One of the deepest rooms for the Florida Gators is at running back, and it's among the position groups Florida has done an elite job at recruiting and developing talent. As a reference point for 2025, true freshman Duke Clark ran a 10.77 100-meter dash in high school, and he is probably the 5th running back on the depth chart this year.
So, as Florida looks to continue to stack the room, they are long shots for one of the top running backs in the class of 2026 but still have a chance as they made the top six.
Ezavier Crowell names Florida in his top six
Ezavier Crowell is out of Jackson, AL, and is listed at 5'11" and 205 pounds. Rivals, On3, and ESPN all have him as a top 50 overall player, while 247 has him the lowest at 92nd overall.
On film, it is easy to see why he is considered the composite 2nd best running back in the country. His speed is evident immediately and is backed up by the fact he ran 10.74 seconds in the 100-meter dash this past spring.
However, for Crowell, the more impressive component of his game is that he doesn't waste time in the backfield before getting upfield. He simply gets the ball, finds a hole, and goes rather than trying to dance around.
And in the rare case a defender does try and make a tackle, he's not afraid to greet someone with contact and truck them over.
Crowell named his top six, and Florida is on it, along with Georgia, Auburn, Texas, Alabama, and FSU.
As of now, the odds of landing Crowell don't seem great as Florida is not among the five official visits he has lined up, and according to his 247 profile, he has yet to take an unofficial visit to Gainesville since being offered in January.
He is slated to make a commitment on June 26, so unless something changes, don't expect a Florida hat to be worn. But in the age of NIL and with the success the Gators have had with their running backs, it will be interesting to see if Florida keeps trying to chip away at Crowell or if they turn their attention elsewhere.