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Florida Receives Exciting Recruiting News on Thursday originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Florida Gators have started the month of July with a bang on the recruiting trail. After landing four-star defensive lineman Kendall Guervil on Wednesday, Billy Napier’s Gators got some more great news on Thursday afternoon.
Four-star safety CJ Hester, who is ranked No. 20 among all safeties in the country in the 2026 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, announced his commitment to UF on Thursday through Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett.
Hester chose the Gators over their SEC rivals, the Auburn Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs, and in-state challenger, the Miami Hurricanes.
“I’m ready right now, Go Gators,” Hester said.
The Cocoa, Florida, defensive back becomes Florida’s 16th overall commit in the class and the ninth with four-star status, per On3. Hester is also the third defensive back and second safety commit to the Gators, with CJ Bronaugh (four-star cornerback) and Kaidan Hall (three-star safety) being the others.
Hester totaled 72 tackles, 10 pass breakups and four interceptions last season in his junior year at Cocoa High School, per MaxPreps. He will join co-defensive coordinator Ron Roberts and defensive backs coach Deron Wilson, looking to solidify a Gators’ secondary that has been on the rise in recent years.
Napier and UF are not done going after defensive backs in the 2026 class, however. They will now turn their attention to a pair of five-star recruits in safety Bralan Womack and cornerback Chauncey Kennon.
Womack is the No. 12 overall recruit and the top-ranked safety in the country in the Top247 rankings. Florida will have to wait for Womack’s announcement, as his commitment date is set for August 23. On the other hand, the Gators will get a decision soon from Kennon, who is the second-best corner in the nation, according to the Top247 list. He will decide on his future this Sunday.
After landing one 2026 four-star commit on Wednesday and now another with Hester on Thursday, things are heating up for UF in the recruiting game, as the prime time for commitments is just getting started.
Related: Florida Loses Local 5-Star to SEC Rival
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
