Jon Sumrall has already given Florida an early jolt in the 2027 class by landing five-star offensive lineman Maxwell Hiller, and now the Gators are making an aggressive push for another elite name in 2028: top edge rusher Asher Ghioto.
Steve Wiltfong, the Rivals/On3 Vice President of Recruiting, said Florida is sitting in the strongest position early for Ghioto, who is rated the No. 1 edge rusher in the country by both Rivals/On3 and the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound prospect from The Bolles School in Jacksonville has been around Gainesville plenty already, including a summer visit, and he was back at The Swamp last week when Florida beat Florida Atlantic.
Ghioto’s schedule is packed with unofficial visits during the season, but more trips to Gainesville are possible before the year is over. Wiltfong pointed to Miami, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and Notre Dame as the other programs in the mix, while still making clear that Florida has the edge.
"I think Florida is the program that is in the best position." @SWiltfong_ likes where the Gators sit for No.
1 EDGE Asher Ghioto out of Jacksonville, Fla. 🐊
MORE: https://t.co/GFQqnZFu8a pic.twitter.com/RcP2edqKuI
- Josh Newberg (@josh_newberg) September 10, 2026
"Florida is obviously one of the front-runners here. When I talk to sources that have knowledge about this recruitment, I think Florida is in the best position. I think that Florida is really going to make a push to keep Asher home," Wiltfong said.
For Sumrall, Ghioto is the kind of target that matters on multiple levels. He’s one of the top players in the nation, and he also comes out of Jacksonville, a city that has long been one of Florida’s most dependable in-state recruiting areas. If Sumrall wants to strengthen the Gators’ hold in that part of the state, landing a player like Ghioto would be a major step.
The 2028 class could be especially important for that effort. Ghioto has teammates at Bolles who are also on Florida’s radar in four-star running back Xander Edwards and four-star tight end JC Wessel. Just down the road at Mandarin High, the Gators are also tracking Brysen Wright, the top wide receiver in the 2028 class.
Still, this isn’t shaping up to be a simple fight. LSU and Oklahoma could become more involved, and if Florida State lands a new coach and a new influx of money, the Seminoles may also enter the mix as a real challenge on the trail.
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Maxwell Hillers trip to Gainesville last weekend was supposed to be about taking in the scene as one of Floridas five-star offensive line commitments, but it also gave the Gators a little extra runway with his family. Hiller brought his younger brother, Colton, along for the visit, and the two watched Florida while Maxwell spent time with offensive line coach Phil Trautwein talking football in a way that sounded more like prep work than a recruiting pitch.
That matters because Colton is a prospect of his own, with Florida and Duke both in the mix for his basketball recruitment. Maxwell came away impressed with the Gators recent offensive play and said he feels good about the program, while Coltons positive experience around the game gives Florida another chance to stay on his radar as the family connection keeps the door open. [Read more 🡒]
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Now comes another test, and Clark already has his attention on Campbells tempo and passing game. For Florida, that means the early-season measuring stick is less about the final score and more about whether the defense can keep showing the same energy, communication and durability it flashed in Week 1. Clarks perspective matters because he is still new to the room, and when a newcomer is already talking this confidently about the standard, it says something about the tone being set around that side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
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Jadan Baugh is another name worth keeping on the radar as Florida heads into Week 2, since the Gators will want to see more from the players expected to carry a bigger load as the schedule settles down. Games like this can help clarify roles quickly, and for a team still sorting through its next layer of contributors, Campbell offers another useful checkpoint for who is ready to keep climbing. [Read more 🡒]