Brandon Harris is looking forward to his new challenge coaching cornerbacks for the Florida Gators.
Harris appeared headed to Florida State before UF came calling, and the former UCF defensive backs coach jumped at the opportunity to work under new Florida football coach Jon Sumrall and new defensive coordinator Brad White.
“Being able to coach in the SEC, you hear about it all the time, you watch it on TV, you want to be able coach with the best and coach against some of the best talent out there,” Harris said. “Coach coming in with his reputation and what he’s done and the staff he’s putting together, and I start looking at some of the other people he’s gathering on staff, and I was like, ‘OK, that’s an incredible opportunity, you can’t say no to that.’”
Harris brings extensive state ties as a recruiter as a former standout at Booker T. Washington High in Miami who went on to play three seasons at cornerback for the Miami Hurricanes. From there, Harris went on to play in the NFL for three seasons with the Houston Texas. His coaching career began in 2019 as a graduate assistant at FIU. In 2020 he went on to work as a defensive analyst at Florida State before returning to FIU as cornerbacks coach in 2021.
From 2022-24, Harris moved on to coach cornerbacks and secondary at Florida Atlantic before taking the UCF job in 2025.
“I have actually worked at every D1 school in the state … ,” Harris said. “So, this kind of completed the cycle for me in a short time period, this is year eight for me in coaching. And just to be considered for these programs and these jobs in a short time period, to me, has kind of blown my mind.”
Here’s a breakdown of UF’s cornerbacks on the 2026 roster heading into spring practice, which starts on March 3.
Florida football 2026 cornerbacks
Newcomers: Jordy Lowery, RSr.; (transfer, East Carolina); CJ Bronaugh, Fr.; CJ Hester, Fr.
Returners: Cormani McClain, RJr.; Dijon Johnson, RJr.; J’Vari Flowers, So.; Ben Hanks III, So.; Onis Konanbanny, RFr.; Vincent Brown Jr., RFr.; Javion Toombs, RSr.
Outlook: McClain and Johnson are two returners with significant starting experience, though Johnson missed the final eight games of the 2025 season after suffering a torn ACL on Sept. 20 at Miami. It’s unlikely Johnson will be ready for the start of spring drills.
“DD has definitely been a leader,” said Harris, when asked about Johnson. “That’s one thing me and him talked about; he’s embraced that role. Usually a lot of older guys, they don’t want it. I mean, a lot of guys, they shy away from him. But he stepped right up to the plate.”
McClain, a former five-star recruit from Lakeland, also has matured significantly since transferring in from Colorado, where it didn’t work out for him for playing for Deion Sanders. He’s recorded two career interceptions, including one returned for a TD in 2024 against Kentucky.
“He’s not very vocal, doesn’t really talk a lot,” Harris said. “But man, when you sit down and have a conversation with him, this dude is interesting. He’s very interesting. And he’s excited. He’s excited about the opportunities in front of him. He’s excited about playing with the guys that chose to stay and be Gators.”
Hanks and Flowers both played extensively as true freshmen last season and will get an opportunity to continue to develop this spring before their sophomore seasons. Like Harris, both Hanks and Flowers are from Miami.
“Every time you see them they’re gonna be together,” Harris said. “They’re from the same area, in the same recruiting class. I think both of them have a unique story, being down there when both of them coming out of high school, obviously Ben went to my high school. J’Vari went to a neighboring high school. But just knowing those guys from the time they were pups in youth league ball, and just watching them closely and watching them come up through the ranks.”
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football roster breakdown for cornerbacks on 2026 roster
Reporting by Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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