Florida Gators Make Final 4 for Elite DB Joenel Aguero

Florida is firmly in the mix for elite 2023 safety Joenel Aguero.

The Florida Gators have landed in the final four for one of their top safety prospects in the 2023 recruiting class.

Joenel Aguero announced that the Gators would move forward as a team in consideration for his services alongside Ohio State, Miami and Georgia on Monday.

Despite finding themselves in the mix down the stretch of Aguero's recruitment, the path to his final four has not been an easy one for the new regime to travel.

In fact, they had to play damage control when they initially stepped into their role at UF. The previous staff's connection with the prospect who formerly resided just a few hours down the road in Bradenton (Fla.) at IMG Academy was virtually non-existent. He made that clear earlier this year.

However, what Billy Napier has accomplished while in pursuit of the talented safety has undoubtedly worked.

Aguero has talked favorably about the new culture the staff is instilling at the University of Florida since their arrival in December 2021.

"This is definitely a new vibe. I like it way better than the old staff," Aguero bluntly told AllGators following a visit back in March. "I love the vibe here, to be honest. It's chill. The campus is nice, the people here are good, I'm getting along with people out here. Everything is good, I like it."

Landing Aguero would be a considerable victory for safeties coach/co-defensive coordinator Patrick Toney and Co. as the Gators will depend heavily on versatility and depth in the secondary as an area the scheme depends heavily upon to achieve high levels of success.

He is set to take an unofficial visit to Gainesville on June 18, allowing the staff and a familiar face to pull him toward a three-to-four-year career with the Gators.

Aguero's former IMG teammate — before he transferred back to St. John's Prep in his home state of Massachusetts — and current Gators safety Kamari Wilson has played a major role in attempting to lure him to Gainesville to serve as partners-in-crime on the backend at the college level as they did for the Ascenders in high school.

He will announce his commitment on July 23.

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