The 2025 recruitment cycle has officially begun with the turn of the calendar year, and the Gators have gotten off to a strong start.
With three commitments from Plant High (Tampa, Fla.) running back Waltez Clark, Woodward Academy (Atlanta, Ga.) wide receiver Josiah Abdullah, and John Rickards High (Tallahassee, Fla.) edge rusher Jalen Wiggins, Florida has quickly built the valuable momentum required to lay the groundwork for a promising class.
Billy Napier and the Florida coaching staff have a busy unofficial visit schedule from mid-January to early February, and the Gators hope to benefit.
The primary goal of UF’s trail efforts is to secure more pledges in order to build a core group early in the cycle. Several priority targets intend to or have already traveled to Gainesville within the timeframe.
All Gators looks at five highly regarded talents Florida hopes to add to the roster in the near future.
QB Ryan Montgomery.
The presence of a gifted quarterback may instantly improve the perception of a recruiting class. Florida applied that formula early in the 2024 class.
It plans to do so again in 2025.
DJ Lagway , the headlining act last cycle, has officially enrolled at the University of Florida, bolstering the Gators’ quarterback prospects.
Ryan Montgomery is regarded as the unit’s preferred next-in-line.
Currently ranked first at quarterback, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound pocket passer has demonstrated exceptional ball placement, an innate ability to keep his eyes downfield in the face of pressure, and a complementary running skill set during his prep career.
Montgomery’s ability to stack throws from the pocket and on the run has sparked questions about his transition to the college game. He’ll work to improve his technique and consistency in going through progressions, as he has a tendency to hitch on deeper throws, but his intangibles point to a high ceiling for his anticipated play in the SEC or Big 10.
Florida has treated him accordingly throughout his early process, with head coach, offensive play-caller, and quarterbacks coach Billy Napier, as well as off-field quarterback assistant Ryan O’Hara, paying close attention to his recruitment since his April 6 offer. Napier is coming off a trip to Findlay (Ohio) High to observe the QB on January 16.
He has reciprocated the desire to thus point, establishing Florida as a strong competitor for his services. The Gators are against Georgia, Michigan, Penn State, and South Carolina. However, they are confident in their position as Montgomery’s process comes to a head this spring. Montgomery will travel to Gainesville for the third time since April on February 3, following visits to the Gamecocks and Bulldogs in recent weeks.
Florida hopes to make him the face of the class in the near future.
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