Recruiting for the class of 2027 is officially in full gear, and on Saturday, the Gators are having their first Junior Day of this recruiting cycle. Jon Sumrall did a great job of retaining the class of 2026 that Billy Napier left behind, but now he gets his first chance to prove his ability to build his own class.
Among the headliners at Junior Day is a QB who has been on the radar of the Gators long before the current staff arrived in Gainesville.
Champ Monds headlines Junior Day
Wonderful “Champ: Monds is a 4-star QB who recently reclassified from being a 2028 prospect to a 2027 prospect. Among the 2028 QBs, he was considered one of the top, if not the top, prospects of the group. As such, rankings will have to decide where he falls among the 2027 players.
Listed at 6’3” and 219 pounds, he already has the size to walk onto a college campus and potentially get confused for a linebacker rather than a QB. But make no mistake about it, Monds can sling it with the best of them. His 2025 high school season was riddled with injuries, but he did start the 7A state title game in Florida for Vero Beach and would have won if not for the viral Hail Mary play that Lake Mary pulled off. Monds had 200 yards and two touchdowns in that game. He is also a capable runner, though his ankle injury limited that in the title game.
Monds is not the only QB Florida is going after this cycle, but he is the clear headliner. He is a headliner for a lot of other teams too. He spent last weekend at FSU’s Junior Day, and Notre Dame just offered him. He also has offers from Ohio State and Michigan.
Monds will be an early litmus test for Sumrall to see if he can haul in elite talent, and this Junior Day will be a great start.