The four-star wide receiver ranked 53rd in the ESPN 300,has committed to Billy Napier and the Gators , making him the highest-ranked member of Florida’s 2025 recruiting class.
Brown, a spectacular 5-foot-11 pass catcher from Orlando, Florida, is the seventh-ranked wide receiver in the country this cycle and the eighth-best prospect in Florida’s 2025 recruiting class. He chose Florida over finalists Ohio State, Florida State, and Miami after making official visits to all four colleges this spring.
With Brown’s commitment, the Gators now have four ESPN 300 prospects in the 2025 cycle, including two top-100 commits.
Brown’s dedication upheld a family tradition at Florida. He is the son of former Florida defensive back Vernell Brown Jr., who competed in 45 games for the Gators between 2001 and 2005. The older Brown most recently worked with the team off the field from 2018 to 23, including a term as Florida’s senior director of player development, before moving on to manage former Gators quarterback and current Indianapolis Colts starter Anthony Richardson.
Vernell Brown Sr. played defensive back for the Gators from 1982 to 1985. Brown’s uncle, Vincent Brown, played running back for Florida under Urban Meyer in the late 2000s.
The younger Brown is now the tenth talent committed to Florida in 2025, as Napier embarks on a pivotal third season in front of the Gators, who had gone 11-14 in their first two seasons.
Brown joins a Florida class that includes ESPN 300 pledges such as defensive end Jalen Wiggins (No. 63), running back Waltez Clark (No. 212), and wide receiver Joshua Moore (No. 257), as well as four-star pledges Myles Johnson (No. 8 inside linebacker) and Jeremiah McCloud.
According to ESPN rankings, Brown is Florida’s highest-ranked wide receiver commit since Jacob Copeland in the 2018 class.
Brown, a two-sport star at Orlando’s Jones High School, has developed as one of the state’s most dangerous pass-catchers and special teams players. As a junior last autumn, Brown caught 70 passes for 1,363 yards and 10 touchdowns, with four return touchdowns. The quick pass catcher has also qualified for the triple jump at the state level twice.
Brown’s decision provides a much-needed boost to Napier’s 2025 class, which did not rank among the top 40 nationally in ESPN’s most recent team rankings. As Napier approaches the end of the current cycle and one of the nation’s most difficult schedules this fall, he faces a steep climb to deliver a second consecutive top-10 class to Gainesville in 2025.
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