Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

Former Elite Florida Commit Lands with Big Ten Power

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Alec Musa | Last updated Jul 3, 2025 3:24 PM ET

The Florida Gators are having a strong summer on the recruiting trail.

On Wednesday, Florida and head coach Billy Napier earned their 16th hard commit in the 2026 class , with four-star defensive lineman Kendall Guervil pledging his allegiance to the program over the Florida State Seminoles, Texas Longhorns, and Georgia Bulldogs.

According to 247Sports, Guervil's verbal commitment has vaulted Florida's 2026 recruiting class to a top-15 ranking; however, the Gators are not immune to the occasional setback.

In April, four-star safety Devin Jackson decommitted from the Florida Gators less than one month after taking his official visit to Gainesville. On Thursday, Jackson announced that he will take his talents to the Oregon Ducks, barring any other commitments. He took an official visit to Eugene, Oregon, in early June.

Jackson, an elite safety from Florida, will head to the Big Ten, likely closing the door on him making his way to the Gators in the fall of 2026. Nevertheless, Napier and staff were quick to fill the void left by Jackson.

Shortly after Jackson's decommitment, the Gators secured a hard commit from fellow safety Kaiden Hall. Although not as highly ranked, Hall is a 6-foot-3 Florida native who tallied 32 tackles in 2024, per MaxPreps. He had 64 tackles and eight tackles for loss as a sophomore.

Alongside Hall, Florida has made it a point of emphasis to strengthen the secondary. The Gators also house hard commits from elite cornerback recruits CJ Bronaugh and CJ Hester. Bronaugh holds the highest ranking among all the 2026 pledges, with 247Sports considering him the sixth-best corner prospect in the nation.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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