Could we be looking at an addition to the Florida Gators recruiting class soon?
The buzz surrounding four-star defensive lineman Zahmar Tookes is getting louder by the minute, and it feels like the northeastern recruit (Rochester, New York) could pull the trigger for the Gators any second. He is coming off of his official visit to Gainesville, but this pledge has been in the works for weeks.
Official Visitor Preview (May 28-30):2027 DL Zahmar TookesTookes is one of several defensive linemen the Gators have pushed for this offseason.Now, Florida can make a big move on his OV.“They’re making a case for that top spot.”➡️: https://t.co/VxYJJwEB1V (VIP) pic.twitter.com/NwZG5vkAmC
— Tyler Harden (@ttjharden8) May 25, 2026
Tookes also has official visits scheduled to Penn State, Nebraska and possibly Georgia, but it’s unlikely he’ll take any of them and, according to reports, the visit next week to Penn State is off. Tyler Harden from 247Sports recently put a crystal ball in for Florida to receive Tookes commitment. The On3/Rivals predictor for Tookes has completely flipped, with the Gators now at a 93% percent chance of getting the pledge from Tookes.
Florida is trending favorably for 4-star DL Zahmar Tookes
If Florida can secure Tookes’ commitment, it should be marked down as a huge win for the defensive staff, particularly defensive line coach Gerald Chatman and defensive coordinator Brad White. Getting a player for the Northeast is always a tough task, especially a blue-chip recruit that was a coveted target of the Nittany Lions. But Sumrall and his staff have shown that they will go anywhere the players are. Florida’s highest-ranked commitment in the class, five-star offensive lineman Maxwell Hiller, is from Pennsylvania and tight end commits Tommy Douglas and Jackson Ballinger are from New Jersey and Ohio respectively…