The Florida Gators managed to stay afloat, landing No. 14 in the transfer portal rankings. But when it comes to 2027 recruiting, the scoreboard isn’t as pretty. Jon Sumrall has secured only one commit, by far. But they can see some silver lining with their chase for the No. 1 quarterback.

“5-star QB Elijah Haven plans to visit Florida this spring as he continues to get closer to making a commitment,” On3 Sports’ analyst Blake Alderman reported. 

The 6’4”, 220-pounder from Dunham School holds offers from heavyweight programs. According to On3’s crystal ball, even though Sumrall’s Florida (18.7%), they are inching closer to landing the Haven. The Gators are not losing hope. 

Sumrall will leave no stone unturned to woo Elijah Haven, who will be stepping into Gainesville for the first time since the program changed the head coach. He made several trips to Florida in 2025, including a game-day swing for the Gators’ win over Texas. Even with a head coaching swap, Florida stays a frontrunner.

While the competition is enough for Sumrall to step back, they know that Florida has an edge in the Elijah Haven race. Thanks to past ties at Tulane, Sumrall and his staff already know the Haven family. 

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“The Gator Made program and some things that they were doing off the field were very intriguing to my wife and I,” said the quarterback’s father, Kwame Haven. “Florida was up there near the top, and the student life there and the support around the program were the most attractive to us. They check in with Elijah a lot, and a reason for the visit would to be able to get around them more and for the whole family to get a kind of feel of the new staff.”

Elijah Haven dominated as a freshman, steering his team to an 8-3 record while showing he’s a true dual-threat weapon. His elite arm talent, which has drawn Sumrall’s keen interest, was on full display as he racked up 2,205 passing yards with a school-record 35 touchdowns. His breakaway speed came with 641 rushing yards and 12 more scores.

Setting a school record as a freshman already gives off dominant vibes, showing sparks of explosiveness. This performance put Haven on Alabama’s radar. Kalen DeBoer has already locked in the commitment of four-star 2027 quarterback Trent Seaborn. But that does not make things better for Sumrall.

“(Alabama) made it clear they want two quarterbacks in the 2027 class, and I like Elijah Haven to land at Alabama,” national recruiting analyst Tom Loy stirred the pot on the CBS Sports Show. 

This year, in January, Elijah Haven already completed his trip to Tuscaloosa and said it was a “great” trip. With this, Sumrall now strengthens his case by bolstering the offense. 

Jon Sumrall strengthens the coaching roster with urgent changes

Sumrall added the Florida native, Marcus Davis, as the wide receivers coach. The coach’s Auburn chapter was enough for the Florida head coach to count on him. Under Davis’ guidance in 2025, Auburn produced a trio of reliable targets: all three receivers finished with 25-plus catches, 450-plus yards, and at least two touchdowns. It showed the coach’s ability to get the most out of his pass-catchers.

But maybe Sumrall was not fully convinced. He added Georgia Tech wide receivers coach Trent McKnight to his staff. In his first season at Georgia Tech, McKnight made an immediate impact, helping mold Malik Rutherford and Eric Singleton Jr. into a pair of All-ACC receivers. With two wide receivers coaches on his roster, Sumrall is splitting the responsibilities between the two. 

Davis emphasized that dividing the receiver room into two groups lets coaches focus on the finer details. All these efforts to bolster the wide receiver room are intended to earn Haven’s trust, as skilled receivers are essential for turning a quarterback’s passes into big plays.

If even the wide receiver coaching plan fails, Sumrall has yet another coach to count on for the chase. Florida is expected to hire Georgia Tech director of scouting Cody Collins. With Sumrall ticking off the coaching requirement box, will Elijah Haven strike off Alabama and land in Gainesville?