"Nobody wants to play for little Billy": Fans react to 4-star safety Demetres Samuel Jr.'s flip from Billy Napier's Florida Gators 

By Aman Sharma

Modified Sep 30, 2024 14:14 GMT

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In a surprising turn of events, four-star safety Demetres Samuel Jr. from Heritage High School in Florida has flipped his commitment again, returning to Syracuse after initially switching to the Florida Gators.

Samuel, who previously committed to Syracuse in March, made headlines earlier in the summer when he decided to join Billy Napier’s Florida program. However, just two months later, Samuel re-commits to the Orange.

This move sparked mixed reactions, with some fans criticizing Florida's program under Napier.

"Nobody wants to play for little Billy," one fan commented,

Another added:

"Florida losing on a bye-week, how embarrassing."

"We’ll see if Kiffin wants him in December," a fan stated

"Boys too busy worrying about Miami not Syracuse," a fan quipped

"Probably not worth it anyways bye," a fan remarked

"Getting beat out by Syracuse is crazy work," another remarked

Samuel, who stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 180 pounds, is ranked as the No. 18 safety and No. 207 overall prospect in the nation according to the On3 Industry Rankings. The 247Sports ranks him the No. 21 overall safety in the Class of 2025, with a No. 38 ranking for recruits in Florida.

Despite the back-and-forth, Samuel has voiced strong support for Syracuse, citing the positive environment under coach Fran Brown.

“Coach Fran is building an SEC type of program at Syracuse,” Samuel told On3. “I watched practice on Thursday and I love the environment and what the coaches and players are doing. Coach Fran is changing the program. Everything is evolving at Syracuse and that is why I committed to them.”

Demetres Samuel's flip to Syracuse leaves Florida without a safety for 2025

With four-star safety Demetres Samuel flipping back to Syracuse, the Florida Gators have 13 commitments for their 2025 class. With the latest decommitment, the Gators are without a safety recruit for the 2025 class.

Samuel’s high school coach, Mykel Benson of Palm Bay Heritage (Fla.), previously praised his potential, stating that Samuel has the talent to play in the NFL.

“If he stays the course, I see him playing on Sundays,” Benson told Gators Online. “As far as the defensive side, when you’re one of the best in the county and nation, a lot of people throw away from him."

“Right now, he’s being very physical on defense, tackling wise. Offensive wise, he’s right around 250-300 receiving yards with three touchdowns. And he has a punt return for a touchdown. He’s having a solid season all the way around.”

This summer, Samuel reclassified from the 2026 class to 2025, making him a young senior at just 16 years old. Despite his age, Benson is confident in Samuel’s future, saying:

“At times, he’s playing as a top senior, and at times he’s playing as a top junior,” Benson said. “But I think when all is said and done, he’ll be playing as a top senior. He’s young."

Syracuse’s 2025 recruiting class, which now features Samuel as its only four-star player, is ranked 36th nationally by 247Sports. The class currently boasts 29 players.