Florida Football Recruiting: Jaelen Waters will lock you down

Finding a class of 2025 safety has been a bit of an adventure for Florida Football given what happened over the weekend, but the Gators also have their eye on a handful of 2026 prospects who have been making their way through town.

One of the prospects in town yesterday was a lockdown corner out of Armwood High who should continue to climb up the rankings.

Florida Football: Safety First

Jaelen "Seatbelt" Waters is a cornerback listed at 6'2" and 180 pounds out of Seffner. The class of 2026 prospect is currently a three-star with On3, a four-star with Rivals, and unranked with 247 and ESPN (which isn't uncommon for 2026 prospects).

Based on his sophomore film, combined with his size, Waters is easily a four-star, and it is easy to see why Will Harris is in pursuit.

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.

As a 2026 prospect there is still a long way to go and offers from elsewhere are continuing to pile up, including Texas, Tennessee, USC, and FSU.

After making an unofficial visit to Florida in January and returning yesterday, we have to imagine Florida has at least some traction with Waters.