Florida Football picks up commitment of 2026 defensive back Jaelen Waters

As Florida Football looks to get its class of 2025 some much needed momentum, it is the class of 2026 that seems to have more wind in its sails at the moment.

Today Florida was able to pull off a flip of a priority defensive back out of the Tampa area.

Florida Football: Wear Your Seatbelt

Jaelen Waters is a 6'2" defensive back who plays at Armwood High, just outside of Tampa. Waters is a four-star with three of the four services (ESPN being the holdout) and committed to FSU in April.

He backed off that commitment in May and for now the Gators have pulled off the flip with Waters announcing his intentions to be a Gator.

We profiled Waters back in March and liked what we saw. At the time we said:

"In his highlight package he primarily lines up in press man and has zero trouble locking down his opposition. Even when going up against some of the better teams in the Tampa Bay area like Lakeland and Jesuit, Waters proves his worth. He's not afraid to get physical, but he is the type to try and make a play on the ball first before going after the man.

Waters made a quip on X based on something someone at one point said to him that "I'm only a man corner," and to that point he does showcase the ability to play zone and peel off his man to either make a tackle or switch off to break up a play."

There is of course the elephant in the room as would be the case with any 2026 prospect and its that he is still a year and a half away at the earliest from stepping onto a football field in a Gator uniform. Thus, there are plenty of twists and turns between now and signing day for the class of 2026.

But for now, the Gators have a potential lock down corner saying he wants to play for the good guys.