Gators Could Continue Adding to 2026 Recruiting Class

After landing their 15th commit since the start of June, the Florida Gators look to finish off another huge recruiting week with multiple prospects announcing their decisions in the next few days.

The Gators continued their strong momentum on the trail Monday, securing the commitment of instate linebacker Malik Morris, the composite 12th ranked player at his position in the 2026 class. The Lakeland bruiser picked Florida over Miami, Texas A&M, Missouri and more.

Now sitting with the 15th ranked class in the nation, according to 247sports, Florida looks ahead to three major announcements this week, the first being four-star edge rusher Kevin “KJ” Ford on Friday followed by four-star linebacker DQ Forkpa and four-star tight end Heze Kent on Saturday.

The addition of all three could move the Gators' class into the top 12.

Ford, a composite top-15 edge and top 120 player in the country, is choosing between Florida, Texas A&M and Ohio State. He has received a prediction to land with the Gators, but Ohio State seems to be working hard to make up ground.

Should he choose Florida, would become the Gators' second edge rusher commit in the class, joining five-star JaReylan McCoy and remains as one of the last targets on their board at the position after four-star Jake Kreul did not include Florida in his final three.

For Forkpa, Florida will contend with instate rivals Miami and Florida State, as well as Michigan. The composite top-15 linebacker visited Miami most recently, but had good things to say about Florida after his official visit at the end of May.

“It’s pretty much neck and neck, but I like Florida the most,” Forkpa said after his visit. “It just feels like home… I feel very comfortable.”

If the Gators were able to secure his commitment, they would finish the week adding two top-15 linebackers in the class, while still sticking around in the recruitment of the No. 3 linebacker, Izayia Williams, a former commit who flipped to Ole Miss

Lastly, blue-chip tight end Heze Kent decides between a number of schools, with Florida, Texas, Miami and Florida State seemingly all in the mix. The 310-pound prospect took visits to all four programs recently, stopping in Gainesville on May 30, and has only visited one school, FSU, twice this year. Regardless, he has received multiple predictions in favor of the Gators.

Though some see Kent as an offensive lineman at the next level, Florida has been recruiting him as a tight end, the second in their class alongside three-star Kekua Aumua if he was to choose the Gators.

With all three prospects ranked inside the top-250 nationally, Florida looks to continue the momentum of a huge June and a strong start to July, with this weekend possibly being another big one for the Orange and Blue.

Florida Gators on SI is tracking all of the Gators' major recruiting news, from commits to prospects of note, on our 2026 Recruiting Tracker.

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