Florida Gators Get Commitment from Nation's No. 1 Specialist

The Gators were able to flip the top kicker recruit from an SEC counterpart

The Gators flip a top recruit at his position from another SEC school / Matt Pendleton/Special to Sun via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The Florida Gators pick up a nice win on the recruiting trail. Kicker Evan Noel, a 2025 recruit, announced on Monday that he has flipped his commitment from Arkansas to Florida.

Noel annouced his commitment via his social media.

Committed!! #gogators🐊 @coach_bnapier @CoachJoeHouston @HKA_Tanalski @KohlsKicking @SSCFBCoach pic.twitter.com/xG0syCnwKF

— Evan Noel (@EvanNoel14) November 11, 2024

Cue the sunglasses emoji post from Gators head coach Billy Napier. Noel is the top kicker of the 2025 recruiting class and the 58th-ranked recruit from Mississippi. Noel had been committed to the Razorbacks for quite some time - since October 2023.

A highlight of his from this current high school season is that he set the state record for the longest field goal in a game (61 yards).

He's been making his rounds to Gainesville, according to Swamp 247, including the Gators dominant win over UCF on Oct. 5. Noel and his family also really liked Gainesville and the University of Florida campus. He must've seen himself spending his college years there.

Noel wouldn't be guaranteed playing time upon arrival on campus. He would likely sit behind the current kicker, Trey Smack. However, Noel welcomed the opportunity to challenge Smack for the role and at the very least, develop further as a kicker.

"If I went there I would have to sit behind Trey for a year, or at least be in a position battle with him my first year," Smack told Swamp 247. "They wanted to get a kicker they liked a lot this cycle, which is me. Have me there to get developed, learn from Trey and the coaches, and then be ready to go the next year. That is how they see it."

The Gators 2025 recruiting class is ranked 45th in the country. It's a drop off from being seventh last season, but don't be too quick to criticize for it. With the uncertainty of Napier's job, it's been harder to sell recruits on Florida. They'd be committing to someone who wouldn't even be there when they arrived.

This flip could be a sign that the 2025 class could get a last-second boost.