Florida basketball is lining up a major recruiting weekend, with five-stars Beckham Black and Colton Hiller both scheduled to be on campus.
For Todd Golden and his staff, this is a notable shift. Florida has built around spotting underrated talent like Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon, then supplementing the roster with big transfer additions such as Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin.
High school recruiting at the top end hasn’t been the headline yet, but that could be changing. With Florida likely to lose a lot of talent after this season, the Gators appear to be pushing harder for elite prospects than they have in the past.
That approach already shows up in Florida’s recent move into the Cayden Daughtry sweepstakes. Daughtry is the #3 player in the 2027 class. The Gators are also pressing for Black and Hiller.
Black is the #2 player in 2027, a 6’3” point guard from Duncanville, Texas, though he’s currently playing in Orlando. He’s the brother of NBA player Anthony Black, and his stock climbed even higher this summer after a strong EYBL run.
Black averaged 21.7 points and 5.4 assists per game, and his game looks built for the next level. His first step is electric, and at 6’3” with a solid frame, he looks ready for the physical side of college basketball.
He’d be expected to come in and handle a major role with the ball. Arkansas, Duke, North Carolina, and the other usual heavy hitters are all in the mix, and there’s no timetable on a decision.
For Florida, simply getting him on campus is a strong sign.
Hiller brings a different kind of buzz. He’s the #1 player in the 2028 class and will make the trip from Pennsylvania.
If the name sounds familiar, it should: his older brother Maxwell is the #2 player in the 2027 football class and is already committed to Florida. The Gators are hoping that family connection helps their case, especially with the chance to pair the #2 football recruit in one class with the #1 basketball recruit in the next.
Hiller is 6’6” and 210 pounds and already has the look of a college veteran. He plays with strength, physicality, and athleticism, but there’s also a real joy to his game.
He has a pro-ready build, finishes well at the rim, and can make shots. Since he’s only a 2028 prospect, there’s no urgency to a decision, but Florida getting him on campus matters.
Duke, BYU, Alabama, and soon just about everybody else has offered.
In Other News...
Florida Fans May Not Get Long To Enjoy Buster Faulkner
Buster Faulkner has quickly become one of the more interesting pieces of Floridas offensive identity, thanks to a hybrid scheme that has given the Gators a more physical edge. Working under coach Jon Sumrall, Faulkner has leaned into ideas shaped by Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier, blending familiar Florida influence with a modern approach that has drawn attention well beyond Gainesville.
That attention now extends to the next round of coaching searches, with ESPNs Adam Rittenberg naming Faulkner as a likely head-coaching candidate in the upcoming hiring cycle. For Florida fans, that creates the familiar kind of tension that comes with any rising coordinator who starts to look like a program-builder, because the better he makes the offense look, the harder he may be to keep around. [Read more 🡒]
Gators Fans Finally Get A Real Look At Sumrall's Roster Battle
Florida finally gave fans something to study beyond fall camp buzz, releasing its Week 1 depth chart for the opener against Florida Atlantic. It is the programs first public depth chart in nearly two years, and it offers a real snapshot of how Jon Sumralls staff is sorting out roles heading into the season.
Sumrall has been clear about wanting transparency with his players, especially when it comes to where they stand and what kind of playing opportunity they can expect. For a roster still being sorted out, the chart matters not just because it tells the public who is first up, but because it gives everyone inside the building a more honest view of the early pecking order. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Is Trying To Fix One Embarrassing Problem Fans Know Too Well
One of the first things Jon Sumrall is trying to clean up in Gainesville is the kind of mistake that drives fans crazy long before a game plan ever does. Floridas new coach has put a priority on avoiding procedural errors, with the simplest goal in football in mind: make sure the right 11 players are on the field, lined up correctly and ready to play.
It is a basic standard, but it was an issue that too often followed the Gators during Billy Napiers tenure, and it has become an early point of emphasis for Sumrall as he settles in. He has already reviewed plays from recent Week 0 games to reinforce how quickly a small alignment lapse can turn into a bigger problem, and Florida is treating the fix as part of setting a different tone for the program. [Read more 🡒]