Billy Napier’s Florida makes bold recruitment strides as the Gators land 4-star CB Ben Hanks Jr.

By Aman Sharma

Modified Aug 17, 2024 18:16 GMT

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Billy Napier and the Florida Gators continue to boost their 2025 roster. They landed the commitment of four-star cornerback Ben Hanks Jr., who is ranked as the 81st overall player and the 10th-best cornerback in the 2025 class by 247Sports.

"I have a strong connection with Coach Napier and Coach Harris," Hanks told On3’s Chad Simmons. "Florida has always felt like home—my dad played there, my sister went there, and my cousin Treon Harris also played for the Gators."

Despite a slower start to the 2025 recruiting cycle, where the Gators once ranked in the 50s nationally and near the bottom of the SEC, the last few months have seen a sharp upward trend.

Before Hanks Jr.’s commitment, Florida’s class stood at No. 31 nationally. With this addition, the Gators have surged to No. 20, overtaking key conference rivals like Kentucky, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Arkansas.

Hanks Jr. isn’t the only legacy recruit making waves this year. Four-star wide receiver Vernell Brown III committed in July, pushing the Gators up 22 spots in the rankings.

Ben Hanks Sr., the recruit’s father, was a standout linebacker for Florida in the 1990s, earning multiple SEC titles and two First-Team All-SEC honors.

Billy Napier's Gators build momentum with key commitments for the 2025 class

Billy Napier's Florida Gators are quietly assembling a strong 2025 recruiting class with 13 commitments, including seven four-star prospects. Tampa running back Waltez Clark was the first to commit in September 2023, setting the tone.

The Gators’ top defensive pledge came in January, when Tallahassee defensive lineman Jalen Wiggins, a four-star recruit, chose Florida over major programs like Georgia and Florida State.

Although the spring was quiet, with no commitments until early May, things improved as the summer neared. Jeremiah McCloud, a three-star defensive lineman, and Chad Gasper, a Texas running back, joined the class. With four-star receivers Joshua Moore and Tae'shaun Gelsey, as well as punter Hayden Craig, June was a complete turnaround for the program.

In July, Billy Napier landed linebacker Myles Johnson, a former Alabama commit, followed by a major coup when four-star athlete Demetres Samuel flipped his commitment from Syracuse to Florida.

The class then received a further boost with the addition of top-100 cornerback Ben Hanks Jr. He is the 13th recruit in Florida’s 2025 class, joining top-tier talents like Vernell Brown III and Jalen Wiggins.