Florida commits named Mississippi Mr. Football

A pair of Florida commits were named Mr. Football in the state of Mississippi, it was announced on Thursday.

The Mississippi High School Activities Association released the winners of each classification, and Picayune Memorial four-star EDGE Jamonta Waller and West Point four-star running back Khanen Daniels took home the award in 6A and 5A, respectively.

Waller has acquired 56 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, nine sacks, two forced fumbles and a blocked punt this season. Daniels has rushed for 1,930 yards and 21 touchdowns.

The pair are two of 17 blue-chip pledges to Billy Napier and the Gators. The UF class ranks No. 3 in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking.

Waller is the No. 78 overall prospect and No. 7 EDGE in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. Daniels checks in as the No. 308 recruit and No. 22 burner. Both are top-10 players in the state of Mississippi.

Why they committed to Florida

Waller: “They made sure to let it be known that I’m the top priority,” he told Gators Online. “I want to know how can they use me, so by seeing all that, that’s pretty good. Just getting to the passer, getting off the edge and the get-off. It’s great. They do so much on third down. They can change it up at any time. And I’m a versatile player, so I think I fit great. They do so much on defense and the bigger picture is the NFL for me. So, to show scouts that I can do so much, I feel like Florida is a very, very great fit for that.”

Daniels: “I love his offensive scheme. It is something I can thrive in,” he told On3. “From the scheme to how the coaches take care of players, it is something I want to be a part of. It is great on the field and Florida has people there for all types of support. From football to mental to academics… Napier has great support for his players. I know the people there can help me be the best version of myself.”

Waller has an On3 NIL Valuation of $134K, while Daniels sits at $62K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.