List Of Visitors For Florida vs. FAU

The Florida Gators are set to open the 2026 season Saturday night when they welcome the Florida Atlantic Owls to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. While the primary focus will be on Jon Sumrall’s first game as Florida’s head coach, the matchup will also provide the Gators with an important recruiting opportunity.

A large group of current commitments and top targets from the 2027 and 2028 recruiting classes is expected to be in Gainesville, giving Florida’s new coaching staff another opportunity to strengthen relationships with some of its most important recruiting targets. Here is the current visitor list for the Florida-FAU matchup.

2027 Florida Commitments

Florida is expected to have a particularly strong contingent of its 2027 commitments in attendance.

• 5-star IOL Maxwell Hiller — Florida commit

• 4-star WR Elias Pearl — Florida commit

• 4-star QB Davin Davidson — Florida commit

• 4-star RB Andrew Beard II — Florida commit

• 4-star LB Ellis McGaskin — Florida commit

• 4-star CB Aamaury Fountain — Florida commit

• 3-star TE Jackson Ballinger — Florida commit

• 3-star WR Anthony Jennings — Florida commit

• 3-star CB Kamauri “Bam” Whitfield — Florida commit

• 3-star LB Robert “Tre” Geathers III — Florida commit

• 3-star DL De’Voun Kendrick — Florida commit

• 3-star K Aaron McWilliams — Florida commit, official visit

Hiller headlines the group. The highly regarded interior offensive lineman is currently Florida’s top-ranked commitment in the 2027 class and has continued to receive attention from programs including Tennessee, LSU and Penn State. Despite that interest, Florida remains in a strong position with its top commitment. Davidson and Beard are also expected to be regular presences in The Swamp throughout the season, while Whitfield will make the trip from Orlando for the opener. Several other commits will be making their first trips back to Gainesville since announcing their commitments. McWilliams is the lone visitor specifically identified as taking an official visit this weekend. The Florida kicker commit has been committed to the Gators since June and will use the FAU weekend for his official visit.

2028 Unofficial Visitors

Florida will also welcome several important 2028 prospects to Gainesville, including a number of players the Gators have been working to establish relationships with early in their recruitments.

• 4-star EDGE Asher Ghioto

• 4-star RB Zaiden Jernigan

• 4-star DL Zylen Little

• 3-star IOL John O’Dwyer

• 3-star IOL Jaxen Cepeda

• 3-star DL Josiah Taylor

• 3-star RB Kameron Battle

• 3-star ATH Chayse Brown

• 3-star S Isaiah Reeves

• 3-star ATH Jamarion Hillsman

• 2029 4-star CB James Allen

Ghioto is one of the biggest names in the group. The four-star EDGE prospect has been around Florida’s program extensively and is viewed as a significant target for the Gators in the 2028 cycle. Miami is currently generating significant buzz in his recruitment, making his return to Gainesville an important opportunity for Florida. Jernigan and Little are two other four-star prospects to watch, while O’Dwyer gives Florida an opportunity to make an early impression in an in-state recruiting battle that also includes Florida State.

Brown will be particularly intriguing because he is currently committed to Florida State but has kept his recruitment open. Florida will have an opportunity to make its case to the three-star athlete while he is in Gainesville.

Recruiting Opportunity For Sumrall

The FAU game represents much more than the beginning of the Sumrall era on the field. It is also the first major recruiting showcase of his tenure at The Swamp. With more than 20 known commitments and targets expected, Florida will have an opportunity to showcase its gameday atmosphere, coaching staff and vision for the program. The presence of so many committed prospects is equally important, as the Gators continue working to keep their 2027 class together while adding talent to future recruiting cycles. Hiller, Davidson, Whitfield, Geathers and the rest of Florida’s committed prospects can help create a strong recruiting atmosphere for the newcomers, while targets such as Ghioto, Jernigan, Little and Brown will get an up-close look at what Sumrall’s program is becoming. Florida’s season opener against FAU is scheduled for Saturday, September 5, at 7:45 p.m. ET inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Note: This is a current visitor list and can change before kickoff. 247Sports specifically noted that additional visitors could be added between its initial publication and game day. The recruiting activity surrounding the opener gives Florida another storyline to follow alongside Sumrall’s debut: who leaves Gainesville more impressed with the Gators than when they arrived?