Florida Gators Recruiting: 2024 commit breakdown

Florida head coach Billy Napier and his staff are in the midst of building far and away the best recruiting class Gainesville has seen during his tenure. Florida currently holds commitments from 19 prospects in the 2024 class. Ten of those pledges play offense and nine come from the defense.

That group of commitments rates as the No. 5 overall class in the 2024 On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings and No. 3 in the SEC.

Florida Class Breakdown

Florida’s class consists of two five-stars, 11 four-stars and six three-star prospects. The five-star recruits committed to Florida are Willis (Texas) quarterback DJ Lagway and Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland defensive lineman LJ McCray. McKinney (Texas) safety Xavier Filsaime is currently the No. 33 overall prospect, making him the highest-ranked four-star in the cycle.

Four additional top-100 recruits are pledged to the Gators in Atlanta F. W. Buchholz four-star linebacker Myles Graham, Largo (Fla.) four-star linebacker Adarius Hayes, Portal (Ga.) four-star tight end Amir Jackson and Clinton (N.C.) four-star DL Amaris Williams.

Four-star and five-star prospects are rated as ‘blue-chip’ prospects — Florida’s class sits No. 6 nationally in blue-chip percentage at 68.42%. The average distance of a Florida recruit’s hometown to Gainesville is 624.5 miles and 32% of the class hails from the state of Florida.

Top Florida Commit: QB DJ Lagway

Willis (Texas) five-star quarterback DJ Lagway is the nation’s No. 3 quarterback and No. 6 prospect from the state of Texas. He committed to the Gators in December last year and headlines Florida’s top-five class. On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power writes this about Lagway as a prospect:

“Thickly-built quarterback prospect with one of the better combinations of arm talent and athleticism in the 2024 cycle. Has measured at around 6-foot-2.5, 230 pounds with a 9.5-inch hand. Tests as a good athlete in the combine setting. Flashes palpable arm strength, with the ability to make throws to every level of the field. The ball pops out of his hand. Hits far hash throws with relative ease. Arm talent shines when forced to throw from multiple arm slots or off-platform. Makes some very impressive reactive plays. Efficient with his movements in the pocket and comfortable working outside the pocket. Owns some of the best mobility among top 2024 quarterbacks. Has quick feet and is able to extend plays and pick up yards on the ground.

“Ripped off a number of big gains on scrambles as a junior. His size and athleticism also provide the makings of a dangerous between-the-tackles threat on designed quarterback runs. Productive in a smaller sample as a junior, passing for 2,081 yards at 10.4 yards per attempt for 24 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Rushed for 517 yards and 7 scores on 50 carries. Shows some outstanding flashes, but needs to be more consistent on a throw-to-throw and week-to-week basis. Accuracy and performance can waver at times, with a wider than desired variance from game to game. Has yet to lead his team to a winning record entering his senior season. A touted two-sport athlete who has also received multiple offers as a baseball player.”

Top Defensive Commit: DL LJ McCray

Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland five-star defensive lineman LJ McCray is the Gators’ highest-ranked defensive commit, checking in as the No. 23 overall prospect and No. 4 DL in the cycle. Here is what Power writes about him as a prospect:

“Big-framed, athletic defensive lineman with pass rush ability. Has translatable physical attributes and athleticism at the position that point to a high developmental ceiling. Measured in at over 6-foot-6, 260 pounds prior to his senior season. Has outstanding length and a large frame. Arms check in at 34.75 inches, with hands measuring 10.5 inches. Lines up as a big defensive end on Friday nights. Shows upside as a pass rusher, using first-step quickness to get into the backfield. Has high-end closing speed for a player of his size. Plays with a very encouraging level of physicality. Bullies offensive linemen on contact and finishes plays with violence. Works to get off blocks with vigor. Also sees time as a tight end. Finished his senior season with 17.5 tackles for loss. Can continue honing his technical skill as he fills out and grows into his body.“