Gators already involved in elite 2028 quarterback, wide receiver

Although NIL and the transfer portal have made looking to the future feel similar to staring at a cement wall, there's still plenty to benefit from forming relationships with recruits early on.

It is a strategy the Florida Gators are utilizing for a pair of elite 2028 prospects from the Sunshine State.

They, along with a plethora of power-conference schools, have already extended offers to No. 1 quarterback Jayden Wade and No. 1 wide receiver Brysen Wright.

Wade, the top overall recruit in the class according to 247sports, attends football powerhouse IMG Academy.

A California native, Wade has visited Oregon, Georgia (twice), and Texas this year. He made it out to Gainesville in January of 2024. Per 247sports, he played in eight games during 2024 with IMG, completing 19 of his 28 attempts (67.9 percent) for 362 yards and a 6:3 TD:INT. He added 217 yards and two scores on the ground.

Wright received national attention earlier this summer during the NFL flag football championship tournament televised by ESPN, when he did this:

Going up over a defender to make a one-handed catch at full extension, then surviving the ground? Yeah, that feels like No. 1 WR behavior.

Wright, standing at 6-foot-3, hails from Jacksonville and plays for Mandarin High School. He led Mandarin in receiving as a freshman with 31 catches for 646 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Wright is a two-sport athlete, also putting his elite athletic ability to work on the basketball court.

He visited Ohio State earlier this summer for their team camp, and had an unofficial visit with the Gators in November of 2024. Florida was the second team to offer Wright, extending the scholarship in April of 2024.

Obviously there's a long way to go in both Wade's and Wright's recruiting processes, but Florida's willingness to insert themselves early, along with their geographical proximity could assist them in pursing a commitment from the talented duo.