Jon Sumrall and the Florida Gators have received quite the endorsement from a five-star target.
Things certainly feel different in Gainesville since Jon Sumrall took over as Florida Gators head coach back in late November, and that thought seems pretty universal.
Whether it's the fans, the media or Florida players themselves, it appears very clear that Sumrall has already changed things in The Swamp.
In fact, five-star wide receiver Easton Royal, who has committed to Texas but is still weighing other options, said as much about the Gators during a recent interview with Steve Wiltfong of On 3.
"The energy in the building is completely different," Royal said.
How would Royal know that? Well, the elite prospect had previously been interested in taking his talents to Florida before committing to Texas back in November, just before Sumrall accepted the head-coaching position.
Royal — who took an unofficial visit to Florida earlier this month — has an official visit to Gainesville planned for June 11, so Sumrall will get the chance to steal the weapon from an SEC rival this summer.
The New Orleans native is the second-ranked wide receiver in the class of 2027 and the ninth-ranked player nationally, via 247 Sports' composite rankings.
Easton Royal. Credit: Nadia Zomorodian/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.Royal also has meetings planned with Tennessee (June 5) as well as Texas (June 19), so Florida will certainly be facing some stiff competition.
The six-foot tall, 200-pound pass-catcher has received 31 offers in total, also including Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss and Oregon.
Florida went just 4-8 last season and has registered four losing campaigns over its last five years, representing one of the worst stretches in program history.
There was at time when the Gators boasted one of the genuinely elite football schools in the country, but that has changed over the last decade.
Sumrall is looking to bring back the glory days in Gainesville, and while he doesn't have an expansive resume, what he has accomplished is impressive.
The 43-year-old has four years of head-coaching experience, splitting time between Troy and Tulane. He went 43-12 throughout that span, most recently leading Tulane to an 11-3 record and a College Football Playoff appearance.
We'll see if Sumrall can have that same type of success in the SEC, which is obviously an entirely different ballgame.
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