Snagging a four-star pledge is a big deal on the recruiting trail, so the Florida Gators were definitely pleased with the commitment of four-star 2026 cornerback Devin Jackson from Orlando.
That’s a tremendous start to any day on the field, but the Gators followed it up by flipping one of the nation’s top safeties, 2025 four-star safety Demetres Samuel Jr. of Palm Bay, Fla.
He was committed to Syracuse since late March, but the Gators were able to retain him in the state after a late-July visit to Gainesville.
“They’re always going to try to keep me home, so they are going to try to make everything feel good and make me feel like I’m at home here,” Samuel told Gators Online after his latest visit. “I feel good because Coach [Will] Harris and Coach Bey [Beyah Rasool] always are going to make me feel at home because it’s Florida. It definitely feels good.”
Jackson chose Billy Napier’s Gators over Georgia, LSU, Texas, Missouri, UCF, and others.
Like Samuel, he credited the Florida staff with making the Gators a viable alternative.
“They show a lot of love when I come up there and I’m wanted up there,” Jackson recently told On3. “I’m up there a lot of times, so I know the facilities too. It feels like home all around.”
According to 247 Sports, Samuel is the country’s No. 23 safety. Jackson is the No. 27 safety in the 2026 class, according to On3. He’s only 100 miles from Gainesville, although Samuel lives 200 miles away.
In-state recruiting is critical, especially in the highly competitive state of Florida, so landing these two recruits from their own backyard is a huge victory for the Gators.
