Four-star 2026 defender Izayia Williams, No. 52 in the ESPN Junior 300, announced his commitment to Florida on Thursday night, landing as the highest-ranked prospect in the Gators’ 2026 class.
Williams projects as a safety or linebacker at the next level, and has previously been committed to Louisville, Syracuse and Florida State. He is the No. 6 safety in ESPN’s rankings for the 2026 cycle. He joins four-star quarterback Will Griffin as the second and highest-rated ESPN 300 recruit committed to coach Billy Napier’s incoming class.
“Recruitment 100% shut down,” Williams posted on social media.
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Thursday’s commitment marks the latest step in a whirlwind recruitment for the 6-foot-1, 215-pound defender from Tavares, Florida.
Williams was committed to Louisville for two months in 2023. He then committed to Syracuse in April 2024 before pulling his pledge from the Orange in August, weeks before his junior season at Tavares High School. He later pledged to Florida State during the fall but subsequently decommitted from the Seminoles’ class in November during the final weeks of the program’s disastrous 2-10 finish to the season.
Amid that flurry of movement, Williams entered 2025 with an open recruitment before narrowing it to Florida, Penn State, Alabama, Georgia and Florida State. He attended a junior day event with the Seminoles on Jan. 18 and received an at-home visit from Napier later that month prior to committing Thursday night.
Williams joins the Gators’ 2026 class after tallying 125 tackles and four sacks in his junior season. All three of Florida’s commits in the 2026 cycle hail from in-state, as Williams follows Griffin and three-star safety Devin Jackson.
