Offensive Tackle Felix Ojo, a number 6 OT in 2026, is riding high. His recruitment saga is nothing less than a high-stakes thriller. In the tumultuous NIL era, coaches are constantly battling roster instability. The condition on the other side also depicts the same. Players face a constant dilemma over their decision. Ojo, the Mansfield Lake Ridge High School product, is not an exception. “My plan is to commit, but if I need more time, I will wait,” the young lad stays firm on his philosophy unless he visits the Gators’ camp. And suddenly, time seems to scumble down as Billy Napier and his staff count each step with caution.

With spring 2025 now in the rearview mirror, Billy Napier rightfully turned his head toward the 2026 class. The free-transfer era is even younger than the NIL era. So, it’s not difficult to understand that teams needed some time to figure out the optimal strategy for balancing money, talent, and stability all at once. Napier, after a slow start, gained pace over a few big portal years. Last season, he underwent a big September crisis. That gusty 41-17  Miami loss was enough to hand an ultimatum over the insufficient roster strength.

Napier learned from his mistakes. The offense needed a huge revamp after it fell flat in several games throughout the season. Napier took a proactive role this off-season. Players like Dallas Wilson, Vernell Brown III, and Jahari Medlock will hopefully start strong. But Napier doesn’t have the luxury to chill. He is now fully invested in the 2026 OT, Felix Ojo, and brewing some serious hope. “The environment for Gainesville was great, and I enjoyed it a lot,” Ojo beamed with excitement when detailing the experience of his second trip to Florida to On3. “Some big takeaways from this official visit is really how God-centered the program is and how everyone is family here. Also, just how they’re gonna use me in the offense and where they see my development process.”

Back in July 2024, Napier extended an offer to the talented OT. In April, they managed to host the five-star recruit for the first time for an unofficial visit. Since then, it has been a match for Ojo. He was in awe of how exceptionally good they made him feel right from day 1. The facilities, the records were just a bonus to the treatment he received from the coaching staff. But he could never connect as deeply as he did during his May visit. “I’d say they fit in pretty well, and if anyone thought they didn’t have a chance before, they most definitely have one now,” Ojo said.

Ojo comes from a multi-sport athletic background, leaving his mark of legacy on the track and field. He posted a 119-4 discus rep as a sophomore, per MileSplit. But in football, he is indomitable in rush and pass production in his junior years. Although he missed a spot on the ESPN top 10 list last November,

the confidence remained steadfast. The young OT is quite a catch! Yes, just not an easy one, that’s all.

The path to snag a commitment won’t be easy for the Gators

Florida will continue to battle Texas, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Michigan. But Ohio State seems to be the biggest threat to Napier among all the others. Felix Ojo has developed a deep bond with all the Ohio State coaches over the summer.

“My relationship with Ohio State has been great since day one when I got the offer last summer,” Ojo explained. “My relationship with Coach Frye was great. After he left to go to the Arizona Cardinals, the whole entire coaching staff hit me that same day. I’ve been in touch with Coach Hartline, Keenan Bailey, Coach Bowen, Coach Dickey, Coach (Marcus) Johnson. So the relationship that we’ve been building has been very great, and I’m looking forward to seeing where we go with this.”

But then, there are also other competitors lurking behind. Texas, Michigan, and Oklahoma are still in the mix for Ojo’s recruitment. But the five-star kept Texas and Ohio State as his top two. But with his June visit to Austin, things can take a U-turn. For now, it’s fair to say the Gators are very much in the game.