Florida Gators Football Recruiting: UF Lead the Chase for 4-Star CB Jamari Howard

jamari howard

Florida Gators are now on the radar as the potential destination for Westland Hialeah’s four-star cornerback, Jamari Howard. The Sunshine State native, formerly a Michigan State recruit, announced his decision to decommit about a week ago. This turn of events has stirred anticipation within the Florida college football landscape. In fact, the buzz suggests the Florida Gators have a slight edge in acquiring this top-100 national talent.

Florida Gators in the Lead for Jamari Howard

Ranked as the 78th overall college football recruit in the nation according to the consensus rankings, Howard has earned his place among the high school football elite. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing in at 170 pounds, his skillset has earned him a spot as the 10th best cornerback in the country. At the moment, it seems as though the Gators lead the chase for the talented cornerback.

Billy Napier, head coach of the Florida Gators, is keen to add this talent to his 2024 recruiting class, currently ranked fourth in the nation. His dedication to strengthening the Gators is evident. Napier has scheduled an ambitious 45 official visits for June, with Howard’s visit slated for June 2. Howard’s previous two visits to Gainesville and his glowing feedback about the Gators make this an interesting development.

Highlighting the Gators’ potential appeal to Howard, the cornerback once said, “It’s a big school. There are great opportunities for me to go to the next level… I like how they run everything and run their defense.” These are promising signs that the Gators have a substantial chance in this recruitment chase.

FSU, Miami, and Michigan State Still Contenders

An intriguing subplot involves Florida secondary coach Corey Raymond. Known for his eye for talent, Raymond doubles as the area recruiter. His role in this pursuit can’t be understated. Given Howard’s ambitions to play in the NFL and Raymond’s proven track record, this could be the clinching factor for the Gators.

However, the competition isn’t far behind. Florida State, a team close to Howard’s heart, and Miami are also in hot pursuit. Additionally, the rescheduled visit to Michigan State following his Florida trip implies that the Spartans may not be out of the race yet.

Finally, as Florida Gators vie to secure Howard, there’s speculation that a substantial Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal could be a deciding factor. This emerging facet of college sports recruitment adds an intriguing twist to the narrative.


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