Recruiting can be a tricky game.
Especially when it comes to projecting the upside of high school football players.
Florida football has already landed one five-star recruit in its 2027 class − offensive lineman Maxwell Hiller of Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Over the weekend of June 12-14, the Florida Gators had two more five-star recruits visit, as Texas wide receiver commitment Easton Royal and Texas Tech defensive line commitment Jalen Brewster toured UF.
If Florida could convince either Royal or Brewster to flip, it would serve as another recruiting coup for first-year coach Jon Sumrall, who has put together a class currently ranked sixth nationally per 247Sports.
“We can get anybody to come visit the University of Florida in America if we do a good job,” Sumrall said following UF’s spring game. “This is not a really hard place to recruit to.
“We’re the fifth-ranked public school in the United States of America academically right now. You come outside today, and it’s beautiful. You come to the stadium, and you know the history and pageantry of what it feels like to play in this place. And you know the stadium renovations that are coming. You know the fan base is hungry for a winner.”
Here’s a look at UF’s last five 5-star recruits, and how they panned out:
DJ Lagway, QB (2024)
Lagway was the top quarterback recruit and number three overall recruit of the 2024, per247Sports.
As a true freshman, Lagway piloted Florida to a 6-1 record as a starting quarterback during the 2024 season, passing for 1,915 yards with 12 TDs to nine interceptions.
But after an offseason dealing with shoulder, core and calf issues, things went south for Lagway as a sophomore, beginning with a five-interception game in a 20-10 loss at LSU. For the season, Lagway wound up 4-8 as a starter, throwing for 2,264 yards with 16 TDs to 14 interceptions.
Lagway transferred to Baylor during the offseason in the wake of the coaching transition from Billy Napier to Sumrall.
LJ McCray DE (2024)
McCray was the number one defensive lineman recruit and number six overall recruit of the 2024 class, per 247Sports.
As a true freshman in 2024, McCray appeared in all 13 games on defense and special teams, recording 13 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, half a sack and five quarterback hurries. A broken foot curtailed McCray’s sophomore season in 2025 as he appeared in just one game and four snaps against USF.
The 6-foot-6, 270-pound McCray is coming off a strong spring camp and is looking to pressure the quarterback more for the Gators in 2026.
Kamari Wilson S (2022)
Wilson was named a 5-star recruit by ESPN.com as the number one safety and No. 14 overall player in the 2022 class.
But Wilson was unable to earn a consistent role on UF’s defense. After posting 39 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and 1 forced fumble as a true freshman, Wilson appeared in just three games as a sophomore in 2023, taking a redshirt year.
In December of 2023, Wilson entered the transfer portal, where he’s bounced from Arizona State to Memphis, posting 95 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 1 sack and 1 fumble recovery over the last two seasons. Wilson will play in his final season of eligibility this upcoming season at West Virgina.
Jason Marshall Jr CB (2021)
Marshall was a five-star recruit per 247Sports, rated as the number three cornerback and number 25 overall player in the 2021 class.
At Florida, Marshall was a three-year starter at cornerback from 2022-24, putting together a solid career that includes 27 career pass breakups, 7.5 career tackles for loss, 2 career interceptions and 1 career forced fumble. He was taken in the fourth round by the Miami Dolphins in the 2025 NFL draft,
Gervon Dexter Sr, DL (2020)
Per 247Sports, Dexter was rated as the second-best defensive lineman and sixth-best overall recruit in the 2020 class.
In three seasons and 24 starts at Florida, Dexter recorded 125 career tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss. 4.5 tackles for loss, 4 pass breakups, 2 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries.
Dexter was taken in the second round by the Chicago Bears in the 2023 NFL draft.
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Do stars matter? Evaluating the last five Florida football 5-star recruits
Reporting by Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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By Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun | USA TODAY Network
