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Gators remain in driver's seat for elite four-star defender, and Billy Napier needs to seal the deal

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Tyler Forness | Last updated May 14, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier has a lot of work to do when it comes to recruiting. Right now, Napier has only one player committed in the 2026 recruiting class, and that is four-star quarterback Will Griffin.

It's been tough over the course of the last couple of months, as the Gators have lost multiple commits with two due to the change at secondary coach with Vinnie Sunseri taking over and the other being four-star linebacker Izayia Williams, who has decommitted from four programs already.

Florida Gators in top-6 for LB Malik Morris

The linebacker position has been a major area of focus for the Gators in this recruiting class. It was huge to get Williams to commit back in March, not just because the defense needs to fortify the unit, but it helped recruiting across the board.

One of the players that the Gators hoped to pair Williams with was four-star linebacker Malik Morris out of Lakeland, Florida. The Gators made Morris' top-six schools with multiple rivals also in the mix.

Florida has been strong here heading into summer. https://t.co/rq1tq8MYNc
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) May 13, 2025

The Gators already got an expert prediction from Gators Online's Corey Bender and Blake Alderman, and On3 Sports' Steve Wiltfong back in January. Landing him would be huge for Napier's recruiting class on multiple levels, especially since they need to start getting some momentum in recruiting.

Morris' scouting report from Andrew Irvins of 247 Sports highlights a very talented player who Gators fans should be excited about.

Pit bull of a linebacker that sees the game better than most his age as he breaches gaps and gets ball carries on the ground. Extremely active in the box as he seeks and plays through contact. Quick to read with and diagnose with his eyes and can swiftly change course, if needed. Downhill charge has proven to be a headache for opposing running backs on Friday nights, but doesn’t appear to be the type of athlete that’s going to win every foot race. Owns more of a muscled-up build at this stage, which could have him in the lineup sooner rather than later on Saturdays. However, does look to have some limitations with the frame as he isn’t the longest front-seven defender. Two-way snaps and multi-sport participation elevate already exciting junior tape. Overall, should be viewed as a physical, two-down inside linebacker that can rack up the tackles for a Power Four program. Likely to be at his best in short-yardage situations where he can ram his way into the backfield and help create chaos as that has been the case the past few years for one of the Sunshine State’s more respected high school programs.

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

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