With spring camp now long gone in Gainesville, the attention has fully shifted to the future. Specifically, the Class of 2026. But as other top-tier programs sprint out of the gates with multiple high-profile commits, Billy Napier’s Florida Gators are still stretching at the starting line. Sitting with just two verbal commitments heading into a crucial summer visit stretch, Florida isn’t exactly making waves on the recruiting trail. And in a world where optics are everything, the silence is starting to echo.

Still, if you ask some insiders, all is not what it seems on the surface. According to Locked On Gators host Brandon Olsen, while the Gators may appear stagnant in the public recruiting space, things are bubbling behind the scenes. “July 5th, there’s three kids that were on campus this weekend for Florida that have July 5th commitment dates, and Florida’s not pushing you to commit early. They’re not going to do it,” Olsen explained.

The Gators are actively recruiting top offensive linemen for the upcoming class, and last Friday’s campus visitors included highly rated OLs Felix Ojo and Ekene Ogboko, along with receiver Calvin Russell and running back Carsyn Baker. On the defensive side, they also hosted Luke Wafle, Jamir Perez, and Chauncey Kennon.

“So that’s another reason why I don’t get too concerned about it, because I’m positive that there are, you know, silent commits right now for Florida. But this coaching staff isn’t pushing kids. They don’t pressure kids like that. So that’s why, for me, I don’t like it. I would push kids, and I’d be more aggressive with some of those recruiting tactics, but this is how Florida operates right now. And I think for a lot of us, as in a lot of Florida Gator fans, we’re just kind of accepting that—whether or not we agree with it, it’s the reality of the situation.”

That passive approach might be by design, but it’s also risky. In a climate where schools throw the kitchen sink—and a few Lamborghinis—at recruits just for a visit, Florida is choosing to play the long game. Billy Napier has never been one to show his cards early, and his quiet recruiting method has drawn both praise and concern since his arrival. When asked back in February about roster planning and class structure, Napier pulled back the curtain slightly.

“I think we got a general number at each position without putting that out there for the competition. You’re always five OLs, a back or two, a tight end or two, three or four receivers, a quarterback or two, three DLs, three edges, two inside backers and five DBs, you’re plus or minus one. So just depends on who leaves, who declares for the draft. We typically evaluate it in training camp, and we can evaluate it on the first open date. You just keep going. We’ll see where we’re at. We’re getting closer,” Napier said.

There is at least one known domino already on the board. Swamp’s four-star QB Will Griffin out of Tampa Jesuit, is a legitimate blue-chip signal caller. Ranked as the No. 6 pocket passer in the class by ESPN, Griffin committed on June 1 and is set to make his official visit to Gainesville on June 13. He’s the type of talent you can build a class around—if the class actually starts to materialize.

Following the de-commitments of linebacker Izayia Williams, cornerback Jaelen Waters, and safety Devin Jackson—all four-star recruits—Griffin remained the lone commit in that class for a while. And all of this comes on the heels of more disappointment in the 2025 cycle—another punch to the gut for a fanbase already sitting on edge. Billy Napier, firmly in the hot seat crosshairs entering year four, needs recruiting momentum just as badly as he needs wins. And at this moment, he’s short on both. The perception from the outside? Florida’s being outmaneuvered and outpaced by more aggressive recruiters.

Felix Ojo’s Florida flirtation fades fast?

For a moment, it looked like the Gators might have pulled off a major recruiting twist. Felix Ojo, the five-star offensive tackle out of Mansfield (Texas) Lake Ridge, had initially left Florida off his visit list—but then changed his mind and gave Billy Napier’s crew a shot to impress.

And to their credit, Florida made the most of it. Ojo took his first official visit to Gainesville recently, and folks around the program felt like momentum was shifting. “The Florida staff is hoping to get a jump on things and they did a very good job,” a source told Bucknuts 247Sports. There was even buzz that the Gators made gains not just with Ojo, but also with Perez, Wafle, Baker, and Ogboko. And guess what? This Sunday, Jamir Perez visited Gainesville and straight-up shut down his recruitment, committing to the Gators.

For a brief stretch, it looked like the door had been cracked open. One source close to Ojo even told 247Sports’ Brian Dohn that Florida had pushed its way “firmly in the mix.” But just as fast as the buzz arrived, it might already be fading. “But I’m not sure at all things are going to hold up for them, with at least Ojo and [Luke] Wafle,” the same Ohio State source said.

As it stands now, Texas remains the team to beat, while Ohio State is heating up as Florida fights to stay in the race. This recruitment is far from over, but the Gators clearly have work to do.