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Florida lands 4-star WR Marquez Daniel and steals him from SEC rival's backyard

Incredible news for the Gators.
ByBraulio Perez|
Sep 21, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier walks from the field after a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images
Sep 21, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier walks from the field after a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images | Matt Bush-Imagn Images

It's already proving to be a weekend to remember for the Florida Gators and the program's recruiting efforts. There are several high-profile targets on campus for their official visits, which has led to some amazing news for head man Billy Napier.

Moments ago, 4-star wide receiver Marquez Daniel decided to shut down his recruitment, committing to the Gators. Daniel is one of the top wide receivers in the nation for his class and he has picked up close to 30 offers throughout his recruitment. However, it didn't take long for him to realize that Florida is where he wants to play his college ball at:

4-star WR Marquez Daniel has committed to Florida football over Auburn

Despite holding 29 offers to his name, this was a two-team battle for Daniel. He previously took an official visit to hometown Auburn last weekend, while he's currently still on his trip with the Gators in Gainesville. From our chair, it's a bit of a surprise that Florida was able to come out on top.

This has nothing to do with Napier and his staff, but Daniel is a stud playmaker for Booker T. Washington High in Tuskegee, Ala., which is about a 30 minute drive away from Auburn University. With the Tigers being so close to home, it would have been safe to assume Auburn had the edge.

However, Florida went all-in to capture Daniel's pledge and the program was just able to do so. Auburn fans are pretty darn upset with Freeze for letting this kid leave home, as this sure feels like a setback for the Tigers and their '26 recruiting efforts.

According to 247Sports, the newest Florida commit is ranked four stars, the No. 13 WR in the country, No. 10 prospect from Alabama and No. 127 player nationally overall. With Daniel now on board, the Gators and Napier are up to nine known pledges for the 2026 haul. However, that number could end up growing in the next day or two.

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