Florida football recruiting: 2025 DB Demetres Samuel Jr. leads flurry of three Gators commits

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Image Credit: Leslie White / UAA

The Florida Gators on Wednesday received not one or two but three new commitments to the football program, two for the Class of 2025 and another looking ahead to the Class of 2026. The standout pledge of the three came from four-star defensive back Demetres Samuel Jr. (Palm Bay, FL), a direct flip from Syracuse.

Samuel (6-foot, 185 pounds), the cousin of former Gators standout Marcus Maye, is actually set to graduate high school in 2026, though he has decided to reclassify and play for Florida next season. Should he retain a similar rating in the 2025 class — Samuel is the No. 99 overall player in the 2026 class — he would be UF’s third-highest ranked commitment. He had an extensive offer list beyond the Orange, including multiple SEC programs.

Unrated 2025 defensive lineman Joseph Mbatchou (Loganville, GA) also committed to the Gators. Considered a “sleeper” prospect who is just starting to burst onto the scene, the 6-foot-6, 285-pounder only started playing football this spring. With roster sizes expanding, taking more chances on athletic prospects with size like Mbatchou is a move that could pay off for programs.

The first commitment of the day actually came from three-star 2026 defensive back Devin Jackson (Orlando, FL), who has long held Florida atop his list of finalists. Jackson (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) is considered a four-star prospect by other outlets but is currently rated No. 388 overall by 247Sports.

Updated class rankings are not yet available given Samuel is presently counted in the 247Sports system as a 2026 prospect. However, Only Gators estimates that his addition will push Florida to No. 43 in the 247Sports rankings, up 29 spots from where it began the day. The Gators only have 12 commitments while nearly every team ranked above them have at least a half-dozen more.

Florida Gators 2025 commitments

Florida Gators 2026 commitments