4-star edge Kevin Ford commits to Florida

The Florida Gators summer recruiting momentum is only growing as we move through July. The Gators have a big few days ahead, with a handful of targets set to decide between Friday and Saturday. The latest name to pull the trigger during this stretch of potential commitments is Duncanville (Texas) 4-star edge Kevin Ford. After the Gators offered Ford last year, he has been treated like a priority target by the coaching staff ever since. After concluding a wave of official visits this summer, Ford picked the Gators over known contenders Alabama, Ohio State, and Texas A&M.
“I have a good perspective on the program,” Ford said of Florida. “It’s a lot like the other schools, where I’ve been several times. I have a feel for the school, coaching staff, and players there.”
Ford was a priority target for the Gators this cycle
Several were staffers involved with courting Kevin Ford to UF’s 2026 class. From head coach Billy Napier to edge coach Mike Peterson, off-field assistant Larry Williams, and recruiting staffer Joe Hamilton. The Gators will see some upperclassmen in the edge room depart after the upcoming season, and Ford’s position flexibility was viewed as a perfect fit for the staff.
“They have already given me a good idea of my fit there, and we’ve talked about that on past visits, Kevin Ford told Gators Online. “[On the official visit] we talked some more about my fit and how much of a priority I am for them. They’ve shown me that time and time again since they started to recruit me. They think I can play the JACK and the F. How having me would give them a true pass rusher on the team. Be someone who can play early is their emphasis since they have guys leaving.”
Early aspirations for new UF commit Kevin Ford
A big takeaway from Ford’s multi-day unofficial visit to UF in the spring was how much action true freshman edge Jayden Woods was getting. Woods was a young player who generated some buzz from UF’s players and staff during spring football. Kevin Ford hopes to be in the same position as Woods when he’s a freshman. After speaking in the spring, the two talked again in June on Ford’s official visit. With the 6-foot-3, 245-pounder now committed to the Gators, he hopes to emulate the same early success that Woods is having in his young career.
“I got to talk to him after practice and during the meetings too,” said Ford. “It was good trying to see how Florida is from the perspective of a freshman and an early enrollee. He gave me the real feedback. It was good to hear from him about the coaching, about Coach Mike Peterson, and about how he is. It was all good. He’s getting reps from talent and coaching. He’s getting those reps and making sure that he sits down with Mike P whenever he can. Making sure to take the time because he wants to be on the field, and have the coaches trust.”
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Florida has been known to throw young players into the fire early in their careers. As Kevin Ford starts his process of entering UF, he feels that his skill set could translate to early playing time.
“They say my ability to stand up, but also be able to put my hand in the dirt, can help me get on the field early. They said that ability makes me a priority. They’ve kept to their word on how that makes me a priority. They’ve not slowed down on me, so I can see they mean what they say.”
Kevin Ford is commitment No. 17 for the Florida Gators
With Kevin Ford now in the fold, the Florida Gators sit with 17 verbal commitments in the 2026 class. He joins Winter Garden (Fla.) Windermere 4-star cornerback CJ Bronaugh, Fort Myers (Fla.) 4-star defensive lineman Kendall Guervil, Tuskegee (Ala.) Booker T. Washington 4-star WR Marquez Daniel, Tupelo (Miss.) 4-star Edge JaReylan McCoy, Gainesville (Fla.) Buchholz 4-star WR Justin Williams, Lakeland (Fla.) 4-star LB Malik Morris, Milton (Fla.) 4-star S Kaiden Hall, Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes 4-star RB Carsyn Baker, Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit 4-star quarterback Will Griffin, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Lakewood 3-star OT Chancellor Campbell, Saint Stephen (S.C.) Timberland 3-star IOL Desmond Green, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy 3-star IOL G’Nivre Carr, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy 3-star TE Kekua Aumua, Douglasville (Ga.) South Paulding 3-star OL Tyler Chukuyem, and Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Central 3-star OL Javarii Luckas.
The On3 Industry, a weighted average of the four major recruiting services, ranks Kevin Ford as the nation’s No. 116 Overall player.