Easton Royal to Florida buzz only keeps growing with Steve Sarkisian in defense mode

When it comes to 2027 targets, there's no one higher on the board for Jon Sumrall and Florida than electric 5-star wide receiver Easton Royal. Fresh off a recent official visit to Gainesville, rumors have kept swirling that Florida could be in the driver's seat to pull off what would easily be the biggest recruiting flip this cycle. This appears to be something Steve Sarkisian is worried about too.

For months now, Royal has seemingly had one foot out the door with the Longhorns despite being committed. With Texas on a BYE, Sark wasted no time hopping on a plane to make his way to New Orleans to check in on his 5-star pledge. Still, with reports surfacing that the Gators are making up serious ground, it should be more than enough for Sarkisian to start shaking, while Florida fans can also start thinking about this dream becoming a reality...

Jon Sumrall is going all-in to steal 5-star WR Easton Royal away from Texas

With the Early Signing Period not getting here until early December, Sumrall, Lane Kiffin, and other coaches have around two months to get Royal to change his mind. Remember last year when Tennessee managed to flip 5-star WR Tristen Keys away from LSU? This is starting to have a similar feel, but once again, it looks like the Tigers could be on the outside looking in.

With Royal eyeing another visit to Florida, it shows us that he's indeed quite intrigued about potentially playing his SEC ball for Sumrall instead of Sarkisian. Following his most recent trip to campus, Royal said that he could 100 percent see himself playing in Florida's offense.

That post-trip update was enough to raise eyebrows, as Royal would no question be a MASSIVE get for Sumrall as he keeps working to close out the '27 class in style. Royal, a 5-11, 205-pounder, is ranked five stars and the No. 1 wideout in the country per the 247Sports Composite. He's also the No. 5 player overall, which adds to the hype surrounding his name.

Sumrall getting the Louisiana product in town for the dominant win over Ole Miss was brilliant, as the environment at The Swamp was downright sensational. Add in the fact that the offense put on a show, and you can't blame Royal one bit for thinking about a potential future with the Gators. This is something Sarkisian is aware of, but will his defense work?

It's hard to say, but at minimum, the Gators are making Royal question whether or not he wants to make the move to Austin once his high school days are over. Previously, it felt like LSU was the school with the best chance to make a move here, as Kiffin was doing everything possible to sell Royal on a bright future close to home.

Since then, though, Sumrall is showing the kind of passion on the recruiting trail that has made so many players jacked up to make plays for him. He's not going to slow down, as Royal's next trip to Florida could end up being what decides his final college decision. If Sumrall and Florida can pull this off, it'd turn the recruiting world upside down. Let's make it happen.

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