GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators landed to the No. 1 target on their recruiting board Sunday with the pledge of wide receiver Vernell Brown III. He picked UF over Ohio State, Florida State and Miami.

Brown, the nation’s No. 6 wide receiver and a top-50 overall recruit revealed his decision with an exclusive commitment video from Gators Online during his live announcement On3 Recruits YouTube channel.

“I feel like University of Florida puts me in the best position to accomplish my goals and ultimately, that’s where I wanted to play, man. So that’s what it came down to,” Brown told On3 after his video reveal.

Following the big news, I was joined by Keith Niebuhr to give our rapid reaction to Brown’s commitment to Florida, how it happened and what it means for the 2025 class on the Gators Online YouTube page.

I broke down Florida’s biggest competition among Brown’s other finalists and how the Gators won him over. Niebuhr discussed the significance of Brown’s pledge for UF recruiting and the WR position.

The Gators jumped more than 20 spots in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings after landing Brown, moving up from the 53rd-ranked class to No. 31 overall. UF now has 10 commits for 2025.

After his making his commitment, On3’s Josh Newberg asked Brown what Florida fans can expect from him when he arrives in Gainesville next year.

“An electric, dynamic player who’s going to put himself in the best position to be successful on the field and help contribute to the success of the Gators,” Brown said. “And make sure that I represent the program well not only on the field, but in the classroom and making sure I’m disciplined in doing everything that I need to do.”