Florida lands three-star DL De'Voun Kendrick over Texas A&M, others

The Florida Gators are back on the board after landing another highly coveted in-state recruit.

That recruit would be De'Voun Kendrick, a three-star defensive lineman from Tampa, Florida.

Kendrick is 6-foot-4, 275 pounds, and he boasts nearly 30 offers. At the end of the day, the Gators were a top contender, but they were battling with the Texas A&M Aggies, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Louisville Cardinals.

Ultimately, consistency on the recruiting trail paid off for new Florida head coach Jon Sumrall and his staff.

De'Voun Kendrick explains why he picked Florida

“Before they even offered me, I was like, I can definitely see myself there,” Kendrick told Rivals regarding his commitment to the Gators. “They stayed in contact with me almost every single day after they offered. I knew they really believed in me.”

Sumrall gets the headlines in Gainesville, but Kendrick's future position coach, Gerald Chatman, really won the day for the Gators.

“I like everything about Coach Chatman,” Kendrick said. “He coaches old-school football. We attack — we’re not sitting there catching blocks. I like that challenge. He is a great coach, we have had some great talks and I know he will really coach me hard.”

According to 247Sports, Kendrick is the No. 58 defensive line recruit in the country and the No. 48 player in the Sunshine State.

Out of the 10 commitments Florida has lined up for 2027, half are in-state recruits, and that's crucial for a coach heading into his first season with a program.

“I’ve got to put my city on the map,” Kendrick said. “It means a lot to stay home… I can be a hometown hero.”