247Sports
Florida added a gem to its 2025 recruiting class Sunday when highly touted receiver Vernell Brown III announced his commitment to the Gators over Florida State, Miami and Ohio State. Brown is a five-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite and is the No. 7 receiver in the class according to the Top247 rankings.
The Orlando, Florida native is a Florida legacy commitment as his father played receiver and defensive back for the Gators from 2001-05. At 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, Brown is a potential playmaker out of the slot. He’s also a proven return threat at Jones High School, where he plays both offense and defense. Brown caught 70 passes for 1,363 yards with 10 touchdowns as a junior.
Assembling a strong recruiting class will be important for third-year Florida coach Billy Napier as he enters the 2024 season with an 11-14 record. The Gators also face a brutally difficult schedule, which makes recruiting momentum a key as he seeks to reassure UF’s brass that the program is headed in the right direction.
Brown is a “dynamic athlete with elite short-area quickness and explosive movement patterns,” according to 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins. Here is more from Ivins’ scouting report on the Gators’ new commitment:
Has impacted the game in all three phases at the prep level and impressed at times as a defensive back, but ceiling appears to be highest as a slot receiver that can generate chunk plays with his run-after-catch capabilities. Eats on in-breaking routes as he creates separation by sinking his hips and then quickly driving towards soft spots in…
..
