Recruiting for the Florida Gators has been an up-and-down proposition over the last two weeks. They landed 13 recruits in the month of June, with 12 of them in the upcoming 2026 class, but they lost out on a few important players that could have shaped the class.
After a string of decommitments early on in the year due to some coaching changes, head coach Billy Napier could be losing another commitment. Three-star defensive tackle Jamir Perez committed to the Gators after an official visit in May, and is now set to make a "big announcement" this Friday.
Big announcement Friday! @SWiltfong_ @AllenTrieu
— Jamir “JJ” Perez 3⭐️ (@DabigRootJJ) July 2, 2025
This has been something that has been in the works for a little while. When Perez committed, it felt like Perez was going to forego the rest of his visits. That didn't come to fruition, as he chose to visit Ohio State the weekend before the dead period.
That visit to Ohio State was big for the Cleveland, Ohio product, as Perez has multiple On3 Sports Expert Predictions from Gators Online's Blake Alderman and Keith Niebuhr.
Florida insiders @Blake_Alderman and @On3Keith have logged expert predictions for Ohio State to flip Gators DL commit Jamir Perez
— Rivals (@Rivals) June 23, 2025
Read: https://t.co/rBVosLYmL9 pic.twitter.com/t2jh82HZ8s
He could be choosing to either decommit from the Gators or full on flip to the Buckeyes, both of which would be a brutal ending for the Gators. Perez might be just a three-star right now, but his scouting report highlights an ascending player.
"Square-built nose that can choke off the A-gap. Measured just over 6-foot-4, 325 pounds spring before senior year and carries the mass well with his thick ankles and thick wrists. Tends to play with a higher pad level, but natural knock-back power frequently gives him an advantage in the middle. Defeats double-teams with a wider base and can steer obstacles towards ball carriers when he clamps down. Lacks the desired range at this stage and isn’t the type of interior force that’s tracking to offer a ton of value as a pass rusher, but a few developmental semesters in the weight room could unlock more first-step and lateral quickness. Should be viewed as a potential anchor at the Power Four level that could fit into both an odd and even front. Might not ever fill the stat sheet, but has a chance to eventually provide valuable minutes on the interior with further physical and technical development." 247 Sports' Andrew Irvins
We have to look at the other side of the coin. The news could be that he is shutting down his recruitment and sticking with the Gators, but it's trending to be more bad news.
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