortify once they leave, but there is more work to be done to continue that pipeline.

Wilson isn't just On3 Sports' third-ranked defensive lineman at 6'4, 250 lbs, he's also the 45th-ranked overall recruit in the country. The Gators are in a good spot to land the Picayune, Mississippi native, but they still need to secure an official visit.

Wilson has visited Gainesville on two occasions, with the first being on January 18th and the latest being on April 5th. The Gators, along with Miami, are the only schools without an official visit lined up with Wilson, but that is likely coming down the pipeline.

Keep an eye on USC to sneak in, as they have hosted Wilson twice, and an official visit is scheduled on June 20th. His recruitment will be a hot topic over the next few months, and one the Gators have no intention of losing.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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