Top Florida Gators Commitment Shuts Down Recruitment

The Florida Gators top-rated recruit has had enough of the process.

Florida Gators Football Coach Billy Napier / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY

Four-star defensive line commit Jalen Wiggins (Tallahassee, Fla.) announced Monday his intentions to end his recruitment and remain committed to the Florida Gators.

I want to thank the Lord for every opportunity and blessing bestowed upon me within this entire recruiting process as well as all those who have recruited me. I will be shutting down my recruitment! 🐊 pic.twitter.com/ETljAG93W9

— Jalen Wiggins (@WigginsJalen06) July 1, 2024

“I want to thank the Lord for every opportunity and blessing bestowed upon me within this entire recruiting process as well as all those who have recruited me. I will be shutting down my recruitment!” Wiggins announced via X.

To say Wiggins’s announcement is important to Florida is an understatement. He is the Gators’ highest-rated defensive commit across all major recruiting sites, and 247 Sports ranks him as the Gators’ highest-rated overall commit.

He is rated as the No. 77 overall player in the country and No. 11 overall defensive lineman, according to 247 Sports. 

Not to mention, the Gators were also able to hold on to a commit who hails from a rivals’ backyard. Attending James Rickards High School (Tallahassee, Fla.), Wiggins is less than 15 minutes from Florida State’s campus. 

After his official visit with Florida, Wiggins still had a trip to FSU lined up. He said he wasn’t sure what it would take for FSU to complete the flip. 

“I would say with me right now, I feel very confident with Florida. For Florida State, I don’t know what it would take,” he said. “Not sure what it would take.”

Wiggins also becomes the second UF commit to openly discuss shutting down his recruitment. 

Four-star running back Waltez Clark told reporters after his summer official visit with the Gators that he had canceled all of his remaining OVs and ended all contact with other programs. 

“(UF) appreciated it,” Clark said. “I wouldn’t say that they wanted me to do it. They said I can (talk to other schools), but I just don’t want to.”

As it stands, the Gators have the No. 46 overall recruiting class, according to On3. However, Florida has a chance to increase that ranking with plenty of targets set to announce their commitments during the month of July.