![Florida Head Coach Jon Sumrall greats fans as he heads to the locker room during Gator Walk before the Orange and Blue game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, April 11, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_187,w_2581,h_1451/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/213/01kvka8mh5maynjqxdar.jpg "Florida Head Coach Jon Sumrall greats fans as he heads to the locker room during Gator Walk before the Orange and Blue game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, April 11, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]")
The final recruiting weekend in Gainesville was expected to be a big one and between Friday Night Lights and Saturday's "Grille in the Ville" cookout, it lived up to the billing.
Along with the majority of the 2027 recruiting class, there have been a lot of top targets from the class of 2028 and one that is drawing the attention of nearly everywhere in the country is Asher Ghioto, the top-ranked edge rusher in the nation. The Florida Gators have a locational advantage in Ghioto's recruiting as well. He plays at Jacksonville Bolles and is a must-have recruit for Jon Sumrall in the 2028 class.
READ MORE: The final big dominoes Florida is still watching in the 2027 class
Back to Gville tomorrow! 🐊🐊@CoachJonSumrall @CoachWhiteFB @CoachBamHardmon @CoachGChatman @GM_DaveCaldwell @katieturner0087 @GatorsFB @BollesFootball @Coachcliff904 @DeshawnBrownInc pic.twitter.com/M6Zo7nAep5
— Asher Ghioto (@Asherghioto34) June 19, 2026
As you can see from the photo, Ghioto already looks like a college pass rusher. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, Ghioto is an elite athlete that also participates in track. His offer list reads like a who's who in college football with Ohio State, Clemson, Louisville, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Georgia, Alabama and SMU.
5-star Asher Ghioto visits Florida for "Grille in the Ville" weekend
The good news is the Gators are high on Ghioto's list and his relationship with Sumrall is as good as it is with any head coach he's dealt with.
#grillintheville 🐊 pic.twitter.com/79tVIoBsZG
— Asher Ghioto (@Asherghioto34) June 20, 2026
"Coach Sumrall is a proven winner, and he said it will continue, and I feel that. He told me he wants me to be a Gator and that I'm a high priority to him. He also spent time with my parents. The staff, as a whole, is awesome, and I think big things are happening there. I look forward to getting back,' Ghioto told 247Sports Tom Loy at a Gators' Junior Day event in January.
The Gators were on Ghioto early. He was offered back in April 2024 and there were rumors earlier this year that Ghioto would reclassify to the 2027 class, but that move never materialized. The extra time should work in the Gators' favor as it gives Sumrall more time to show the execution of his vision for Florida football.
READ MORE: Florida 2028 target Brysen Wright just put everyone on notice at OT7
Jon Sumrall and Mario Cristobal will go head-to-head for 5-star EDGE Asher Ghioto
If Ghioto's relationship with Sumrall and his frequent trips to Gainesville are good news for the Gators, the bad news is that the Miami Hurricanes are also heavily in the mix for the nation's top pass rusher. Ghioto has also been to Coral Gables on many occasions and earlier this month he participated in a workout with the Hurricanes.
However, if there's one thing to know about Sumrall, it's that he isn't going to back away from a challenge on the trail. Currently, the Rivals' predictor has Miami with an early edge in Ghioto's recruiting, but at this stage you can probably take that with a grain of salt. Fans have been waiting for Sunrall to go heads-up with Cristobal over an elite in-state recruit and in 2028 they will have their opportunity.
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