RB Akylin Dear Releases Top 12, Advances Florida Gators in Recruitment

The Florida Gators sit among the 12 teams still in contention for Quitman (Miss.) High running back Akylin Dear.

The first pledge of the Gators 2025 recruiting class came from in-state running back Waltez Clark.

The Plant (Tampa, Fla.) High School product aligned with the Billy Napier-led program just moments removed from a monumental upset victory of No. 11 Tennessee on Sept. 16 in Week 3 of the 2023 campaign. 

However, despite the commitment, running backs coach Jabbar Juluke remains steadfast in his efforts to reel in another ball carrier to complement Clark.

It’s a notable effort to replenish a backfield that will likely lose two key contributors — senior Montrell Johnson Jr. and sixth-year senior Cam Carroll — following the 2024 season. 

On Thursday, Florida received promising news related to the endeavor, as Quitman (Miss.) running back Akylin Dear advanced the Gators in his recruitment process.

He named Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas and Texas A&M among the mix of his star-studded top 12.

where’s 🏠? https://t.co/IeoWjE82gX

— ᴀᴋʏʟɪɴ(AK)ᴅᴇᴀʀ⭐️ (@akylin3) February 29, 2024

Rated as the No. 4 running back and No. 68 overall player in the 2025 class according to 247Sports Composite, Dear’s quick acceleration, elusiveness in tight quarters and breakaway speed suggests usage in space at the next level.

However, at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, he presents the frame to work in a capacity expanding beyond mere off-tackle rushes as his collegiate career progresses.

He put all those skills together during his junior campaign with Quitman High, accounting for an impressive 2,016 yards and 27 touchdowns on the ground to pair with three scores as a passer.

The athleticism and versatility — provided by his frame — match the mold of prospects the Gators’ have pursued to fill spots in the backfield of late.

One cycle removed from plucking one of the most productive prep talents in the country from the state of Mississippi in West Point (Miss.) running back Kahnen Daniels, Florida aims to strike gold once again in the region by reeling in a top Magnolia State ball carrier for the second straight cycle.

Doing so will entail fending off both home state schools in Mississippi State and Ole Miss as well as a bevy of other highly regarded colleges.

UF currently holds four pledges in the 2025 recruiting class.

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