Florida Gators making top three of elite recruit who's been a major target shows their hard work is paying off

Henderson is the 59th ranked recruitng and the 11th ranked edge rusher in hte 2026 class, and the On3 Sports Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Gators predicted to land him at 86.2%, with Texas at third (2.1%) and LSU at 5th (1.3%).

His scouting report sounds exactly like what the Gators like in their speed rushers on the outside.

Sprouting linebacker that can get after the quarterback as he comes screaming around the corner. Size has not been third-party verified, but is believed to be over 6-foot-4 and tipping the scales right around 225 pounds. Took a major step forward between sophomore and junior seasons – evoking much more confidence and physicality. Future could very well be in an on-ball role as a two-point edge rusher in an 3-4 look, but is rather comfortable dropping into space and has the chase speed to make stops outside the hashes, which suggests that he could also trigger from an off-ball perch. Ability to transition from speed to power is extremely encouraging at this stage. Same with the play recognition. Overall, should be viewed as a potential multi-year impact defender at the Power Four level given how he bends and moves at his size.

The Gators have only had Henderson on campus once, but they made a major impression on him and that could go a long way to landing him once he chooses to commit.