Florida Gators recruiting: New Friday Night Lights format debuts

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA — The Florida Gators’ Friday Night Lights once was one of college football’s marquee recruiting events of the summer. But as the years went by, rising senior prospects started committing earlier and attending fewer school camps. Meanwhile, the NCAA began allowing official visits in June. The result of these changes was that FNL and other events like it lost their luster.

So the Gators decided to shake things up.

Friday, Florida will debut a new FNL format. Instead of having players work out for position coaches, they will take part in a 7-on-7 shootout during the afternoon and evening. The event will culminate with a championship game inside The Swamp — weather permitting.

Here’s a quick overview of the Florida Gators’ Friday Night Lights:

FLORIDA GATORS FNL FORMAT

1:30 p.m. Registration
2:40 p.m.: Pool play begins
6 p.m.: Elimination round starts
7 p.m.: Dinner break
7:30 p.m,. Transition to The Swamp
8 p.m.: Quarterfinals
9 p.m: Semifinals
9:30 p.m.: Championship

COMPETING SCHOOLS IN FNL

-Coconut Creek (Fla.) Monarch
-Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland
-Haines City (Fla.)
-Kingsland (Ga.) Camden County
-Lake Wales (Fla.)
-Lantana (Fla.) Santaluces
-Miami (Fla.) Norland
-Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington
-Miramar (Fla.)
-Ocala (Fla.) Vanguard
-Orlando (Fla.) Jones
-Panama City (Fla.) Bay
-Quitman (Ga.) Brooks County
-St. Augustine (Fla.)
-St Johns (Fla.) Bartram Trail
-Tallahassee (Fla.) Rickards
-Valdosta (Ga.)
-Vero Beach (Fla.)
-Zephyrhills (Fla.)

NOTABLE POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS

-5-star TE Elyiss Williams, Camden County: Committed to Georgia
-3-star CB Robert Jones, Vero Beach: Former N.C. State commit.
-3-star WR Jamar Browder, Santaluces: N.C. State commit.
-3-star CB Caden Gordon, Santaluces: N.C. State commit.
-3-star WR Carl Jenkins, St. Augustine: Recently landed Miami offer. Visiting USF this weekend; not clear yet if he’s taking part in FNL.
-4-star 2026 ATH Efrem White, Vero Beach: Committed to FSU; No. 51 recruit in the country.
-4-star 2026 WR Somourian Wingo, St. Augustine: Miami, Michigan, UCF are among his offers.
-4-star 2026 TE Javar Bowden, Panama City Bay: Already listed at 6-foot-7; has offers from the Florida Gators, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Texas A&M, etc.
-4-star 2026 WR Jaborree Riggins, Coconut Creek Monarch: Holds five SEC offers.
-2026 LB Dennis King, Daytona Beach Mainland: Has a dozen Power-5 offers, including Florida and Miami.
-2027 WR Kaneilius Purdy, Lake Wales: Claims early offers from the Florida, Auburn, FSU, Oklahoma, etc.
-2027 WR George Lamons, Brooks County: Multiple notable Power-5 programs have offered, including the Gators.

ADDITIONAL FLORIDA GATORS NOTES

-While their respective schools are competing in this event, some big-name recruits are scheduled to be on official visits elsewhere this weekend. That includes: Five-star corner DJ Pickett (Zephyrhills/ Oregon visit); four-star edge Jalen Wiggins, a Florida Gators commit (Rickards/FSU); four-star cornerback Ben Hanks (Booker T. Washington/Miami); four-star linebacker Tarvos Alford, an Ohio State commit (Vero Beach/Miami).
-Former Florida Gators running back-turned-cornerback Elijah Williams is head coach at Jones.

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