With the transfer portal starting to wind down, the Florida Gators and newly-hired head coach Jon Sumrall are now beginning to prepare for the upcoming college football season.

One of the top priorities for the former Tulane head coach this offseason will be to ramp up his recruiting efforts in the 2027 recruiting cycle. Sumrall did an excellent job of maintaining players in the 2026 class, while also finding 25 transfers within the portal this offseason. However, in order to build his roster for the future, it’s clear that the Gators’ newest head coach must hit home on the high school recruitment trail.

Luckily, Florida was able to recently make their mark in the upcoming class early this week.

According to On3Sports’ Hayes Fawcett, the Gators and Sumrall landed their first commit within the 2027 recruiting class in four-star cornerback Amare Nugent on Saturday afternoon.

Nugent is currently the No. 15 prospect in the state of Florida, as well as the No. 16-ranked cornerback in the upcoming recruiting cycle, according to 247Sports’ Composite. The talented playmaker from Fort Lauderdale, FL, received an offer from the program back in June 2025, and despite the recent coaching changes for the Gators, Nugent ultimately decided to stay close to home for his college career.

Standing at 5-foot-11, 178 lbs., Nugent quickly jumped on the scene during his sophomore season at American Heritage High School in 2024, recording 26 tackles, five pass breakups, and three interceptions.

The stout defensive back would carry his impressive 2024 campaign into his junior year for the Patriots, finishing the past season with 27 tackles, two pass breakups, and two interceptions. Nugent’s combination of size and speed will allow him to be a lethal defensive back at the next level.

In addition to his strong efforts at American Heritage over the past two seasons, Nugent was also one of 24 prospects in the 2027 recruiting class to play for the East Team at the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl, while also being part of a 4x100 squad that won a Florida 3A championship in 2024.

Now that Sumrall landed his first commit in the class, the Gators will set their focus on five-star quarterback Elijah Haven and four-star tight end Anthony Cartwright this offseason.

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