![Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier runs onto the field before the start of the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, September 7, 2024 against the Samford Bulldogs. The Gators won 45-7. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_753,w_4106,h_2309/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/213/01jxsxs9svachsvnzwdv.jpg "Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier runs onto the field before the start of the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, September 7, 2024 against the Samford Bulldogs. The Gators won 45-7. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]")
This weekend has been just what the doctor ordered for Billy Napier and the Florida Gators in terms of recruiting. Florida landed the verbal commitments of Marquez Daniel, JaReylan McCoy, and Carsyn Baker to shoot up the recruiting rankings and continue some much-needed momentum for the class of 2026.
It's with that in mind that we have three notable observations regarding where this class stands at the moment.
Gators are getting playmakers for the class of 2026
Even before this weekend, Florida had landed Justin Williams last week and Kaiden Hall this weekend prior.
With the additions of Daniel and Baker in particular, they continue a trend we have seen with Napier recruits who may not have a super-gaudy star ranking compared to others, but they are capable playmakers who stand out on film.
Having Will Griffin anchor this class has been huge
Even when Florida was down near the bottom of the rankings and had a string of decommits that left the Gators with just one commit, the commit the Gator did have was a big one.
Will Griffin committed to Florida back in June of 2024, and that commitment has never wavered. During this official visit season, Florida is the only visit Griffin has taken, and he has indicated zero interest in exploring elsewhere.
So one of the big things that have helped Florida land the playmakers they have landed is because of the presence of Griffin and the knowledge for these prospects. They will have a QB to play with once DJ Lagway leaves down the road.
Florida's blue-chip ratio is climbing but has work to do
One of the hallmarks of Napier's first couple of recruiting classes is that while he didn't have large classes in terms of sheer numbers, the number of four-star prospects was still solid.
For example, even though Miami's class of 2024 was ranked 4th in the country by 247 Sports, Florida, and Miami had the same number of five/four-star guys.
Last year's class of 2025 made a late surge and finished 7th overall in the 247 Sports rankings, but was boosted by ten three-star guys, and the average player rating for Florida was only 11th.
This is all to highlight that while Florida is still just 29th in the 247 Sports team rankings for the class of 2026, they are 11th in average player ranking.
We highlight that to say that while we like some of the individual players Florida has landed over the past few weeks, there is still work to be done for Florida to actually wind up with the elite talent needed to catch Georgia and Texas in the SEC.