Florida, Jon Sumrall Lose Out on Top 2028 QB to Fellow SEC Program

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The Florida Gators and newly hired head coach Jon Sumrall are off to the races on the high school recruiting trail.

As a consensus top-10 program in the 2027 class, the former Tulane Green Waves’ head coach has done an excellent job of building the future roster of the program. However, while Florida continues to enjoy the success within the 2027 recruiting cycle, it’s clear that the Gators must ramp up its efforts in next year’s recruiting class in order to maintain the promising momentum.

According to Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett on Friday afternoon, 2028 four-star quarterback Kingston Preyear has committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide over the likes of Vanderbilt and Florida.

What’s Next For Florida in the 2028 Class?

Preyear, a highly touted prospect in next year’s recruiting cycle, was a key target for Sumrall and the Gators this offseason. As of this month, the prolific quarterback is the No. 3 prospect in the state of Alabama, as well as the No. 4-ranked quarterback in the 2028 class, per 247Sports’ Composite.

Throughout his first two seasons at Benjamin Russell High School, Preyear was nothing short of impressive, tallying 4,813 passing yards, 54 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. In addition to his strong efforts in the passing game, the young playmaker also proved to be a dynamic dual-threat quarterback, recording 590 rushing yards and two touchdowns during the two-year stretch. This played a massive role in his selection to the 2027 adidas Polynesian Bowl, as he is set to compete against some of the best prospects in the nation next year.

Despite Sumrall’s immediate offer upon his arrival at the program earlier this offseason, the efforts from head coach Kalen DeBoer and his hometown school, the Alabama Crimson Tide, proved to be too much for the Gators’ coaching staff. Preyear took an unofficial visit to Gainesville back in March and was at the program’s high school camp in June, but the late run was not enough for Florida.

Now, with Preyear out of the mix for the Gators, Sumrall and his staff must find a new quarterback for their 2028 recruiting class. The struggling SEC program possesses one commit for the 2028 cycle in four-star wide receiver Armani Strong, but landing a top quarterback commit will be a main priority for Florida.

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